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No faction in Bleach is better represented than the Soul Reapers, and it’s because of that that they’re home to some of the strongest characters in all of Bleach. That’s especially true for a few Soul Reapers in particular, as each one is so powerful in their own right that it’s almost impossible to imagine them losing a straightforward fight.
10) Shunsui Kyoraku
Shunsui Kyoraku is a major recurring figure among the Soul Reapers. One of the oldest living members of the group, Kyoraku was once best known as Yamamoto’s apprentice and the laid-back captain of Squad 8, but after Yhwach killed Yamamoto, Kyoraku became the new Captain-Commander of the Thirteen Court Guards and simultaneously took on a more serious demeanor.
Kyoraku’s Shikai, Katen Kyokotsu, weaponizes children’s games, and his Bankai, Katen Kyokotsu: Karamatsu Shinju, inflicts ailments onto his opponents that mirror a play about a double suicide, all of which are nigh impossible to resist. Kyoraku was virtually unmatched in his few fights, and it’s easy to see why he was chosen to lead the Soul Reapers after Yamamoto’s death.
9) Kenpachi Zaraki
Kenpachi Zaraki is the captain of Squad 11 and the latest Kenpachi, a title reserved for the strongest Captain after Yamamoto. Kenpachi is a sadistic man who loves fighting so much that he’ll deliberately hold back to drag fights out, yet despite all that, he’s ostensibly one of the heroes and one of Ichigo’s closest allies.
For most of Bleach, Kenpachi got by on his massive raw power, but after training with Unohana, not only did that power rise even higher, but he finally obtained his Shikai, Nozarashi, making him stronger than ever. Kenpachi even eventually unlocks his Bankai, and while its powers remain unclear, it more than solidifies his status as Soul Society’s strongest soldier.
8) Sosuke Aizen
Sosuke Aizen was the main antagonist of the first half of Bleach. While Aizen posed as the friendly captain of Squad 5, in reality, he was a villainous mastermind plotting to use the Hogyoku to destroy Soul Society and dethrone the Soul King, although Ichigo used the power of the Final Getsuga Tensho to ultimately stop him.
Aizen’s Shikai, Kyoka Suigetsu, can trap anyone who sees its activation in a perfect illusion, but his Kido and natural power are so far above most other characters that he can win most fights without it. Not only that, but Aizen somehow became more powerful in Bleach‘s Thousand-Year Blood War arc, so there’s no telling where he currently stands.
7) Tenjiro Kirinji
Tenjiro Kirinji is a member of Squad 0, the elite group of Soul Reapers tasked with protecting the Soul King. Kirinji is known as the “Hot Spring Demon” for his special hot springs that can heal fatal wounds for anyone strong enough to withstand them, and despite his volatile personality, he’s a surprisingly kind and understanding person.
Kirinji invented the healing techniques of Kaido; he can weaponize his hot spring water for offense and healing, and his Shikai, Kinpika, possesses incredible striking power and the power to create blinding flashes of golden light. Kirinji was so powerful that he defeated Haschwalth, Yhwach’s strongest soldier, in a single hit, and there’s no better showing of his incredible power.
6) Kirio Hikifune
Kirio Hikifune is another member of Squad 0, known as the “Ruler of Grain”. Over a century ago, Kirio was the captain of Squad 12 before being promoted for inventing artificial souls, the tool Soul Reapers use for their gigais, which also formed the basis for Mod Souls like Kon in canon and Lirin, Kurodo, and Noba in the anime.
While the power of Kirio’s Zanpakuto is unknown, she specializes in tools that manipulate spiritual power, like food that restores power and, most notably, the Cage of Life, tree branches that absorb the strength of anyone who touches them. Kirio was the member of Squad 0 with the least amount of action, but that doesn’t make her any less powerful.
5) Oetsu Nimaiya
Oetsu Nimaiya is another member of Squad 0, known as the “God of the Sword”. As the title would imply, Nimaiya is the person who invented Zanpakutos, making him one of the most important figures in the history of Bleach, despite his eccentric and boisterous nature, which makes him come off as a joke.
Nimaiya fights by using nigh-invincible Zanpakutos created for personal use, and when combined with his masterful strength and reflexes, he could singlehandedly defeat Yhwach’s Schutzstaffel before they were empowered by the Auswählen. All of that was done without even using his natural power, so there’s no denying Nimaiya’s status as one of the strongest Soul Reapers in the series.
4) Senjumaru Shutara
Senjumaru Shutara is the fourth member of Squad 0, known as the “Great Weave Guard”. Senjumaru is the one who created the shihakusho, the uniform worn by all Soul Reapers, and she can even weave the Oken, the bones of the Royal Guard, into clothing to give them enhanced durability and a resistance to energy-based attacks.
Senjumaru’s Shikai, Shigarami, allows her to use her sewing skills in both offensive and supportive ways, and her Bankai, Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji, manifests as a giant sewing room that traps her opponents in tapestries that assault them with a variety of different attacks.
Notably, Senjumaru was the one the other members of Squad 0 chose to unlock the Blood Oath’s Seal on their Bankai, so it can be said that Senjumaru is the strongest member of Squad 0 after Ichibe.
