It’s a finale fans have waited more than a decade to see.

The epic conclusion to Bleach – one of the most popular anime series of all time – is due to land later.

It’s the final episode of its Thousand-Year Blood War storyline, and this is one ending where anticipation is especially high.

Original creator Tite Kubo has overseen some major changes to the original comic book arc’s “disappointing” narrative which have been positively received.

As fans mourn the “end of an era”, they’re also nervously waiting to see if he can stick the landing second time around.

BBC Newsbeat’s been speaking to fans as they say an “emotional” goodbye to Kubo’s creation.

Bleach is regarded as one of the “big three” manga in Japan alongside One Piece and Naruto, and animated adaptations of each are credited with helping to fuel the global popularity of anime.

It follows the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a teenager with distinctive orange hair who has the unusual ability to see ghosts.

He navigates school and family life at the same time as defending humanity from evil spirits.

The original Bleach anime ran from 2004 to 2012 across 16 seasons but never caught up to the manga source material.

Fans were unsure if it would ever come back.

But the first part of Bleach’s animated final chapter eventually premiered 10 years later in 2022.

The arc, Thousand-Year Blood War, has been split into four separate chapters, and the final run began this July.

Bleach’s original comic book ending was divisive and broadly unpopular with fans and was said to have been rushed due to creator Kubo experiencing health issues during its production.

One of the reasons fans have been so excited to see the new, animated finale is due to the fact Kubo and animation house Pierrot Films have made changes to the original storyline.

And many are hoping the “final battle”, external will “fix” the unpopular ending from 2016.

Bleach fans Ruby Ebbs, 27, and Nicholas Thong, 30, will often cosplay as characters from the series and host meet-ups with other enthusiasts.

“A lot of us are feeling quite emotional about it,” says Ruby.

“It is honestly my favourite series of all time, it has got me through a lot across my life,” she explains.

She started reading Bleach aged nine and became friends with Nicholas through their shared passion.

“I’ve made so many friends through Bleach, it’s been such a wonderful part of my life both in terms of what it teaches me and the kind of people I meet through it.”

For Nicholas, watching Bleach as teenager helped him get through school – and he even has a tattoo dedicated to the story.

“It helped me make friends in school, talking to a few people who also knew Bleach and about our favourite characters,” recalls the 30-year-old.

The pair tell BBC Newsbeat they will be “crying together” as they watch the finale later.

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