Bleach creator admits he didn’t let anyone influence his story, not even his editor during serialization.
The Bleach manga ended in 2012, but it remains one of the most beloved series of all time. The anime adapts the final arc after more than a decade of hiatus. As the creator of Bleach, Tite Kubo has maintained a tight grip on its story.
It is common in Shonen Jump for editors to make suggestions and work with the author to change the plot based on the readers’ usual preferences. However, Kubo reveals that he never let his editor interfere with the story.
In a interview With Japanese idol and popular YouTuber Daisuke Sakuma, Tite Kubo shares, “Well, I’m the kind of writer who doesn’t really have meetings with my editor.”
Kubo continues: “When I was writing a series, my editor would come and pick up the manuscript when it was finished. I would say, ‘Next week, it’s going to be like this,’ and he would leave.”
Sakuma asks if the editor just accepted this and Kubo replies, “It’s more like… [laughs] I didn’t give them any other choice.” He adds: “As long as the publisher motivates me, that’s enough for me.”
Kubo also reveals how his editor at Shonen Jump criticized him for treating his publisher poorly: “There’s this party, and when I went with my editor at the time, the editor was like, ‘You only think of this guy as the guy who collects manuscripts, right?’
Since the original interview is in Japanese, a Bleach account shares the translation on Twitter/X. A fan writes: “So he already had the whole story and ending in mind. The fact that the editors didn’t even intervene means that it’s 100% his story and no one else influenced it. He’s the kind of author who already sees how his own series is going to end.”
“We already know it’s not perfect, but overall it’s writing its own story. If you really follow Kubo’s manga and are open to exploring literature, life forms, astrology, ancient legends, etc., its story is connected. Yes, the subtle layering requires thought and logic, but it’s fun,” adds another.
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