Listen, badass sword fighters always come in sevens. It’s Akira Kurosawa’s rule, not mine. And of all the sword wielders in the Big Three of anime, Bleach has the most. Well, they’re not really “swords,” per se—they’re more of a physical manifestation of the user’s willpower and spiritual energy. But who has time to debate the metaphysical when all I want to do is debate the physical. As in, which of these sword fighters is capable of putting the most physical hurt on their foes?
Brace yourselves, gang, this is the 1% of the 1%. Perhaps the finest sword fighters in all of anime. Eat your heart out, Zoro from One Piece. These are the seven strongest Soul Reapers in Bleach, ranked.
7. Gin Ichimaru
Coming in strong at number seven we have one of Bleach‘s main villains. Uh-oh. That’s not a good sign for the forces of good. But I suppose a story is only as good as its villains, after all. Gin Ichimaru was the captain of the Soul Society’s Third Division before going rogue. This guy is strong for two reasons: 1. He’s fast as hell. Like, spooky-scary fast. Faster than most of the other characters in the series. 2. He can extend his sword. Now pull your mind out of the gutter and consider that for a sec. Combined with Gin’s speed, this dude’s sword-growing abilities make it practically impossible to predict where the guy is gonna attack from. Far away with a long sword? Or maybe right behind you.
6. Toshiro Hitsugaya
Oh, thank god! A hero! Wait. This is a child. Do this boy’s parents know where he is? Shouldn’t Toshiro be in school? Has he even gotten his first kiss yet? Priorities, people! Let this boy live before we send him into mortal combat. Though something tells me Toshiro is gonna be fine. He is captain of the Tenth Division and one of the youngest Soul Reapers in history reach that rank. How’d he make it? With his absolutely bonkers ice powers, of course. Kid’s a cool customer.
5. Byakuya Kuchiki
Byakuya Kuchiki loves flowers. Sweet, right? How sensitive! A perfect boy next door! Except his flowers are special. His flowers can cut you—and I don’t mean emotionally. When this guy gives you flowers, they’ll slice through your emotional barriers and INTO YOUR SKIN. Byakuya is able to create thousands of cherry blossom petals with his sword techniques, and EACH ONE is razor sharp. After all, he’s the captain of the Sixth Division for a reason.
4. Kenpachi Zaraki
Unlike many of the more cool-headed characters on this list, Kenpachi Zaraki LOVES fighting. In fact, I don’t think this dude has any other hobbies whatsoever. He carries a massive sword named Nozarashi and is able to use it with deadly efficiency. This dude is fast, strong, and cunning. He’s so strong, in fact, that he actually wears a creepy parasitic eyepatch that weakens his powers so he can make his battles last longer. Like, who does that? I think this dude needs to pursue other interests. Maybe gardening? Yahtzee? This love of violence can’t be healthy, no matter how fast his body is able to regenerate from being injured. I’m sure Kenpachi has some emotional scars to discuss in therapy.
3. Aizen Sosuke
This guy is bad news. Aizen Sosuke is a stone cold killer and the former captain of the Fifth Division who betrayed the Soul Society to further his own nefarious ends. He carries a sword called Kyoka Suigetsu, which is able to alter people’s perceptions once it’s drawn. That means his sword can make people see and hear things that aren’t really there. Naturally, like any other captain, he’s also extremely fast and strong. But the most dangerous thing about this guy is his BRAIN. Aizen Sosuke is SMART. Fighting this dude is like playing chess with sharp pieces, and he’s always 12 moves ahead.
2. Yamamoto Genryusai
Yo, whose grandpa is this? I think he’s lost. Someone get this man some tapioca pudding and put him on a bus to Florida. Why is he taking his shirt off? Wait, why is he ABSOLUTELY YOKED? He’s got an EIGHT-PACK. And why is the temperature in the room rising? Am I lusting after this old man? Perhaps, but the smoke alarms are going off and I think my shirt just caught on fire. Yes, I am now on fire. Goodbye, Soul World.
And that’s why you don’t mess with Yamamoto Genryusai.
Yamamoto Genryusai is the captain of the First Division and without a doubt the most powerful member of the Soul Society (until one spiky-haired protagonist punk showed up). He has a Zanpakuto sword named Ryujin Jakka, which is able to control fire and incinerate anything it touches, including other Zanpakuto. If that wasn’t bad enough, this man’s Bankai is on another level. He is able to create a flaming orb that basically has the power of a SMALL SUN and HURL IT AT PEOPLE. And to make things WORSE, this dude is OLD. He’s been around for CENTURIES, meaning that he is a veteran of countless battles. Raw ability, power, and intellect help win battles, but they are poor substitutes for experience. And despite all of Yamamoto Genryusai’s experiences, age hasn’t slowed him down one bit.
1. Ichigo Kurosaki
Surprise, surprise. The most powerful character of a Big Three shonen anime just happens to be its main protagonist. It’s all par for the course. After all, his Big Three pal Naruto (spoiler alert) becomes the greatest hokage, and something tells me Monkey D. Luffy is gonna be Pirate King by the end of One Piece. But just what makes Ichigo so powerful? Surely it can’t just be plot armor?
Well, yes and no.
Like all anime protagonists, he has a unique ability no one else has. It’s something about his very nature. Ichigo Kurosaki is a hybrid: part Soul Reaper, part human, part hollow. This means he can use abilities that are unique to each category of being. He has all the spiritual power from his Soul Reaper side, and all the regenerative powers from the hollow side. AND he can enter a special state of being called “hollowfication,” which allows him to tap into his inner hollow dark side and gain even greater power—as long as it doesn’t consume his mind.
(featured image: Pierrot)
