Long-running anime and manga series Bleach has seen its protagonist Ichigo go up against a wide variety of villains, from monstrous Hollows to fellow Soul Reapers to the ultimate Quincy King. While some of these arcs are better regarded than others, the villains who appear in this series are often among the most devious in all anime. Of course, one can’t help but wonder: which villain is the greatest threat of them all?
There are a few factors that play into the ranking of these Bleach villains. It’s not imperative that they achieve their goal, or even come close to it (though that certainly helps). Instead, the main focus is on what kind of threat they pose to Ichigo and his friends. They could be threatening because of their phenomenal power, or their keen intellect, or even just by virtue of being so unique that Ichigo has no experience fighting them. Without further ado, here are Bleach‘s top 10 greatest villains.
Kugo Ginjo
While he may come from Bleach‘s least popular story arc, Ginjo actually has quite a few traits that make him a dangerous opponent for Ichigo, and not just because of Ichigo’s loss of Soul Reaper powers. Ginjo was one of Bleach’s Fullbringers, a rare kind of human who can make use of Hollow-like spiritual power. As a result, Ginjo was a new kind of enemy that Ichigo had never really encountered, beyond sparring with Ginjo’s followers before his betrayal. Ginjo had also once been a substitute Soul Reaper, and was thus familiar with their techniques, giving him quite an edge. On top of all that, though, Ginjo also had a very clever plan, using his subordinate’s mind-controlling powers to create a situation in which Ichigo would initially trust him.
Tier Halibel
Tier Halibel was the #3 Espada under Sosuke Aizen, making her one of the most powerful beings in Hueco Mundo. As one of Bleach’s powerful Arrancar, Halibel has access to Hollow and Soul Reaper techniques, both of which she’s very talented at utilizing. She’s also well known for her three followers, the Tres Bestias, who have the capacity to take parts of their body and combine them to create a super-powerful Hollow-like being that will fight for them. Halibel’s Zanpakuto is pretty unique, with an open middle section that gathers spiritual energy that can be used for attacks, while its unleashed form allows her to manipulate water, even freezing or boiling it.
Coyote Starrk
Another Arrancar in the service of Aizen, Coyote Starrk was one of the few Espada ranked higher than Halibel, at #1. Starrk is best known for his bizarre weapon, which is actually made up of his other half, Lilynette. Rather than a sword, Lilynette can take the form of a pair of guns, which Starrk is extremely precise with. The guns allow him to fire off Cero attacks at high speed without the need to charge them, making each hit potentially fatal. Starrk is able to generate energy blades if he does need a sword, though, as he did when faced with Bleach’s Captain Kyoraku. Starrk’s wildest ability is that should he and Lilynette fuse back into a single being, he can then create any number of smaller beings, such as wolves that latch onto enemies and then explode.
Gin Ichimaru
Gin Ichimaru was a Soul Reaper who betrayed the Soul Society along with Aizen. He wields a Zanpakuto which resembles a throwing sword, and its bankai form allows him to poison his opponents at any time after a single strike. His powers, while respectable, aren’t the main thing that makes him so dangerous though. Gin is incredibly devious, a fact which he cloaks with a constant smile on his face. Gin didn’t just betray the Soul Society–he was also planning to betray Aizen the entire time as well, making it difficult to pin down just whose side he’s actually on. He very nearly succeeded, too, and it’s no small feat to outmaneuver Aizen, even if it ultimately didn’t work out.
Grand Fisher
The Grand Fisher is one of the first major enemies to appear in Bleach. While a fairly strong Hollow on its own, the Grand Fisher’s combat abilities definitely pale in comparison to many on this list. However, Grand Fisher is compelling for a different reason: his direct connection to Ichigo as a result of killing the boy’s mother. For Ichigo, battling the Grand Fisher is personal, so fights against it are almost always very interesting. The Grand Fisher gets its name from the lantern fish-like lure on its head, which can take the form of people familiar to its target and lure them to their deaths. It allegedly went undefeated by the Soul Society for decades, and eventually took on an Arrancar form before it was finally destroyed.
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez
Grimmjow was the #6 Espada under Aizen, and rapidly developed a rivalry with Ichigo, eager to face him again and again. Grimmjow is something of an honorable opponent; he once brought the kidnapped Orihime to heal Ichigo before their fight so that it would be a fair one. Grimmjow’s Zanpakuto, Pantera, transforms him when released, giving him more cat-like features that call back to his pre-Arrancar form. He can use a claw-based attack which forms blades of spiritual energy that can hit from quite far away. Grimmjow is also known for his violent outbursts and general insubordination, particularly towards Ulquiorra, and the two nearly came to blows on more than one occasion.
Yhwach
The leader of Bleach’s Quincy Wandenreich, Yhwach is powerful almost beyond imagining. One of his first acts on screen is to defeat Head Captain Yamamoto, who had been portrayed as nigh unbeatable in every previous fight. Yhwach can grant power to his subordinates in the form of Schrifts, a big part of why the Wandenreich as a whole are so dangerous. Yhwach’s greatest power is the ability to see and manipulate the future, allowing him to essentially just counteract almost any attack thrown at him. This is all in addition to the standard Quincy powers, which he is of course a master of.
Byakuya Kuchiki
While Byakuya hasn’t been an antagonist in Bleach in a long time, his stint as Ichigo’s greatest opponent is one of the most memorable in the series. Byakuya’s Zanpakuto, Senbonzakura, is easily one of the most powerful in the Soul Society, as its shikai form involves the blade splitting into countless deadly cherry blossom petals, which can rip an opponent to shreds without Byakuya so much as taking a step. His bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, takes this to the next level by creating a path lined by rows of massive sword blades, which then all turn into deadly petals, destroying almost any opponent with ease. Byakuya is also a master of a technique known as Senka, wherein he performs a flash step to get behind an opponent and strikes precise pressure points, cutting off the flow of spiritual energy in their bodies and rendering them helpless. Though Bleach’s Quincy would later teach Byakuya true fear, he was truly one of Ichigo’s greatest opponents.
Ulquiorra Cifer
Ulquiorra was the #4 Espada, but was more often seen as Aizen’s right-hand man and the main guard for Orihime when she was their prisoner. Ulquiorra being Orihime’s jailkeeper naturally meant a lot of conflict with Ichigo, who was there mostly to save Orihime. His Zanpakuto, Murcielago, allows him to transform into a more bestial state, wherein he gains giant bat-like wings and grows horns atop his head. His second form turns him into a full demon, essentially, and his Hollow hole seemingly begins bleeding. Ulquiorra’s deadliest technique was his Cero Oscuras, the most powerful form of Cero seen in the series, which was capable of destroying massive chunks of Las Noches. Ulquiorra’s cold nature made him a perfect foil for Ichigo’s hotheadedness, and their final battle is considered one of the best fights in the series.
Sosuke Aizen
Sosuke Aizen was a former Soul Reaper who orchestrated many of the events of the series, from the accusations against Rukia to the creation of the Arrancar. Aizen is an incredibly brilliant and devious man with sky-high ambitions, a combination that makes him more dangerous than any other figure on this list. Aizen’s Zanpakuto, Kyouka Suigetsu, is the perfect fit for him, since it’s not about offense; instead, it allows Aizen to hypnotize anyone who has seen its released state, making them only capable of perceiving what he wants them to. Aizen later fuses with the Hogyoku, a tremendously powerful object that grants him immortality and numerous forms for battle.
While there are plenty more interesting Bleach villains out there, these 10 mark some of the heroes’ most interesting and deadly opponents throughout the series. These great villains are a big part of what made Bleach so successful, from their awesome abilities to the personal rivalries and connections they had to the heroes.
