10 Best Bleach Fights That Prove the Series More Than Deserves its Place in the Big 3

Summary Uryu vs. Mayuri shows the harsh reality of battle in Bleach, with personal stakes and risky decisions.

Ichigo vs. Ginjo is a battle fueled by emotion and redemption, showcasing Ichigo's resilience.

The Captains vs. Aizen highlights the power struggle and sacrifice of the Soul Society's finest warriors.

Bleach has long been a member of manga's "Big Three," standing alongside Naruto and One Piece as one of the most popular series of the 2000s. While Bleach and Naruto have both ended in the years since, their influence is still as strong as ever, thanks to incredible moments that live on in the imagination of friends.

These battles rank among some of the best fight scenes within Bleach, as battles that stand out in the memories of fans even years later. Some are brutal beatdowns, while others are desperate struggles against a far more powerful foe. These fights often carry extra weight due to the emotional impact of victory or defeat, putting everything on the line to come out on top. Here are 10 of Bleach's greatest battles ever, the kind of fights that demonstrate exactly how Bleach earned its spot in the Big Three.

10 Uryu Vs. Mayuri is One of Bleach's Most Satisfying Battles

Soul Society arc, chapters 119-126

Mayuri Kurotsuchi is one of Bleach's most controversial characters; despite being allied with the Soul Reapers, he's an undeniably amoral, and possibly even evil, person at heart. This battle showcased Mayuri's depravity as he battled against Uryu, admitting to experimenting upon and killing a number of Quincy, including Uryu's own grandfather.

This gives Uryu's fight with Mayuri a personal element that many fights in the Soul Society arc don't have. Uryu is a serious underdog here, as a relatively inexperienced Quincy up against a top-level Captain. Uryu makes the bold decision to unleash his full power, at risk of losing his Quincy abilities for good, and is able to defeat even Mayuri's Bankai, blasting a hole in Mayuri that would've killed anyone else.

9 Ichigo vs. Ginjo is an Emotional Fight

The Lost Agent arc, chapters 459-479

The Fullbringers may not be a popular part of Bleach, but Ichigo's final confrontation with Ginjo is still a stunning battle. Ichigo is at his lowest here, having lost his Soul Reaper powers and had his Fullbring powers taken away by Ginjo. Even his friends aren't available, as they've all been brainwashed by the Fullbringers.

Still, Ichigo doesn't surrender or give up. He manages to hang on until Rukia and the Soul Reapers arrive, coming together to restore Ichigo's Soul Reaper abilities. With his power returned, Ichigo teams up with Uryu to defeat Ginjo once and for all. Ichigo has been psychologically manipulated throughout the arc, so it's very satisfying to see him take down the mastermind of his suffering, even if the arc itself isn't a fan favorite.

8 Kyoraku vs. Starrk is a Brutal Battle of Supremacy

Fake Karakura Town arc, Chapters 335, 339, 359-364

Coyote Starrk and Shunsui Kyoraku are surprisingly similar characters, who are by circumstance forced to be enemies. Both admit at the beginning of the fight that they wish they could simply fake it, but given its timing, the stakes are simply too high for Kyoraku to lose by playing around.

The battle between the two is absolutely brutal, specifically because they don't want to be fighting. There's a lot of respect between the two combatants, paying each other compliments and lamenting their need to fight. Starrk, due to the nature of his power, technically has an ally in Lilynette, while Kyoraku is eventually backed up by Ukitake. Their fight is ultimately interrupted, but Starrk, despite being the #1 Espada, regrets having to battle against such a powerful foe.

7 Rukia vs. Äs Nödt Showcases Rukia's New Ultimate Power

Thousand-Year Blood War, Chapters 566-570

Rukia is a chronically underappreciated character in Bleach, often being held back from showing off and forced to sit on the sidelines by circumstance. However, this battle in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc finally gives Rukia a chance to shine, especially with her newly unlocked Bankai available to her.

Äs Nödt is a terrifying figure who preys on his opponents' fears, and was even able to defeat Byakuya with relative ease. That makes this particular match a personal one for Rukia, and Byakuya actually ends up there to see her victory. Äs Nödt severely underestimates Rukia, who uses her Bankai to freeze him solid, leaving the master of fear with only his fear of death to think of before it all comes to an end.

6 The Captains Vs. Aizen Shows the Soul Society's Finest

Fake Karakura Town arc, Chapter 389-393

The concentrated power of the entire 13 Court Guard Squads is brought together to battle against Aizen at this desperate moment. They bravely resolve not to let Ichigo fight alone, and all the Captains bring out their most powerful abilities to stand against Aizen. With one man against over a dozen warriors, one would expect the fight to end quickly, but that's not exactly what happens.

The Captains fight well, utilizing their Bankai and other abilities to their full extent, but they're unfortunately no match for the empowered Aizen and his illusions, which he uses to force Hitsugaya to stab his dear friend Momo by tricking him into thinking Momo was Aizen. The battle really drives home how powerful Aizen has become, and though the Captains ultimately lose, it's an incredible fight.

5 Ichigo Vs. Grimmjow Put Ichigo's Abilities to the Test

Arrancar arc, chapters 277-286

In the final match-up between Ichigo and Grimmjow, a fan favorite Arrancar Espada character, every trick is brought out by both sides to ensure a victory. Grimmjow utilizes his Resureccion form almost immediately, while Ichigo quickly pulls out his Bankai. With both Nel and Orihime to protect, Ichigo has a lot to lose if this fight goes poorly.

Grimmjow pulls out his strongest attacks, and puts Ichigo on the defensive, but soon the tables are turned. Ichigo defeats Grimmjow with an amazing attack that shatters Grimmjow's ultimate technique before skewering him through with his sword. While Grimmjow isn't killed by this, he's clearly defeated, just as another opponent begins to show their face.... Nnoitra Gilga, who attacks his own ally.

4 Ichigo Vs. Aizen is One of Bleach's Most Hyped Fights

Invasion of the Soul Society arc, chapters 417-421

Aizen has been the big bad of Bleach for the majority of its run at this point, and so the final battle between Ichigo and Aizen is a hotly anticipated moment that managed to live up to the hype. Ichigo is able to consolidate his spiritual pressure into his body, increasing his fighting capabilities and making him more than a match for Aizen.

Aizen's smug attitude throughout the series makes it oh-so-satisfying to see Ichigo slap him around, even dispelling Aizen's attempted Kido spell with little more than a gesture. Ichigo channels all of his spiritual powers into one final attack, the Final Getsuga Tensho, an epic finishing move which leaves Aizen utterly powerless.

3 Ichigo Vs. Kenpachi Zaraki Proves How Outmatched Ichigo Was

Soul Society arc, chapters 103-114

Kenpachi Zaraki is one of the most dangerous fighters in the Soul Society, and it was Ichigo's bad luck to encounter the massively powerful Captain of Squad 11 early on. Zaraki was eager to battle the invaders of the Soul Society, and he faced down Ichigo with a bloodlust matched by few other characters.

Zaraki even goes so far as to remove his spiritual pressure-suppressing eyepatch, unleashing his full power against Ichigo. Ichigo is at such a disadvantage he's struggling to control his inner Hollow, which comes out during this battle to protect him. Yet, despite all the disadvantages, Ichigo not only wins, but also wins Zaraki's respect, earning the support of Squad 11.

2 Ichigo Vs. Ulquiorra Pushes Ichigo to His Limits

Arrancar arc, chapters 341-354

Ichigo has struggled greatly to even reach Las Noches and challenge Ulquiorra, who has acted as Orihime's jailer for the entirety of the saga thus far. Ulquiorra hasn't regarded Ichigo as a worthy opponent, and Ichigo intends to change that here and now by rescuing Orihime.

Ichigo goes to absurd lengths to win this fight, even going beyond death. He transforms into a terrifying Hollow monster form, known as his Vasto Lorde transformation, putting his power level way above where it was and climatically striking down Ulquiorra. Ichigo has to be restrained from continuing to attack even after his opponent is dying, showing how close he came to losing himself altogether.

1 Ichigo Vs. Byakuya is Bleach's Finest Fight

Soul Society arc, chapters 152-153, 160-167

Ichigo's rematch with Byakuya Kuchiki is one of the most major fights in the series, with Rukia's fate on the line. It's a battle that's personal for both combatants, and Byakuya doesn't hold anything back, unleashing his full power, and even his Bankai, on Ichigo.

Ichigo struggles to control himself during the battle, resisting the inner Hollow's attempts to take over the fight and insists on winning with his own power. Byakuya is shocked by this, and has no idea what to make of Ichigo as an opponent. Ichigo proves himself a respectable adversary, and ultimately wins without having to rely on the inner Hollow's power. Byakuya was one of Ichigo's first big challenges in Bleach, and as such Ichigo's victory over him is undoubtedly one of Bleach's best battles, ensuring it a place in manga's Big Three.

Read on MangaPlus