Fans prepare to say goodbye as anime series Bleach officially ends

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.

So as some 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.

"It is honestly my favourite series of all time, it has got me through a lot across my life," says Ruby Ebbs, 27.

She started reading Bleach at age nine and became friends with fellow fan Nicholas Thong, 30, 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," says Ebbs.

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.

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