Disney+ Hits Snag With ‘Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War’
Crunchyroll and Netflix are the dominant names in the North American anime market. Although Disney+ does have its very own collection of animated content, it doesn’t venture into the anime world. However, its latest decision to acquire the streaming rights to a popular anime has subscribers scratching their heads with confusion.
Disney+ Wins The ‘Bleach’ Bidding War Against Crunchyroll
As reported earlier by TV Shows Ace, Disney+ won the bidding war for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War over Crunchyroll. However, it seems like the streaming platform has hit a snag before its premiere in October 2022.
What is this hurdle all about? Keep reading to find out the scoop!
[Source: YouTube]
As per Pirates & Princesses, the Bleach anime series ended almost a decade ago and left fans craving for more. After the new sequel was announced, fans were almost positive that Crunchyroll would be the one to stream the series. However, as it turns out, the popular anime streaming platform had overspent on its latest Right Stuf acquisition.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Won’t Be A Simulcast?
Now, the anime community’s biggest concern is over the simulcasting of the series. Several fans worry that Disney+ might forgo releasing episodes the same day as they release in Japan. In comparison, Crunchyroll always releases anime episodes on the very same day as its Japanese counterpart. This move helps reduce the chances of piracy while allowing viewers to enjoy the anime without having to worry about spoilers.
[Source: YouTube]
Fans believe that Disney will either release the episodes a few weeks after their Japanese release or wait until all the episodes have aired in Japan & opt for a bulk release. As per sources, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War won’t be a simulcast on Disney+. A Bleach YouTube fan channel @JaymesHanson confirmed this from his sources stating, “Well… here goes… From 2 sources. Bleach will not be Simulcast.”
Well… here goes…
From 2 sources.
Bleach will not be Simulcast.— JaymesHanson (@JaymesHanson) August 30, 2022
Disappointed fans chimed in the comments as one wrote, “And with that, Bleach is now dead in the West. Damn shame. This could’ve competed with CSM if not been bigger. Kinda disingenuous for Viz to be advertising Oct 2022 if it’s not actually going to be simulcast. It’s like they want us to sail the seven seas.”
A Simulcast Denial Might Push Fans Towards Piracy
So, why is it such a big issue for anime fans?
Well, for one, piracy is rampant across the anime industry given its lack of availability in certain locations. Business deals and licensing outside Japan leave several films, shows, and manga series out of the reach of international anime fans.
Bleach anime has a massive fandom and fans aren’t simply going to wait for weeks for the series to drop in North America after its official release in Japan. Simply put, they won’t subscribe to Disney+. Instead, they might try to acquire the anime via other sources.
[Source: YouTube]
Plus, the decade-long wait for the sequel has fans hyped up for the official release. So, it is obvious that fans won’t wait for any longer after the very first episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War premieres in Japan. As of now, no official confirmation has been received either from Disney+ or Viz!
Are you looking forward to watching Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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