- Edit [03/15/06] -

Well it’s official now.

- Old Entry -

Well that’s according to AnimeOnDVD:

  • “According to this report from C21 Media back on February 6th, Viz Media has acquired the Bleach anime in order to push more into the teen anime market. This comes at a time when a recent Cartoon Network interview has the commentator talking about how Bleach is very much an Adult Swim oriented show and would fit well in their line-up. Time that with Inu Yasha getting closer to finishing and it looks as if Viz Media is lining things up for their next big TV push in addition to Naruto.”

However this may only apply in the European market, (but I wouldn’t count on it.) More details when available…

Even more sources:

C21 Media Article:

Viz uses Bleach to clean up in teen market Japanese animé and manga licensor Viz Media has acquired its first title aimed at the older teen and young adult demo.  Bleach comes from the same family of manga as Viz Media properties Shonen Jump, Dragonball Z and Naruto, but instead targets an older age group than the company’s usual core demo of seven- to 12-year-olds. “Bleach is one of the big heavy hitters coming out of Japan, for which we have pretty big expectations. It is a very highly rated show on TV Tokyo at the moment,” said John Easum, executive VP of Viz Media.The property is already a very strong manga publishing title in the US, and Easum feels this is a “strong indication of how it will perform as a series. “According to Daniel Marks, MD at Viz Media BV, the Amsterdam-based company Viz launched in October with licensing outfit Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, teens will find it easy to identify with Bleach’s characters.

“They are hip, trendy and fashionable,” said Marks. “It sort of fuses a cool Samurai-esque feel with a retro style – all in present-day pop culture Japan that we think will resonate really well with the teen demo.”

Bleach follows 15-year-old high school student Ichigo Kurosaki, who is able to see and fight the undead after an encounter with a ‘soul reaper.’ With his newfound powers, Kurosaki and his crew take on a brand new vocation: ghost-busting.