The moment Bleach: Soul Society Arc concluded, its popularity didn't fade-on the contrary, it surged to a level no one had anticipated. Ratings, online discussions, replay counts, and social media engagement all climbed simultaneously, stacking one record after another as if the series itself refused to slow down.
At the same time, the new school term arrived.
On the very first day back on campus, students who had spent the past two months completely immersed in the world Alex created barely had time to put their bags down before launching into excited conversations. Classrooms, cafeterias, dorm hallways-everywhere echoed with heated discussions about plot twists, character arcs, and unforgettable scenes from the show they had binge-watched all summer.
There were no exceptions.
If you hadn't watched Bleach, you were instantly excluded from the conversation. Not knowing who Sosuke Aizen was, or why his calm smile sent chills down people's spines, was enough to label you as "out of the loop." For a brief period, it genuinely felt as though Bleach had become a shared cultural language among students nationwide.
Entertainment media outlets, naturally, moved even faster.
Major platforms competed to publish their praise, each headline more dramatic than the last.
Soru Entertainment replaced its homepage banner with a striking image of Alex as Sosuke Aizen-his glasses removed, hair slicked back, eyes calm yet unreadable. Alongside it came a long-form editorial that spread like wildfire:
[This summer, we were fortunate enough to witness what may be the finest television production since the rise of the internet era. With sheer talent, Alex presented a world that felt convincingly real.
Every character stood on their own, free of shallow stereotypes: the hot-blooded and righteous Ichigo Kurosaki, the cold yet deeply principled Byakuya Kuchiki, the outwardly brash but inwardly insecure Renji Abarai…
Yet among them all, only one character can be called flawless-Sosuke Aizen. Alex's greatest achievement is not merely creating Bleach, but creating Sosuke Aizen, a villain who may stand as the most complete antagonist in television history.]
Baiden Headlines followed with a tone that bordered on reverence:
[People once joked that when a certain iconic villain stepped aside, action dramas regressed by twenty years. Alex has proven that as long as he exists, action dramas will never decline. We are fortunate to have Alex-and unfortunate that we only have one of him.]
Sina Entertainment took a more cautious angle:
[Who would have believed that Alex's first self-written, self-directed, and self-starred production could reach such a level of polish? This raises an unusual concern: has he already debuted at his peak? Fans have begun to worry-after such a perfect opening, will future creations be constrained by expectations?]
Meanwhile, Penguin Entertainment Highlights went straight for gossip:
[Exclusive reveal! Alex once invited Rebeca Verne to join Bleach. Now that the series has achieved historic success, did the actress-focused on her film career-ever feel a hint of regret? Follow us for continued updates…]
…
…
Alex's name spread across the domestic internet like a storm, then continued outward, rippling onto international platforms. Trending lists refreshed constantly, yet his name stubbornly remained near the top.
For a while, it truly felt as if the entire world was talking about Alex.
So what was the man at the center of all this doing?
He wasn't celebrating.
He wasn't giving interviews.
He wasn't soaking in praise.
He was setting up a company.
Yes-Alex decided to become his own boss.
In his previous life, his ex-girlfriend Emily had taken this very path, building her own studio and carving out absolute creative freedom. Alex understood that choice better than anyone now. The reason behind his decision was almost laughably simple.
He didn't want to be managed.
Alex had no interest in endless meetings, creative compromises, or executives telling him what audiences "really wanted." His goal was clear: to build a distinct two-dimensional culture-one that blended live-action, animation sensibilities, and long-form storytelling without interference.
Joining another company would inevitably mean friction. Being his own boss meant control.
That very afternoon, Alex purchased an entire floor in Red Street Tower, located in Ishvar District. The profits from Soul Society Arc were substantial, but not enough to casually buy a whole building in the city center-and he didn't need one. His current team was small, lean, and efficient.
Coincidentally, the location also aligned perfectly with what would later become Emily's personal studio.
As Alex signed the paperwork, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu-and irony.
He had already taken roles originally meant for Mark and Jasper Quin. He'd intercepted opportunities tied to others. Now, he'd even stepped onto the same developmental path Emily would eventually walk.
It was shameless.
Truly shameless.
After a brief moment of consideration, Alex finalized the company's name:
Two-Dimensional Film & Television Co., Ltd.
Just like his earlier "merchandise store," the name sounded alien to most people. No one was quite sure what it meant, but that ambiguity was intentional. The moment the company was officially registered, Alex ordered the launch of its verified official account and released a single announcement.
It was a clear signal.
Aurora Entertainment and every other agency hoping to poach him could give up.
At present, Alex's roster was small. Publicly, only two artists were known to be under him: Samantha Burnes and Melissa-both personally recruited and carefully chosen.
He wasn't worried.
In his previous life, Emily had managed countless artists, yet the one who truly broke through was still Melissa. Quantity didn't matter. Results did.
And if Alex was going to grind himself to exhaustion, then Melissa would grind alongside him.
Otherwise, the performance bet wouldn't be completed.
The moment the official account went live, the comment section exploded.
Countless Bleach fans poured in, refreshing the page nonstop. Their concern was unanimous, repeated again and again in different words but with the same urgency:
When does the next part start filming?
After all, Soul Society Arc had only ended two days ago.
Yet reporters were already camping outside Mark, Jasper Quin, and the rest of the cast. Most of them had already joined new crews and begun filming new projects. Directors were baffled when waves of reporters suddenly appeared-only to ask questions that had nothing to do with their own shows.
In their hearts, they probably cursed Alex endlessly.
The series was over. Why was he still causing trouble?
Mark and Jasper Quin could only smile bitterly. Bound by strict confidentiality agreements, all they could say-again and again-was:
"We don't know. We really don't know."
As for Alex?
He said nothing.
Because with Bleach's popularity still burning at full intensity, if he dared to say that the next project wouldn't be Bleach: Arrancar Arc, he had no doubt-
Someone might actually come knocking on his company's windows.