Top 10 Best Bleach Characters

Bleach is an anime that follows the story of teenager Ichigo Kurosaki, who gains the powers of a Soul Reaper and is tasked with defending the human world from evil spirits called Hollows.

The Top Ten

Ichigo Kurosaki

Ichigo Kurosaki is the fictional protagonist of the Bleach manga and anime series created by Tite Kubo. He is a teenager who accidentally obtains Soul Reaper powers and defends the world from ghosts and supernatural threats. The Bleach franchise includes manga, multiple anime adaptations, films, and... read more

He's the main character. Of course, he must be #1 (lol, the song too). He is like an all-in-one package of caring and badass. He cares greatly for his friends, resulting in him fighting beyond his limits for them. Just by that, he sucks you right in and instantly takes 1st place in your heart.
Even though many other characters are like this, Ichigo goes head and shoulders beyond them to a level that leaves you speechless. He is truly the most interesting and "soul-stealing" character.

I would second him to Yamamoto, but he is not on the list (what!?). Really, I think he can get stronger. I mean, he has hollow powers, soul reaper powers, and even Quincy powers (if you have read the manga, you should read it if you haven't).
So all in all, he is the strongest. Although, I would like a bit more romance from his side. Go Ichi-Hime!
Rukia Kuchiki

Rukia Kuchiki is a fictional character from the anime and manga series Bleach, created by Tite Kubo. She is a Soul Reaper who begins as the lieutenant and later becomes the captain of the 13th Division. Rukia is the adoptive sister of Byakuya Kuchiki, a close friend to Ichigo Kurosaki, and eventually... read more

My baby! I hate how Kubo diminished her character and her importance. She struck a chord in me, and I looked up to her for so many reasons. She had a serious and wise side, but she also had her cute and gentle side - a true role model to follow. I swear, every time she came on screen or in a panel, I got excited because of how intense her presence was.
I didn't love her just because she was a protagonist, no. There are so many times when a character is supposed to be likable, but the chemistry isn't there. I LOVED Rukia. Correction: I LOVE Rukia. Her determination and dedication were always such a pleasure to experience.
I only wish she was more present toward the later parts of the manga. Sadly, Kubo tried to place someone else in her role, but he failed because Rukia Kuchiki is unbelievably precious. I adore her and her will. She will probably forever be my favorite woman in a manga!
Toshiro Hitsugaya

Toshiro Hitsugaya is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations, created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 10th Division in the Gotei 13, known for his ice-based Zanpakuto, Hyorinmaru. Hitsugaya is recognized for his serious demeanor and exceptional talent, despite being... read more

I think they should ultimately make him the closest person to rival Ichigo (the main character) when it comes to power. Dude is supposed to be a genius/prodigy, and he is just cool. Hands down, my favorite character.
I love DiamondDust Rebellion as it shows how powerful and smart he is. Dude evaded capture by his own people and was injured.

Nobody can say no to him! He's cute, strong, awesome! He is my number one favorite character in all of the anime world!
I'm a big fan of ice and snow power, and when he appeared, I was like, "He's my type!" In Bleach, he isn't the show-off type and he's always so calm... But when it comes to protecting someone precious to him, he's a BEAST! Go Toshiro!
Kisuke Urahara

Kisuke Urahara is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations, created by Tite Kubo. He is a former Soul Reaper captain who runs a small convenience shop in the human world. Urahara is known for his intelligence, resourcefulness, and significant role in the series' main plot... read more

He's hilarious. He's also underrated, as without him, they would not have been able to defeat Aizen. He's also pretty strong to take him on in Chrysalis form and definitely deserves a top 10 spot.

He's always shady and mysterious. He's smart, strong, funny, and knows about almost everything.

Amazing headband of justice in place! Amazing armor of justice, protect me now!
Ulquiorra Cifer

Ulquiorra Cifer is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations, created by Tite Kubo. He is the 4th Espada in the army of Sōsuke Aizen. Ulquiorra is known for his emotionless demeanor and powerful abilities.

Ulquiorra is a powerful Arrancar and Espada, an emotionless badass, a loyal follower of Aizen, and the most formidable rival of Ichigo. He found peace in dying, finally understanding what a heart is.
He managed to slay Ichigo emotionlessly but ultimately died because Ichigo is the main character, and Ulquiorra is just a villain. With a flick of a finger, there he was, just... gone.
If Ulquiorra had lived on with his newfound conscience and understanding of what a heart is, he might have become Ichigo's ally. Alternatively, he could have awakened to the folly of following Aizen's misguided goals and acting as a slave.

Ulquiorra should be ranked 3, not Rukia! He deserves this because he is arguably the strongest Espada and Arrancar, regardless of their numbers. He is also perhaps the most emotionless badass and the most powerful emo anime character. He can't be easily fooled because he has no attachments and lacks love. Furthermore, he is one of the most formidable rivals Ichigo has ever faced.
Ulquiorra is also at peace with the fans because, even though he is evil and tried to kill Ichigo, he managed to find peace with Orihime by understanding what a heart is, even if it's not physically visible. He's the best villain-turned-good in anime!
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations created by Tite Kubo.
Grimmjow is one of the major antagonists in Bleach, ranked as the 6th Espada. The Espada are an elite group of Arrancar - Hollows who evolved by removing their masks and gaining... read more

Grimmjow is the freakin' best and the only one to defeat Ichigo more than once. Also, he has the badass attitude that everyone loves.
Finally, Grimmjow has awesome blue hair, and that's why he's the best.

Grimmjow is the king of the king, the rightful beast and ruler of Hueco Mundo (as he calls himself). He doesn't care what you are. If you stand in his way, you get crushed.
In my opinion, he was actually the best Espada.

He is just so hot! He should be in 3rd place, after Ichigo, not Rukia. I mean, she is okay, but Grimmjow is still better!
Gin Ichimaru

Gin Ichimaru is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations, created by Tite Kubo. He is a former captain of the 3rd Division in the Gotei 13 and is known for his constant sly smile and mysterious demeanor. Gin plays a major role in the Arrancar arc and has a complex relationship... read more

I think he is the most underrated character in all of Bleach, and nowadays, we tend to forget how crucial he was in setting up not only Aizen, who is arguably Bleach's most iconic character, but also the success of Bleach in general.
In the Soul Society Arc, he presented himself as cartoonishly evil and untrustworthy, yet his redeeming qualities were shown through the eyes of Rangiku, whom he had saved from starvation when they were children. The duplicity in his character made him work as the perfect red herring, which was necessary to pull off the overarching mystery of who had killed Aizen. This culminated in Aizen revealing himself to be alive and the true villain who had orchestrated everything, with Gin having acted under his orders all along.
But it didn't end there. Even after he was revealed as one of the traitors, the mystery surrounding his character carried on until the Deicide Arc, when he revealed that he had been working against Aizen all along because of what Aizen had done to Rangiku. This made sense because Rangiku was shown to be the only person Gin had genuinely loved. Seeing glimpses of their past together and what they meant to each other adds an intense emotional component to both of their characters, endearing them to the audience - especially when they are tragically torn apart in the end.
Byakuya Kuchiki

Byakuya Kuchiki is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach, created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13 and the head of the noble Kuchiki clan. Known for his calm demeanor and strong sense of duty, Byakuya is a key figure in the story, especially during... read more

Come on, guys, he is so good. His beauty, grace, prudence, excellence, voice, and PRIDE... He is perfection. He is infallible and great. I am obsessed with him.
Apart from his personality and appearance, his powers are the most beautiful and undeniably some of the strongest. Without a second thought, he is my favorite Bleach character and in the top five of my favorite anime characters.
In addition to his impeccable existence, he strongly reminds me of Itachi Uchiha from Naruto, who is my favorite character from all the anime series I have watched.

Byakuya is one of the coolest characters ever! Bleach is a series that has tons of cool characters like Kenpachi, Uryu Ishida, Chad, Toshiro, Renji, and of course, our main protagonist. But I think Byakuya is the coolest.
Examples?
1. He looks so cool. Those things in his hair just totally match with his Captain's vest.
2. He can turn his Zanpakuto into multiple tiny blossoms that can totally demolish you.
3. His Bankai is just way worse than that. Why? Imagine yourself inside a room where the walls are made out of those exact same blossoms, and they all come after you. Not a pretty picture.
He's not only an awesome captain from the Soul Society, but he's also a caring older brother to Rukia. This is best shown at the end of the Soul Society arc. That talk they share still managed to tug at my heartstrings and bring a tear to my eye.
Byakuya, along with Rukia, is my favorite character in the series. Enough said.
Sōsuke Aizen

Sosuke Aizen is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations, created by Tite Kubo. He is a former captain of the 5th Division in the Gotei 13 and serves as one of the series' primary antagonists. Aizen is known for his intelligence, manipulation, and powerful abilities.

He is the perfect antagonist. He is smart and does everything to achieve his goals. He is mysterious and very unpredictable, a real master of deception.
Part of that is because he feels lonely and bored at the top with all the abilities he possesses, and also due to his personal beliefs about Soul Society, the world, the Royal Palace, and of course "that thing" - the Soul King. I am sure that in his twisted mind, he sees himself as the necessary evil that the world needs but doesn't know it yet.

He's a really greatly crafted character, one of the most charismatic villains ever. Well, is he really a villain? I wish we would find out more about Aizen and his true feelings.
He made watching the anime and reading the manga a really amazing experience for me. Definitely my best Bleach character ever!
Kenpachi Zaraki

Kenpachi Zaraki is a fictional character and an antihero in the anime and manga series Bleach, created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 11th Division in the Gotei 13 and is known for his immense strength and love of combat. Kenpachi is one of the most powerful and feared Soul Reapers in the series... read more

In terms of sheer raw power, Kenpachi is probably the strongest. A beast. A true monster. He is also a very complex character. On one hand, a maniac who loves battle - the more extreme and violent and closer to death, the better.
On the other hand, someone who takes in a baby in a horrible world and raises her by himself into a happy child who obviously loves him. He truly is awesome.

He's an unstoppable force. Kenpachi is a top 5 badass of any anime ever made. He became captain without even learning his Bankai. He's never been bested in battle.
Kenpachi getting stabbed and sliced feels like he's being tickled. He even puts bells in his hair so his opponents don't lose track of him because he's bored of kicking so much ass!

The Newcomers

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As Nodt
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Keigo Asano

The Contenders

Renji Abarai

Renji Abarai is a fictional character in the Bleach manga and anime series created by Tite Kubo. He serves as a Soul Reaper of the Gotei 13's 6th Division and initially opposes the protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki. Renji wields the zanpakutō Zabimaru and later attains its Bankai form, Sōō Zabimaru.

Renji is one of the best characters ever in Bleach. He has a really good personality and maintains rational thinking even in high-stress situations. He is very kind and forgiving, as shown by him forgiving Byakuya for literally trying to kill him. Renji is also the first second-in-command officer to achieve Bankai.
He makes it clear that "titles" don't matter to him, evident in his admiration for Ikkaku, who is only a third seat, despite Renji being a second-in-command officer. Renji also had the courage to fight his own captain. He definitely deserves to be at the top.

Renji is such an amazing character, caring, and he would do anything for Rukia, even though he doesn't admit it that much.
During the Renji vs. Ichigo fight, when Ichigo cut Renji's rubber band that kept his hair, I cried like a little baby. Renji was screaming and begging Ichigo to protect and save Rukia. He's a lovely character, and I can't understand why he's not in the top ten.
Yoruichi Shihoin

Yoruichi Shihoin is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations created by Tite Kubo. She is a former captain of the 2nd Division in the Gotei 13 and also the former commander of the Onmitsukidō. Known for her speed and transformation ability, she plays a key role in several... read more

Best female character in Bleach because of her funny and great personality. She is thoughtful, badass, awesome, and beautiful.
She is, in general, my third favorite Bleach character.

Her strength and abilities never cease to come in handy, especially when paired with Urahara's inventions and ideas. You've got to love her in her Coraline-esque cat form or while playing a very bloody game of tag.

She is just so badass. I mean, she didn't care when she went face to face with Aizen.
When she fought Soi Fon, she didn't even want to.
Orihime Inoue

Orihime Inoue is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations, created by Tite Kubo. She is a classmate of the main protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki, and possesses unique spiritual powers, including healing and shield creation. Orihime plays a significant role throughout the series... read more

Orihime may not be a fighter, but that's how she was created. She was meant to be the healer of the team, the most normal girl. When people say she's useless, I can't agree with that because she has helped her friends since the beginning of Bleach.
It may not be on a significant level like Ichigo, but it shouldn't be forgotten that she actually was useful. People should understand that not everyone needs to be a fighter or insanely strong to be considered useful.

She should be in the top five. Few people recognize her character as evolving, which is a shame. I can be like Orihime sometimes, smiling to hide something hurting inside. Anyway, the only negative I think is too much exposure of her cleavage.
I mean, she is shown like a bimbo, but she is actually not. She is a very perceptive and smart young woman.
Soi Fon

Deserves to be in the top 10. Her attitude is the best.
Retsu Unohana

A character so powerful that she can even intimidate captains like Ukitake and Kyoraku with a smile on her face. She is probably the most skilled swordsman/woman in Bleach. I forget if it was said that she had mastered a few hundred styles of swordplay or something.
When bringing Zaraki Kenpachi back to full power, she utterly destroyed him at least 10 times. In the manga, it only showed maybe 3 times, but Kenpachi said that he lost track. Knowing him, he could lose track after 1. I say at least 10 because Kenpachi needed to increase to an extreme to finally kill her. Note that she destroyed a Kenpachi who had been the only person to defeat three captain-level Quincies when they first appeared. Then, he was almost killed by the fake Juha, which would have made him even more powerful.
Rangiku Matsumoto

Rangiku Matsumoto is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations created by Tite Kubo. She serves as the lieutenant of the 10th Division in the Gotei 13 under Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Rangiku is known for her laid-back personality and powerful spiritual pressure.

I like her very much! But I still can't choose between Rangiku and Orihime! I find them the most beautiful girls in Bleach.
When I see the anime, I think I'll choose the right one.

After seeing her and Gin, who could possibly hate on her?
Plus, I love her relationship with Shiro!
Shunsui Kyoraku

Shunsui Kyōraku is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series by Tite Kubo and its anime adaptations. He is one of the most powerful Soul Reapers and serves as the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. Kyōraku is recognized for his laid-back demeanor and deep sense of responsibility.

He is very powerful, cool, and his sense of justice was very good.
He is also very funny.

He's too funny! Always with a smile, and always drunk!

He is the sexiest! Awesome and powerful.
Uryū Ishida

Uryū Ishida is a fictional character from the manga and anime series Bleach, created by Tite Kubo. He is a Quincy, a human with the ability to detect and combat hollows. Uryū plays a major role in the series as both an ally and rival to the protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki.

Man, why is he so low? He was very popular back when Bleach was at its peak.
I really adore and love him so much, even now. He makes Thomas H. Norstein from Digimon Savers relatable. Both of them came from wealthy families, and their relationships with their fathers are very complicated. Both lost their beloved mothers when they were really young. They are both incredibly genius and cold-headed, so they clash with hot-headed main characters (Marcus Damon and Kurosaki Ichigo). Both have sided with a villain for good deeds. Despite being cold, they care deeply for their dearest friends. Both are very gentle with girls. Their rivalries with the main characters are in a friendly way, mixed with funny arguments and funny sarcasm.
Shinji Hirako

God of the smartasses! A very classic and suave character design with trench coats, ties, and hats. He was very vital in Ichigo's training to control his hollow powers, which later helped him defeat Grimmjow.
After everything the Soul Society put them through, he, Kensei, and Rose returned to being captains. Shinji hasn't done much since the fight against Aizen. I hope his importance skyrockets at some point.

Brought some mystery back to Bleach. To this day, his enigmatic smile and design that reflects an Egyptian pharaoh makes you hope he'll still have something important to do yet.
Yasutora Sado

Strong, unique, and underrated. It's unfortunate they've put him on the sideline and haven't given him any plot-driven storylines.
I would like to learn more about him and see more depth.

I don't get why Sado gets a lot of hate. He has a big heart, which I find important for a fighter.

He has such a big heart and strong fists.
Shūhei Hisagi

I like how Hisagi's personality goes directly against his appearance. He looks punk, but he's actually really cool-headed. He has a really cool Shikai.
He seems to get severely injured a lot, yet manages to pull through every time. Might be just me, though, but my heart nearly broke when I saw him dying during the battle against Aizen.

He's really calm and level-headed despite his punk style, and it's so cool the way he feels the need to hold back. He fights for justice and follows his own path.
His zanpakuto is awesome, not to mention he cooks, plays guitar, and has an adorable schoolboy crush on Rangiku.
Coyote Starrk

Coyote Starrk is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations, created by Tite Kubo. He is an Arrancar and serves as the Primera Espada in Sosuke Aizen's army. Starrk is known for his calm personality and immense strength in battle, as well as his ability to summon his partner... read more

My surname is Stark! That's all.
By the way, he could totally fit in Game of Thrones! He has the right name, hair, and eyes (some have light eyes).

Such a good evil character. You want him to be the good guy.

A great character from Bleach.
Jushiro Ukitake

Definitely my favorite character. He's kind, caring, and sweet. He hasn't ever shown arrogance, unlike others in this poll (cough Hitsugaya, Ichigo, Kenpachi, Grimmjow, and absolutely Byakuya), and he serves as one of the oldest and most experienced captains.
His nature is what makes him unique.

I really just like how he teases Hitsugaya excessively, yet the boy puts up with him. That just proves that even the mighty Hitsugaya respects Ukitake. That, and Ukitake has fabulous, flowing white locks.

My absolute favorite. I wish he would be more acknowledged. His kindness is what's wonderful about him.
Yachiru Kusajishi

We need positive people in our lives and people who make us smile. Yachiru may not be a central character, but she brightens my day every time I see her. That is a power beyond television in and of itself.

Lovable lieutenant of Squad 11 who has a cute, cheerful personality.
Nemu Kurotsuchi

I like her because she's the only Soul Reaper who, at the same time, is also a Mod Soul. She and Kon would be best buddies.