When you think of Bleach, any number of things may come to mind. Ichigo’s orange hair may be the first picture you conjure, but a close second will surely be one of Bleach‘s intense battles. Tite Kubo never shied away from a fight when he was working on the series, and the creator drummed up dozens of insanely powerful Soul Reapers to bet on.
Bleach may have ended a couple years back, but fans continue to argue over the franchise’s most powerful characters. ComicBook has got its own list to share, so you can check out our top picks in the list below:
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1. Yhwach
When it comes to Bleach, there is no one stronger than Yhwach. The fighter was designed to be a god-like force for heroes to battle, and Kubo almost made the guy too overpowered.
In the manga, Yhwach is all but unstoppable. He is the son of the Soul King, the very first Quincy, and the leader of the Wandenreich squad. Yhwach can see into the future, absorb the souls of others, and can heal himself even from the brink of death. However, his Auswahlen power is the most insane of them all.
Yhwach is so powerful that he can take energy from other Quincy. He can use his gift to revive others. The guy was only defeated by Ichigo out of luck when Uryu stepped in to help his friend, but that doesn’t even mean the villain is gone for good.
2. Ichigo Kurosaki
Ichigo Kurosaki is stupidly powerful; That is the only way to truly describe the fighter, and that is how Kubo wanted it. The protagonist was gifted a stunning bloodline and stubborn will strong enough to turn him into a truly iconic shonen hero.
In Bleach, Ichigo is one-of-a-kind because of his heritage. The fighter is the child of a Soul Reaper and Quincy, but that is not all. Ichigo also has the powers of a Hollow and Fullbringer within him – and he learned how to control each of those powers with relative ease.
Ichigo is a prodigal swordsmen who excels in Shunpo and had enough Spiritual Energy to make veteran Soul Reapers balk. His mixed heritage allows Ichigo to take on various transformations outside of a Bankai state, and his true Bankai had the Soul King so shook that he said it should never be brought into existence.
3. Aizen
Aizen may be considered one of Bleach‘s more overrated characters, but fans cannot deny the man is powerful. As the former captain of Division 5, Aizen was a respected Soul Reaper with powers way before he showed his dark side off. And, once he did that, the man became a threat which even Yamamoto had to recognize.
On a physical level, Aizen is a force to be reckoned with, but his genius intellect makes him all the more dangerous. The rogue Soul Reaper secretly performed experiments for hundreds of years in the Soul Society to perfect his research, and that allowed Aizen to create some very powerful henchmen.
As for Aizen’s Zanpakuto, fans can see why it is a dangerous weapon to wield. The sword is known as Kyoka Suigetsu, and its Shikai ability can mess up anyone’s day. The sword allows Aizen to manipulate any of his opponent’s senses. The power has helped Aizen control plenty of fighters over the years, and fans never even got around to seeing his Bankai.
4. Ichibei
The Gotei 13 may seem like the pinnacle of strength in the Soul Society, but that is not truly the case. The squad tends to the human world to keep order, but it has one team it keeps around the Soul King at all times. Squad 0 is the honorable group who makes up the Royal Guard, and their captain is a truly fearsome Soul Reaper.
Ichibe Hyousube is an immensely powerful character who anime fans never got to meet. In the manga, Ichibe is the leader of Squad 0, and it is almost impossible to outdo this Soul Reaper. Ichibe is the one who gave names to every part of the Soul Society’s lore, and the Soul King dubbed him the “Monk Who Calls the Real Name.” The fighter’s name is so sacred that anyone weaker than him can not utter his name.
When it comes to his Zanpakuto, Ichibe is truly formidable. The Soul Reaper’s blade is named Ichimonji and it releases ink when swung. Anything the ink touches becomes a source of power for Ichibe, and things only get dicier when his Bankai gets released.
5. Yamamoto
Within the Gotei 13, fans know there are few who can stand up to the Captain Commander. Yamamoto may be ancient, but the elderly Soul Reaper is not one to be trifled with. The fighter is said to be one of the most powerful Soul Reapers to ever exist, and he helped found the original Gotei 13.
Yamamoto may have a severe attitude, but that is because the Soul Reaper has the power to back it up. The man retained his place as Captain Commander over the Gotei 13 for about 2000 years because no one could beat him. The man has a truly powerful Zanpakuto with fiery abilities, but Yamamoto rarely has to whip it out because of his skills in Kido, Shunpo, and more.
When Yamamoto did reveal his Bankai, fans were blown away by its true power. The Soul Reaper’s Bankai has four powers which include engulfing himself in flames which burn at 15 million degrees and summoning the bodies of those he’s killed.
