Throughout the series, the Bleach anime expanded its combat system to include not just swords, but also magic spells and Hollow abilities, among other things. By the time the fondly-remembered Soul Society arc launched, the Bleach anime proved to fans that Soul Reapers were highly adept with kido spells. Kido is a key part of the Bleach combat system, and some battles were won only because the heroes knew the right kido spells for the job.
Soul Reapers and other powerful souls can speak incantations to create magical effects, which can be used either for offense or defense. Kido can deal damage to the enemy, create protective barriers, or even restrain people in the middle of a fight, so it pays to make use of such a flexible combat system. Ten particular Bleach characters stand out for using the most kido spells, using one or more such spells to turn the tide of battle and outfox the enemy.
10 Hachigen Ushoda Once Belonged to the Kido Corps
Hachigen Ushoda appeared alongside his fellow Visored warriors early in the Arrancar arc, but he wasn't quite like the other seven. While Shinji and the others were all ex-Captains and Lieutenants, Hachigren once belonged to the Kido Corps, a group of kido experts. Bleach didn't show much of the Kido Corps, but it's still obvious that being a member of that group marked Hachigen as a true kido master.
Hachigen demonstrated his defensive kido spells a few times in Bleach, such as when he made large, sturdy barriers to keep everyone safe while Ichigo trained with the Visoreds. Later on, Hachigen fought alongside Soi Fon to take down Baraggan, using many barrier-type kido to restrain the 2nd Espada. Most of all, Hachigen used a kido spell to teleport his rotting hand inside Baraggan's body to destroy that Espada from the inside. Without kido, that battle would have been unwinnable.
9 Momo Hinamori is Handy With Kido in Battle
In the Soul Society story arc, Lieutenant Momo Hinamoro of squad 5 fought her own allies with her sealed zanpakuto, making her one of the least impressive Soul Reapers at the time. She changed all that in the battle for the fake Karakura Town, when Momo showed off not only her kido-based shikai, but also her variety of regular kido spells.
Momo has been acknowledged as a highly skillful kido expert, and she proved it when supporting Rangiku Matsumoto against Harribel's three fracciones. Momo used offensive and defensive abilities alike to even the playing field, and the injured Rangiku owed her life to Momo's impressive skills. Still, she and Rangiku needed a little more help to finish the job when Ayon attacked them.
8 Izuru Kira Used a Few Kido Spells While Fighting Abirama Redder
Lieutenant Izuru Kira of squad 3 is at his strongest when fighting up close with his unusual shikai, Wasbisuke. With it, he can double his enemy's weight any number of times, then finish them off when they're helpless. That said, Izuru is not a one-trick pony, and he made use of several flashy kido spells while fighting an Arrancar named Abirama Redder.
Izuru's kido spells weren't enough to finish off Abirama's released form, but it was still impressive how many spells Kira knew, and those spells bought him enough time to find a winning strategy. Using kido and his unusual shikai made Izuru a well-balanced warrior, though he didn't get another chance to prove it later on during the Quincy army's successful Soul Society invasion.
7 Retsu Unohana Mastered All Kinds of Healing Kido
Captain Retsu/Yachiru Unohana of squad 4 was a Soul Reaper of many contrasts. She was once a deadly, thuggish criminal swordswoman named Yachiru, but changed her ways and became a healer named Retsu. She learned many healing kido arts from Senjumaru, a member of the Royal Guard unit, or squad 0. As Senjumaru hoped, Unohana had learned all the spells well and mastered her craft.
Only rarely did Unohana actually demonstrate her kido on-screen in Bleach's anime, but the story still made it clear that she was a kido master with few equals in the entire Soul Society. After Unohana healed the battle's survivors in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, she switched to the sword and fought Kenpachi Zaraki to the death to help him unlock his shikai, no kido needed.
6 Kukaku Shiba Favors Fireworks-Themed Kido
Kukaku Shiba and her younger brother Ganju appeared early in the Soul Society arc as wacky yet helpful allies of Ichigo's team during the quest to enter the Seireitei. Interestingly, Kukaku was part of Ichigo's family tree, but aside from their hot tempers, they didn't have much in common. Ichigo favored his sword, while Kukaku specialized in kido and fireworks.
Kukaku was one of Bleach's best kido users outside the Gotei 13, using lightning and fireworks-themed kido to fight her enemies. She also taught Ichigo and the others how to form energy balls so they could be fired out of a cannon and into the Seireitei, a creative and memorable way for kido to be used.
5 Kaname Tosen Often Used Kido While Serving Sosuke Aizen
Ex-Captain Kaname Tosen of squad 9 made use of his shikai, bankai, and kido spells to stand out as a tricky warrior with many options at his disposal. His shikai and bankai had themes of sensory attacks and deprivation to strike the enemy in unusual ways, while his kido spells were a bit more conventional. One example was when Tosen used a kido spell as a PA system so Aizen could address the Soul Reapers late in the Arrancar saga.
Kaname Tosen also used kido when he harshly punished Grimmjow Jeagerjaques for attacking Ichigo without permission. Not only did Tosen hack off Grimmjow's arm with his zanpakuto, he swiftly used an offensive kido to burn Grimmjow's arm out of existence. Only with Orihime's unique healing powers did Grimmjow regain his otherwise permanently lost arm.
4 Rukia Kuchiki Favors Kido Over Swordplay
The reverse-isekai heroine Rukia Kuchiki has always favored kido over swordplay, and she even admitted to herself that she's not so great with swords. In fact, Rukia's innate talent with kido was what inspired Miyako Shiba to tell Rukia to train as a Soul Reaper. All of Rukia's street urchin friends were impressed, most of all Renji, who had weaker kido by comparison.
As a trained Soul Reaper, Rukia clearly preferred kido spells and her shikai's ice powers over simple swordplay, making her different than Ichigo, Kenpachi, and other brute-force fighters. Rukia tried using kido during the Substitute Soul Reaper arc, then used powerful kido while fighting Aaroniero Arruruerie to reveal his bizarre true form. Rukia even once mocked Renji for his sloppy kido training – and she would know.
3 Byakuya Kuchiki is One of the Gotei 13's Best Kido Users
Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of squad 6 was established as one of the most balanced Soul Reapers in the Gotei 13. He could do practically anything, from an advanced flash step to swordplay and even martial arts. He also had various powers with his shikai and bankai to keep his enemies on the defensive. He also made good use of kido spells throughout Bleach's story.
Byakuya could use Byaku Rai to fire a powerful, narrow beam of lightning and pierce his enemies with ease. He could also use Danku to conjure a barrier against enemy attacks, which worked well against Zommari's released form. He was also known for using Riku Jokoro to restrain the enemy with six rods of gold light before finishing them off.
2 Sosuke Aizen Can Win Fights With Kido Alone
The supervillain Sosuke Aizen used a variety of specialized weapons and techniques to overwhelm his enemies, from his expert swordplay and ultra-quick flash step to the mysterious artifact known as the Hogyoku. He could easily win fights with all that and his illusion-based shikai, Kyoka Suigetsu, but he could also use kido if necessary.
Aizen was proven a kido master when he used a level 90 spell, the deadly Kurohitsugi, to defeat Sajin Komamura in mere seconds, and he didn't even need the full incantation to do so. He could also cast Danku to block enemy attacks, which he once used while casually retreating from his powerful enemies in the Turn Back the Pendulum arc. Even Tessai, a kido master himself, was shocked that Aizen could create such a durable Danku so quickly.
1 Kisuke Urahara is Like a Wizard With Kido
Kisuke Urahara boasted all kinds of skills and powers to fight his enemies, ranging from advanced science and swordplay to his many devastating kido spells. He didn't rely purely on his zanpakuto or his kido -- he was comfortable using either or both in various fights. But when Kisuke won his most important victory, it was with kido and similar effects.
During the final battle for the fake Karakura Town, Ichigo needed backup to finish off Sosuke Aizen, and Kisuke delivered. Once Aizen was pushed to the brink, Kisuke finished the job with his best kido spells, sealing Sosuke Aizen away and thus winning the battle. Only kido made it possible to deliver Aizen to the new Central 46 as a captive ready to face judgment.
