Bleach is one of the most popular shonen anime of all time. It’s a testament to the iconic nature of Kubo’s work that Ichigo’s adventures continue to be looked at fondly to this day even after a noticeable dip in quality following the Soul Society arc. With the Thousand-Year Blood War arc finally getting the recognition it deserves, fans can’t wait to check out how the heroes stand against Yhwach after he acquires immense power and can essentially one-shot most of the strongest fighters in Bleach.
The series features numerous battles and amazing characters who are a joy to engage with. Despite its narrative faults, the many epic moments in Bleach more than makeup for its drawbacks. The vast majority of the arcs in Bleach are rewatchable, especially for fans who want to check out some of the most iconic moments in shonen history.
5 Soul Society: The Rescue Arc
An Arc Where Bleach Peaked In The Eyes Of Many
Words cannot describe the brilliance of the Soul Society arc. After a relatively slow introduction that introduced fans to the world of the Shinigami, a curveball was thrown at fans when two mysterious Shinigami descended on Earth and captured Rukia for her execution. Ichigo is left flabbergasted by the gap in power between him and Byakuya, leading to a wake-up call where he gathers his friends to break into Soul Society.
The break-in itself may take a while to get going, but it’s when Ichigo and his friends manage to infiltrate this area that the arc activates the boosters and never lets up. Fans are treated to some of the best fights in the series that they can see time and time again, with a small training arc expertly added in the middle where Ichigo unlocks his Bankai and unleashes it in a hellacious battle against Byakuya. Aizen’s betrayal is the cherry on top of this arc, compelling fans to keep on watching.
4 Arrancar: The Fierce Fight Arc
Features Numerous Amazing Fights, With The Highlight Being Ichigo VS Grimmjow
An argument can be made that the Arrancar arc is a bit too similar to the structure of the captains introduced in Soul Society, but the awe-inspiring fights and stellar character designs ensure that there are enough moments to keep fans invested for the long haul. The immense power wielded by these humanoid Hollows is intimidating, so fans were glad to see them finally be humbled.
What makes this arc rewatchable are two fights in particular — Rukia VS Aaroniero Arruruerie and Ichigo VS Grimmjow. The former lets fans take a deeper look at Rukia’s traumatic past and the history she shared with Kaien, while the latter serves as a major moment for Ichigo after he was bossed by the Arrancar for the longest time. This, coupled with the battles against the Privaron Espada, makes this one of the more action-packed moments during the Arrancar storyline.
3 Arrancar: Downfall Arc
Concurrent Conflicts In Karakura Town And Hueco Mundo
It was only a matter of time before Aizen and his band of Arrancar ate the dirt, with Ichigo exploring Hueco Mundo as Aizen and the rest of the Arrancar battle against the Shinigami in a fake version of Karakura Town. Numerous captains get to enjoy their time in the spotlight as they show these sentient Hollows who’s boss, while Ichigo finally faces off against Ulquiorra in a battle where the full extent of his Hollow powers come to light.
After his near-death experience, Ichigo uses the Dangai to train for ages and unlock the Final Getsuga Tenshou. For how powerful Aizen was, watching Ichigo beat this antagonist down in one of the most one-sided humiliations in the entire series is an unexpected moment. It adds to the rewatch value of an arc that ends on a high note, even if the disrespect thrown Aizen’s way is something that a lot of fans hate to this day.
2 The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc
The Start Of One Of Bleach’s Most Earth-Shattering Arcs
After one of the worst arcs in Bleach, Kubo needed a major event to shake things up. This was achieved with the advent of the Thousand-Year Blood War, which introduced an antagonist who was compelling from the get-go because of his similarities to Zangetsu. With the Quincy launching an offensive on Soul Society, Yamamoto answered the call. Everyone expected the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 to wipe the floor with everyone, only for Yhwach to bring out an ace in the hole that he’d prepared for such an occasion.
After bamboozling Yamamoto, he stole the Shinigami’s Bankai before unleashing a fatal attack that bisected the Captain-Commander. It was a shocking moment in the series that showed just how out of their depth the protectors of Soul Society were. This rude awakening compelled many fighters to improve their skills, leading to both Ichigo and Renji unlocking the true forms of their Bankai while Kenpachi engaged in a battle meant solely for the monster to finally learn the true name of his sword. It’s a bombastic introduction to the threat of the Quincy, and it helps that the amazing quality of the anime adaptation makes this arc more rewatchable than ever.
1 The Thousand-Year Blood War: The Separation Arc
Numerous Amazing Battles Between The Shinigami And The Quincy
The fact that the invading Quincy had the guts to stage a second invasion of the Seiretei is a testament to the confidence they had in their powers. With Uryu’s allegiances being up in the air and other Captains and their Lieutenants trying their hardest to enhance their skills, it’s easy to see why this clash would lead to some battles that fans can watch over and over again.
The battles that ensue are mind-blowing, with the Shinigami getting to show the true extent of their powers by bringing it against the Quincy. Kenpachi shows off his Shikai, Rukia’s Bankai is beautiful, numerous characters get to show powers that were absent from the manga, and the Zero Squad shows why they deserve the label of being the strongest squad in Soul Society. It’s an arc full of awe-inspiring highlights, with its cliffhanger making fans genuinely believe that Yhwach is down and out for the count.
