A new group of Soul Reapers enters the world of BLEACH in Mirrors High, the mobile game launched by Bandai Namco on October 28. Its full opening animation was produced by PIERROT FILMS, the team behind BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, and introduces the game with the song CRITICAL by suisoh.
An opening for new recruits
Bandai Namco revealed the full animation during its October 27 broadcast. The game takes place after the Thousand-Year Blood War and follows a newly awakened soul as the player creates a Soul Reaper and joins a cast that includes familiar characters and new recruits.
The opening's released stills move from a bright academy courtyard to a portrait lit in purple and pink. These contrasts are visible in the images; the publisher has not explained the individual production choices behind them.
Official BLEACH Mirrors High opening animation, featuring CRITICAL by suisoh.
Project: BLEACH Mirrors High
Production: PIERROT FILMS
©Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, pierrot. ©Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
Tite Kubo's new characters
Alongside the animation, Bandai Namco revealed ten new squad members designed by BLEACH creator Tite Kubo. The publisher says their concept art and cast comments are available through the official game channels, adding to characters previously introduced for the game.
Mirrors High also lets players customise their own Soul Reaper and sword. For an opening sequence, that gives the established world a different point of entry: a new cohort shares the frame with a universe that audiences already know.
A contrasting image from the opening animation. Animation: PIERROT FILMS.
Project: BLEACH Mirrors High
Production: PIERROT FILMS
©Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, pierrot. ©Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
A collaboration in sound
Suisoh wrote and composed CRITICAL and arranged it with Takahiro Yamada of ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION. In Bandai Namco's announcement, suisoh described combining band sounds with electronic samples and said the song was intended to encourage the new protagonists on their journey.
The opening is embedded above; the game's Android and iOS release is available now. The animation is a compact introduction to the new project, while its character art and music connect the game to the wider BLEACH creative team.
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