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Bleach is a Japanese manga series written by Tite Kubo that has appeared in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since August 2001. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student with the ability to see ghosts, and a shinigami (Soul Reaper or, literally, "death god") named Rukia Kuchiki. The early parts of the story focus mainly on these characters. As events unfold, the story begins to delve deeper into the world of the gods of death.
The manga series has been adapted into an animated television series, two OVAs, two animated feature films, a rock musical, numerous video games, and a collectible card game. Compilation volumes of the manga have sold over 40 million copies in Japan, and have reached the top of manga sales charts in the United States. The manga received the Shogakukan Manga Award for its shōnen title in 2005, and the anime has been nominated for several American Anime Awards.
