Strongest Characters In Bleach

Summary

• Bleach characters showcase immense strength and unique abilities in epic battles, making the series captivating.
• Some characters, like Shinigami Uryu and mad scientist Mayuri, demonstrate impressive powers and intelligence in fights.
• Powerful characters like Aizen, Zaraki, and Yhwach exhibit incredible strength and iconic abilities that shape the series.

Given Bleach‘s trappings as a shonen show, it’s easy to see why the power displayed in this series is off the charts sometimes. The show is all about people flexing their skills as they wield the weapon of their choice and lay waste to their enemies in the most brutal manner possible. Sometimes, these foes can be so powerful that it takes a Herculean feat of strength to take them out! As a result, many characters in this show have reached immense heights of strength and power, using the suite of skills at their behest to take out monstrous foes with ease.

While the power scaling may not make sense in some battles, there’s no denying that some of the strongest Bleach characters wield their abilities like an extension of their own self. These confrontations are a huge part of what makes Bleach such a captivating series despite its many missteps, with its satisfying battles showcasing a wealth of creative abilities from characters who are more than willing to bring out the big guns when the situation calls for it.

Updated April 1, 2025 by Rhenn Taguiam: As Part 4 of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc adaptation has made its announcement, fans of Bleach anticipate quite the exciting showdown between Ichigo and Yhwach to determine the fate of the world – a seemingly impossible thing to do, considering Ichigo is a mere human while Yhwach is literally the son of god. Thankfully, Ichigo’s genetic history has just transformed him into the perfect being to fight such a threat, and humanity is fortunate to have him by its side.

Interestingly enough, fans who are still skeptical of Ichigo’s strength might want to look into the many people he’s encountered in the series, a lot of them positioning themselves as the strongest of their kind. Chief among these is one of the first Substitute Shinigamis, an anthropomorphic wolf, a Fullbring with the ability to control the past, and one of Ichigo’s closest friends.

25

Kugo Ginjo

Fullbring: Cross Of Scaffold

• First Appearance: 3rd Year High School Student! Dressed Up, and a New Chapter Begins! (Episode 343)

When Ichigo loses his Shinigami and Hollow powers after his battle with Aizen, he gets a chance encounter with Kugo Ginjo, an encounter that is anything but coincidental. Soon, Ginjo introduces him to Xcution, a group of Fullbringers who initially told Ichigo they would “trade” their powers to give Ichigo his powers back in exchange for their humanity. In truth, Ginjo wanted to exact vengeance on Soul Society, and he wants to “absorb” Ichigo’s powers to do so.

As a Fullbring, Ginjo obtained spiritual powers after his parents were attacked by a Hollow before his birth. This resulted in overall improved abilities, especially Reiatsu and spiritual awareness to contend with both Shinigami and Hollow alike. When activating his Fullbring, the Cross of Scaffold can create projectile attacks. And when he fuses his Substitute Shinigami badge to it, Ginjo can absorb the Fullbrings of others and incorporate them into his abilities. This allowed Ginjo to use Getsuga Tensho upon absorbing Ichigo’s Fullbring and can even unlock a Bankai form similar to Ichigo’s with a more Hollow-focused variant of Getsuga Tensho. Unfortunately, Ginjo isn’t as dominating a threat due to his abilities working best with Fullbringers to absorb powers from.

24

Sajin Komamura

Unique Ability: Humanization Technique

• First Appearance: Assemble! The Gotei 13 (Episode 24)

At first glance, Sajin Komamura is often mistaken for a harmless anthropomorphic wolf – something he tends to be self-conscious about. And while he often hides his appearance behind armor, beneath it is a loyal and serious Shinigami Captain whose prowess should not be questioned. As a Captain, Komamura is no slouch in combat: he performs well unarmed just as much as he could with a sword – something that, when combined with his immense physical properties, makes him a pretty formidable adversary.

Komamura is also among the few Captains whose Zanpakuto viewers were able to see regularly – his Zanpakuto Tenken can create gigantic phantom copies of whatever Komamura moves, making him capable of devastating entire battlefields. And when activating his Bankai (Kokujo Tengen Myo’o), Komamura unleashes a gigantic living armor that fights alongside him. However, perhaps the greatest of Komamura’s techniques is his Humanization Technique – one where, upon the removal of his own heart, he transforms his body into a mere “shell.” Through this, Komamura becomes human in form but can never truly “die” – all injuries quickly regenerate. Through Dangai Joe, the Bankai will use the totality of Komamura’s life force – which in the end reduces him to a normal wolf.

23

Shukuro Tsukishima

Fullbring: Book Of The End

• First Appearance: A Dispute In School?! Ichigo and Uryu, Fight Together! (Episode 344)

Whenever Tite Kubo introduces a character with a stern look and a calm composure like Shukuro Tsukishima, fans of Bleach designs just know he’s a horrifying threat. And true to his design “siblings” Ulquiorra, Uryu, and even Byakuya, Shukuro Tsukishima is an Xcution member with a lonely past and a terrifying gift. Although more amoral and sociopathic than other villains, Tsukishima is extremely loyal to Ginjo – a trait that is perhaps the only saving grace the Xcution leader had that would stop Tsukishima from relishing in torturing him.

This is because aside from immense physical prowess and spiritual energy, Tsukishima’s ace in the hole is his Fullbring: Book of the End. Manifesting through his bookmark, Tsukishima can turn his Fullbring into a sword that cuts through “anything” – and not simply for damage, but rather to “insert” Tsukishima into the victim’s past as someone close to them. Not only will Tsukishima gain knowledge of his victim’s past, but even their abilities. It’s for this reason that Byakuya, genius that he is, couldn’t keep up with Tsukishima as the latter had full knowledge of all of his techniques. It’s only when Byakuya improvised that he managed to land a killing blow on Tsukishima at the risk of his own safety.

22

Rukia Kuchiki

Bankai: Hakka No Togame

• First Appearance: The Day I Became A Shinigami (Episode 1)

It’s thanks to Rukia Kuchiki that Ichigo got a shot at being a Substitute Shinigami, as an initial mission to protect Ichigo from a Hollow had gone wrong – prompting her to lend her powers to him. And while Rukia becomes a damsel in distress before Aizen reveals his defection from Soul Society, Rukia becomes a force to reckon with through the rest of the series. Similar to her spellcasting older brother, Rukia is also a Kido specialist, on top of being a skilled swordfighter – with her intellect helping her survive insurmountable odds. Although Rukia is not the prodigious fighter her brother Byakuya was positioned to be, she’s not someone to trifle with.

When Rukia activates her Sode no Shirayuki, her Zanpakuto – hailed as the most beautiful in Soul Society – transforms into a blade that can control ice. Compared to the more aggressive Hyorinmaru, Sode no Shirayuki’s techniques are locked within “dances” with different effects. Rukia’s most potent ability is her Bankai: Hakka no Togame, which envelops her in a dress of pure ice and can freeze anything in her path to absolute zero – rendering them completely and utterly immobile. Due to unlocking her Bankai so late in the story, not much is known about the fullest extent of its abilities. However, considering that Hyorinmaru is considered the strongest ice-type Zanpakuto in existence, it’s reasonable to assume that Sode no Shirayuki is perhaps just a few levels beneath it.

21

Hachigen Ushoda

Kido: Time-Space Barriers

• First Appearance: Visored! The Power Of The Awakened (Episode 122)

Despite his size and rather kind nature, Hachigen Ushoda is no pushover among the Visored. Being among the masked, Hachigen is a Shinigami with access to a Hollow Mask – practically implying that not only is he a skilled swordsman, but also capable enough to contain a Hollow’s uncontrollable power and use it to enhance his combat prowess.

However, unlike other Visored who were often within the Gotei 13, Hachigen was the lieutenant of the Kido Corps – Soul Society’s masters of the mystic arts. Hachigen specializes in Bakudo or prohibition spells, often creating barriers to stop foes in their tracks. However, Hachigen especially excels in two areas. First, his Time-Space Barriers can “regress” damage through his barriers, effectively healing others. Second, he has so much knowledge about Kido that he can practically create his hybrid spells to solve situations on the fly.

20

Isshin Kurosaki

Zanpakuto: Engetsu

• First Appearance: The Day I Became a Shinigami (Episode 1)

At a glance, Ichigo’s father doesn’t seem that strong by any stretch of the imagination. He’s a goofball who is barely present during some of the major battles in the series, but that doesn’t mean this jovial character doesn’t boast a ton of power. When push comes to shove, Isshin shows everyone why he was once a captain in Soul Society. At least, he was before being thrown out for his forbidden relationship with a Quincy.

There are many times when he displays a ton of power using his Shikai alone, and fans can only hope that his Bankai is revealed during the Thousand-Year Blood War. The fact that he taught Ichigo everything he needed to completely obliterate Aizen and seal the antagonist for good shows that there’s a lot more to Isshin Kurosaki’s character and power that simply isn’t shown on-screen.

19

Uryu Ishida

Spirit Weapon: Heilig Bogen

• First Appearance: Greetings from a Stuffed Lion (Episode 7)

Uryu Ishida is a captivating character, with his background as a Quincy putting him at odds against Ichigo when they first meet. When the final arc kicks off, it seems like Ishida has betrayed his friends and joined the invading Quincy, but it doesn’t take long for fans to find out that he was always going to go back to Ichigo’s side after a time.

His powers are pretty impressive, even if they don’t leave too much of an impact, given the monstrous power displayed by other characters in the series. Still, the way he uses his brains to turn the tide of battle is pretty impressive, and the fact that he managed to hold his own against the fearsome Jugram Haschwalt shows that he’s no pushover.

18

Askin Nakk Le Vaar

Vollstandig: Hasshein

• First Appearance: March of the StarCross (Episode 369)

One of the members of the Wandereich is deceptively strong. Askin Nakk Le Vaar, is one of the members of the Schutzstaffel, making it clear just how highly Yhwach rates him. The chilling manner in which he uses poison to incapacitate his enemies makes him a pretty cruel and calculating character. He loves dishing out all manner of death when the thirst for battle gets to him.

The fact that his Vollstandig hasn’t even fully manifested in the series yet makes it clear that the reveal of his powers is reserved for upcoming fights, which are bound to be quite bombastic. Fans can’t wait to see his powers and how the Shinigami take him down, if they’re even capable of doing so.

17

Gremmy Thoumeaux

The Visionary

• First Appearance: THE LAST 9DAYS (Episode 380)

Nothing justifies the filthy manner in which a Sternritter as powerful as Gremmy was done away with. Sure, this foe served as an excuse for Kenpachi to show his true powers, but some people would argue that this excuse doesn’t justify how poorly Gremmy utilized his power, especially since he could make his wildest imaginations come to life.

Truth be told, Gremmy’s powers are poorly explained, leading many people to speculate that maybe he wasn’t all that powerful as the series built him up to be. His imagination should’ve been boundless, yet he fell at the hands of Kenpachi, who completely obliterated him in the most disrespectful manner possible. Some people argue that he could be more powerful than the Schutzstaffel, which is no mean feat.

16

Toshiro Hitsugaya

Bankai: Daiguren Hyorinmaru

• First Appearance: Assemble! The Gotei 13 (Episode 24)

The fact that Hitsugaya has to rely heavily on his Bankai all the time to make up for his gap in strength compared to the rest of the Gotei 13 might make most people think that he’s one of the weakest Shinigami in the series. However, there’s a reason why this child prodigy impressed his peers so much that he ended up becoming a Captain at such a young age.

The true extent of his power can be seen during the fight against Gerard Valkyrie, where Hitsugaya reveals just how much work and effort he put into perfecting his Bankai. To use the full extent of Daiguren Hyorinmaru’s potential, he temporarily becomes an adult to harness this power, freezing his foe in a display of pure strength that shows just how much potential he harbors despite his overreliance on his Bankai.

15

Ulquiorra Cifer

Resurreccion: Murcielago

• First Appearance: Prelude to the Apocalypse, The Arrancar’s Attack (Episode 113)

The cold and brooding Ulquiorra Cifer has garnered a reputation for being as merciless as he is disciplined, earning him the spot of Cuatro (4th) within Aizen’s famed Espada. Despite his odd obsession with hearts and his connection with emptiness, Ulquiorra is just as feared for his overall power. On top of his Hollow physiology, Ulquiorra boasts incredible speed, a more powerful Cero, and swordsmanship to the point of catching up to Ichigo’s mask-empowered Getsuga Tensho.

However, where Ulquiorra becomes even deadlier is when he activates his Resurreccion: Murcielago. This enhanced state boosts his overall prowess, alongside being able to release javelin-like Luz de la Lunas and a city-wide Cero Oscuras. Tapping into his Segunda Etapa will release immense spiritual pressure (to the point that it’s “not even Reiatsu”), with a bat-like form that comes with a prehensile tail and an even more powerful energy javelin called the Lanza del Relampago. It’s only through a mortally wounded Ichigo “ascending” into a fully-Hollowfied form that Ulquiorra is finally defeated.

14

Shinji Hirako

Bankai: Sakashima Yokoshima Happofusagari

• First Appearance: Ichigo and Rukia, Thoughts in the Revolving Sky (Episode 109)

Behind Shinji Hirako and his rather annoying demeanor is a serious and level-headed combatant, a trait that is quite unsurprising for the leader of the Visored – Shinigami who attained Hollow Masks and powers. As the story progresses, it’s soon revealed that Shinji’s combat prowess stems from the fact that he was once the Gotei 13’s 5th Division Captain – explaining his mastery over the sword and expertise in high-speed Shunpo and high-level Kido. When donning his Hollow Mask, he receives a significant power boost, and even lets him use the Hollows’ trademark Cero.

However, where Shinji shines is when he starts fighting for real. The activation of Sakanade’s Shikai twists the perception of foes who inhale the sword’s mist. Everything in the victim’s surroundings is reversed, making it nigh-impossible to adapt to Shinji’s attacks. Taking it a step further is his Bankai, which turns allies into enemies – regardless if they are Shinji’s comrades – in an instant.

13

Mayuri Kurotsuchi

Bankai: Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo

• First Appearance: Assemble! The Gotei 13 (Episode 24)

Beneath the different make-up and headgear of Mayuri Kurotsuchi is a mad scientist who puts the likes of Victor Frankenstein to shame. This Shinigami Captain is rather infamous, not just for his genius-level intellect but in what he decides to do with them. On top of being a master strategist, Mayuri’s knowledge (obsession) with medicine has turned him into Soul Society’s de-facto “go-to” scientist. Body modification is the name of Mayuri’s game, resulting not only in weird doodads such as various gadgets throughout his body, but he can even casually replace his organs on the fly. Other feats include finding a way to resurrect Arrancars with their personalities intact and even transforming his body into pure liquid.

This madness is extended to his Zanpakuto, Ashisogi Jizo. Using the weapon’s Shikai will paralyze anyone hit by the weapon or the scream of its baby form – and as a kicker, the victim’s pain receptors are left unaffected. Because why not? Meanwhile, his Bankai releases hyper-lethal gas that only Mayuri has the antidote for. And to add insult to injury, Mayuri can “modify” his Bankai in different ways – change its appearance and even change the poison’s composition so only he knows its antidote at any given time.

12

Byakuya Kuchiki

Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi

• First Appearance: Kon’s Great Plan (Episode 15)

Byakuya is the antagonist in the Soul Society arc, choosing to uphold his duty above anything else when he brings Rukia back for her execution. This sets the stage for an incredible battle between him and Ichigo, pushing the protagonist to develop and unlock his own Bankai to even the playing field. This battle is a test of ideologies too, and Byakuya ultimately loses because, deep down in his heart, he knows that Rukia doesn’t deserve to die.

Not only is his Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, one of the most powerful abilities in Bleach, but he is talented in using Kido as well. When Byakuya gets serious, there aren’t many foes who can stand against his might.

11

Lille Barro

Vollstandig: Jilliel

• First Appearance: THE LAST 9DAYS (Episode 380)

The Sternritter are some of the most powerful antagonists in the entire series. These Quincy take no prisoners and have made it clear that they’re not to be trifled with, and the wealth of their powers can be seen in the impressive way they decide to battle it out against the Zero Squad.

Given how powerful every character in the Zero Squad is, it’s easy to see just how much confidence Yhwach’s strongest lieutenants have in their abilities. Lille Barro is one such character who can use his weapons to destroy anything and everything around him. The fact that his partial Vollstandig is powerful enough to destroy entire cities at the drop of a hat is a testament to just how powerful he is.

10

Jugram Haschwalth

The Balance

• First Appearance: Foundation Stones (Episode 368)

It takes something special to be considered the other half of the Quincy King, and this is precisely what Jugram Haschwalth can brag about. This character is as mysterious as they come, but there’s a reason why he occupies such a high rank within the Sternritter despite being weak as a child.

He’s able to balance out everything in combat, making him a character who doesn’t seem powerful but is still undefeatable in the right conditions. This ability to alter the very nature of fate itself is an interesting one that shows why Yhwach took such a liking to this character.

9

Gerard Valkyrie

Vollstandig: Aschetonig

• First Appearance: THE LAST 9DAYS (Episode 380)

Gerard Valkyrie is one of the most unique characters in the entire series. He’s certainly one of the most powerful Quincy, and this is mainly because of his powerful ability that allows him to enjoy the power of miracles to make victory likely against all odds.

This power may be poorly explained, but it’s clear that this powerful Sternritter is not to be taken lightly. Even after facing the brunt of Kenpachi’s powerful Bankai and being split in half, his miraculous power allows him to survive this fatal blow and fight. He even loses his body at one point but continues to exude some truly monstrous energy that is finally put to rest when Yhwach uses Auswahlen to rob him of his strength.

8

Kisuke Urahara

Bankai: Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame

• First Appearance: Fight to the Death! Ichigo vs. Ichigo (Episode 6)

The disgraced Captain, who was framed and exiled from Soul Society, is one of the most powerful characters in the entire series. After all, it takes some extreme skill to help Ichigo master his powers and learn his Bankai in record time!

Urahara himself learned how to manifest his Bankai in three days, with the final form being one of the most unique powers in the entire series. The power to split apart and fix anything means that Urahara doesn’t have to worry about taking any damage, while his opponent needs to measure their step every step of the way if they don’t want to be cut into ribbons.

7

Kenpachi Zaraki

Zanpakuto: Nozarashi

• First Appearance: Gin Ichimaru’s Shadow (Episode 20)

Kenpachi Zaraki is one of the most entertaining characters in the entire series, using some really simple yet awesome ways to take out his opponents. The man is so ridiculously strong that he doesn’t even need to know the name of his own Zanpakuto to reach the level of other Captains in terms of pure strength.

If he wasn’t strong enough as is, then his fight with Unohana has unlocked a whole new level of power that is going to make Kenpachi a force to be reckoned with. His Bankai is the stuff of nightmares, and anyone who wants to witness Kenpachi’s transformation into an Oni should wait and watch for later episodes in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc to sweep them off their feet.

6

Ichigo Kurosaki

Bankai: Tensa Zangetsu

• First Appearance: The Day I Became a Shinigami (Episode 1)

The protagonist of Bleach may be a bit too bland for most people’s tastes, but there’s no denying that this character is one of the strongest Shinigami in the entire series by a country mile. The fact that he has unlocked the true form of his Zanpakuto means that his abilities are going to skyrocket and reach even greater heights now!

Viewers can’t wait to see how his new Bankai changes Ichigo, with his power being truly threatening in every way. The Thousand-Year Blood War’s first cour ended with the shot of him holding his dual Zanpakuto, and his powers were palpable for everyone to see when he made an amazing entry to help the Shinigami out during their conflict against the Sternritter.