Summary
In the world ofBleach,Soul Reapers need to prove that they have what it takes to fend off the nightmarish monsters known as Hollows, since they’ll be pretty much useless if they can’t cut one down without being eaten. However, there is no shame in also teaming up with a partner for a tricky mission, and throughout the series, this has resulted in several fan-favorite duos forming who are always a joy to watch whenever they’re on-screen together.
Of course, this doesn’t need to just relate to the Soul Reapers, consideringBleachas a series that includes numerous factions and races. From Arrancar to Quincy, all the way to the Fullbringers, there are plenty of tag teams that have developed over the course of Bleach, but these are among the most well-known and fun of the bunch.
8Ginjo & Tsukishima
Devious Partners In Crime Who Managed To Manipulate Ichigo For Their Own Interests
At the beginning ofthe Fullbring arc, it seems as though Tsukishima will be playing the role of the main villain. After all, considering he was going around inserting himself into people’s memories, it was clear he was up to no good, but there was at least someone who was there to support each Ichigo in defeating him, and that was Ginjo. Ginjo was the one who introduced Ichigo to the Fullbringers, alongside the technique of Fullbring itself, which involves manipulating the Souls of objects in the real world.
Though Ginjo and Tsukishima are presented as being sworn enemies initially, it turns out that this was all smoke and mirrors. By the end of the arc, the two of them team up and reveal that they had been working together the whole time, resulting in an epic clash between them, Ichigo, and the other Soul Reapers. While they do return very briefly in the thousand-year blood war, Ginjo and Tsukishima only receive a small amount of screen time, but they are still very fun to watch because of how manipulative and devious they are.
7Stark & Lilynette
Lilynette And Stark Only Have Each Other To Rely On, Resulting In Them Sharing A Very Close Bond
When Stark shows up to take on Kyoraku during the Fake Karakura Town arc, the Soul Reapers notice that his enemy isn’t alone. Stark will always have a small girl by the name of Lilynette by his side anytime he enters a battle, and the reason for this is that she is actually a part of his own soul. Before Stark was recruited by Aizen, he was such an immensely strong Hollow that anyone who even came close to him would die. To cure the loneliness, he created Lilynette, who would become his partner in crime.
The two can often be found throwing verbal jabs at one another, but when the going gets serious, they can become a deadly pairing. In combat, Lilynette takes the form of Stark’s Cero-blasting guns, which can turn most Soul Reapers into smithereens if they aren’t fast enough to avoid the shots. The duo barely gets any screen time, but they still stand out because of theircompellingbackstory and combat abilities.
6Hitsugaya & Rangiku
Polar Opposites Who Always Have The Best Banter Out Of All The Squads
Despite Hitsugaya and Rangiku being captain and lieutenant, respectively, they couldn’t be any more different in terms of their personalities. While Hitsugaya is a serious and stoic warrior who always has his mind on the mission, Rangiku is a very fun and bubbly Soul Reaper who spends much of her time getting drunk or goofing off. Despite that, though, the two work very well in combat with one another, considering the amount of experience they’ve had as a duo.
This was made crystal clear when they were able to combine their powers to hold offBazz-Bduring the final War. Another reason so many people have fallen in love with this tag team is because of the amount of banter they share. Rangiku may get on Hitsugaya’s nerves a lot of the time, but these two Soul Reapers always have each other’s backs regardless of what happens.
5Komamura & Tosen
Komamura And Tosen Were Inseparable Before The Latter Fell Under Aizen’s Influence
Though there are many Soul Reapers inBleachwho share close bonds, it’s hard to find two individuals who were better friends than Komamura and Tosen. With Komamura being ridiculed for his appearance and Tosen being unable to see him due to his blindness, the two warriors came to confide in one another and would become inseparable until Tosen’s twisted view of justice eventually led him to Aizen.
This results in one of the most emotional moments in this series when Tosen finally gets a good look at Komamura’s real face, only to tell him that he is just as ugly as he imagined. From heartwarming to heartbreak, this relationship has gone through a pretty wild ride, and it’s one that all long-time fans will be able to remember because of the amount of emotion involved within it.
4Yhwach & Haschwalth
Haschwalth Came To See The Quincy King As A Father-Like Figure
Haschwalth didn’t exactly have the nicest of upbringings. When the Quincy King himself, Yhwach, came to destroy Haschwalth’s village, the boy didn’t seem all that bothered, considering the life he was living wasn’t one of great happiness in the first place. Considering his ability to grant Reishi was seen as extremely valuable, Yhwach would take Hashchwalth under his wing,making him his loyal apprentice.
By the time Yhwach appears in the main series, Haschwalth has essentially become his lapdog, willing to serve out any of his orders, no matter how heinous or dangerous they may be. In fact, there would even be a lot of tension between Hashchwalth and Uryu, due to Haschwalth worrying about losing the king’s favor. Haschwalth’s flashback with Bass-B highlights why exactly he would ally himself with such a monstrous figure, making the relationship seem pretty believable, despite the two being villains.
3Mayuri & Nemu
Mayuri Began To See His Perfect Experiment As His Own Daughter
Mayuri and Nemu have a strange relationship, to put it mildly. Because Mayuri already sees Nemu as little more than one of his many science experiments, he treats her pretty horribly in the first few arcs, especially in the fight against Uryu, where he seems to have little to no regard for her well-being. The relationship begins to change the longer the series goes on, though, leading up to theincredibly memorable fight against Pernida, where Mayuri is forced to reveal his true feelings for his lieutenant.
Though he doesn’t admit it outright, Mayuri makes it very clear that he sees Nemu no longer as a weapon of destruction, but as family and someone he actually does care for. It’s a pretty weird and twisted relationship these two have, but it somehow ends up becoming one of the most heartwarming in the entire series by the end of the story.
2Aizen & Gin
A Convincing Partnership Which Turned Out To Be One Big Act
When Aizen stole the whole Hogyoku and fled the Soul Society, he didn’t rise to the heavens on his own. While Tosen turned out to be one of his loyal followers, the one who most people remember being at his side the most often was Gin, the mysterious snake-like formercaptain of Squad 3. There was always something very off and suspicious about Gin, making it seem obvious that he was a loyal partner to Aizen the entire time, in hindsight.
As the story goes on, though, fans begin to learn that this partnership isn’t quite as real as they had initially believed. In fact, the whole thing was planned by Gin, who was trying to get close to Aizen so that he could steal the Hogyoku, in order to avenge what Aizen did to Rangiku. In the end, Gin would lose his life to Aizen after revealing his true intentions, though it’s fair to say that the two have become one of the most well-known and memorable duos inBleachfor the amount of carnage they caused together.
1Ichigo & Rukia
One Of The Most Iconic Duos In All Of Anime Who Kicked Off The Bleach Story
When Rukia barges into Ichigo’s room in the very first episode ofBleach, it’s highly unlikely the two ever thought this would be the beginning of a grand adventure together. However, after Ichigo is forced to absorb a portion of Rukia’s Soul Reaper powers to defeat a Hollow, this then kicks off the entire story as it results in Rukia being sent back to Soul Society, with Ichigo doing all he can to rescue her. Since that first episode, the two have developed an impenetrable bond that remains intact for the entire story, even though the two aren’t always physically together.
It’s always hilarious hearing these two throwquips and sarcastic remarksat one another, but they’ve also shared quite a few emotional moments, such as when Ichigo lost his powers after the defeat of Aizen. Ichigo has made a lot of friends over the course of theBleachseries, but his friendship with Rukia is one many fans think back most fondly of, considering how much development there is between the two.
