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Bleach is a story that's always full of twists and turns, so fans should always expect the unexpected.
Tite Kubo loves to throw in a plot twist every now and then. Whether or not they work depends on the execution. Some of these revelations are well regarded in the Bleach community, while others leave a lot to be desired.
Bleach can be described in a lot of ways, but the word "boring" never comes to mind. For better or worse, fans can always look forward to Kubo's writing style.
Here's a look at some of the more discussed plot twists in the story. There will be manga spoilers, so keep that in mind.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
Bleach fans will forever love the following plot twists
4) Ulquiorra has another Resurreccion
Resurreccions are to Arrancar what Bankais are to Shinigami. These released forms are the highest states of their existence.
Ulquiorra Cifer is ranked fourth in the Espada, yet some fans believe he may just be the strongest. He can use two different resurreccions, while the rest of his teammates are limited to a single one. He first demonstrated it to devastating effect during his final battle with Ichigo.
Segunda Etapa is truly the ultimate form of Ulquiorra. Fans believed he had already pulled his trump card with the first resurreccion, but that clearly wasn't the case. Ulquiorra is the embodiment of dread and despair in the Bleach series.
3) Gin Ichimaru makes his final move
For the longest time, Ichimaru seemed like Aizen's most loyal follower. Of course, it turns out that he was truly a snake in the grass. Ichimaru only needed the right time to strike back against Aizen.
Ichimaru proved that he is among the smartest Bleach characters. Not only did he figure out Aizen's weaknesses, he also kept his strengths hidden. The true nature of his Bankai allowed him to disintegrate Aizen into dust. Unfortunately for Ichimaru, the Hogyoku prevented that from happening.
Either way, most Bleach fans couldn't believe he pulled that off. Aizen is not somebody that gets caught by surprise so easily. Ichimaru deserves credit for pulling off this spectacular feat. At the very least, he stalled long enough for Ichigo to make his return and save the day.
2) Unohana was the very first Kenpachi
Bleach fans already knew that Retsu Unohana was a force to be reckoned with. She already had suspicions that Aizen was up to something, long before anybody else could figure that out.
Based on her gentle personality, nobody could've guessed that she was a former wanted criminal, let alone the first ever Kenpachi. Every single captain in the 11th Division is known for their bloodthirsty nature. Somehow, this motherly figure managed to hide that from everybody.
Unohana's fight with Kenpachi Zaraki is a highlight of the Thousand Year Blood War. Not just anyone can match her physical strength, let alone surpass it for a while. She was truly a beast of the Bleach series.
1) Sosuke Aizen betrays Soul Society
Without question, there is simply no bigger plot twist in Bleach. Aizen's betrayal is commonly regarded as the most shocking moment in the entire series.
During the Soul Society arc, Aizen was portrayed as a very friendly and outgoing captain, unlike his other counterparts. He faked his own death using the Shikai abilities of his Kyoka Suigetsu. However, that wasn't revealed until later. Many readers thought Ichimaru was the original culprit.
At the very end of the arc, Aizen revealed his true intentions. He made quick work of several characters before taking off to Hueco Mundo. In a span of a few moments, Aizen became the most diabolical villain in Bleach history. Nobody could've expected this plot twist at the time.
By comparison, these plot twists didn't go over well in the Bleach community
4) Aizen was behind everything that Ichigo did
Aizen has always been a villainous mastermind behind various plots. However, when he told Ichigo that he planned out his entire life, more than a few readers thought it was completely ridiculous.
Some believe that it takes away some of Ichigo's agency. His development in the Bleach series was all in accordance with Aizen's plan. It made Ichigo's accomplishments feel somewhat cheap. Meanwhile, others think that there's no way Aizen could feasibly pull that off.
3) Ichigo was a Quincy the entire time
The Thousand Year Blood War dropped a startling revelation about Ichigo's powers. It turns out that he is a Quincy from his mother's side, which is something he would've never guessed in a million years.
For some readers, that can be a little too much. Ichigo already has special abilities from being a Shinigami, Hollow, and a Fullbringer. And now, he now has Quincy blood flowing in his veins. At some point, it feels like an excuse to give him new powers every arc or so. Then again, that is the shonen protagonist's specialty.
2) Byakuya survives As Nodt
During the Thousand Year Blood War, it seemed like Byakuya met his grisly end at the hands of As Nodt. The bloody panel is among the most nightmarish in Bleach history. Byakuya even gave Ichigo a final speech before he lost consciousness.
However, it was soon revealed that he merely went into a coma. Bleach fans often wonder if Byakuya was really meant to die in that arc. There have been rumors of editors forcing Kubo to bring him back. However, those claims are yet to be proven by legitimate sources.
Speculation aside, Byakuya's sudden revival was highly contentious. Some readers wanted to see how Rukia would develop without her brother. As it currently stands, it's very strange how this all turned out. It's almost like Kubo changed his mind shortly after the As Nodt battle.
1) Yammy is the 0 Espada
Bleach fans cannot deny the coolness factor of having Yammy's numbers change from 10 to zero. Unfortunately, this sudden revelation was also completely pointless, since Yammy still wasn't a major threat in the story. Byakuya and Kenpachi barely paid him any attention in their battle.
It doesn't help that Yammy's fight was mostly done off-screen, rendering him a joke in the process. Keep in mind that Kenpachi previously struggled against Nnoitra Gilga, the fifth Espada. Now, all of a sudden, he doesn't have any issues against the supposedly highest-ranked Espada.
While it was a clever idea on paper, Yammy was not the right character for it. He was so laughably bad that nobody took him seriously. Aizen didn't even bother to bring him along during the Kakakura Town invasion. This plot twist was all style and no substance.
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