Bleach began serialization in 2001, and Kubo stated he wanted to start Bleach in the spring, but it premiered in an August issue of Weekly Shonen Jump. He stated that the inconsistency bothered him. The first half of Bleach occurs between May 2001 and November 2001, Ichigo was only a Shinigami for about 8 months between the substitute and arrancar arcs. It is now 2003 in the Bleach world.