If you’re an anime fan, you’ve probably heard of Tite Kubo’s masterpiece, Bleach. After a nine-year hiatus, Bleach finally returns with its final arc, “Thousand Year Blood War,” in which we will join Ichigo Kurosaki in the never-ending war between the Shinigami and Quincy.
Our “Shinigami Substitute’s” adventures are available on Netflix. If you are not in Japan, however, you will not be able to watch Bleach on Netflix. The reason for this is that geo-restriction is not limited to popular television shows and films. Popular animes such as Bleach are also subject to these restrictions.
But there’s no need to be disheartened. There is a simple method for watching Bleach on Netflix. Using a reputable VPN service, we will get a Japanese IP address. This will allow us to watch Bleach from any location around the world.
Analysis: As you may be aware, Netflix provides different catalogs to its users based on their location. This is due to copyright and licensing agreements. In our case, Netflix only has broadcast rights to Bleach in Japan. In other words, we can’t find Bleach on Netflix if we try to watch it outside of Japan (without a Japanese IP address).
Solution: VPNs are helpful tools for improving our online security and privacy. We basically choose where our online traffic will be encrypted when we connect to a VPN server. This encryption also assigns us a new IP address based on the server’s location. We’ll connect to a VPN server in Japanese data centers, as we require a Japanese IP address to watch Bleach on Netflix. This allows us to watch Bleach on Netflix from anywhere in the world.
A quick guide to streaming Bleach on Netflix via VPN:
- Visit Surfshark VPN. It has servers in Tokyo, Japan.
- Click the “Get SurfShark” button in the upper right corner and choose a plan.
- Enter your email address and complete the payment with a preferred method. (Surfshark will send your login details to your email.)
- Sign in to your SurfShark account, download the VPN app for your device, and install it.
- Launch the SurfShark app and log in with the same credentials.
- Navigate to the “Locations” tab, type “Japan” into the search bar, and connect to the available server.
If everything stays on track, you will have a Japanese IP address after completing these steps. You can watch Bleach on Netflix from anywhere in the world with this new IP address, as shown below:
This method can be used to watch the anime catalog on Netflix Japan. However, if you’re wondering why we face geo-restriction when we try to watch Netflix outside of Japan or how a VPN service can help us get around it, I’ll go into more detail in the following sections. Please continue reading.
Understanding Netflix geo-restriction
In recent years, digital platforms have become an integral part of our lives. However, as demand increased, so did the severity of the sanctions. Currently, Netflix has approximately 223 million paid subscribers worldwide. Even though Netflix has a substantial market share, it is still obligated to adhere to copyright and licensing agreements.
In our case, Netflix owns the broadcast rights to Bleach in Japan, as well as the majority of other popular anime. Assume you live in one of the member states of the European Union. You are an anime fan who has been waiting nine years for the final arc of Bleach to be animated. But do you know what happens if you try to watch Bleach on Netflix outside of Japan?
As you can see, there are no results when you search for “Bleach” on Netflix. As previously stated, the cause of this situation is due to copyright and licensing agreements. In the platform’s “Terms of Use,” Netflix explains the situation as follows:
- The statement: “You may access the Netflix content primarily within the country in which you have established your account and only in geographic locations where we offer your subscription plan and have licensed such content. The content that may be available will vary by geographic location and will change from time to time.”
To cut a long story short, we must be in a country where Netflix has broadcasting rights to Bleach in order to watch it on Netflix. In this regard, which country can compete with Japan, the birthplace of anime? But is it really possible to watch Netflix without having to travel to Japan? The answer will be discussed in the following section.
Watch Bleach on Netflix via VPN
Netflix provides different catalogs to its subscribers based on the user’s IP address. We should find a way to get a Japanese IP address since Bleach is available in Netflix’s Japanese catalog. Fortunately, we can easily change our IP address by using a reliable VPN service.
When we connect to a VPN server, our online traffic is routed through that server using the protocol we select. This process encrypts our data and assigns us a new IP address based on the server’s location. When we connect to a VPN server, we will be virtually in the server’s location for any system that analyzes us.
Aside from the technicalities, we can obtain a Japanese IP address by connecting to a VPN server in Japan. This allows us to gain access to Netflix’s Japanese catalog and watch the most recent Bleach episodes from anywhere in the world.
Choosing the best VPN for Bleach
There are numerous alternatives on the market. However, in order to watch Netflix outside of Japan, we need VPN services with servers in Japanese data centers. Only in this way can we obtain a Japanese IP address.
It is important to note that not all VPN services are capable of unblocking Netflix. Furthermore, because we will be connecting to a server on another continent, the server we will connect to must be cutting-edge in order to provide an uninterrupted streaming experience.
Taking all of this into account, the VPN service I recommend for watching Bleach is SurfShark. SurfShark is one of my favorite VPN providers when it comes to streaming. By connecting to SurfShark’s Tokyo server, you can easily access Netflix Japan from anywhere in the world. Furthermore, the 94 Mbps speed performance will satisfy you.
Please follow the instructions below to use this service:
- Visit SurfShark’s official website.
- Select a plan and complete the purchase form. (To take advantage of the 80% discount, select a longer period.)
- Make a payment using your preferred method.
When your payment is complete, your login information will be sent to your email. This process may take a few minutes.
VPN app installation
The next step is to download and install the VPN application for the device on which we want to watch Netflix.
- Return to the official SurfShark website.
- Click the “Log in” button in the upper left corner of the page and enter your credentials.
- Navigate to the menu’s “Apps and Extensions” tab, then download and install the VPN app for your device.
Note: To avoid complications in the future, make sure to grant the SurfShark VPN app all necessary permissions.
Connecting to the Japan VPN server
Before we can begin watching Ichigo’s new adventures, there is only one thing left to do. It is to locate and connect to SurfShark’s Japan server. Let us now obtain our Japanese IP address.
- First and foremost, release your Bankai!
- Launch the SurfShark app on your device.
- Select the “Locations” menu from the app’s interface.
- Enter “Japan” in the search bar and select an available server.
If your SurfShark icon turns green, it means you’ve connected to the Japanese server and can now access Soul Society from anywhere in the world.
Streaming Bleach on Netflix
Do you remember what happened the last time we searched for Bleach on Netflix? Let us try once more with our new Japanese IP address.
- Make sure you are connected to the SurfShark Japan server.
- Visit Netflix’s official website at https://www.netflix.com/ or open your Netflix app.
- Search for Bleach.
As you can see, our hellish training paid off, and we can now find Bleach in the catalog thanks to our increased reiatsu (spiritual pressure). All that remains is for you to enjoy the show.
With the given method, you can watch Bleach and other popular anime on Netflix from anywhere in the world.
VPNs for streaming Bleach on Netflix (3 Alternatives)
It’s difficult to find a VPN service with Japanese servers. Furthermore, platforms and VPN providers, like Shinigamis and Hollows, are constantly at odds. One side is adamant about blocking VPN traffic, while the other is adamant about circumventing restrictions.
As a result, a VPN provider that works flawlessly today (SurfShark for us) may be unable to assist you in unblocking Netflix tomorrow. That’s why, just in case, I’ve compiled a list of alternative VPN services that can help you watch Netflix Japan.
We also cannot accept a standard connection. Given that Japan is located on a distant continent for the majority of us, the VPN service we select should have cutting-edge servers that will provide us with uninterrupted and high-quality streaming.
Cyberghost
If you’re looking for a VPN for streaming, CyberGhost is probably one of your best options. CyberGhost has over 9000 servers in 91 different countries, including Japan.
The feature that sets CyberGhost apart from other VPN services is its specially optimized servers, which can be found in the “For Streaming” category of the VPN app. In Tokyo, Japan, CyberGhost has 109 servers that will provide you with a high-quality streaming experience. By connecting to CyberGhost’s Japan server, I obtained a download speed of 43 Mbps in my most recent speed test.
In terms of pricing, CyberGhost is quite attractive when compared to its competitors. A single CyberGhost account can support up to 7 simultaneous connections, and the most basic plan starts at only $2.29 per month.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the largest companies in the market, with thousands of servers operating in 94 different countries and over 13 years of experience. ExpressVPN outperforms its competitors in terms of location diversity, with Japan servers in Shibuya, Tokyo, and Yokohama.
The download speed I got from ExpressVPN’s Japan server was 72 Mbps. Such a performance is more than adequate for an uninterrupted and high-quality streaming experience.
Unfortunately, ExpressVPN believes that quality comes at a price, and its pricing policy has been shaped accordingly. If you wish to use ExpressVPN’s premium services, a single subscription allows for 5 simultaneous connections, and the basic plan costs $6.67 per month.
AtlasVPN
AtlasVPN is a new VPN service with 750 servers in 42 different locations. If you’re curious about where AtlasVPN came from, you should know that it’s a sister company to NordVPN. While NordVPN is dedicated primarily to security and privacy, AtlasVPN is focused on streaming platforms.
In my most recent speed test, I received a download speed of 34 Mbps thanks to AtlasVPN’s Japan streaming server. Such a performance is more than enough to support watching Bleach and other anime in the highest quality available on Netflix.
The most exciting part is yet to come. In order to gain market share, AtlasVPN keeps its prices as low as possible. AtlasVPN subscriptions are only $2.05 per month and allow for an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.
Summing up the Bleach on Netflix article
As an anime fan, I know you’d rather sit back and watch our orange-haired hero swing his massive “zanpaktou” than subscribe to multiple platforms, check these platforms for new episodes, or try to find a site where you can watch episodes with English subtitles.
This is possible on Netflix, but only if you are located in Japan. You can only watch Bleach on Netflix if you have a Japanese IP address due to copyright and licensing agreements.
As we learned in this article, using VPN services to obtain a Japanese IP address is simple. We can change our IP address and thus our virtual location to Japan with a few simple clicks by using a reputable VPN service. We can now watch Netflix Japan from anywhere in the world thanks to this virtual relocation.
I’ve been a translator for many years. During this time, geo-restriction has always been the most problematic issue in the many countries I’ve visited. I’m here to tell you about my experience.