Part-time student, full-time Soul Reaper, Ichigo is one of the chosen few guardians of the afterlife. Ichigo Kurosaki never asked for the ability to see ghosts—he was born with the gift. When his family is attacked by a Hollow—a malevolent lost soul—Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper, dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping the tortured spirits themselves find peace. Find out why Tite Kubo’s Bleach has become an international manga smash-hit! The Soul Reapers of Squad Zero continue their defense of the royal palace as Yhwach's strongest Quincies reveal their true powers! But when Hyosube, the leader of Squad Zero, joins the fray, will Yhwach be forced into the fight as well? Bleach is author Tite Kubo's second title. Kubo made his debut with ZOMBIEPOWDER. , a four-volume series for Weekly Shonen Jump . To date, Bleach has been translated into numerous languages and has also inspired an animated TV series that began airing in Japan in 2004. Beginning its serialization in 2001, Bleach is still a mainstay in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump . In 2005, Bleach was awarded the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award in the shonen (boys) category.