Manga publisher and anime distributor VIZ Media announced their plans to release the first full-length Bleach anime movie, Bleach: Memories of Nobody in select theaters nationwide this summer, with a DVD release in Winter 2008. VIZ also acquired the rights to distribute the movie in Europe and Australia/New Zealand.

Based on the popular shonen manga martial arts action-adventure series by Tite Kubo, Bleach: The Movie is a feature-length movie featuring Ichigo, Rukia, Hitsugaya and many popular characters from the manga, but its plot revolves around a side story not covered in the manga series. Instead, we meet a mysterious new Soul Reaper and a new realm of the supernatural, the Valley of Screams.

Watch for updates on the Bleach movie at VIZ Media's official Bleach website, plus more news, trailers and previews on Bleach anime, manga, games and collectibles.

© Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot © BMP 2006