Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he accidentally steals the power of a shinigami, a Japanese death personification similar to the Grim Reaper. Gaining these abilities forces him to take on the duties of defending humans from evil spirits and guiding departed souls to the afterlife. The early parts of the story focus on Ichigo and his friends in a high school setting, while later portions feature journeys to other planes of existence, expand the cast to include numerous powerful beings from the afterlife, and are more action-based.
