Bleach captains ranked – all Gotei 13 squad captains

Bleach is a fantastic anime choice if you enjoy watching powerful fighters. A common theme involves these characters traveling to different worlds to challenge themselves and each other. This leads to exciting and destructive battles, which are a major reason why fans love the series.

Ichigo Kurosaki began as an ordinary person, but he gained the powers of a Soul Reaper, ultimately becoming an incredibly powerful fighter, even among the strongest beings in existence.

While Ichigo is incredibly powerful, he’s not alone. The Gotei 13 – a group of thirteen elite squads – are also among the strongest fighters in existence. These skilled protectors dedicate their lives to safeguarding both the Soul Society and the human world.

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I’ve noticed that many of the captains in Soul Society have held their positions for a long time, seemingly unchallenged. But even with that, there’s still a clear understanding of who the strongest are and how they rank. I’ll share more details below.

Bleach Gotei 13 captains ranked

13. Sajin Komamura – Squad 7

Saijin Komamura is a character who usually conceals his face with a bamboo mask, and not much is known about him beyond simple facts. It’s later revealed he’s actually a wolf who is self-conscious about how he looks, which explains why he hides his face.

Komamura is a powerful captain, but his abilities don’t quite measure up to those above him. He’s physically weaker than most other squad leaders, and his sword has been overcome by opponents several times.

12. Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi – Squad 3

Following Aizen Sosuke’s deception of Soul Society, Rōjūrō and the other Visored were forced into exile. Rōjūrō allied with Shinji Hirako and eventually confronted Aizen. After their battle, he was officially restored to his previous position as captain of the 3rd Division.

Rōjūrō is incredibly strong and skilled, but he dislikes fighting and tries to avoid it whenever possible. He prefers to use speed and precision to defeat opponents rather than relying on sheer strength.

11. Suì-Fēng – Squad 2

Suì-Fēng leads the Second Division within Soul Society and is in charge of the Stealth Force. She’s known as one of the fastest captains, though exactly *how* fast is often debated, and she tends to be quick to jump to conclusions.

Suì-Fēng struggles to control her feelings, and this often leads to her mistakes. She tends to act impulsively, which usually causes problems, but even with her emotional instability, she remains a formidable opponent in battle.

10. Jūshirō Ukitake – Squad 13

Captain Ukitake is known for being one of the kindest captains, and he gets along well with those lower in rank. He was personally trained by the Captain Commander, making his skill with a sword among the very best.

Jūshirō is a very strong fighter, but his weak health holds him back. Similar to many of the Gotei, he generally tries to avoid fighting whenever possible.

9. Kensei Muguruma – Squad 9

Like Rōjūrō, he regained his position as Captain after fighting the Visored. He’s a powerful and aggressive fighter, favoring intense, close-range attacks and highly refined techniques that overwhelm his enemies.

Kensei is a dangerous opponent in battle, thanks to his skills and sword, and other powerful fighters acknowledge this.

8. Shinji Hirako – Squad 5

Shinji Hirako, once a captain of the Fifth Division and later exiled as a Visored, played a key role in the battle against Aizen. Working alongside the Gotei 13, his strong teamwork and strategic skills led to Aizen’s defeat and his own reinstatement as a captain in the Soul Society, along with several of his fellow Visored.

I’ve been watching Shinji, and while he’s a fantastic swordsman, what really sets him apart is his mind. He’s excellent at analyzing situations and anticipating threats before they even happen. He’s definitely one of the stronger Visored, but he still falls short when compared to someone like Zaraki Kenpachi.

7. Mayuri Kurotsuchi – Squad 12

Mayuri is a puzzling character. Despite being a skilled fighter, he gets easily upset and defeated by trivial disagreements. It’s strange how someone so capable can be undone by small arguments.

Mayuri rarely fights directly, but when he does, he’s incredibly intimidating. He’s known for brutally defeating his opponents – and his habit of literally consuming them – which terrifies even the strongest Soul Reapers.

6. Tōshirō Hitsugaya – Squad 10

Hitsugaya is known as a child prodigy – he’s the youngest Soul Reaper to ever achieve the powerful Bankai level.

His unique sword ability allows him to fight evenly with even the most powerful Soul Reapers, and easily defeat those weaker than him. Despite being a relatively new Soul Reaper, he’s repeatedly demonstrated incredible skill with a sword, earning a reputation as the strongest in the Soul Society – a claim that even challenges the legendary Ryūjin Jakka wielded by Captain-Commander Yamamoto.

5. Byakuya Kuchiki – Squad 6

Byakuya comes from a family with a long history of powerful Soul Reapers, and he lives up to their legacy. He’s become a respected captain of the sixth division and a formidable fighter within the Gotei 13. Yoruichi Shihouin personally taught him advanced techniques in both speed and swordsmanship, making him a very dangerous opponent.

He’s skilled with a sword, like many others, but his incredibly fast reflexes set him apart – for a while, they were comparable to the speed of Ichigo’s powerful Bankai.

4. Shunsui Kyōraku – Squad 8

Yamamoto deeply respects Shunsui after witnessing his mastery of swordsmanship. Shunsui is exceptionally powerful, excelling in skill, concentration, strength, and agility, and he fights with two swords at once.

He’s a match for the Espada and can defeat opponents swiftly using his Zanpakutō’s power.

3. Retsu Unohana – Squad 4

I’m completely fascinated by Retsu Unohana! She’s always been such a mystery, keeping her personal life, feelings, and past so private. It’s incredible to think the Captain-Commander himself chose her way back when the Gotei 13 was first formed – he clearly saw her strength and confidence in battle. That’s why she became the very first Captain of Squad 11 and held the title of Kenpachi before everyone else!

She was incredibly powerful, easily defeating anyone who tried to oppose her. Her ability to rapidly heal herself made her even more formidable, and even large, well-equipped armies struggled to defeat her.

2. Kenpachi Zaraki – Squad 11

Man, Zaraki is absolutely incredible! He’s currently known as the Kenpachi, which basically means he’s the strongest Soul Reaper in the whole Soul Society. He *earned* that title by beating Retsu Unohona – it was a pretty dominant fight, honestly – but then things took a crazy turn and he was taken down pretty quickly after landing just one hit! It was wild to see.

Kenpachi Zaraki is unique among the Soul Reapers because he genuinely enjoys fighting. He actively looks for opportunities to prove himself and show off his strength, thriving on the thrill of defeating opponents. He’s so powerful that he even has to hold back during training so he doesn’t accidentally injure his fellow Reapers.

1. Genryusai Yamamoto – Captain-Commander

The Captain-Commander of the Soul Society is the strongest leader, known for both incredible power and masterful strategy. Yamamoto has led the 13 guard squads for over a thousand years, maintaining control simply through the force of his presence.

Currently, no one is as powerful as Genryusai Yamamoto. He’s so skilled that he can defeat enemies with his hands alone, even before drawing his sword.

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2025-10-16 21:14