A live-action adaptation of Bleach exists as a 2018 Japanese film that premiered on Netflix internationally, rather than as a television series. The movie condenses the first major story arc from the original manga and anime, covering the Substitute Soul Reaper saga.

The story begins in Karakura Town, a seemingly ordinary place where high school student Ichigo Kurosaki possesses the rare ability to see ghosts. He leads a relatively normal life with his father Isshin and two younger sisters, though he has never known his mother Masaki, who died under mysterious circumstances when he was young. One night, Ichigo encounters a strange woman in black robes wielding a sword, hunting a monstrous spirit known as a Hollow. This woman is Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper whose sacred duty is to guide wandering souls to the afterlife and destroy Hollows, corrupted spirits that devour other souls. When the Hollow attacks Ichigos family and Rukia is severely wounded trying to protect him, she has no choice but to transfer a portion of her powers to him so he can fight in her stead. The transfer goes wrong, however, and Ichigo absorbs all of Rukias power, becoming a fully functional Soul Reaper while leaving her trapped in a gigai, an artificial human body.

As Ichigo reluctantly takes on the responsibilities of a Soul Reaper, he learns about the spiritual ecosystem governing life and death. The Soul Society is the afterlife realm where virtuous souls reside, governed by the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Hollows are the souls of humans who died with unresolved regrets or evil in their hearts, transforming into monstrous predators. Rukia attempts to train Ichigo in combat while hiding her identity from his family and friends, but his impulsive nature and raw spiritual pressure attract dangerous enemies. He soon discovers that two of his classmates also possess spiritual abilities. Orihime Inoue, a gentle and kind-hearted girl with a crush on Ichigo, awakens the power to reject and reverse phenomena. Yasutora Sado, known as Chad, a gentle giant of few words, develops superhuman strength manifesting through his arms. Additionally, a rival appears in the form of Uryu Ishida, a Quincy, a member of a now nearly extinct clan of spiritual archers who despise Soul Reapers for their role in the genocide of his people centuries ago. Uryu challenges Ichigo to a Hollow-hunting contest, which inadvertently attracts a massive Hollow that threatens the entire town.

The central conflict escalates when Rukias illegal transfer of power is discovered by the Soul Society. Her adopted brother Byakuya Kuchiki, a proud and stoic captain of the Sixth Division, and his lieutenant Renji Abarai, Rukias childhood friend, arrive in Karakura Town to apprehend her. Byakuya embodies the strict laws of the Soul Society, believing that tradition and order must be maintained at any cost, even if it means executing his own sister. Renji, torn between his loyalty to Byakuya and his lingering affection for Rukia, hesitantly obeys orders. Despite Ichigos desperate attempts to protect her, Byakuya effortlessly defeats the inexperienced Soul Reaper and retrieves Rukia, taking her back to the Soul Society to face execution.

Refusing to abandon his friend, Ichigo forces his way into the Soul Society with the help of Kisuke Urahara, a mysterious former Soul Reaper captain now living in exile as a shopkeeper in Karakura Town. Urahara trains Ichigo to unlock his own innate powers, revealing that his massive spiritual pressure comes from his heritage. Ichigo, accompanied by Uryu, Chad, and Orihime, breaches the gates of the Soul Society. This begins a desperate rescue mission against the thirteen captains, each a master of a unique sword form known as a Zanpakuto. The narrative arc climaxes in a confrontation with Byakuya, where Ichigo must prove his resolve and finally learn the name of his own Zanpakuto to achieve a more powerful form, earning a chance to save Rukia before the execution order is carried out.

The film primarily focuses on the first eight volumes of the manga, concluding with Ichigos victory over Renji and his clash with Byakuya, setting the stage for the subsequent Soul Society rescue arc. While a live-action television series has not been produced, this 2018 movie serves as the primary live-action interpretation of the Bleach franchise, covering the origins of Ichigos journey from a ghost-seeing teenager to a warrior defending the boundary between life and death.