Summary
Some gamers have recently discovered that two of the weapons available inClair Obscur: Expedition 33greatly resemble some of the ones used in the popularBleachanime. It’s no secret that the developers ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33love Japanese media, and these weapons are an interesting find for fans of both franchises.
Released late in April,Clair Obscur: Expedition 33quickly became the highest-rated game of 2025. Mixing gorgeous aesthetics, a complex combat system with turn-based and action elements, and a somewhat short but engrossing story, the title currently holds an average of 92 on OpenCritic, and it has sold over 2 million units so far.Bleach, on the other hand, was one of the most popular manga and anime of all time, together withNarutoandOne Piece.
Now, some gamers have discovered thatClair Obscurhas some weapons inspired by the Zanpakutos inBleach. As can be seen in a post shared by a gamer called ThaLastRanga, the Confuso weapon used by Verso really resembles Ichigo’s Zangetsu, while Maelle’s Melarum looks a lot like Rukia’s Sode no Shirayuki. Both weapons can be found in Act 2 ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33, so most gamers who have already reached the endgame should have access to them.
Some of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Weapons Resemble the Ones From Bleach
It was never a secret that the developers ofClair Obscurwere fans of Japanese media, and these Easter eggs are yet another proof of that. Earlier this week, for example,Clair Obscur: Expedition 33director Guillaume Broche revealed that his first JRPGwasFinal Fantasy 8. According to the developer, they could not even read yet when they played, but the game left them with a strong impression.
Curiously,Clair Obscurseems to be struggling to sell in Japan. Local reports indicate that the game has sold fewer than 10,000 physical discs in the region, a number that does not account for digital sales, which are still unknown.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33is clearly one of the most memorable games of 2025, but one recent interview has demonstrated that the title was almost entirely different. According to one Sandfall Interactive developer, the team always planned the gameplay to be similar to the current version of the game, but anearly version ofClair Obscurwas a steampunk RPG set in Victorian England with zombies. The devs spent six months working on this storyline before finally settling down on the Belle Epoque version that made the title famous.
