Summary
Bleachis a legendary shonen anime that needs no introduction. This beloved series is known for its massive weapons, amazing powers, and unique characters that serve as the beating heart of the story. The show and manga still have a massive fanbase, regardless of the many disappointments that people justifiably complain about. Most people loveBleachfor its incredible fights, with some battles having surprising results.
Even ifthe long-lasting ramifications of some ofBleach’s fightscan be pretty weird, there’s no denying that Tite Kubo knows how to flip the script and alter the structure of certain fights to make things as unpredictable as possible. Underdogs can win battles they have no business participating in, and certain characters reveal impressive powers that completely alter the dynamic of their battles. All of this makes for bombastic conclusions that have no business being so fun to witness.
5Unohana’s Clever Sacrifice
Defeated By: Kenpachi Zaraki
Unohana didn’t seem like she had any combat abilities to speak of, but she showed what she was really about when she engaged in a duel to the death with Kenpachi.This entire fight was full of shocking moments. Unohana showed a sadistic side and revealed that she was the original holder of the ‘Kenpachi’ title before meeting a bloodthirsty young boy who took over this mantle instead. It’s a brutal fight where Zaraki is killed several times, only to be brought back to life courtesy of her healing techniques.
Eventually, after losing himself in the lust for battle, Kenpachi finally learns the truth about his Zanpakuto and lands the killing blow on Unohana. This was a foregone conclusion given how Unohana’s motive was to help him become stronger at all costs, but fans were still shocked to see that Kubo would go so far and outright kill a character who had just revealed some bombshells.
4Ulquiorra’s Final Battle
Defeated By: Vasto Lorde Ichigo
Ulquiorra is a dastardly villain who serves as Ichigo’s ultimate nemesis during the Arrancar arc, effortlessly beating the Substitute Shinigami whenever they cross paths. So, when the protagonist met the 4th Espada for a final battle, fans knew that fireworks would fly. After a hard-fought battle, Ichigo found himself outclassed, with Ulquiorra blasting a hole through his chest. At this point, Ichigo had died, but his Hollow powers prevented him from dying completely.
Instead,Ichigo transformed into a Vasto Lorde formthat took Ulquiorra by surprise. He couldn’t even the odds even in his second Resurreccion form. A berserk Ichigo managed to defeat the 4th Espada for good, causing him to disintegrate in a surprisingly heartfelt death. No one expected Ulquiorra to be defeated in such a resounding fashion, making it one of the most shocking conclusions to a fight inBleach.
3Yamamoto’s Bisection
Defeated By: Yhwach
The battle between Yhwach and Yamamoto excited fans to no end. The Captain-Commander had his moments to shine in the early goings of this arc, whipping out his abilities to incinerate any foe standing in his way. Eventually, in a bid to save Soul Society, he faced off against the mighty Yhwach,showing off his Bankaiin a powerful moment. It’s easy to see why fans assumed that Yhwach would be toast there and then, but this powerful antagonist had an ace up his sleeve.
It turned out that the man that Yamamoto assumed was Yhwach was just another subordinate imitating the Quincy King. Before Yamamoto could uncover this betrayal, Yhwach put all his might into a single slash that cut the Captain-Commander from shoulder to waist, leading to one of the most iconic sights in the series, which fans will remember for its sheer shock value. It was a surprising defeat that proved just how strong Yhwach was.
2Yhwach’s Unexpected Loss
Defeated By: Ichigo Kurosaki
When Ichigo showcased the full extent of his newfound abilities to Yhwach,the Quincy King was more than impressed. The Almighty was the only reason why the protagonist hadn’t slashed him to bits, and the only way to stop Ichigo was to break his Zanpakuto before it could be used to cause him more problems. This broke Ichigo’s spirit and Yhwach absorbed his powers not long after. It was only after an immense pep talk from Renji that Ichigo decided to take on the Quincy King once again.
This time, Ichigo required the power of his friends (and enemies) to save the day. Tsukishima’s Book of the End coupled with Orihime’s
Soten Kisshun repaired his Zanpakuto, giving him another shot against Yhwach. Aizen gave a much-needed assist with his ridiculous
Kanzen Saimin to distract Yhwach long enough for Ishida to fire an arrow of Still Silver that temporarily disables his powers. This was the window Ichigo needed to slash through the Quincy King and finish him off once and for all. It may be a poorly-paced conclusion, but the conclusion is surprising and endsBleach’s final fight on a high note.
1Aizen’s Humiliation
Aizen is one of the most diabolical antagonists of all time, with his Shikai being more than enough to bring the entirety of Soul Society to its knees. Merging with the Hogyoku further enhanced his powers to make him one of the strongest characters inBleach, and Ichigo needed to pull off something impressive to attain victory. This was achieved by training in the Dangai with his father for a long time until he mastered his powers, allowing him to humiliate Aizen from the very start of the battle.
Despite Aizen transforming in the battle to make full use of the Hogyoku, he’s no match for Ichigo’s immense strength that comes out of nowhere. It’s a surprising turn of events that keeps on giving, with Ichigo transforming into Getsuga Tensho himself. This allows him to unleashhis ultimate attack, Mugetsu. At the cost of his shinigami powers, Ichigo destroys Aizen in a battle that is way more one-sided than most people expected, which is both shocking and disappointing in equal measure.
