Decoding the Burn the Witch Anime: Is it really a Bleach spin-off?

The release of Burn the Witch #0.8 gave fans a glimpse of the anime movie's prequel. Anime enthusiasts are drawn to the new series due to its creator, Tite Kubo, best known for Bleach. With some time before the release of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, fans are curious about Kubo's new series. As Kubo's first major work since the end of Bleach, many have been wondering if the Burn the Witch anime is a spin-off or a completely new series.

Is Burn the Witch a spin-off based on Bleach?

Ninny Spangcole as seen in the prequel anime (Image via Studio Colorido)

Yes, Tite Kubo's Burn the Witch is a spin-off of the popular series Bleach, taking place 12 years after the events of the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc. This places the events of Burn the Witch at the same time as Bleach's No Breathes From Hell Arc.

Furthermore, the Burn the Witch manga and movie offer fans a significant Easter egg, revealing the connection between the two universes. Despite the different settings of Japan and London, the two series are linked through the Soul Society.

Noel Niihashi as depicted in the preceding anime (Image via Studio Colorido)

The conclusion of the spin-off film revealed the revival of the Wing Bind agency after its devastation. This scene established that Wind Bind was the Western Branch of the Soul Society. The anime movie did not clarify the inner workings of the branches, but there appears to be a definite connection.

Moreover, it is important to note that dragons and shinigami in the two series have striking similarities. Both entities are invisible to normal human beings but can be seen and must be defeated by the agents of the Soul Society. This suggests a significant connection that may be explored further.

Wing Bind Agency's reference to Soul Society as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Colorido)

Both series' main male characters have similarities - starting as "human beings" and later joining their respective organizations in their universes. Lastly, manga creator Tite Kubo dropped a major Easter egg with the spin-off series BURN THE WITCH, where the title card stylized with blood splatter reads "BLEACH."

The title card for the spin-off series subtly nods to "BLEACH" (Image via Studio Colorido)

Even if fans overlooked other hidden references or questioned their significance, the mention on the title card should leave no doubt for fans that the two series are linked.

The spin-off series has announced a second season of the manga, so fans can look forward to discovering more connections between it and its parent series, Bleach. It's also worth noting that Bleach has yet to continue its special one-shot manga, "No Breathes from Hell" story, so fans can anticipate a wealth of new content from manga creator Tite Kubo.

Editor's P/S

As a passionate fan of Tite Kubo's works, I was thrilled to learn about the release of Burn the Witch, a new anime movie set in the same universe as Bleach. The prequel, Burn the Witch #08, provided an intriguing glimpse into the world of witches and dragons, and I can't wait to see how the story unfolds in the upcoming movie.

One of the things that excites me most about Burn the Witch is the potential for crossovers with Bleach. The two series are clearly connected, as evidenced by the Easter eggs and references mentioned in the article. I would love to see characters from Bleach make an appearance in Burn the Witch, or vice versa. It would be a real treat for fans of both series.