Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is the sequel to the original Bleach anime adaptation. In this new adventure, Ichigo and the rest of the Soul Society were forced to fight against some of the most powerful beings in this universe. Because of this, new mighty characters were introduced, while many old favorites were given new power-ups to help them defeat their adversaries.
Beware of spoilers for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War.
The Most Powerful Fighter in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Ranked
With so many strong fighters in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War’s cast, it is hard to choose who stands above all else. Yet, there are some clear examples of beings more powerful than the rest inside Tite Kubo’s work. Keep reading to learn who are the most powerful characters in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War.
10. Shunsui Kyoraku
Former Captain of the Soul Society’s Eight Division and current Captain of the first, Shunsui is an experienced warrior who has gained the trust and respect of his peers. He has been a member of the Soul Society for a long time, proving to be an invaluable member during his career.
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His Zanpakuto’s special ability turns children’s games’ rules into combat rules. For example, if the rules of the game consider the player on the highest terrain the winner, the one who is on the most elevated terrain is the one to survive. Sadly, these restrictions also apply to Shunsui, meaning he can also be injured by his power.
9. Kisuke Urahara
Urahara is better known by the Bleach fandom as the mysterious owner of the Urahara Shop. He is a calm man who has helped Ichigo several times in the past. Secretly, he is a prominent member of the Soul Society, having been assigned the rank of Second Division captain. He may not look like it, but Urahara is a proficient and ruthless fighter.
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His Bankai, a gigantic woman with large black hair, can restructure anything in a specific range. By using this power, Urahara can cut his opponents in half within seconds, or heal the damage an ally has received. Still, he has been seen struggling to defeat some opponents in the past.
8. Kenpachi Zaraki
Few characters in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, are as beloved and respected as the ferocious Kenpachi. Even when he spent centuries suppressing his power he was never affected by this in the slightest. He is also an extremely skilled swordsman and hand-to-hand combatant, and can even withstand direct attacks by simply using his aura as protection.
Zaraki has two special weapons that he only uses on special occasions, his Zanpakuto and his Bankai. The first one releases a massive wave of energy that can destroy entire buildings with ease. The second gives him a monstrous increase of power, turning him into a nigh-invincible warrior. Unfortunately, his Bankai also sends him into a rampage, in which he attacks anything and anyone.
7. Lille Barro
In Bleach, bringing a gun to a sword fight is not always a good idea, unless you are Lille Barro. A member of Yhwach’s army and a terrifying opponent to face, Barro is amongst the most accurate and dangerous marksmen in all anime. His special ability, The X-Axis, gave him perfect accuracy, as well as the power to pierce anything that stood between his objective and his shots.
If that was not enough, Lille could also use his Quincy transformations, to increase his abilities and even heal from wounds. Not even the Soul Society’s Royal Guard could stand a chance against such a powerful being. Woefully, it was discovered that Lille’s attacks could be reflected towards him, causing him severe damage, which was ultimately his doom.
6. Gerard Valkyrie
Another high-ranking officer in Yhwach’s army, this one designated as The M-Axis or Miracle, in honor of his special power. Gerard’s innate ability gives him the capability of turning miracles into reality. He can control probability to make a seemingly impossible event come true, increase damage against an opponent, and even infuse his weapon with his allies’ hopes.
Like Lille, he also has two Quincy transformations, each one boosting up his already overpowered abilities even more. In his first form, Gerard can shoot energy blasts to hit enemies from long distances. His second form is that of a giant, looming over his opponents and ready to crush them. In the end, he was killed by his own master, who proved to be much stronger than him.
5. Yamamoto Genryusai
Better known as the right-hand man to the Spirit King, Yamamoto was an ancient and wise Shinigami. He was the man who sealed Yhwach during the first Quincy/Shinigami war, making him one of the few beings capable of fighting on equal ground with him. He was an extremely adept fighter, armed with both natural-born skill and experience.
He was capable of controlling fire, going as far as to summon flames that were as hot as the Sun’s. Despite being past his prime the second time he fought Yhwach, Yamamoto managed to give the Father of Quincy a match to remember. Lamentably, he was still taken down by his old enemy, who did not get weaker due to aging.
4. Ichigo Kurosaki
The protagonist of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, and the man who has saved the Soul Society on various occasions. Ichigo is a young man with a special lineage rarely seen. He is a Shinigami with access to both Quincy and Hollow abilities, thanks to his mother. As such, he is one of the few beings who can use a vast arsenal during combat, not limiting himself to a single weapon or form.
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Due to his nature as a hybrid, Ichigo’s Zanpakuto is overwhelmingly powerful, with attacks from this weapon being able to harm a being as powerful as Yhwach. Ichigo’s power is such, that Yhwach had to activate his future re-writing ability to survive his battle against Ichigo. Still, the young Shinigami is inexperienced and can sometimes be too stubborn for his own good.
3. Hyosube Ichibei
The man behind every name in the Soul Society and a prominent Royal Guard, Ichibei was a powerful and ruthless fighter. He was an experienced fighter who took joy in causing harm to the enemies of the Spirit King. He would also mock his opponents, believing that he was always in control of a fight.
His special skill gave him the ability to know and manifest the true name of an object, skill, or being. He could then cut the name in half to halve the power of his target, or completely erase the name, striping his objective of all power. Nonetheless, Yhwach defeated him during their confrontation, forcing Ichibei to retreat and search for help.
2. Sosuke Aizen
Once the most powerful being to have battled Ichigo, Aizen is a former Captain of the Soul Society. He is a megalomaniac who believes himself to be the rightful ruler of the world. He brags constantly about his power and intellect, which are leagues above most other Shinigami. He is also a manipulative man, who has no issue tricking others to do his dirty work.
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Appropriately, his most powerful ability involves tricking the senses of his opponents and convincing them that the illusions he creates are real. By doing this, he can sneakily attack opponents, causing massive damage, even if they are stronger than him. Yet, Aizen was still defeated due to his arrogant and overconfident attitude.
1. Yhwach
Son of the Spirit King, father to all the Quincy, and the most powerful being to have ever been born. Yhwach was once a poor baby who was born without the ability to see, move, speak, or even eat. However, the people who raised him soon discovered that his touch could heal them from anything. Regrettably, doing this turned them into food for the child, who began absorbing them and growing stronger.
Yhwach grew into a fearful enemy, as he could not only feed from his followers’ energy, but he could also control the future. His ability, the Almighty, gives him the power to see, re-write, or alter the future. Combined with his innate power, skill, and millennia of experience, Yhwach was a nigh-unbeatable opponent. Without a doubt, the strongest being in the Bleach universe.
