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When it comes to shonen anime,Bleachis a fan favorite. The hit series is full of everything fans of the genre could want, from over-the-top sword fights to the power of friendship.Bleach’s original run spans over 366 episodes for a total of sixteen seasons, meaning there are plenty of binge-worthy moments to enjoy. If that’s not enough, the final arc from the manga is finally being adapted after the longest time, which serves as a huge treat for long-time fans of the series.
Bleachis filled with dozens of unique characters, and the final season will introduce plenty more. While the members of the Gotei 13 and all the antagonists are full of big personalities, the main cast is still full of fan favorites. Viewers who plan on binging the series in anticipation of the final arc will want tobecome familiar withthe main castofBleach.
Updated June 22, 2025 by Rhenn Taguiam:With Part 4 of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc adaptation teasing a finale to Ichigo’s last struggle against the forces of Yhwach, fans of the series are hyped to see Ichigo and his friends tapping into their true potential to defeat the threats that may very well end the world should they win.
However, for newcomers to the series, the expanded cast of Bleach might be something too overwhelming for them to look into. Thankfully, some are indeed worth checking out - such as Ichigo’s rival among the Espada as well as the two beings that are manifestations of Ichigo’s hidden powers.
Ichigo Kurosaki
A Substitute Shinigami And The Series' Protagonist
Ichigo Kurosaki is a Substitute Soul Reaper and theprotagonist ofBleach. The series begins with Ichigo being a stubborn and impulsive teenager with a strong will and a short temper.
A chance encounter with the soul reaper Rukia Kuchiki leads to Ichigo gaining the ability to become a Soul Reaper. His combat abilities and powers develop further throughout the series. However, Ichigo’s impulsive nature does lead to plenty of conflicts with himself and other characters in the series.
Rukia Kuchiki
Lieutenant Of The 13th Division
Rukia Kuchiki is a Soul Reaper and a member of the 13th division. She often has a cool and aloof demeanor, though through the bonds she develops with her friends, she begins to open up more.
Rukia was brought to the Soul Society with her older sister after they died in the Human world. Rukia was abandoned as a baby and grew up on her own until she met Renji Abari and his group of friends. She was later adopted into the Kuchiki family. Rukia isskilled in swordsmanship and Kido, the latter being her greatest strength as a Soul Reaper.
Uryu Ishida
One Of The Few Remaining Quincy Until The Arrival Of Yhwach And The Sternritter
The quiet and solitary Uryu Ishida is the only Quincy in the mainBleachgroup. Uryu strongly believes in the “Pride of the Quincy” and has a strong sense of justice.
As a child, Uryu spent most of his time training with his grandfather to continue the Quincy legacy. He initially begins the series with a deep hatred towards Soul Reapers, causing plenty of initial conflict with Ichigo and Rukia.
Orihime Inoue
Ichigo’s Love Interest Who Uses Shun Shun Rikka
Orihime is naive, though optimistic. She is one of Ichigo’s classmates and is constantlytrying to hide her crush on the protagonist. Orihime is a pacifist by nature, and this does cause plenty of problems when the group encounters opponents who aren’t as forgiving.
Throughout the series, Orihime develops her spiritual powers, in the form of six spirits residing in her hairpins. These spirits allow her to negate phenomena and undo events such as injuries others have sustained.
Yasutora Sado
Ichigo’s Closest Friend With Fullbring Powers
Yasutora Sado, most often called Chad by the other characters, is one of Ichigo’s classmates. The teenager appears much older than he is due to his extreme height. He is the quieter member of the group, but his loyalty to his friends speaks volumes.
Sado hassuperhuman strength, and this strength only increases throughout the series through training. He can manifest armor on both his arms. The right takes on a defensive form, while the left boosts enhanced strength and a powerful spiritual attack.
Renji Abarai
Lieutenant Of The 6th Division
Renji Abarai is the lieutenant of the sixth division of the Gotei 13. When Renji makes his debut, he comes off as cocky and smug. Despite this, he can become very serious when facing a challenging foe. However, when defeated, Renji can become very depressed.
Renji is skilled in swordsmanship and can hold his own against captain-level threats. When Renji is first introduced in the series, both he and Byakyau Kuchiki travel to the human world to arrest Rukia. His decades of combat skills instantly overwhelm Ichigo and Uryu.
Kon
A Mod Soul Who Covers For Ichigo
Though often forgotten about by the other members of the group,Kon serves as the comedy relieffor much of the series. Kon is a modified soul that resides inside a plush toy. Before Ichigo is officially instated as a substitute Soul Reaper, he uses Kon to switch into his soul form.
This causes plenty of chaos, due to the Mod Soul’s personality being drastically different from Ichigo’s. Despite Kon’s personality, he values all lifeforms, due to living for years with the fear of being disposed of himself. This leads him to constantly risk his own life, and disregard the limitations being a toy gives him.
Sosuke Aizen
Former Captain Of The 5th Division Who Betrays Soul Society
The reveal of Aizen as a cutthroat isone of the best moments in the Soul Society arcand cements this saga as one of the greatest shonen tales of all time. This Commander shows his sinister side with a string of diabolical moments, followed by a change in character design that cements his place as the series' biggest villain at that point.
The sheer amount of power that Aizen wields is hard to comprehend to this day. He was able to take on the entirety of the Gotei 13 with only minor wounds, making him a pretty exciting character indeed. It’s a shame that he was defeated by Ichigo in a manner that completely destroyed his character and the interest that most people had in the series too.
Kisuke Urahara
Former Captain Of The 12th Division Who Was Stripped Of His Rank Because Of Aizen’s Treachery
Kisuke Urahara is one of the more mysterious characters to appear in the show. A Shinigami who was banished by Soul Society for reasons that weren’t revealed until long after in the anime, Urahara is easily one of the coolest characters in the show who harbors a ton of power.
There’s a reason why he was the perfect mentor for Ichigo to learn his iconic Bankai. The Thousand-Year Blood Warfeatures the appearance of his Bankaias well, which was absolutely brilliant in the manga as well. Only time will tell whether the adaptation will do justice to this incredible moment.
Toshiro Hitsugaya
Captain of the 10th Division
Hitsugaya isone of the more fascinating Shinigami inBleach. He may be a century old, but that’s still considered to be pretty low by Soul Society standards. So, the fact that he’s somehow the Captain of a Division in the Gotei 13 is truly impressive in every way.
His reliance on his Bankai can become a bit too much at times, but it makes sense that he needs to whip out his ultimate technique from the get-go to even the odds against his opposition. He’s a calm Captain who certainly deserves to lead at such a young age, and fans can’t wait to see the true extent of his powers in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.
