The hit shonen series Bleach focuses its combat system on zanpakuto, or soul-cutting swords. Soul Reapers use them to destroy monstrous Hollows and escort the souls of the dead to the Soul Society, while Arrancars (unmasked Hollows) use them purely as weapons. Many zanpakuto can also use shikai mode or even bankai mode in the hands of a seasoned Soul Reaper.
Still, despite all the fancy shikai and bankai powers out there, some of the most exciting Bleach fights involve traditional sword duels, the clash of a blade against a blade. Many sword fights took place in the Soul Society arc, the Hueco Mundo arc, and the fake Karakura Town arc, and it soon becomes clear who the top sword users are, based on speed, power, technique, and more. This is especially true of the series’ villains, who are some of the deadliest fighters out there. In terms of swordplay, how do the villains of Bleach stack up?
23 Lilynette Gingerbuck
Lilynette is no ordinary fraccione. She does have a nameless zanpakuto, but that sword has no released form at all. Instead, Lilynette contains Starrk’s own released form, and Lilynette’s own swordsmanship skills are minimal. She is an aggressive and eager fighter, but alas, she made no headway against her enemies when fighting alone.
22 Grand Fisher (Arrancar Version)
The dreaded Grand Fisher returned in the Arrancar arc as an unmasked Hollow, complete with a huge zanpakuto that matched his massive body. He chased Kon (in Ichigo’s body) until Isshin Kurosaki intercepted him, and Grand Fisher tried in vain to hit Isshin with his huge zanpakuto. No way could Grand Fisher actually defeat someone with that huge, slow, blunt weapon. He was better off as a regular Hollow.
21 Emilou Apacci
One of Tier Halibel’s three fracciones is Emilou Appaci, known for her brash attitude and her total devotion to Halibel herself. Apacci’s zanpakuto is shaped like a pair of chakrams that she can expertly throw to hit her opponents, though these chakrams aren’t quite so effective on defense. Apacci is at her best when she and her two fellows summon Ayon.
20 Ilfort Grantz
Ilfort Grantz was one of the first Arrancar to appear, a warrior with a prince’s face and the personality of a total thug.
He clashed once with Renji Abarai, a skilled Lieutenant, and showed his remarkable skills with the sword until using his resurrection, Del Toro. He nearly gored Renji and Ururu to death with it.
19 Shawlong Kufang
One of Grimmjow’s top minions is the Arrancar known as Shawlong Kufang, and this insidious warrior once clashed with Captain Hitsugaya himself. While Hitsugaya was operating at 20% power, Shawlong had a serious advantage, using rapid and precise strikes to keep Hitsugaya defensive. In his released form, he gains even more claws and blades with which to fight.
18 Szayelaporro Grantz
The 8th Espada, Szayelaporro Grantz, is more of a scientist than a fighter, as he himself explained to Renji Abarai. Still, Szayelaporro has a zanpakuto like all Arrancar, and he could easily block Renji’s shikai strikes with its bare blade, which is remarkable. Before long, Szayelaporro released his zanpakuto’s true power, La Lujuriosa, to push things to the next level.
17 Ggio Vega
The Arrancar known as Ggio Vega focuses more on cero blasts and martial arts than swordplay. Still, he used his zanpakuto to good effect against Captain Soi Fon in their duel, along with some expertly executed kick attacks. Eventually, Ggio released his zanpakuto, Tigre Estoque, and focused entirely on melee attacks.
16 Findorr Calius
This Arrancar is one of Barragan’s six minions or fracciones, and he can remove pieces of his Hollow mask to boost his power and speed more and more.
At first, he fought like a fifth-seat Soul Reaper, but eventually, he struck even against Lieutenant Shuhei Hisagi, saying a lot. However, Findorr eventually got overconfident, and Shuhei slew him with his shikai, Kazeshini.
15 Edorad Leones
Edorad Leones once crossed blades with Ikkaku Madarame and fought him evenly, which is an impressive feat for a non-Espada Arrancar. Edorad is huge, but he is also clever and insightful, keeping up with any complex sword strategy that his opponent might think up. If need be, Edorad can release his zanpakuto, Volcanica, for extra power.
14 Aaroniero Arurruerie
Aaroniero Arurruerie, the 9th Espada, has a natural zanpakuto shaped like a mouth surrounded with tentacles, but he also wielded Kaien Shiba’s zanpakuto, Nejibana. Aaroniereo had access to Kaien’s shikai and memories as well, and this crafty Espada used them to engage Rukia Kuchiki in a fierce sword duel and get the edge on her. Aaroniero sure is handy with a sword, even if it’s not his own.
13 Barragan Luisenbarn
Barragan would rather use his rot-based aura in battle to decay his enemies, but like all Arrancar, he has a zanpakuto: Arrogante. It’s shaped like a double-headed battle-ax, and Barragan can swing it around and crush his enemies under Arrogantee’s sharp edges. For example, Barragan demolished an entire building with Arrogante with a single swing, though Captain Soi Fon managed to avoid that deadly blow, at least. Barragan’s strength is awe-inspiring.
12 Charlotte Chuhlhourne
Charlotte is a remarkable swordsman, especially among all the fracciones in the series. He had a slight advantage over Yumichika Ayasegawa, himself a highly skilled swordsman, and Charlotte had brute strength and conviction to back it up in a sword duel.
He’s also fond of firing cero blasts with lengthy names.
11 Grimmjow Jeagerjaques
The 6th Espada is Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, who quickly established himself as Ichigo’s bitter rival early in the Arrancar arc. At first, Grimmjow fought bare-handed against Ichigo’s bankai, but after that, he began using his zanpakuto, Pantera, to great effect. He can easily keep up with Ichigo’s bankai, even if he has just one arm, and he landed many blows on Ichigo during their final battle.
10 Gerard Valkyrie
The Quincy people are not known for using swords; rather, they are dedicated archers, but exceptions exist, such as Sternritte “M” Gerard Valkyrie. He really does use a sword, named Hoffnung, along with a basic shield. Gerard’s skills are only mediocre, but he has incredible strength and the defensive power of that shield to make him a mighty swordsman all the same.
9 Nnoitora Gilga
The 5th Espada is none other than Nnoitora Gilga, a dedicated melee fighter who has an odd zanpakuto, shaped like two crescents at the end of a long pole. With it, Nnpoitora fought roughly evenly with the mighty Kenpachi Zaraki, himself an incredible swordsman.
8 Zommari Rureaux
Zommari Rureaux is the 7th Espada, and while speed is his greatest weapon, he can back it up with formidable swordsmanship as well. His zanpakuto can easily keep up with Captain Byakuya Kuchiki‘s own sword style. Zommari can use his speed clones, the Gemelos Sonido, to confuse his enemies so he can land a fatal blow. He nearly killed Byakuya this way, if it weren’t for Byakuya’s use of the Utsusemi trick.
7 Captain Kaname Tosen
Captain Kaname Tosen is a bit of a pacifist, but he is far from harmless. If a fight is brewing, Tosen will step forward to defend peace and justice, and he will do it with his sealed zanpakuto alone if necessary.
Tosen isn’t the strongest of Captains, but he can at least trade blows evenly with his peers, and his skills are more than enough to handle anyone who is below Captain rank. Tosen’s abilities truly shine, though, when he uses his sense-based shikai and bankai.
6 Gin Ichimaru
The former Captain of squad 3 is none other than Gin Ichimaru, who was noted for being a prodigy in his youth. After just one year of training, he graduated from the Shino Academy, and Kaien Shiba and Jushiro Ukitake were both highly impressed by what they heard about Gin. In the present, Gin fought well against Ichigo Kurosaki, and he was indeed tricky and difficult to predict in battle. He lived up to his reputation for being an inscrutable fox.
5 Ulquiorra Schiffer
Ulquiorra Schiffer is the 4th Espada, and he likes to fight bare-handed or with cero blasts, just like Grimmjow. In rare cases, Ulquiorra will draw his zanpakuto, Murcielago, and quickly overwhelm his enemies with his sharp, merciless technique and deceptive strength. Ulquiorra easily handled Ichigo Kurosaki in battle, and it soon became clear why an opponent has to “earn” the right to see Ulquiorra draw his zanpakuto. No one lasts long against this blade.
4 Jugram Haschwalth
Jugram Haschwalth is another exception to the “Quincy archer” rule. He uses a broadsword in battle to great effect, and he can break nearly any bankai with that blade’s sheer cutting edge.
Jugram’s strength and technique are both remarkable, and his sword is backed up with a shield that absorbs misfortune to redirect it at the enemy.
3 Tier Halibel
The new 3rd Espada is Tier Halibel, and she can use a sword like nobody’s business. Halibel easily kept pace with the prodigious Toshiro Hitsugaya in their first and only duel, and the odd shape of Halibel’s zanpakuto helped her throw Toshiro off his game a bit. Halibel can even handle two Captains at once, which is no mean feat, and she can also charge up a cero blast inside her zanpakuto’s hollow blade and use it to enhance her offensive capabilities. Now that’s creative.
2 Coyote Starrk
The Primera Espada is the lonely Coyote Starrk, who wields a zanpakuto with absolutely incredible skill. All by himself, he took on Captain Ukitake and Kyotaku during the Fake Karakura Town arc, and that is saying a lot. Not just anyone can land light blows on Kyoraku the way Starrk did, and even when the masked Visords showed up, Stark didn’t feel terribly threatened. Starrk may be quite lazy and borderline pacifistic, but he is far from helpless.
1 Captain Sosuke Aizen
The Soul Society’s betrayer had a master plan and incredible combat skills alike to cover his retreat from the Soul Society, and Aizen had long since prepared for this moment. Aizen is a knowledgeable person who makes good use of kido, but when it’s time for a sword duel, Aizen is tough to beat. He can use his bare blade to take on other Captains and Ichigo Kurosaki easily, even several at a time, and defeat his foes without taking a blow in return. It was a minor miracle that he was ever defeated at all.
About The Author