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Owing to the sheer length of the series as well as its global popularity, Bleach was considered one of Shonen Jump’s “Big Three,” alongside Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto and Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece. Revolved around the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a teenager who has been able to see ghosts ever since he was a child, Bleach features a memorable cast of characters.
Also factoring in the story's jaw-dropping plot twists, it is easy to understand how Bleach managed to gain such fame. Although most fans regarded the manga’s rather rushed ending as a big letdown, the series has made a huge comeback with the long-awaited anime adaptation of the final arc, called Bleach TYBW.
With that being said, here are ten of the best moments ever featured in Tite Kubo’s engaging franchise.
The 10 most memorable moments in Bleach, listed in descending order
10) Orihime's brother finding peace
Orihime Inoue used to live in harmony with her lovely brother Sora. But, one day, the two siblings had a falling out over the hairpins the latter bought for Orihime. On the same day, Sora died.
Out of loneliness and anger, Sora’s ghost transformed into the Hollow Acidwire. While still retaining his fondness and care for Orihime, Acidwire eventually attacked his sister and even attempted to devour her.
In a disarmingly touching scene, Orihime embraced the heinous monster. Deeply moved, Acidwire voluntarily broke his Hollow mask, purifying himself. As Sora’s ghost bade farewell to a crying Orihime, Ichigo sent his spirit to the Soul Society.
Since the day Sora died, Orihime has never stopped wearing the hairpins he bought her. Harboring her spirit energy, the hairpins became the venue of six fairies. As such, Orihime gained the ability to reject phenomena by denying or undoing events.
9) Isshin kills Grand Fisher
Since the day his wife Masaki perished protecting their son Ichigo, Isshin has always blamed himself for not being able to prevent her death. At one point, Grand Fisher, the Hollow who killed Masaki, arrived in the human world seeking revenge against Ichigo.
Now an Arrancar much stronger than his prior Hollow self, Grand Fisher was sure that he could kill Ichigo, who had previously injured him. However, he didn’t encounter the Substitute Shinigami, but his father, Isshin.
In no time, Isshin defeated Grand Fisher, only needing a single slash of his unreleased Zampakuto to kill him. Finally, using his Shinigami powers after many years, Isshin avenged his wife. While this didn’t erase his pain of losing Masaki, it surely emphasized his tough character.
8) Gin Ichimaru's sacrifice
Gin defected from the Soul Society alongside Sosuke Aizen and Kaname Tosen, but there was much more to it. In the past, Gin saw Aizen and his henchmen using the Hogyoku to steal a portion of Rangiku Matsumoto’s soul, nearly killing her.
For this reason, Gin decided he would kill him. To get as close to Aizen as possible, he did everything he could to gain his trust, including driving Rangiku away from himself. After carefully analyzing every detail and waiting for the right moment, Gin made his move.
Despite performing a surprise attack with his Bankai’s special attack, however, he not only failed to kill Aizen but made him evolve further, triggering the powers of the Hogyoku. Fatally wounded by Aizen, Gin couldn’t help but leave everything in the hands of Ichigo.
Before dying, Gin could barely interact with Rangiku, whom he was forced to knock out. As she got up and went looking for him, she only found his lifeless body. The Soul Society still considers Gin a traitor, which only makes his fate even more regrettable.
7) Orihime confesses her love for Ichigo
At the end of the Arrancar Arc, Aizen sent Ulquiorra to apprehend Orihime and take her to the Hueco Mundo. Before having to forcefully follow Ulquiorra, Orihime was allowed to greet one single person, provided that she did not make her presence known to the chosen individual.
Forever in love with Ichigo and fully willing to sacrifice herself to not endanger him, Orihime decided to say goodbye to her sweetheart. Upon entering Ichigo’s room, where the boy was sleeping, Orihime broke down into spontaneous tears.
With a beautiful speech, she confessed her feelings to a sleeping Ichigo. While crying, Orihime admitted that she would have liked to experience five different lives, changing every detail of her existence, and yet always falling in love with the same person, Ichigo.
6) Ichigo's Final Getsuga Tensho
Upon amping himself with the Hyogyoku, Aizen reached a whole different level compared to any other Shinigami. Aiming to learn the Final Getsuga Tensho, which would temporarily grant him the might needed to overcome Aizen, Ichigo, helped by his father, trained in the Dangai.
In exchange for the momentary boost, the technique would deprive Ichigo of all his Shinigami powers. After the training, Ichigo, stronger than ever, engaged Aizen, immediately gaining the upper hand on him, despite the latter’s Hogyoku-enhanced abilities.
As Aizen underwent a further transformation, Ichigo unleashed his ultimate move. Instead of performing his Getsuga, he literally became it. Generating an insane amount of energy, Ichigo wounded the transcendent Aizen, who was later sealed by his archenemy Kisuke Urahara.
Ichigo eventually recovered his Shinigami powers, which somehow belittles the determination he proved by accepting to perform the Final Getsuga Tensho. Still, the form’s iconicity and sheer visual awesomeness remain nearly unrivaled.
5) Ichigo goes Bankai for the first time
With Rukia condemned to suffer a horrific fate due to the Soul Society’s laws, Ichigo stepped in to save her. Determined to enforce those laws even at the cost of sacrificing his sister, Rukia’s elder brother, Byakuya Kuchiki, stood in Ichigo’s way.
In the past, Ichigo stood no chance against Byakuya. However, this time things were different, as Ichigo had a new ace up his sleeve. As the Substitute Shinigami showcased his newly-acquired Bankai, even the calm and collected Byakuya was shocked.
Turning his big cutlass into a swift black katana, as well as shrouding him in a robe of the same color, Ichigo’s Bankai is simply unforgettable. Beyond the mere coolness, Tensa Zangetsu proved to be a phenomenal trump card, which enabled Ichigo to put Byakuya in serious trouble.
The sudden reveal of Tensa Zangetsu was simply perfect, and it only adds to the moment’s epicness that Ichigo was also shouldering Renji’s heartfelt hopes to save Rukia.
4) Ichigo creates his true Zanpakuto
Upon meeting Old Man Zangetsu in his subconscious, Ichigo obtained a brand-new Zanpakuto made with his own strength. Until the first onset of “Old Man” Zangetsu, Ichigo had in fact fought by means of Rukia’s power.
During the fight with Zaraki, Zangetsu acted like a mentor for Ichigo, decisively helping him to overcome the foe. Likewise, Ichigo also started using Hollow powers, embodied in a mask, whom he slowly started to control, although sometimes the spirit took over his body.
Eventually, it was revealed that the inner Hollow that Ichigo inherited from his mother Masaki forms his real Zanpakuto spirit, together with the Shinigami powers he got from his father Isshin.
Old Man Zangetsu, who is confirmed to be the manifestation of Masaki’s Quincy powers, is also part of Ichigo’s Zanpakuto. Both the real Zangetsu and the Quincy manifestation were originally one single being, for both are the source of Ichigo's power.
3) Yamamoto uses his Bankai in Bleach TYBW
Few characters epitomize the “incredibly strong old man” trope as good as Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto. The founder and Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, as well as the mentor of Kyoraku and Ukitake, Yamamoto possesses might beyond comprehension.
Despite his old age, Yamamoto’s basic skills and raw physical prowess are nearly unparalleled. Moreover, his Zanpakuto is powerful enough to burn the entire Soul Society to ashes. Even Aizen didn’t want to deal directly with Yamamoto, which is telling of his absurd potency.
During the Quincy Invasion, fans finally witnessed Yamamoto's Bankai. After easily destroying several Sternitters, he used Zanka no Tachi to annihilate Yhwach. Still, in Kubo’s typical fashion, it was revealed that Yamamoto didn’t fight the Quincy leader, but a Sternritter impersonating him.
As the true Yhwach showed up, he brutally killed Yamamoto with a large energy blade. The stark contrast between Yamamoto’s dominating display of power and his outrageous death truly conveys the harshness of the Thousand-Year Blood War, emphasizing the Quincy’s threat.
2) Vasto Lorde Ichigo vs Segunda Etapa Ulquiorra
Nihilistic and emotionless, Ulquiorra was the only Espada able to perform the Segunda Etapa. Carrying on Aizen’s orders, Ulquiorra fought Ichigo and, factoring in his additional release of power, totally overwhelmed him, to the point where he blew a hole through his body.
At the horrific sight, Orihime started screaming, wracked with grief. While this caused Ichigo to rise again, his inner Hollow took over his body, turning him into a genuine Vasto Lorde. In that form, Ichigo’s power increased immensely.
He crushed a Segunda Etapa-enhanced Ulquiorra, even when the latter performed the highly destructive Lanza del Relámpago. However, the transformation rendered Ichigo savage. He tore apart Ulquiorra’s body and even hurt Uryu, who had tried to interrupt the excessive brutality.
When Ichigo snapped out of the Vasto Lorde state, Ulquiorra, unable to regenerate anymore, disintegrated into dust. As Orihime took pity for the dying Ulquiorra, he finally understood what the human heart is. Mixing thrilling fights and emotional scenes, this was one of Bleach’s peak moments.
1) Aizen's iconic betrayal
Aiming to become the new supreme being in place of the Soul King, Aizen started his grand plan. While concealing himself under the guise of the 5th Division’s captain, he created the Hogyoku, a tool with the power to hybridize Shinigami and Hollow.
After his experiments about the Shinigami’s Hollowfication were exposed, Aizen laid the blame on Kisuke Urahara. Then, seeking to get hold of the Hogyoku that Urahara created and hid in Rukia’s body, he arranged every event involving Ichigo and Rukia, leading to the internal struggle within the Soul Society.
As Ichigo arrived to save Rukia and charged at Aizen, the latter finally revealed his true colors. With a single finger, Aizen effortlessly stopped Ichigo's Bankai. To further highlight that he was on a whole different level, he outclassed the Gotei 13 captains who had come to the scene.
To this day, Aizen’s betrayal remains an incredibly iconic moment. As a friendly captain, Aizen turned out to be an incredibly powerful individual and deceptive mastermind. Not only was his misdirection mind-blowing, but the way he belittled everyone staged him as an unreachable villain.
Keep up with Bleach's manga and the Bleach TYBW anime as 2023 progresses.
