Shocking Truth: The Surprising Number of Fights Ichigo Lost in Bleach!

It is commonly assumed that characters like Ichigo Kurosaki from the ‘Bleach’ series will emerge victorious in their crucial battles, as they are typically portrayed as powerful action heroes who stand tall when the odds are stacked against them. However, it should be noted that while these heroes may not lose when the situation is critical, they do not possess an unblemished record of success – and Ichigo Kurosaki is no exception to this rule.

Fans are curious about how many significant battles Ichigo has lost, a question that also raises the point of what it means for a character like him to lose a fight. Typically, when a villain loses, they either die or are removed from the story. However, main characters like Ichigo can’t be permanently killed or written out, so losing is less straightforward because our hero always manages to survive. To put it simply, in the world of Bleach, fans have identified eleven significant instances where Ichigo didn’t deliver the final blow, couldn’t prevent villains from achieving their objectives, or even acknowledged defeat verbally.

Isshin to Finish Off Grand Fisher

Initially, the Bleach anime saw Ichigo Kurosaki roaming Karakura Town, battling insignificant Hollows without much trouble until he clashed with Grand Fisher. This was the first major test for Ichigo, forcing him to step up his game. Moreover, Grand Fisher had a psychological advantage due to his lure, which resembled Masaki Kurosaki.

Ichigo’s battle against Grand Fisher was undeniably the most grueling part of the story, a relentless pounding that Ichigo barely managed to endure. What made it even more disheartening was that Ichigo couldn’t avenge his mother’s death when given the opportunity, as he was unable to take her murderer’s life. Years later, when Grand Fisher transformed into an Arrancar, Isshin Kurosaki stepped up and finally eliminated him for good.

The Substitute Soul Reaper Didn’t Stand a Chance

In the final stages of Season 1 in the anime series Bleach, Ichigo Kurosaki found himself going up against other Soul Reapers. These battles didn’t turn out favorably for Ichigo at first. He had to give his all just to match Renji Abarai, and then Captain Byakuya Kuchiki entered the scene to resolve things. Unfortunately for Ichigo, he had no chance against Byakuya. Not only could he not retaliate, but he was also left motionless when Byakuya used Sonido to outsmart him and slash him open.

In the opening moments of their battle, Ichigo was swiftly defeated, crashing to the ground in a pile of injury and broken sword. Kindly, Byakuya departed Ichigo there, allowing Renji to accompany Rukia back to Soul Society via a Senkaimon Gate. Barely clinging to life, Ichigo was saved by Kisuke Urahara who tended to his wounds and set him on the journey of learning with a reforged Zanpakuto for more arduous battles ahead.

Kenpachi Would End Up Losing to Ichigo’s Bond With His Zanpakuto

In the tournament, Ichigo engaged in numerous battles, ended up tied once, and suffered defeats in two significant confrontations. Ichigo’s first significant setback was at the hands of Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, but luckily, that defeat was only temporary. At first, Ichigo found it impossible to penetrate Kenpachi’s tough hide. Later on, Kenpachi delivered a decisive blow to Ichigo. However, Zangetsu’s spirit intervened to offer guidance to Ichigo.

Zangetsu’s spirit conveyed to Ichigo that Zanpakuto are more than mere tools, they are companions as well. It seemed Kenpachi had never grasped this concept. Once Ichigo internalized this message, he significantly boosted his power, overcoming Kenpachi and progressing further. However, it wasn’t until after the time skip in Bleach that Kenpachi began to view his weapon as a comrade.

Ichigo and Renji Were Just Jobbers For Aizen

In the Soul Society arc, Ichigo suffered another significant defeat when he, along with his new partner Renji, attempted to battle Captain Sosuke Aizen. Compared to his stalemate against Byakuya, facing a fresh and eager Aizen was an overwhelming challenge for Ichigo. In truth, he had no chance at all. Despite their injuries and exhaustion, Ichigo and Renji valiantly tried to continue the fight.

In that instance, fans of anime were left astounded as Aizen effortlessly overpowered both Ichigo and Renji in a manner that seemed almost casual. Remarkably, he thwarted Ichigo’s Bankai attack with a mere finger, and only a few swift strikes left Ichigo and Renji reeling. It was only due to the fact that Aizen didn’t intend to eliminate them during this confrontation that these heroes managed to survive.

Ichigo Needed to Tame His Inner Hollow to Stand a Chance

At the onset of the Arrancar storyline, Ichigo came close to being defeated by Ulquiorra Cifer and Yammy Llargo, but it didn’t feel like a complete loss as his friends intervened in time. Later, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques appeared one evening with the intention of continuing what Ulquiorra had started. Ichigo attempted to counter him using bankai, yet it proved insufficient. In fact, Grimmjow held the upper hand even when he didn’t have his Zanpakuto unsheathed.

In the battle, Grimmjow brutally attacked his Soul Reaper rival, and on top of that, Ichigo’s hidden Hollow was interfering with him through its unnecessary power. Despite using a Getsuga Tensho, Ichigo couldn’t reverse the situation. Fortunately, Kaname Tosen showed up to take Grimmjow back to Las Noches. Renji believed Ichigo had emerged victorious due to survival, but Ichigo strongly denied this notion.

Ichigo Came Close, But His Mask Wasn’t Strong Enough

During the next significant Arrancar assault, Grimmjow resurfaced and set out to confront Ichigo, aiming to quickly resolve their ongoing conflict. Anticipating him, Ichigo was prepared, harnessing the increased power of his enhanced Hollow mask to engage Grimmjow on even ground. For a brief moment, it seemed like Ichigo had the upper hand, but then his mask shattered.

When Grimmjow came back to life during the next Arrancar attack, he challenged Ichigo to end their dispute quickly. Ready for him, Ichigo utilized the power of his stronger Hollow mask to fight Grimmjow fairly. For a short while, it looked like Ichigo was winning, but then his mask cracked.

At that instant, Grimmjow counterattacked, nearly decapitating Ichigo with a Cero blast. Just in time, Rukia stepped in with her icy shikai. Ichigo could only spectate as first Rukia, then Shinji Hirako took charge of the battle, leaving Ichigo with the sensation of yet another defeat. He had come incredibly close to meeting his end, and even lost his mask due to the intensity, making it a loss in every aspect.

Ichigo Underestimated Ulquiorra’s Toughness

By the time Ichigo stormed Hueco Mundo and navigated Las Noches’ palace, he had grown stronger and more determined. However, when Ulquiorra appeared on the scene, Ichigo encountered an unexpected obstacle. Attempting to swiftly overpower Espada No. 4 with his mask and Getsuga Tensho, Ichigo misjudged Ulquiorra’s resilience.

After quickly shaking off minor wounds, Ulquiorra retaliated swiftly and overwhelmingly defeated his Soul Reaper adversary. In fact, he punctured Ichigo’s torso with just his bare hand, choosing not to unsheathe his Zanpakuto to conclude the battle. On the brink of death, Ichigo was saved by Orihime Inoue’s intervention, allowing him to participate in the decisive encounter against Grimmjow for the final match.

The Substitute Soul Reaper Needed Kenpachi to Bail Him Out

Immediately following Ichigo’s tight win against Grimmjow, another Espada made an appearance – Nnoitora Gilga, the 5th in rank. From the get-go, the fight between them was lopsided because Nnoitora was unscathed while Ichigo was hurt and fatigued from his previous encounter with Grimmjow. Nnoitora himself justified this imbalance, stating that fairness is irrelevant in battle.

In the battle, Ichigo couldn’t land a single hit against Nnoitora, and when Nelliel attempted but failed to defeat Espada No. 5, it was clear the match was lost. With Ichigo incapable of fighting any longer, Nnoitora essentially won the fight. He then allowed his subordinate, Tesla Lindocruz, to play around with Ichigo for a while. However, Kenpachi arrived just in time to take over and ultimately defeat both Nnoitora and Tesla.

Orihime Fell Into Despair at the Sight of Ichigo’s Murder

Since his battle against Byakuya at Sokyoku Hill, Ichigo’s mask had always been crucial for him, becoming increasingly vital during confrontations like the one with Ulquiorra in Las Noches. At first, the mask barely kept Ichigo in the fight, but when Ulquiorra unleashed his Zanpakuto, Murcielago, Ichigo was quickly overpowered and seemingly defeated.

In the confrontation between Ichigo and Ulquiorra, Ulquiorra dealt a lethal blow, tearing a hole in Ichigo’s chest. However, this wasn’t the end, for Ichigo’s hidden Hollow self went berserk, pushing his mixed powers to their utmost limit. This transformation resembled that of a Vasto Lorde Hollow and made Ichigo invincible. Swiftly reversing their roles, Ichigo exacted revenge on Ulquiorra, annihilating him permanently. Yet, the victory came at a cost; Ichigo had experienced a decisive loss to this character before his miraculous recovery.

Yhwach Toyed With His Son Born in the Dark

In the course of events, Ichigo suffered a pair of significant setbacks. The first loss, however, came unexpectedly early. After battling Sternritter J Quilge Opie in Hueco Mundo, Ichigo found himself in Soul Society, where he encountered Yhwach and Jugram Haschwalth, who proved to be unconquerable. Despite his earnest desire to vanquish them to protect his Soul Reaper comrades, all his efforts were futile.

Ichigo’s two Quincy adversaries recognized their safety wasn’t at stake, instead choosing to tease Ichigo as Yhwach goaded him verbally. With Ichigo’s zanpakuto shattered and Yhwach uttering confounding remarks about Ichigo being his son conceived in the shadows, Ichigo eventually uncovered the truth, setting the stage for him to forge his most potent Zanpakuto ever.

2025-05-04 06:26