Updated Top 15 Strongest Captains in Bleach [2024]
Today we will be listing the Top 15 Strongest Captains in Bleach [2024] let’s see which of our beloved captains are in the list of Updated Top 15 Strongest Captains in Bleach [2024].
Introduction – Updated Top 15 Strongest Captains in Bleach [2024]
In the world of anime and manga, “Bleach” is a remarkable series known for its captivating characters, and intense battles. Bleach has astonished the viewers with one after another formidable character.
Among the personalities that make up this fantastical universe, the captains of the Gotei 13 are some of the most iconic figures. These captains are not only skilled warriors but also possess unique abilities and deep backstories that have endeared them to fans around the globe.
Please keep in mind that I will rank them according to their physical strength, battle IQ, speed, reflexes, Bankai, etc. Also, this list contains major spoilers for the series. So without wasting any more time let’s start the list of Top 15 Bleach Strongest Captains [2024].
15. Kensei Muguruma
Role – 9th Division Captain
Bankai – Tekken Tachikaze
Kensei Muguruma is one of the all-time fan-favourite captains of Bleach. Even though his strength is nothing much compared to others, his sense of justice and unique characteristics made him popular among the fans.
Kensei was first introduced as a Visored later it was revealed that he was a former captain of Gotei 13. Together with his hollow powers, Kensei possesses a huge physical strength that can rival even the Mask De Masculine.
Kensei’s Zanpakuto can release air-type attacks. Its Shikai form is a small blade. In its Bankai form it turns into an armor that has two Knuckle blades at its end. Upon impact, those knuckles release immense explosive force. Not only that it keeps on realising the force until Kensei’s hands are connected. Kensei can also change the shape of the Knuckles.
14. Roujuurou Otoribashi
Role – 3rd Divison Captain
Bankai – Kinshara Butodan
Roujuurou was a partner of Kensei in the Visored means he was one of the captains affected by Aizen’s hollowfication plan. Roujuuro is an elegant music lover person his personality is directly connected with his powers.
He is an expert in hollow powers but his actual strength lies in his Shinigami powers. His zanpakuto’s Shikai release is a huge golden whip. He can extend it at his will and tends to attack by sweeping it. It’s somewhat similar to Renji’s Shikai.
His main strength is in music. In his bankai release, he manipulates the enemy with music. It’s an illusion-type attack and has three stages. The three stages are Sea Drift, Prometheus, Ein Heldenleben. The first stage drowns the enemy in a whirlpool of surging water and then Prometheus burns the target in a sea of flame. Unfortunately, the last stage is unknown because Mask destroyed his ear drums before Roujuurou could execute it.
Roujuurou’s technique may seem almighty but its biggest flow is that unlike Aizen’s it’s not a complete illusion. If the enemy figures out and somehow stops their hearing they can easily counter it. In the case of Mask, Roujuurou himself told him the secret in arrogance and paid the price for it.
13. Yoruichi Shihouin
Role – Former Captain of the 2nd Divison & former commander of the Onmitsukido
Bankai – Unknown
Yoruichi Shihouin is among the very few Shinigamis who have never revealed their Zanpakuto. She solely fights with Hoho & Hakuda and as the Commander of Onmitsukido her stealth skills are second to none. Even Soi Fon can’t keep up with her speed because of her feats she is known as the “Flash Goddess”.
Yoruichi believes in hand-to-hand combat more than anything. Her Kido, Hakuda & Hoho are one of the best among the Shinigamis. But her real strength lies in Shunko. Shunko is an advanced technique to combine Kido and Hakuda. Youruichi herself developed this technique.
I have a gut feeling that Yoruichi has a thunder attribute because her strongest move Flash War Cry: Thunder God Battle Form uses lightning attributes. In the battle against Askin she unleased her strongest Shunko and went to Flash War Cry: Thunder Beast Battle Form: Flash God Black Cat Warrior Princess mode. Actually, Urahara remotely activated the mode.
In that battle mode, she gets huge power & speeds up. Her hands & feet become paws clad with electricity. But the major flow is that this form is highly tiring and Youruchi soon exhausts herself other than that she also loses control over her thoughts. Only Kisuke can control her in this state.
12. Sajin Komamura
Role – Former Captain of 7th Divison
Bankai – Kokujo Tengen Myo
Sajin is one of the most underrated captains of the series. He always tanked and relied on his immense strength in battles. Fans ridiculed him for his way of fighting. But he opened our eyes and proved his worth in the TYBW.
Even though his Bankai was powerful, he felt it was not enough to beat the Quinciys. He was greatly indebted to Yamamoto so when the Quinciys brutally killed him he lost all of his reasoning and took the path of hatred. To get a huge power-up he used his clan’s formidable technique and temporarily turned himself into a human.
In the human mode, Sajin is immortal as he has already sacrificed his heart. So until he exhausts all of his reiatsu he is immortal. Sajin literally one-shot Bambietta in this mode. But a huge powerup never comes for free after he exhausts all of his reiatsu he turns into an ordinary wolf and loses all his previous powers.
Sajin did not even think twice before making this choice to him his duty & debt towards the Shinigamis & Yamamoto were greater than anything. He has one of the goated sacrifices in the whole series.
11. Mayuri Kurotsuchi
Role – 12th Divison Captain & Current President of the Shinigami Research Institute
Bankai – Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo
Mayuri is the most twisted yet a MVP level character in the series. He always came in clutch in the most dire situations and beat one of the most twisted villains. His cunningness & crazy scientific knowledge was his greatest strength. Kisuke was well aware of his characteristics still allowed him in Gotei 13 because he knew that in the future Mayuri would come in handy.
Mayuri’s Bankai is typically a poison-type bankai on the surface. But his scientific brain was not satisfied with just that. He did numerous experiments and modified his bankai time after time making it more & more deadlier. Its basic ability is to spread a fatal poison whoever breathes it will die within a short period.
Mayuri always changed the poison and loved to create even more, deadlier poison than before. In the TYBW he was the first person to reveal the secrets of Quincy’s powers and he defeated Pernida Parnkgjas.
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10. Gin Ichimaru
Role – Former Captain of the 3rd Divison
Bankai – Kamishini no Yari
Yet again another twisted character of the series. He sacrificed his whole life to stop Aizen’s plan. He witnessed Aizen’s evil doing when he was a child. He was a child but his mental growth was that of an adult’s. He was greatly ashamed that he could not protect Matsumoto so he decided to become a Shinigami and take revenge on Aizen & his men.
After becoming a Shinigami he proved his loyalty to Aizen and made him believe that he would be his ally. Even Aizen was somewhat convinced by Gin. Gin’s greatest power was his cunning sense. He was a great swordsman also. In the battle of Fake Karakura town, he easily defeated Ichigo & he was the only person to outsmart Aizen & dealt a death blow to him. This alone shows how cunning he was.
His Bankai Kamishini no Yari allowed him to extend his sword very fast. According to Gin, he could extend it as long as 13. But he himself said that it was not the longest Zanpakuto in reality it was the fastest Zanpakuto because he could extend his Zanpakuto at 500 times the speed of sound.
9. Toshiro Hitsugaya
Role – 10th Divison Captain
Bankai – Daiguren Hyorinmaru
Toshiro Hitsugaya is the youngest Captain in the History of Soul Society. He was hailed as the Child Prodigy of Rukongai District. As a Child Prodigy Toshiro was exceptionally great at swordsmanship, Kido, Hakuda. On top of that he wielded the strongest Ice-type Zanpakuto Hyorinmaru even Toshiro admitted that he couldn’t use the full potential of Hyorinmaru because of his small age.
Hyorinmaru is a weather-type Zanpakuto that can manifest or turn the user’s surroundings into ice. It’s stated that Hyorinmaru’s elemental powers are on par with Ryujin Jakka (Strongest Fire type Zanpkuto). Toshiro’s Bankai boosts the ice attribute powers of his. Other than that it has various skills like making a clone of Toshiro, Guncho Tsurara, Hyoten Hyakkaso, etc.
As stated before that because of his age Toshiro can’t use the full potential of Hyorinmaru. After the battle against Aizen Toshiro trained and attained a new state. After the last ice petal of Hyorinmaru melts Toshiro’s age drastically grows and makes him an adult who can wield the full potential of Hyorinmaru in that state with just a single glance Toshiro can turn his enemies into ice.
During the Fake Karakura Town battle, Shunsui Mentioned that in 100 or 200 years, Toshiro will for sure surpass Shunsui. Toshiro’s future potential and powers are unimaginable. Without a doubt, he is one of the Strongest Bleach Captains.
8. Shinji Hirako
Role – 5th Divison Captain
Bankai – Sakashima Yokoshima Happōfusagari
Shinji Hirako was the leader of Visored & one of the smartest characters in the series. Even Aizen had marked him and kept him on watch. Shinji’s bankai is so broken that Soul Society banned it from being used.
Similar to Roujuurou & Aizen his ability was an illusion type. He could control one‘s 5 senses and hallucinate them in a reverse world. Other than Aizen no one ever broke free from his illusion. In the case of Bambi, she destroyed her surroundings to get herself free.
Shinji’s Bankai allowed him to turn the perception of friend-and-foe as a result the enemies become allies and allies become enemies. In the process everyone ultimately destroys themselves. The biggest flow of his Bankai is that it does not discriminate between friends and foes so Shinji can’t use it while his friends are around. Not only that it is also useless against a single target.
7. Byakuya Kuchiki
Role – 6th Divison Captain
Bankai – Senbonzakura Kageyoshi
At the 7th position of our list, we have one of our beloved captains Byakuya Kuchiki. He is the current head of the Royal Kuchili family and the strongest Kuchiki ever to exist. He is very responsible and prideful in his duty to Soul Society and that is exactly what makes him one of the best characters.
Byakuya is a great swordsman, Kido & Hakuda expert and his Flash Step is on par with Yoruichi. His Shikai Scatter Senbonzakura turns his sword into a thousand tiny cherry petals. These petals are extremely sharp and deadly. Byakuya can control the petals at his will.
Byakuya’s Bankai enhances the speed and the number of petals. In his Bankai state, he gets an absolute defence and offense state with the petals. It’s almost impossible to reach Byakuya when he has activated his Bankai thousands of petals swarm around him and surround the enemies in a deadly trap.
Other than that Bykuya has three deadly moves in his Bankai Senkei, Gokei, and Shukei: Hakuteiken. He once stated that very few people have seen these three moves and none of them has survived them.
6. Retsu Unohana
Role – Former Captain of the 4th Divison & 11th Divison and The First Kenpachi
Bankai – Minazuki
The title “First Kenpachi” is enough testimonial for her strength. Unohana was an absolute beast in terms of swordsmanship & melee combat. Due to her bloodlust & immense innate talent, she was bored with her life only after meeting Zaraki did she find out the meaning of losing.
She turned a new leaf after that battle and joined the 4th Division and became a healer. She inherited her healing skills from the greatest healer of the Soul Society Tenjiro Kirinji. Within the Gotei 13, her healing skills were second to none. In the battle against Zaraki, she said that she learned healing to prolong her battles.
She was an expert Kido & Hakudo user. But her real strength lies in her swordsmanship. Her previous name was Yachiru meaning the Eight Thousand Flows means she learned all the sword styles in existence. Even Zaraki was nothing in front of her sword skills.
Her Bankai Minazuki was one of the best offensive & defensive Bankai in the series. With the pool of blood in her Bankai state she could slash the enemy from anywhere by blood blades & she could also heal herself from fatal blows with the blood. She lost the battle to boost the morale of Zaraki & unlock his full potential or else Unohana could have killed him many times.
5. Zaraki Kenpachi
Role – 11th Divison Captain
Bankai – Unknown
Zaraki was the current & strongest Kenpachi to ever exist. Because of his immense Spiritual Power & raw strength Yhwach marked him as a Special Threat. Zaraki was so broken & overpowered that he did not even know his Shikai & Bankai before the TYBW arc.
Throughout the whole series, he defeated one after another foe with just his raw powers and Spiritual Powers. He used a specially modified eye patch that consumed his Spiritual Powers constantly or he was tensed that he would finish the battle too soon.
His love for battle was so great that he never wished to use his Kendo in battle so that he doesn’t end the battle too quickly. When he was just a little kid he dealt a fatal blow to Unohana and after the battle, he was so depressed about the fact that no one could be his opponent that he subconsciously suppressed his and his Zanpakuto’s powers.
Unohana unlocked his full potential in the TYBW. He used his Shikai Nozarashi for the first time in the battle against Gremmy and he did not stop at that he used his Bankai against Gerard in the TYBW. His Bankai can give a huge boost to his physical strength. He cut half the gigantic Gerard after activating his Bankai.
4. Kisuke Urahara
Role – Former Captain of the 12th Divison and Founder and Former Head of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute
Bankai – Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame
Scientist, Hakudo & Kido expert, stealth expert, intelligent, manipulator, excellent swordsmanship….What? I’m not creating any list or anything. These are the expertise of Kisuek Urahara. He was one of the Special Threats on the list of Yhwach.
Kisuke is the type of guy who always comes in a pinch and saves the day. Time after time he helped Soul Society and protected them from the brink of destruction. Time after time his cunning sense & intelligence saved the lives of everyone.
Kisuke’s expertise in Kido & Hakudo is only second to Aizen himself. Even Aizen was unable to break free from his Sealing Kido in the Fake Karakura Town aftermath battle. Restraining a being like Butterfly Aizen is no ordinary feat. But Kisuke did not stop at that he saved everyone again by restoring Ichigo’s lost Shinigami powers.
In the TYBW arc, he was the first person to retrieve the stolen Bankais of the Captains. Without his aid, they could have done nothing. Even though he is one of the best strategists in the show don’t think that he is weak in combat.
With Yoruichi & Grimmjow he defeated Askin. Kisuke’s Zanpakuto Benihime can unleash red slashes and create a defensive barrier at its Shikai form. But in its Bankai form it’s completely broken.
In its Bankai state, Kisuke can resurrect anything within a range it can be used for healing as we saw that Kisuke healed his eyes. It has offensive abilities too within that range Kisuke can split open anything at his will. To put it simply after activating Bankai Kisuke gets the absolute offence & regeneration within a range.
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3. Shunsui Kyoraku
Role – Head Captain of the Gotei 13 and Former Captain of the 8th Divison
Bankai – Katen Kyokotsu: Karamatsu Shinju
Kyoraku is one of the most joliest and guffy Captains of Gotei 13. But under that goofiness, he is a smart and cunning person who values his duties wisely. His character development & plot are praiseworthy.
Kyoraku is an expert swordsman, master at using Kido and Hakuda, his speed is one of the best among all the captains. He wields a twin blade called Katen Kyokotsu just like his characteristics his sword also loves playing with its enemies.
In its Shikai form, it plays and torments the enemy. It has some particular moves which are Bushogoma, Takaoni, Kageoni, Irooni, Daruma-san ga Koronda, and Kageokuri. These moves are nothing but a child’s game yet they are deadly. Katen Kyokotsu is the most complicated yet one of the deadliest swords in the show.
During his fight against Stark, Shunsui mentioned that he couldn’t use his Bankai at any place as it does not differentiate between foe and friend. He unleashed his Bankai for the first time against Sternritter Lille Barro. Upon unleashing it he released a Spiritual Power which even scared the likes of Ichigo.
Shunsui’s Bankai has a total of four acts by completing those acts Shunsui states a story in which he mercilessly slaughters his enemies. These acts are called Ichidanme: Tameraikizu no Wakachiai, Nidanme: Zanki no Shitone, Sandanme: Dangyo no Fuchi, Shime no Dan: Itokiribasami Chizome no Nodobue.
The scariest part of his Bankai is that anyone in the affected area will be a part of it may it be a foe or a friend and Shunsui himself will have to take part in these acts even if he can die too. That’s why he prefers to use it as a last resort.
2. Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai
Role – Former Head Captain of Gotei 13 and Former Captain of the 1st Divison
Bankai – Zanka no Tachi
Yamamoto-Genryusai is a being that even Aizen was scared of. Yamamoto wielded the most destructive and strongest fire type Zanpakuto in the history of Soul Society. He once said that if he uses his powers at full potential for too long then he will destroy everything including himself.
Yamamoto was an upright yet wonderful person he cared for every life of the living world and completed his duties carefully. He did not think twice before self-destructing him against Aizen. Aizen was scared of him because of his powers and his pride and moral sense towards his duty.
He was an exceptionally great swordsman, Kido and Hakuda user, his speed was top-notch, and everything about him was perfect. Even without unseathing his sword, he could destroy top-level enemies. His Zanapkuto was a weather type and it could change its surroundings into a pool of lava with the heat alone.
The scariest thing about Yamamoto was his Bankai. His Bankai has a total of four gates which are Zanka no Tachi, Higashi: Kyokujitsujin, Zanka no Tachi, Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui, Zanka no Tachi, Minami: Kaka Jumanokushi Daisojin, Zanka no Tachi, Kita: Tenchi Kaijin.
While three of the gates contained explosive fire powers the other one had broken move. By activating Zanka no Tachi, Minami: Kaka Jumanokushi Daisojin he could once again bring back the ones he has cut with his swords. Those dead zombies will become his undead army.
1. Aizen Sosuke
Role – Former Captain of the 5th Divison
Bankai – Unknown
In the first place on our list, we have none other than the GOAT Aizen Sosuke. Not only he is stronger than the whole list he can easily kill and dominate everyone on this list together.
Aizen Sosuke is the Main Antagonist of the first half of the series not only that He is one of the Best Antagonists in Big 3 too. He single-handedly destroyed and played with the whole Soul Society. According to Gin even way before getting the powers of Hogyoku, he had already surpassed every one of Soul Society in every aspect.
Aizen’s Shikai Kyoka Suigetsu has the ability to completely hypnotize and hallucinate his enemies. He has escaped death many times with this he even made friends fight among themselves with it. But Aizen’s main strength was not limited to his Zanpakuto. He is the strongest Kido and Hado user in the whole series.
He can use level 90 Kido spells without any hand signs. Even Tessai Tsukabishi was unable to understand the true limits of his Kido. When we saw an Aizen again in the TYBW arc he was way more stronger than before.
His IQ and his powers were so broken that Yhwach considered him a Special Threat and offered him to join the Quincys. He single-handedly turned the whole tide of the battle against Yhwach and made sure that Ichigo won the battle. Without his help, the Shinigamis would have never won against Yhwach.
Article Summary
Conclusion
The captains of the Gotei 13 epitomize the ideals of strength, resilience, and leadership, driving the narrative forward with their unyielding determination and awe-inspiring abilities. In conclusion, once again I would like to say that this list is made to the best of my knowledge and I have tried my best to be unbiased.
But still, we all know that Aizen takes the first place on the list!