Adult Swim’s Toonami anime block revealed highlights of its May 2025 programming lineup, which will bring Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War and Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga to the network for the first time, starting May 17.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the most recent anime series in the global hit Bleach franchise based on Tite Kubo’s manga, first premiered in October 2022 and was picked up by Hulu for U.S. streaming from distributor VIZ. The second season follows in July 2023. Part 3, The Conflict, aired on TV Tokyo from October-December 2024. The fourth and final season, The Calamity, is set to follow.
Synopsis: As a Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki became caught in the turmoil of the Soul Society, a place where deceased souls gather. But with help from his friends, Ichigo overcame every challenge to become even stronger. When new Soul Reapers and a new enemy appear in his hometown of Karakura, Ichigo jumps back into the battlefield with his Zanpakuto to help those in need. Meanwhile, the Soul Society is observing a sudden surge in the number of Hollows being destroyed in the World of the Living. They also receive separate reports of residents in the Rukon District having gone missing. Finally, the Seireitei, home of the Soul Reapers, comes under attack by a group calling themselves the Wandenreich.
Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga, which picks up from the fifth volume of Kazue Kato’s Blue Exorcist manga, made its Japan premiere in 2017 to continue the anime adaptation begun in 2011. This 12-episode series was distributed by Aniplex of America and streamed on Crunchyroll.
Synopsis: Rin Okumura, born as the child of the devil, hides his origins and becomes an exorcist, enrolling in Shinjuji Academy. During Amaimon’s attack, his true identity is revealed, causing his friends to fear and distance themselves. Amidst the chaos, the Impure King’s left eye is stolen, leading Rin and his friends into an unexpected crisis.
Additionally, Toonami will follow the May 10 premiere of Lazarus Episode 6 (starting at midnight) with a catch-up marathon of the first half-dozen episodes from Shinichiro Watanabe’s buzzy new sci-fi actioner. Read more about this new thriller centered around a global countdown to human extinction in Animation Magazine‘s interview with Watanabe here.
AloJapan.com