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Bleach has plenty of powerful fighters, yet only a select few can be as fearsome as Kenpachi Zaraki.
In a series where special abilities reign supreme, he is a very straightforward combatant. Kenpachi simply likes to swing his sword around in the Bleach series. Of course, while he might not be the flashiest character, he makes up for it with a sheer difference in physical strength.
Very few characters would put up a good fight against Kenpachi. It all depends on their physical capabilities, spiritual energy, and quick thinking.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views. It will also contain major spoilers from the manga.
Kenpachi is tough, but not as tough as the following Bleach characters
4) Shunsui Kyoraku
Shunsui is among the oldest characters in the Bleach series, which gives him several more years of combat experience. He doesn't need to fight Kenpachi head-on. For example, he can avoid direct attacks by hiding in the shadows.
What really makes a difference is Shunsui releasing his Shikai. He would force Kenpachi to play children's games and follow the rules.
Of course, Kenpachi doesn't exactly have the right temperament for this. He will likely make a costly mistake at some point in this battle. Shunsui is also smart enough to devise several different strategies in the meantime.
3) Kisuke Urahara
Kenpachi is best known for his brawn rather than his brains. He prefers to swing his sword first and ask questions later. The highly intelligent Urahara would likely exploit this major weakness by setting up traps. Benihime is a highly versatile Zanpakuto with several different techniques.
Urahara also has access to a wide range of Kido spells. Kenpachi never bothered to learn any of these techniques, which means his combat approach is very limited. Urahara isn't the strongest character physically, but he is definitely among the smartest in Bleach.
He just needs Kenpachi to make the wrong move. The latter is notorious for his lack of long-term planning in the Bleach series.
2) Sosuke Aizen
Even without taking Kyoka Suigetsu into consideration, Aizen is still a very dangerous threat in the Bleach series.
He is smart enough to avoid Kenpachi in a direct confrontation but doesn't really need to do so in the first place. Instead, he can fire off multiple Hado spells in quick succession. The most destructive is Hado #90, also known as Kurohitsugi since he can warp space and time with this powerful attack.
Even a durable fighter like Sajin Komamura was torn apart by this highly skilled technique. Kenpachi can survive a lot of attacks in the Bleach series, but Aizen is a different beast altogether.
1) Ichigo Kurosaki
At the beginning of the Bleach series, Ichigo and Kenpachi were evenly matched in terms of strength and skill. It just so happens that both characters received major power-ups through excessive training. By the end of the series, however, Ichigo had far surpassed Kenpachi.
With his merged Hollow form and powerful Bankai, Ichigo was strong enough to fight Yhwach on a level playing field, all while the latter had absorbed the Soul King's powers. The Quincy Emperor also gave credit where credit was due and complimented Ichigo for his performance.
Kenpachi is a monster on the battlefield, yet he is also not the main character of the Bleach series. Ichigo's accelerated growth rate is what makes him keep up with the most powerful fighters. He would likely destroy Kenpachi with a single Getsuga Tensho.
Kenpachi would have a much better showing against the following Bleach characters
4) Kensei Muguruma
Kensei is a very underrated fighter in the Bleach community. Not only can he materialize wind attacks with his Zanpakuto, but he can also augment his strength with a Hollowfied form. With that being said, Kensei's power level cannot be compared to Kenpachi's.
During the Thousand Year Blood War, Kensei was completely destroyed by Mask de Masculine, while Kenpachi fought the far stronger Gerard Valkyrie. Keep in mind that Mask is a regular Sternritter, whereas Gerard is a member of the Schutzstaffel, otherwise known as Yhwach's imperial guard.
Kensei will be able to attack Kenpachi from multiple directions with his wind-cutting techniques. However, if they were to close the distance between each other, Kenpachi would likely strike down Kensei in a single motion.
3) Sajin Komamura
Sajin is known for his offensive and defensive capabilities. With the release of his Bankai, Kokujo Tengen Myo'o gives him the special ability to summon a giant. Kenpachi, of course, doesn't have a problem fighting larger opponents, given his past showings against Yammy Llargo and Gerard Valkyrie.
In fact, Sajin would be at a complete disadvantage by using his Bankai form in the Bleach series. He shares a symbiotic link with his giant summon. Kenpachi only needs to swing at the bigger target for a very easy victory.
Even if Sajin uses the secret humanization technique to overcome this major weakness, those effects will eventually wear off. Kenpachi has the strength and stamina to outlast Sajin in this battle.
2) Sui-Feng
Sui-Feng is a master assassin who relies on speed and skill. The special ability of her Shikai, Nigeki Kessatsu, allows her to inflict sudden death on targets.
Unfortunately, Kenpachi's superior reiatsu will likely negate the effect of her Shikai. Aizen had already demonstrated this during the Fake Karakura Town arc. She will have to rely on the offensive firepower of Jakuho Raikoben, yet her Bankai form will be very hard to control.
Sui-Feng can only hope that Kenpachi doesn't cut her missile in half. What's even worse is that he can likely tank several attacks from her. The same cannot be said for Sui-Feng in the Bleach series.
1) Renji Abarai
Renji is known for his raw power and endurance in the Bleach series. He also uses long-range attacks with his Zanpakuto, also known as Zabimaru. Renji gains additional strength with his Shikai and Bankai forms. He would definitely give Kenpachi a very tough time.
However, by the end of the Bleach series, it's clear that Renji still has a long way to go before he ever catches up to Kenpachi. This was proven by their performances against Gerard Valkyrie and his giant form.
For the sake of comparison, Gerard blew away Renji with his breath, defeating him rather easily. Meanwhile, the giant had more difficulty putting down Kenpachi in his Shikai form. Renji is quite the scrappy underdog in the Bleach series, but he still needs more time before he can get to Kenpachi's level.
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