In short: The Calamity is the fourth and final part of Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War. It started airing on 25 July 2026 on TV Tokyo, at 11pm Japan time. It adapts chapters 664 to 686, the last of Tite Kubo's manga, and closes out the fight against Yhwach.
What is The Calamity?
The end of Bleach, plainly. After The Blood Warfare, The Separation and The Conflict, this fourth part closes the adaptation of the thousand-year war and the series' main storyline. The manga stopped at chapter 686: the anime finally reaches that endpoint, ten years later.
The title sets the tone. Where earlier parts alternated between build-up and confrontation, this one opens on a disaster already under way. Expect dense episodes, with several fights running in parallel rather than a single duel stretched across the season.
Which manga chapters does it adapt?
Chapters 664 to 686. This is the final stretch: the last duel, the fate of the Soul Society and the epilogue readers have known since 2016. For reference, the first three parts covered chapters 480 to 663.
What nobody can promise is how faithful it will be. The previous parts added scenes absent from the manga, with Tite Kubo's approval, often to flesh out secondary characters who had been left aside. Nothing suggests the last part will hold back, and many readers are watching as much to see what was added as to revisit what they know.
The broadcast schedule
The series started on Saturday 25 July 2026 on TV Tokyo, at 11pm Japan time, with one episode a week. Announcements aimed at French-speaking audiences list ten episodes, running to 26 September 2026.
| Episode | Air date |
|---|---|
| 1 | 25 July 2026 |
| 2 | 1 August 2026 |
| 3 | 8 August 2026 |
| 4 | 15 August 2026 |
| 5 | 22 August 2026 |
| 6 | 29 August 2026 |
| 7 | 5 September 2026 |
| 8 | 12 September 2026 |
| 9 | 19 September 2026 |
| 10, announced finale | 26 September 2026 |
One caveat worth keeping in mind: several English-language outlets list thirteen episodes rather than ten. Both figures have been circulating since spring. The table above uses the firm dates known as of 26 July 2026; if an additional block is confirmed, the ending will slide towards mid-October.
Where to watch The Calamity, by region
International distribution runs through Disney+ in most territories, and Hulu in the United States. This catches a lot of viewers out: unlike most simulcasts, Bleach is not on Crunchyroll, and looking for the episode there makes it feel like it has not been released.
Before streaming, VIZ Media organised a theatrical run from 25 June 2026, with a cut bringing together the opening episodes. France got its screening on 27 June, at Pathé, subtitled. If you were there, you saw in advance what later landed on streaming.
As for dubbing, expect several weeks of delay after the simulcast, as with the previous parts. Local air dates vary by region, so check the one that applies to you before planning your evening.
The final trailer and the new theme songs
VIZ Media unveiled the final trailer at its Anime Expo 2026 panel, a few weeks before launch.
👉 Watch the final trailer on the VIZ Media channel
Part 4 arrives with its own theme songs: "I-BULL" by jo0ji for the opening, and "Rasen" by 9Lana for the ending. Bleach has always put care into its themes, and the change acts as a marker: it signals that you are entering the final block.
The teaser released earlier already set the tone, with the emphasis on Ichigo and what he has to protect.
👉 Watch the official teaser on the VIZ Media channel
Where to pick things back up
Start again at the end of The Conflict, part 3. It is the only way into The Calamity without being lost, because part 3 stops mid-shift rather than on a clean conclusion. If you would rather read, chapters 480 to 663 cover everything that comes before.
An honest shortcut for anyone who watched the original series and nothing since 2012: the four parts of Thousand-Year Blood War form a single narrative block, around forty episodes. That is a long way from the 366 of the original run, and watching them in one go works far better than jumping straight to the ending.
The characters everything hinges on
Ichigo Kurosaki first, obviously. But the final arc also gives a last outing to Uryu Ishida on the Quincy side, to Kisuke Urahara and to Kenpachi Zaraki. And to Sosuke Aizen, whose role in this closing stretch remains one of the most debated topics among readers. If the character interests you, we wrote a full article on who Sosuke Aizen is and what makes his plan so unusual.
One clarification to avoid disappointment: Ulquiorra Cifer does not belong to this arc, he is part of the Arrancar arc, much earlier in the series. He is still one of the characters who sells us the most jewellery, proof that a Bleach character's popularity does not follow the chronology.
Taking it further with accessories
Ten Saturdays of broadcast is the time of year when the Bleach range moves the most. The Quincy cross necklace and the Ulquiorra necklace are the two most requested pieces, followed by the Ichigo Hollow ring, which is adjustable. As a gift there is the Ichigo keyring, and for a recognisable costume with no sewing involved, Kisuke Urahara's hat. Everything else is in the Bleach collection.
Frequently asked questions about Bleach The Calamity
What is Bleach The Calamity?
The fourth and final part of the Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War anime. It began on 25 July 2026 on TV Tokyo and adapts chapters 664 to 686 of the manga, the conclusion of Tite Kubo's main storyline.
How many episodes does The Calamity have?
Ten according to the announcements relayed in French, from 25 July to 26 September 2026. Several English-language sites list thirteen. As long as no official schedule runs past 26 September, the ten-episode figure is the only one backed by firm dates.
Where can I watch Bleach The Calamity?
On Disney+ across most international territories, and on Hulu in the United States. The series is not available on Crunchyroll, which is the most common source of confusion since launch.
Which manga chapters does part 4 cover?
Chapters 664 to 686, the last of the work. The manga ended on chapter 686, so this part closes the main storyline. Chapters 480 to 663 correspond to the first three parts of Thousand-Year Blood War.
Do I need to have watched the first three parts?
Yes, and the third especially. The Conflict stops mid-shift, with no intermediate conclusion, which makes The Calamity hard to follow without it. The four parts amount to around forty episodes in total.
What are the theme songs for part 4?
The opening is "I-BULL" by jo0ji and the ending is "Rasen" by 9Lana. The final trailer was presented by VIZ Media at its Anime Expo 2026 panel, a few weeks before the broadcast began.
Antoine, founder of Bakashop. Information verified on 26 July 2026 against official announcements and broadcast schedules. This article will be updated if episodes are confirmed beyond 26 September. Images: ©Tite Kubo/Shueisha, Studio Pierrot, VIZ Media.
