Updated January 5, 2023 by Ernie
Bleach has a wide variety of characters that has various abilities making them more unique and memorable to the audience! Since this is one of the long-running series among other anime shows, a lot of characters have already been introduced in the series giving us enough content as to who the best characters are in the show! And that’s what we have prepped for you as this list we have here is the best Bleach characters so far!
Table of Contents
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BEST BLEACH CHARACTERS!!
56. Ririn
Kicking it off with the Modified Soul, Ririn, who was first introduced in the filler arc of Bleach! She started off as one of Ichigo’s enemies by abducting Orihime into an unknown dimension. Later on, she and other Modified Souls were revealed to be one of Kisuke’s creations to serve as some kind of challenge to Ichigo and his friends (Bleach, Episode 64).
During the Bount Arc, they allied with Ichigo’s team during their hunt for the Bounts that lurk in Karakura Town. As a filler character, she doesn’t have any major impact in the overall story but still has a major role in the filler arc that she’s in.
55. Yoshino Soma
Yoshino Soma is a Bount who once served under Kariya Jin’s organization and is also her former husband. As a Bount, she possesses a weapon called a Doll and it comes in various forms and abilities for each user. For Yoshino’s case, she can summon a fiery golem called Goethe and it is known for its explosive attacks and excellent flame manipulation (Bleach, Episode 69).
Since she’s a filler character, Yoshino has only appeared during the Bount Arc and did not have any major roles or appearances in the story after that..
54. Kariya Jin
Kariya Jin is the big boss of the Bounts organization and is known for his former name, Eugene Currier. Since he’s the main antagonist during the Arc, it is expected that Jin is the most powerful guy among the Bounts. With only a touch of his finger, he can already restrain the strength of his opponents just like what he did when he confronted Ichigo (Bleach, Episode 77).
As for his personality, he’s a manipulative villain whose only main focus is his goal of seeking revenge on Shinigamis because of their oppression towards the Bounts.
53. Kuchiki Koga
Kuchiki Koga is a filler character during the Zanpakuto Unknown Tales Arc. He was introduced as one of the members of Kuchiki Clan and Byakuya’s uncle. He was once also a part of the 6th Division as their 3rd Seat Officer.
Even though he only appeared in one Arc, he has displayed a lot of his abilities such as the Zanpakuto he owns called Muramasa. Even though he’s not quite a memorable character in Bleach, he was still portrayed as a strong Shinigami who managed to fight toe to toe against Kuchiki Byakuya (Bleach, Episode 252).
52. Oko Yushima
Oko Yushima is a member of the 12th Division and works at the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. Due to his scientific skills, he was able to create his own Modified Souls that share the same traits as him such as their hair color and eyes.
Just like Koga, this character is not as memorable as the others since he only appeared in one filler story called the Gotei 13 Invading Army Arc. He is a shy person but due to his pride as a scientist, he was angered after the Project Spearhead’s cancellation. This led to him transferring his own memories into one of his Mod Souls in order to prevent the data from getting destroyed (Bleach, Episode 336).
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51. Amagai Shusuke
Here’s another filler character during the events of Bleach and that’s the new captain of the 3rd Division, Amagai Shusuke! Eventually, he was revealed to be the main antagonist of the series after he explained the truth of seeking revenge against Genryusai for killing his father.
Other than wielding a powerful Zanpakuto, he also has another weapon that is called a Bakkoto. Unlike the Zanpakuto which strengthens its user, Bakkoto functions more like a parasite by draining the user’s strength in order to become more powerful. You could say that he’s quite an overpowered individual since he even managed to use his Bankai and Bakkoto at the same time (Bleach, Episode 187).
50. Tsukishima Shukuro
Tsukishima is one of the antagonists during the Xcution Arc as one of Kujo Ginjo’s allies as a member of the Xcution. In the beginning, he was introduced as Ginjo’s enemies due to the fact that Tsukishima “betrayed” them. But as the truth was unveiled, it was revealed that they were working together the whole time in order to rob Ichigo’s remaining Soul Reaper powers.
His Fullbring called Book of the End is very similar to his sadistic and manipulative nature since it allows him to bring himself into the target’s past and change their memory. He is definitely far from a likable character other than his looks since he took Ichigo’s precious friends away from him (Bleach, Chapter 359).
49. Nemu Kurotsuchi
Nemu Kurotsuchi is the Lieutenant of 12th Division who serves under Captain Mayuri. She’s also an artificial being created by Mayuri making him her creator and father at the same time. However, they don’t seem to share a wholesome bond unlike others since Mayuri sees Nemu as nothing more than a tool.
Since Nemu is artificially-made, she doesn’t wield a Zanpakuto but still drastically excels in close-combat battles. Her superhuman strength and speed is on par with most Soul Reapers and add to that, she also has immunity to poison due to having Mayuri’s blood flowing inside her (Bleach, Chapter 126).
48. Yamada Hanataro
During the Soul Society Arc, Yamada Hanataro became one of Ichigo’s allies when they were on a mission to save Kuchiki Rukia from her execution. He is a member of the 4th Division and is the head of the 14th Advanced Relief Team. He has a cowardly personality and is not seemingly strong in combat but despite his shortcomings, he was one of the people who were determined enough to rescue Rukia.
His Zanpakuto called Hisagomaru reflects his character in the series since his blade heals its targets once they are hit rather than dealing damage (Bleach, Episode 120).
47. Hikifune Kirio
One of the Royal Guard’s members is Hikifune Kirio, the Ruler of Grain and Divine General of the South. Along with other members of the Royal Guard, she also resides in the Soul King’s Palace as the main headquarters of Division 0.
Being the Ruler of Grain, Kirio is known for cooking the best meals you’ll ever know! She believes that cooking food means having control over life and that is why she can be considered as the best chef in the series! She also has quite a unique way of manipulating her Spiritual Pressure since her bulk body is mostly due to Spiritual Pressure that is unused. When she uses it all up, her physical form changes into her regular form which is a slender and beautiful woman (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 9).
46. Kurosaki Isshin
The one and only father Kurosaki Ichigo is none other than Kurosaki Isshin! He was the former head of the Shiba Clan making him the uncle of Shiba Kukaku. Other than that, he was also once a captain of the 10th Division with Rangiku as his Lieutenant! During the events of Bleach, he works as a surgeon in their clinic.
Isshin has two personalities which he shows to different people. When it comes to his family, he’s a doting father who loves his children. However, when it comes to dealing with certain matters that concern the Soul Society, he becomes a much more serious individual. His identity as a Soul Reaper was first shown during the Arrancar Arc as he defeated the Hollow, Grand Fisher (Bleach, Chapter 186).
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45. Coyote Starrk
Coyote Starrk is the 1st Espada in Aizen’s Arrancar Army indicating that he’s the strongest among them under Aizen’s group. Just like Shunsui Kyoraku, Starrk has the attitude of a guy who’s seemingly lazy all the time and doesn’t want to do a lot of work.
Well, him being the 1st Espada is already enough to know that Starrk shouldn’t be underestimated even though he looks laid-back. Coincidentally, the one who he also fought against during the Fake Karakura Town Arc is also Kyoraku himself! Eventually, Starrk met his utter defeat after Kyoraku gained an advantage over him (Bleach, Chapter 375).
44. Oetsu Nimaiya
Oetsu Nimaiya is one of the members of the Royal Guard or also known as Division 0 who resides in the Soul King’s Palace. Currently, he holds different titles as part of the Royal Guard such as being the God of Sword, Zero Division’s 3rd Officer, and General of the West. It is also because of him that Zanpakuto became a thing among Soul Reapers because he was the one who invented it.
As a part of Division 0, he’s probably the guy who’s closest to the word “funky” due to his style and way of speaking. Most of the time, he’s also very lively and is full of energy. Not much is known about what his Zanpakuto can do other than its name which is called Sayafushi (Bleach, Chapter 601).
43. Baraggan Louisenbairn
Barragan Louisenbairn was the 2nd Espada in Aizen’s Arrancar Army and before that, he was also considered as the Hueco Mundo’s king. And as the king, he was a prideful, and arrogant individual and this is what led to his defeat when Aizen invaded their territory in Las Noches.
During the Fake Karakura Town Arc, he was the who participated in the war and has fought with the Visored, Hachigen Ushoda. Eventually, Barragan met his utter defeat at the hands of Hachigen as the latter put his decaying arm in Barragan’s body disintegrating it in the process (Bleach, Chapter 371).
42. Tier Harribel
Tier Harribel is the 3rd Espada introduced in Bleach but several months after the Arrancars and Aizen’s defeat, she became the leader of Arrancars in Hueco Mundo. Just like a lot of characters in Bleach, Harribel is quite silent herself and focuses more on observing her enemies movements (Bleach, Chapter 282).
Due to her high intellect and her powerful Zanpakuto, Tiburon, Harribel is the one of the hardest Arrancars to defeat, however, despite her strength, Aizen still deemed her as a weak unit and betrayed her by striking her at her chest (Bleach, Chapter 376).
41. Nelliel tu Odelschwank
Nel was the former 3rd Espada in the series before she was replaced by Harribel. She comes in two forms wherein one has the appearance of a small child while the latter is of a fully grown woman. Her attitude also seems to differ whenever she changes her form giving her some sprinkle of uniqueness.
When in her child form, obviously, she acts more like a child with a snotty nose who annoys Ichigo at times while riding his back. However, when she transforms into her real form, that’s when you know Nel gets serious. Aside from just having a mature intellect, she highly excels in combat since she was an Espada before.
40. Hinamori Momo
Hinamori Momo is the lieutenant of the 5th Division who once served under her captain, Aizen Sousuke before he betrayed and left Soul Society. She was Hitsugaya’s childhood friend and grew up together in Rukongai before joining as a Shinigami (Bleach, Chapter 16).
Prior to Aizen’s betrayal, Hinamori is the most devoted member of the 5th Division towards their captain and will do anything just to become useful. Despite not being the strongest character in Bleach, her skills in using Kido is exemplary especially during her days in the academy and is probably the reason why she earned the title of Lieutenant in Aizen’s Division.
39. Sasakibe Chojiro
Sasakibe Chojiro was the Lieutenant of the 1st Division who once served under Genryusai Yamamoto. He is highly loyal to the Captain-Commander since he was also trained by Genryusai in order to unlock his Bankai in the past. Unfortunately both Captain and Lieutenant died at the hands of the Quincies after Seireitei was invaded (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 1).
38. Shiba Ganju
Shiba Ganju is a member of the Shiba Clan and is the younger brother of the leader, Shiba Kukaku. Ganju is one of the characters in the series who’s not a Shinigami but resides in one of Soul Society’s Rukongai districts. When it comes to his abilities, he’s not much of a fighter at the beginning but is very adept in using fireworks as distractive explosives such as the Senpen Banka (Bleach, Episode 28).
37. Kon
Kon is a Modified Soul introduced during the early parts of the series. He caused trouble at the beginning such as using Ichigo’s body to wander around while doing crazy things. After he came to terms with Ichigo, they put his pill in a lion doll as a vessel and earned the name, Kon (Bleach, Chapter 17).
He is what you can consider as a comic relief in the show because when Kon is in the scene, then expect only comedy and laughter! Add to that, his perverted attitude that he shows whenever he encounters any of the female characters only for him to get wrecked and stepped on which happened on several occasions.
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36. Tetsuzaemon Iba
Tetsuzaemon Iba is the Lieutenant of the 7th Division serving under Captain Komamura. He is extremely loyal to his captain and will follow every order he makes without hesitation. Just like other members of the 11th Division, Tetsuzaemon also has a thirst for battle and believes that one must win in every battle because losing is meaningless.
35. Kusajishi Yachiru
Kusajishi Yachiru is the lieutenant of the 11th Division and is the youngest Shinigami in Seireitei. Her playful attitude is definitely her best trait since she always gives off an uplifting aura whenever she’s in the scene. Yachiru is also always seen clinging onto Kenpachi’s shoulders and always calls him “Ken-chan”.
Her character is actually not that deep compared to others since she’s just a child adopted by Kenpachi and her whole life is mostly her being a Shinigami. Weirdly enough, she also managed to achieve the position of President in the Shinigami Women’s Association and spends most of the funds on buying childish things like candies!
34. Isane Kotetsu
Isane Kotetsu is the Lieutenant of the 4th Division and is usually seen together with her Captain, Unohana Retsu. Isane as a character acts more reserved for most of the time but can get very reckless in battle since she’s not one of the best fighters you’ll know in the series.
As a Shinigami, she rarely goes into battle since their Division mostly focuses on support and healing other comrades. Her Shikai is called Itegumo with an unknown ability.
33. Ise Nanao
Ise Nanao or often called as “Nanao-chan” by her uncle and captain, Shunsui Kyoraku. Unlike other Shinigamis, Nanao-chan does not wield a Zanpakuto but rather uses a weapon only exclusive to the Ise Clan and that’s the sacred weapon, Shinken Hakkyoken (Bleach, Chapter 651).
Nanao-chan’s serious personality is definitely the trait that stands out the most and her character blends really well with her lazy Captain who just lies around all the time. Other than that, she’s also the Shinigami Women’s Association’s Vice-Pres. Truly one of the most diligent characters you’ll ever see in the series.
32. Ayasegawa Yumichika
Ayasegawa Yumichika is the 5th Seat Officer in the 11th Division and is often seen alongside Madarame Ikkaku. When you pair them up, they can be a comedic duo because of their contrasting personalities since one is a fashion freak while the other is more of a war freak. He also always gets triggered when his face gets blistered and everytime when he sees someone ugly like the Arrancar, Charlotte Chuhlhourne (Bleach, Chapter 319).
Apparently, Yumichika’s Zanpakuto can come in 2 Shikai forms wherein one form is the restrained version of the latter. The first one is called Fuji Kujaku where his blade turns into several sickles. While its true Shikai form called Ruriro Kujaku, is a much deadlier one since it can absorb the Spiritual Pressure of its enemies and can eventually lead to death once the target is fully drained.
31. Komamura Sajin
Komamura Sajin is the Captain of the 7th Division and has a lieutenant named Tetsuzaemon, the subordinate he trusts the most in the Division. Among other captains in Gotei 13, Komamura is the only one who doesn’t have a human-like facial features due to his wolf-like appearance. He has the largest build among the captains and undeniably wields the largest Zanpakuto when he uses its Bankai form, Kokujō Tengen Myoo (Bleach, Chapter 148).
But even though he has an intimidating appearance due to his size and looks, Komamura is one of the nicest captains you’ll get to meet aside from Ukitake. He has deep gratitude towards Genryusai for accepting him in Seireitei.
30. Kaname Tosen
Kaname Tosen is the former Captain of the 9th Division and has been plotting with Aizen and Gin in betraying Soul Society ever since the beginning. Tosen is a guy who doesn’t speak much and is a man of few words. His silent aura is what makes his character mysterious, making his enemies wary of him just by his presence.
Tosen’s Zanpakuto is a powerful one that fully takes advantage of its surroundings. His Bankai, Enma Korogi, creates a large dome that entraps him and his opponent wherein the latter loses his sense of sight due to complete darkness. This means Kaname has the full advantage since he lives his daily life with his eyes closed (Bleach, Episode 53).
29. Kugo Ginjo
Kugo Ginjo is the main antagonist during the events of Xcution Arc and was first introduced as a good guy who helped Ichigo unlock his powers as a Fullbringer and regain his Shinigami powers. Ginjo was once a Substitute Shinigami just like Ichigo but after he discovered that the Shinigami badge was used to trace him and restrain his powers, he went MIA from the eyes of Soul Society.
Aside from his ally, Tsukishima, Ginjo was one of the most manipulative characters in Bleach as he managed to create a plan so well-thought just to steal Ichigo’s dormant Shinigami abilities when he’s at his weakest point.
28. Hisagi Shuhei
Hisagi Shuhei is the Lieutenant of 9th Division and once served under Kaname Tosen before he joined Aizen’s ranks as enemies of Soul Society. During his time in the Shinigami Academy, he was already considered as one of the top students since he already went with Gotei 13’s missions despite being just a student.
Even though Hisagi somewhat looks intimidating, he has a very calm nature and acts more mature than his other fellow Lieutenants. He fully respects his captain and supports all his decisions, but all of that was lost when he and the rest of Soul Society discovered his betrayal (Bleach, Chapter 177).
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27. Madarame Ikkaku
Madarame Ikkaku is the 3rd Seat Officer in Zaraki Kenpachi’s 11th Division. He is often seen alongside his partner, Yumichika Ayasegawa, who is in the 5th Seat position. Just like his captain, Ikkaku has a lot of traits similar to Kenpachi such as their obsession to fight, their chaotic attitude in the middle of battle, and a stubborn personality.
What makes Ikkaku such an interesting character is that he’s not all talk and when he gets serious, he really does become a merciless one. His presence alone can hype up a fight, especially his unique way of shouting out “Bankai” (Bleach, Chapter 118).
26. Dokugamine Riruka
Dokugamine Riruka was first introduced during the Xcution Arc as a member of Xcution, a group of Fullbringers. She has shown extreme loyalty to her leader, Kugo Ginjo, but due to her short fuse, she sometimes goes on a rampage towards her allies.
Her ability is called Dollhouse and she uses this every time she trains Ichigo to unleash his Fullbring powers. This can also be used as a weapon to trap enemies by shrinking them to a point that they’re small enough to fit inside a box (Bleach, Chapter 438).
25. Shiba Kukaku
Shiba Kukaku is the current head of the Shiba Clan and resides in the outskirts of Rukongai far from the village itself. She specializes in creating fireworks that are extremely explosive than the normal ones you know. Her upbeat personality and impressive character design is what makes her likable even though she only appeared in a few arcs.
In the series, she once helped Ichigo and the others barge into Seireitei since she was their only hope of getting through the area’s invisible barrier. She’s not shown a lot in the show but returned in the recent series where she launched Ichigo, Renji, and the rest including Division 0 up to the Soul King Palace by using the Tenchuren (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 9).
24. Kira Izuru
Kira Izuru is the Lieutenant of the 3rd Division and once served under Gin Ichimaru before he betrayed Soul Society. Kira in the beginning was naive and easy to fool because he has low self-esteem. Even though he’s a lieutenant, he doesn’t really show any leadership traits to others.
When it comes to his Zanpakuto, it comes off as one of the most effective ones out there in dismantling the enemy. Its Shikai is called Wabisuke wherein if his sword hits another weapon, the enemy’s weapon becomes much heavier every time it gets hit by Kira’s. This is mostly effective on Zanpakuto that have a solid form but if the enemy’s Zanpakuto is somehow like Rangiku’s Haineko which turns her own sword to ash, then it will definitely be less effective (Bleach, Chapter 169).
23. Shinji Hirako
Shinji Hirako was one of the members of Visored who escaped from the eyes of the Gotei 13 after they achieved Hollowfication with the help of Yoruichi. Prior to that, he was a captain of the 5th Division before Aizen took the position. Some time after Aizen’s defeat, he was reinstated in Soul Society and reclaimed the Captain’s seat in the same Division.
As a captain, Shinji can be very humorous towards others compared to some Captains who can be very strict like Byakuya or Sui Feng. He likes to annoy his subordinates especially when Hiyori is involved and only ends up getting kicked by her. When it comes to his combat prowess, he has mastered the use of his Hollow abilities and Zanpakuto even though his Bankai is not yet revealed.
22. Gin Ichimaru
Gin Ichimaru is the former captain of the 3rd Division and before that, he was the 5th Division’s Lieutenant who served under Aizen Sousuke. Gin is one of the Shinigami who betrayed Soul Society along Aizen and Kaname Tosen and escaped to Hueco Mundo after a group of Menos Grande helped them (Bleach, Chapter 178).
Gin’s character is probably one of the hardest to read in Bleach aside from Aizen since you clearly don’t have any idea what he’s thinking at the moment. The next thing you know is that you’re probably dead thanks to his Zanpakuto, Shinso, that can extend however long he wants.
21. Rangiku Matsumoto
The orange-haired woman and most trusted subordinate of Hitsugaya Toshiro is her Lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto. She’s been a member of the 10th Division for a long time and has been a Lieutenant ever since Shiba Isshin was still the captain. She remained in her position after Isshin decided Hitsugaya to be the next captain (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 11).
As for her Zanpakuto, it is called the Haineko where the blade of her sword turns into ash and anyone that the ash touches will immediately receive severe injury. Sadly, her Bankai form is not yet achieved since Haineko reflects the attitude of her owner who is lazy and inconsistent. However, despite her shortcomings, she’s the best partner Hitsugaya has ever had since he can rely on her in times of need.
20. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez
The 6th Espada who Ichigo once fought during their time in Hueco Mundo is Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. He is a crazy-looking dude with a lot of power moves that can easily kill his opponents. He had a brutal fight against Ichigo after he attempts to kidnap Orihime in the series
His violent aura and villainy look is already enough to point out that this guy is definitely overpowered. His love for battle is what makes his character so captivating to watch, as he gets much stronger, the longer he fights Ichigo. He hasn’t made any appearance ever since the Hueco Mundo Arc but his return is to be expected in the new arc of Bleach, as Urahara managed to turn him into an ally for the time being (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 8).
19. Kurotsuchi Mayuri
Kurotsuchi Mayuri is the captain of the 12th Division and head of the Shinigami Research Institute after Urahara Kisuke’s reign. Mayuri is what you can call a literal mad scientist since whenever he sees a potential subject, he often thinks of how he will experiment on them.
Mayuri’s Bankai is actually the first thing that was displayed in the series when he fought against Ishida Uryu. It’s called the Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo and takes the form of a horrifying baby face with a worm-like body. Aside from his gigantic Bankai, the gasses it emits are very poisonous and highly lethal for anyone who breathes it in (Bleach, Episode 198).
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18. Unohana Retsu
Unohana Retsu is the current name she goes by during the events of Bleach because before that, her true name is actually Unohana Yachiru which is more connected to her past as the more brutal and merciless version of Unohana. She first became the 11th Division’s Captain and was then transferred to becoming the 4th Division Captain.
During her time in the 11th Division, Unohana was called as the first “Kenpachi” of her time due to her deadly Zanpakuto, Minazuki. When Unohana dons the identity of Yachiru, her usual motherly personality instantly dissipates and turns into a cold-hearted killer giving more uniqueness to her character. This was obviously shown when she battled against Zaraki to complete his Zanjutsu training (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 10).
17. Ulquiorra Cifer
Ulquiorra is one of the major antagonists during the Arrancar Arc and had the title of 5th Espada indicating that he’s the 5th strongest among the organization. In the events of the Arc, he’s one of Ichigo’s strongest adversaries as they were able to extend their bodies to the limit for a battle.
Ulquiorra as a character is not very talkative and only acts when he’s given a job to do and that is to eradicate the Shinigami in Hueco Mundo. What made him a fan-favorite among many otakus is his unique design of having a pure white skin and demonic look when he uses his full power, Segunda Etapa (Bleach, Chapter 348).
16. Ukitake Jushiro
Ukitake Jushiro is the captain of 13th Division of Gotei 13 and can be considered as Kyoraku’s closest friend since they’ve been together for a long time, ever since they became students of Genryusai making them one of the oldest captains in the current roster of captains. His Zanpakuto called Sogyo no Kotowari is a dual-wield weapon similar to Kyoraku’s.
Even though Ukitake is prone to sickness making his body weaker, he is still highly respected by his subordinates and fellow captains due to his kind-hearted attitude. You could say that among other Shinigamis in Seireitei, Ukitake is the most approachable character out there!
15. Shunsui Kyoraku
Shunsui Kyoraku was the former captain of the 8th Division and after Genryusai’s death in the latest season of Bleach, Kyoraku was handed over the position as the new Head Commander of Gotei 13 in Seireitei with Ise Nanao still being his lieutenant (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 9).
Him being appointed as the new Head Commander could only mean that Kyoraku is considered the most powerful among Shinigami in Seireitei. His Zanpakuto called Katen Kyokotsu is one of the few Zanpakutos that turns into a dual-wield weapon just like Ukitake Jushiro’s Sogyo no Kotowari. His Bankai, however, is what you can consider as very deadly since it has a lot of techniques which can easily kill his opponent. This is also one of the reasons why he rarely uses his Bankai because he prefers his allies to be as far away as possible (Bleach, Chapter 647).
14. Yamamoto Genryusai
The former Head Commander of Gotei 13 and Captain of the 1st Division is Yamamoto Geryusai! He possesses one of the most powerful Zanpakuto among Shinigamis and that is the Ryujin Jakka. His Zanpakuto emits powerful flames towards its enemies that can turn its surroundings into a hell-looking environment. His Bankai, Zanka no Tachi, is a much more powerful version of his Shikai form and uses the utmost potential of Genryusai’s powers.
Yamamoto as a Shinigami has gone a long way ever since he became a part of the original Gotei 13. He took part in major wars and in this case, the most famous one is their bloody battle against the Quincies. And in the new Bleach series, Yamamoto’s past has come to haunt him once again as Yhwach and his army returns in Soul Society to kill the Soul Reapers (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 4).
13. Hitsugaya Toshiro
Hitsugaya Toshiro is the captain of the 10th Division and is probably the youngest captain among the current Gotei 13! Due to his intelligence and impressive skills as a Shinigami, Hitsugaya has earned his way up fast among the ranks in Seireitei. Before he was made captain, he served under Captain Shiba Isshin in the same Division (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 11).
As a Shinigami, Hitsugaya is definitely one of the most uncompromising characters you’ll ever see in Bleach. Aside from his cool voice and awesome hairstyle, he has an amazing Zanpakuto called Hyorinmaru wherein its Bankai form turns into an ice dragon!
12. Sui Feng
Sui Feng is the current captain of the 2nd Division and the head of Onmitsukido. Before her, she served under Yoruichi in the same Division who had also become Sui Feng’s mentor before she disappeared from Soul Society. It is all because of Yoruichi’s disappearance that led Sui Feng to become stronger in order to surpass her mentor (Bleach, Episode 57).
The 2nd Division Captain is also highly adept in using a wide variety of Kido and is also considered as a master of Shunpo. Add to that, her Zanpakuto called Suzumebachi actually blends well with her using Shunpo in battle making her an exceptional Shinigami in terms of speed!
11. Urahara Kisuke
Urahara Kisuke is the former captain of the 12th Division of Gotei 13 before the position was handed over to Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Aside from being a powerful Shinigami, he also excels in the field of science. During the Soul Society Arc, he aided in bringing back Ichigo’s Soul Reaper powers after he almost died at the hands of Byakuya (Bleach, Episode 17).
His character was a complete mystery in the beginning of the series because you can’t make it out if he’s an ally or foe. But all of that was cleared up after he decided to help Ichigo in rescuing Rukia. What makes him a compelling character is his constant switching of personality. He shows his childish side most of the time but will sometimes instantly turn it into a serious tone.
10. Yoruichi Shihoin
As for our 10th placer, it’s Yoruichi Shihoin! The former captain of the 2nd Division of Gotei 13 and former head of Onmitsukido! Even though she has an unknown Zanpakuto, Yoruichi has shown versatility in what she can do as a Shinigami such as having incredible close combat prowess, an expert Kido user, and can turn into a cat whenever she likes!
What makes Yoruichi a fan-favorite is not just because of her looks and appearance but due to her knowledge in a lot of things. She’s like a senpai you can fully depend on and that is shown during the Soul Society Arc when she helped Ichigo a lot of times especially in unlocking his Bankai. Just like Urahara, she trained Ichigo to the fullest in order to master his Zanpakuto (Bleach, Episode 42)!
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9. Kuchiki Byakuya
Kuchiki Byakuya is one of the first Soul Reapers that Ichigo faced during the first Arc when they were about to bring Rukia to Soul Society. He was first introduced as a powerful Soul Reaper due to his title as the 6th Division Captain.
Byakuya as a captain is shown to be arrogant and doesn’t really care about what people think as long as he gets the job done. His sister-in-law, Kuchiki Rukia, is not an exception to this and shows his hardheartedness towards her. But from time to time, he shows his brotherly side to her by saving her on several occasions just like the time when Gin Ichimaru was about to kill Rukia (Bleach, Episode 62)!
8. Aizen Sousuke
One of the most well-written antagonists in anime and has become a fan-favorite of many otakus is Aizen Sousuke! His presence himself in the anime is already enough to raise the risk a lot higher due to his fearsome Zanpakuto, Kyouka Suigetsu. The thing is, you never know when he’s gonna make his move or if he has already done it and that is why most characters who face him become dumbfounded thinking “did that just happen?”
Aizen’s intelligence is incredibly high in the series and has become quite a meme on the internet with him saying “All according to keikaku” in which “keikaku” means “plan” because Aizen is always one step ahead of the protagonists. Eventually, Aizen will make his return in the new series of Bleach as he was shown as a prisoner under Seireitei when he was visited by the Father of Quincies, Yhwach (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 6)!
7. Zaraki Kenpachi
Zaraki Kenpachi is the captain of the 11th Division in Gotei 13 and among other Soul Reapers who all know their Zanpakuto names, Kenpachi is the only one who doesn’t know his. What makes him so good is his thirst for battle and temptation to fight opponents who are far stronger than him!
Even though his Zanpakuto’s name was known in the beginning of the series, he’s already overpowered enough just by his Spiritual Pressure alone. During that time, his Division was even considered as the strongest among the Gotei 13 in Seireitei despite not mastering the sword style, Zanjutsu. This only means that Kenpachi is gonna become more overpowered in the series now that Head Captain Kyoraku has ordered Unohana to complete Kenpachi’s Zanjutsu training (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 9)!
6. Inoue Orihime
The sole healer of the Karakura Team is Inoue Orihime who has an ability called Shun Shun Rikka that allows her to defend, heal, and attack her opponents! It’s a versatile power that only Orihime can have but even though it’s not the best when it comes to offense, you can rely on her when it comes to defending and healing!
During the Hueco Mundo Arc, Orihime has become more of a damsel in distress ever since she was kidnapped by the Arrancar and has shown to be helpless most of the time. But during the Xcution Arc, Orihime’s character has quite improved when it comes to her resolve in helping her friends such as Ichigo. This development of her character resulted in a newfound ability called Shiten Kesshun which acts as a defensive barrier and can damage opponents once the shield is hit. She also recently used this ability in the new season of Bleach (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 1)!
5. Yasutora Sado
Yasutora Sado or also known as “Chad” by Ichigo is a guy with a huge build and dark skin. Among the Karakura Team, he’s definitely the one who stands out the most due to his appearance. Sado and Ichigo had a strong bond in the past and have helped each other in times of need especially when they’re cornered by other delinquents. They’re like the realest bros you could ever know in Bleach!
Even though Sado doesn’t really speak a lot and is a man of few words, he has helped Ichigo a lot of times and is always the one who has his back. During the Soul Society Arc, he and Orihime trained themselves so much just to aid Ichigo in rescuing Rukia. And during the Xcution Arc, he introduced Ichigo to his fellow Fullbringers to help regain his Soul Reaper powers… which turned out pretty bad but it still helped Ichigo a lot and got back to becoming a Soul Reaper merged with some Fullbringer abilities.
4. Ishida Uryu
The first Quincy introduced in the series is none other than Ishida Uryu himself! You could say that between him and Ichigo, they sort of have a friendly rival relationship due to the fact that Soul Reapers and Quincies are sworn enemies. He is a very competitive guy especially towards Ichigo and can go to such extremes that he’s even willing to use a Hollow bait to see who gets to kill the most number of Hollows!
In fact, Uryu and Ichigo’s competitive nature kinda complements each other, turning it into some kind of motivation to become stronger than the other. This is the reason why Uryu decided to help Ichigo in all the enemies they encounter throughout the series and it’s all for himself to become more powerful as a Quincy.
3. Abarai Renji
Abarai Renji is one of the first few Soul Reapers that we’ll get to know of in the first Arc of Bleach. He was first introduced as the Lieutenant of the 6th Division when they entered into the human world searching for Rukia along with his companion, Kuchiki Byakuya, the captain of the 6th Division (Bleach, Episode 15).
Aside from Byakuya, Renji was one of the first adversaries of Kurosaki Ichigo when they first met and he was already introduced as quite a strong character! His cool and awesome vibe is what makes him so likable among other characters. Another thing is that he has the same drive as Ichigo to become stronger. His determination came from Byakuya who he dreams of defeating and is the reason why he worked hard to unlock his Bankai, Hihio Zabimaru (Bleach, Episode 52).
2. Kuchiki Rukia
If it weren’t for Kuchiki Rukia, we wouldn’t have the Bleach series we have right now as she was the reason why Ichigo became a Soul Reaper. She was the Lieutenant of the 13th Division during the early events of Bleach and Ichigo’s first partner in fighting against Hollows.
What makes her one of the best is because of her trait, that is constantly looking out for others especially in Ichigo’s case at the beginning of the series. She was then forced to return to Soul Society for her execution, and she strongly told Ichigo not to follow her but continue his life normally. After her character development during the Soul Society Arc, Rukia begins to rely on others more than she did before (Bleach, Episode 54).
1. Kurosaki Ichigo
Coming up at the top is the main protagonist, Kurosaki Ichigo! Once who was just an average human and has now turned into a Soul Reaper devoted to protecting anyone close to him. Throughout the series, he has unlocked more abilities such as learning his Bankai and mastering his Visored abilities.
In terms of character developments in the story, he has undergone a lot of hardships to get to where he is now. From learning Bankai in 3 days to the reforging of his Zanpakuto, Ichigo has overcome all of the obstacles put before him in his life as a Soul Reaper!
CONCLUSION
That is a LOT of Bleach characters and props to you if you’ve made it down here all the way from the top of this list! If this somehow made you want to catch up with the anime, then now is the right time since they just recently released a new season! Or you could just read more Bleach contents we have here waiting for you!
Want some more? Check this out: Which Bleach Character Are You? (QUIZ)
