Bleach is a long-running shonen anime series with a huge cast of characters. This includes Soul Reapers, humans like protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki, the villainous Arrancars, and the entire Quincy tribe as well. Plenty of the best Bleach characters have survived throughout the anime to see action once again, but not everyone will survive. For the sake of tension, stakes, and certain character arcs, some Bleach characters must die.
Bleach will casually kill off minor, forgettable characters like Barragan's fracciones and other minor antagonists, but major character deaths for heroes and villains will linger in fans' minds for quite some time. Some deaths were well-deserved for the most despicable villains, while other death scenes are tragic and heartbreaking to watch, even for some of the villains.
18 Masaki Kurosaki
Episode 9: "Unbeatable Enemy"
Ichigo Kurosaki's mother Masaki died when Ichigo was only a child, and it mentally scarred the formerly carefree, smiling Ichigo. Years ago, the powerful Hollow called Grand Fisher cornered Masaki by the riverbank one rainy day, and it slew her, sparing only Ichigo Kurosaki. At the time, Ichigo didn't know Masaki could have defended herself, but King Yhwach remotely stole her Quincy powers at the last second.
Ichigo recalled this traumatic memory during his duel with Grand Fisher in the present day in Bleach's 9th episode. Unfortunately, Ichigo didn't defeat Grand Fisher, and he was forced to accept a bitter defeat. It wouldn't be until much later when Isshin finally avenged his late wife with his blade.
17 Aaroniero Arruruerie
Episode 160: "Testament, Your Heart is Right Here..."
The next major character death in Bleach arrived in the Hueco Mundo story arc, after Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends snuck into enemy territory to rescue their good friend, Orihime Inoue. Rukia Kuchiki stumbled upon the bizarre 9th Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie, and was shocked to see Kaien Shiba's face behind that mask.
Rukia struggled at first thanks to Aaroniero's advanced skills and psychological warfare, but then Rukia recalled a lesson she learned from the real Kaien about the intangible "heart." With renewed determination, Rukia formed an ice blade and split Aaroniero's glass head, leaving his two Hollow heads to suffocate and die in the open air.
16 Zommari Rureaux
Episode 198: "The Two Scientists, Mayuri's Trap"
The 7th Espada, Zommari Rureaux, fought exactly one battle in Bleach. He tried to finish off the unconscious Rukia, only for Captain Byakuya Kuchiki to get in the way and fight him fair and square. After an intense exchange of blades, Zommari activated his zanpakuto, Brujeria, but he was still no match for Byakuya.
Right before he was cut down for good, Zommari made an indignant argument, stating the Soul Reapers had no right to appoint themselves the slayer of Hollows. Then Byakuya dealt the finishing blow and stated he fought not to defend his pride, but to defend Rukia.
15 Szayelaporro Grantz
Episode 200: "The Hardest Body?! Cut Down Nnoitra"
For many episodes, the villainous scientist Szayelaporro Grantz mocked and tortured Bleach's heroes as the powerful 8th Espada, but he eventually met his match against Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi. It was a battle of science and tricks, and Mayuri won when he injected Szayelaporro with a mind accelerant drug.
One second felt like a century to Szayelaporro, who could only watch as Mayuri stabbed his heart to finish him. In the real world, it was a quick attack, but in Szayelaporro's accelerated mind, his death was drawn out over endless years, an agonizing death by any standard.
14 Nnoitra Gilga
Episode 202: "Fierce Fighting Conclusion! Who's the Strongest?"
The vicious 5th Espada, Nnoitra Gilga, fought Ichigo Kurosaki in an unfair duel until Captain Kenpachi Zaraki intervened. Kenpachi and Nnoitra fought as equals, bloodthirsty warriors who used brute force alone to get ahead, and Kenpachi enjoyed every moment of it.
The fully released Nnoitra dealt some serious blows, so Kenpachi decided to hurry and end it before he bled to death. He used kendo to conclude the fight, simply striking his Espada enemy with a two-handed sword attack, and it proved effective. That was a strong as Kenpachi could be without shikai.
13 Ulquiorra Schiffer
Episode 272: "Ichigo Vs Ulquiorra, Conclusion!"
Ichigo's mortal nemesis, the cold-blooded Ulquiorra Schiffer, took part in a few brutal fights before he and Ichigo began their final duel to decide Orihime's fate. Ichigo went all-out and got the upper hand, only for Ulquiorra to release his zanpakuto, Murcielago, and outright kill Ichigo on Las Noches' roof.
Against all odds, Ichigo was revived with his inner Hollow and resumed the fight, mortally wounding Ulquiorra. The latter knew his time had come, and in his last moments, he finally sought out the intangible "heart" and reached out to Orihime, only to crumble to dust first.
12 Barragan Luisenbairn
Episode 281: "Crown of Lies, Barragan's Grudge"
In the Fake Karakura Town arc, many more Arrancars fell in battle, including some of the strongest ones. The 2nd Espada, Barragan Luisenbairn, claimed to be the master of death with his foolproof ability, but the kido expert Hachigen Ushoda found a way. Hachigen teleported his rotting arm inside Barragan's body, then rotted Barragan from the inside.
An outraged Barragan turned on Aizen out of desperation, trying to take down the Soul Reaper who had once overthrown him as Hueco Mundo's king. Barragan's axe vanished before it even touched Aizen, however, and Aizen didn't care at all that yet another Espada had fallen.
11 Coyote Starrk
Episode 283: "Starrk, the Lone Battle"
Oddly enough, the 1st Espada, Coyote Starrk, didn't even want to fight despite being Aizen's strongest subordinate. He offered to just mimic combat with Captain Shunsui Kyoraku, but he was soon forced to fight for real. Starrk took on both Kyoraku and Ukitake in a brutal match, and then the Visoreds joined in, too.
Starrk fought well in his released form, Los Lobos, holding off several powerful Bleach heroes on his own. In the end, though, Starrk couldn't survive fighting so many enemies and was vanquished. Tragically, he only ever wanted friendship, not violence, and he died alone.
10 Kaname Tosen
Episode 291: "Desperate Struggle With Aizen! Hirako, Shikai!"
By the time ex-Captain Kaname Tosen died in Bleach's story, it became clear that Sosuke Aizen cared for no one but himself and intended to defeat the Soul Society on his own. Not even Aizen's co-conspirator Kaname Tosen was a valued friend, and when Tosen lost to his enemies, Aizen finished him off as a loose end.
Kaname had turned against his friends, like Sajin Komamura and Shuhei Hisagi, and at the last moment, he deeply regretted it. He had given up so much for great power, but it never brought him joy or victory, only a futile death. Also, around the same time as Tosen's passing, Ichigo Kurosaki was finally getting ready to take on Aizen.
9 Gin Ichimaru
Episode 308: "Goodbye... Rangiku"
Like Kaname Tosen, ex-Captain Gin Ichimaru was Sosuke Aizen's henchman for years, and he even appeared by Aizen's side in the Turn Back the Pendulum mini-arc as a vicious traitor obeying Aizen's every command. In the present, Gin betrayed the Soul Reapers alongside Aizen, then faced the Soul Reapers again in the replica Karakura Town.
Gin, however, was a sly fox to the very end and intended to betray Aizen as well. He made his move late in the Fake Karakura Town arc, but failed to finish Aizen off. Aizen took care of him, and as Gin lay dying, he had one more moment with his childhood friend, Rangiku Matsumoto.
8 Yammy Llargo
Episode 310: "Ichigo's Resolution! The Price of the Fierce Battle"
The hulking 10th Espada, Yammy Llargo, finally released his zanpakuto, Ira, and took on several of Bleach's heroes. He did well against Ichigo's team as he kept getting bigger and angrier, but then Captains Zaraki and Kuchiki took over the fight, and Yammy was eager for more.
Off-screen, Kenpachi and Byakuya finally slew Yammy and left him to die within Las Noches, proving that even Yammy's anger and strength had limits after all. It's not clear how Kenpachi and Byakuya managed that, but they did, and it finally tied up a loose end among the Espadas.
7 Kugo Ginjo
Episode 366: "Changing History, Unchanging Heart"
In the last episode of Bleach's original anime, the villainous Kugo Ginjo met his end. He first introduced himself to Ichigo Kurosaki as a friend who could help, but he just wanted to steal Ichigo's powers for himself. Once Ichigo got his Soul Reaper abilities back, the two of them fought to the finish.
Despite Kugo's actions, Ichigo took pity on him and requested that Kugo be buried in the Soul Society, much to the Captains' surprise. Kugo had the honor of being the first-ever substitute Soul Reaper, after all, so Ichigo thought it was the least he could do for the fallen Kugo.
6 Chojiro Sasakibe
Episode 367: "The Blood Warfare"
The next major death in Bleach took place early in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc in 2022. Right away, the Soul Reapers suffered a serious loss when an off-screen Quincy, soon revealed to be Driscoll Berci, impaled and killed Lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe of squad 1. The Wandenreich killed a high-ranking officer just to make a strong first impression.
Chojiro's death rattled the Soul Reapers, but it had a much more profound impact on Yamamoto, his superior officer. The two of them were almost like father and son, and as Shunsui Kyoraku commented, Yamamoto's grief was beyond anyone else's comprehension.
5 Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto
Episode 373: "Born in the Dark"
Head Captain Yamamoto personally took on the Sternritter to avenge Lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe, but he couldn't defeat his nemesis, the mighty King Yhwach. Yhwach stole Yamamoto's bankai, then sliced him in half.
Yamamoto's severed torso feebly tried to keep fighting, but a disgusted, scornful Yhwach merely blasted him apart with point-blank Quincy arrows and decided to move on. It was a brutal and humiliating end for Yamamoto, the founder of the Gotei 13, and Shunsui Kyoraku was desperate to avenge him.
4 Quilge Opie
Episode 374: "The Shooting Star Project (Zero Mix)"
Sternritter J, Quilge Opie, was the first Sternritter to appear in the TYBW story arc, leading a platoon of Quincy soldiers deep into Las Noches to capture or kill any Arrancars they could find. Ichigo's team fought him in a desperate battle, where Quilge used his Voll Stern Dich/Vollstandig to even the odds.
Quilge's main job was to keep Ichigo trapped on Hueco Mundo, and he did just that with his ability, The Jail. Fortunately, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, of all people, arrived to finish off Quilge, giving Ichigo a chance to finally reach the Soul Society and help fight back against Yhwach's main army.
3 Retsu Unohana
Episode 376: "The Battle"
Not long after the initial Quincy invasion ended, Captain Unohana revealed her true identity as Yachiru Unohana, the first Kenpachi and a member of the original Gotei 13 lineup. She personally trained Kenpachi Zaraki in a private chamber, where she pushed him to the very edge with her vicious bankai, Minazuki.
Kenpachi finally overpowered and defeated Unohana, and the latter was glad. With Unohana's death, Kenpachi could unlock his true strength and stop holding back his potential, which led him to achieving shikai. Kenpachi was heartbroken to see Unohana go, but it was for the best.
2 Bambietta Basterbine
Episode 383: "Heart of Wolf"
Sternritter E, Bambietta Basterbine, used the power of The Explode to blow away all her Soul Reaper enemies, and she also stole Captain Sajin Komamura's bankai for good measure. Then, when the war resumed, Sajin sought out Bambietta and fought her with his brand-new human form, and he even reclaimed his bankai.
Bambietta fought hard with her own powers, but it was no good. Sajin dealt her a mortal blow, and when Bambietta's magical girl-style friends showed up, they decided to kill her rather than save her. With Bambietta dead, she was ready to become Giselle Gewelle's newest zombie minion.
1 Gremmy Thoumeaux
Episode 386: "I Am the Edge"
As of the Summer 2023 anime season, fans are caught up on the Bleach anime, and they have seen the last confirmed death of a major character for now. In Episode 386, Sternritter V, Gremmy Thoumeaux arrived on the battlefield as a Quincy who uses his imagination alone to reshape reality, a power few Soul Reapers can handle.
Captain Kenpachi Zaraki took him on and won, using his superior willpower and confidence to turn Gremmy's imagination against him. That, combined with Kenpachi's first use of shikai, spelled doom for Gremmy, whose body vanished, leaving just a brain in a clear case, his real body. Sternritter V was finished.
