Bleach Mirrors High Producer Breaks Down the Game's New Protagonists and Zanpakuto Customisation (EXCLUSIVE)

Every Bleach mobile game so far has asked players to relive moments from the manga and anime. But Bleach Mirrors High is doing the opposite. Set after the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, Bandai Namco's upcoming action game hands players an entirely new Soul Reaper story, built around original protagonists Shirin Migishima and Shirane Sanari, both designed by Tite Kubo himself, who was involved in the project from its earliest planning stages, right down to the title and logo. Fights in the game unfold as 3-on-3 team battles across Zanjutsu, Kido, and Hakuda styles, layered with character customisation and player-built Zanpakuto, features the series' mobile games haven't offered before.

I interviewed one of the game's producers, who asked to remain anonymous, about what a decade of Bleach mobile games left on the table, how a 20,000-tester closed beta is shaping the final build, and why putting an original character at the centre of the story, instead of Ichigo, was the whole point.

Rayan Sayyed: Bleach Mirrors High is set after the Thousand-Year Blood War rather than retelling previous arcs which fans are already familiar with. What made that the right point in the timeline to tell an original story instead of revisiting the series’ biggest moments?

The story of Ichigo and his friends can already be experienced through the Bleach manga and anime, so with Bleach Mirrors High we wanted to shift the focus and deliver an original story to fans that can't be found anywhere else.

With the Bleach anime concluding in September 2026, we wanted to provide our players with a brand-new story through the game, placing them at the center as the protagonist. Additionally, we're designing the game so that even people who haven't watched the TV Animation Series Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War arc can enjoy the experience of becoming a Soul Reaper and being part of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

For readers hearing about Mirrors High for the first time, how would you describe the game’s core gameplay loop in a way that captures what makes it different?

Our gameplay loop places an emphasis on the main story. Players battle enemies as they advance through the narrative, and when they need to strengthen their characters, they can take on the other content the game has to offer. After gathering materials to enhance their characters, they can then continue where they left off in the story. The main story takes place after the TV Animation Series "Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War" but with you as the main character, allowing you to experience an all-new story that differs from the manga and anime.

On top of the avatar customisation that lets you project yourself into the game, you can also create your own original Zanpakuto. If you've ever wanted to be a part of the Bleach universe, that dream is about to become reality. Battles take place as one-on-one fights between teams of 3 characters who use cards to unleash amazing skills with the tap of a button. No need for complicated controls here!

Each character follows a certain battle style (Zanjutsu, Kido, or Hakuda) which determines whether they fight at close or long range. The characters also have Attributes, so the key to victory is swapping between your 3 team members depending on the situation. As you progress through the main story, enemies will stand in your way. Defeat them to continue the narrative.

Tite Kubo has said he was involved from the project’s earliest planning stages, contributing to the story, title, character designs, logo, and even voice recording sessions. How did that level of involvement change the way the development team approached the project compared to a more traditional licensed game? How did that level of involvement change the way the development team approached the project compared to a more traditional licensed game?

Usually, we would proceed with the story and characters based on the established setting of the manga or anime, but for this game, we got to start from scratch and establish whole new environments, storylines, and characters. I think that process allowed us to engage with Bleach as a work on a much deeper level. None of that would have been possible without the full support and cooperation of Mr. Kubo and everyone on the Thousand-Year Blood War production committee. I couldn't be more grateful for all their help. It's thanks to everyone that we were able to stay true to what makes Bleach special while delivering an entirely new Bleach experience. We hope you look forward to it.

Bleach has had several mobile games over the years, each focusing on different gameplay styles. When you began this project, what gaps did you feel still existed that Mirrors High could fill?

This project was founded on the core concept of a "Protagonist Soul Reaper Experience". That is to say, the player gets to experience life as a Soul Reaper in Soul Society and grow into their role as the protagonist. That's where Bleach Mirrors High really shines, in my opinion.

The original story set after the Thousand-Year Blood War is of course one part of what makes it stand out, but we've also implemented features that let players freely customise their main character's appearance and Battle Style, as well as create their very own Zanpakuto. These features are new to the world of Bleach games, and we think they fill a unique niche for a novel experience.

The closed beta just wrapped on July 29. What’s the biggest piece of feedback from the 20,000 testers that’s already changing something before launch?

We had a lot of players participate in the closed beta test, and we've received tons of feedback and comments both from the post-beta questionnaire itself and across different social media platforms.
In particular, we received a lot of positive feedback regarding the graphics, battle system, and the original story that takes place after the Thousand-Year Blood War. As a member of the development team, it feels great to see responses like that.

On the other hand, we also received feedback from participants about issues that we never would have caught on our own. Currently, the development team is poring through the feedback to find out what areas we need to look at in order to make the game easier to play and understand, as well as increase the fun for everyone. Building on what we learned from the closed beta test, the entire development team is committed to polishing the game and delivering an even more enjoyable experience.

Walk us through why the game gives players a choice between two original protagonists, Shirin and Shirane, rather than putting an existing character like Ichigo at the center of the story.

This overlaps a bit with what I said earlier, but granting the user the choice between Shirin and Shirane to serve as the protagonist will allow them to more easily project themselves as the main character. They can fill the shoes of a Soul Reaper living in the Seireitei and join one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as part of a brand-new Bleach experience.

In the manga and anime, Ichigo Kurosaki is the focus of the story, but in this game, you are the protagonist, and by interacting with both new and returning characters, you get to experience a different perspective. I believe that will lead to an even deeper appreciation of the world of Bleach.

---

Rayan Sayyed is the deputy editor for IGN India who writes and speaks on pop culture, spanning from games, anime, manga to films and everything in between. You can reach out to him at rayan_sayyed@ign.com, or find him on Instagram @rayansayyed and Twitter/X @rayanaver

Got any news tips, or want to discuss a possible story? Email us at ign_india@ign.com (to reach out with confidential tips, click here). For the latest on gaming, entertainment, pop culture, anime/manga, follow IGN India on Instagram, X, Facebook, and WhatsApp. For the latest videos, subscribe to us on YouTube.