Bleach follows the lives of Ichigo Kurosaki, who is a high school student with the ability to see ghosts, and shinigami (Soul Reaper or, literally, "death god"). One shinigami is named Rukia Kuchiki, who crosses paths with Ichigo while hunting an evil spirit known as a hollow. Rukia is wounded during the ensuing confrontation with the spirit and is left with no choice but to transfer her powers into Ichigo. Thus the adventures of Ichigo and Rukia begin.
As events unfold, the story begins to delve deeper into the world of these gods of death on the "other side" called Soul Society.