Summary
With 366 episodes and an ongoing adaptation of the final story arc, it’s fair to say there’s a ton ofBleachcontent for fans to enjoy. With a series that is this long, it’s inevitable that not every episode will be all that memorable or exciting, which can often make it hard to know what parts of the plot are worth returning to on a re-watch. This can especially apply to Bleach, which also contains several filler arcs which aren’t related to the main story, or even considered canon at all.
Thankfully, though, there are a handful of episodes which do a great job at showcasing what makesBleachas a series so special to its huge fan base, whether it be the deep character moments, epic showdowns, or even massive reveals. Anyone who is returning back to theBleachseries, or simply wants to check out the highlights of the show, definitely ought to give these classic episodes a watch.
9Episode 9
Ichigo is a protagonist who simply wants to protect the people around him, and the reason he’s so motivated to keep people safe is because he was unable to do so when he was a child. Aftera tragic accidentwith a Hollow took his mother away from him, Ichigo vowed to become strong enough so that he could prevent others from being killed, which is what episode 9 of the very first season revolves around.
This is the episode where Grand Fisher, the Hollow responsible for inadvertently killing Ichigo’s mother, shows up to confront the protagonist once again. There’s a real dark and somber atmosphere to this episode which makes it very distinct, but what also makes the episode stand out is that Ichigo doesn’t actually win his fight. Ichigo loses against Grand Fisher; an extremely surprising result, but one that made many fans eager to keep watching as they wondered how on earth Ichigo could become strong enough to reach his own personal goal.
8Episode 39
The Bloodiest Battle Up To That Point Which Sparked Some Very Interesting Reveals
After landing in the Soul Society on a mission to save Rukia, it’s not long before Ichigo finds himself going up against foot soldiers, lieutenants, and eventually, even captains. Episode 39 is the point where Ichigo clashes blades with Zaraki Kenpachi; the most dangerous and unpredictable soul reaper captain out of theGotei 13. Needless to say, this fight is a real bloodbath with Ichigo being pushed to his absolute limits by the insane captain of squad 11.
This is the point in the story where Zangetsu truly reveals himself, telling Ichigo that he must acknowledge and accept his Zanpakuto if he wants any chance of overcoming his fear and fighting with instinct. With an awesome fight and an epic unexpected reveal, this episode is a real standout from the fan-favorite Soul Society arc.
7TYBW: Season 3 Episode 2
Yhwach Fulfills His Goal Of Eliminating The Soul King, And It Was All Thanks To Ichigo
Though Ichigo and Yhwach technically clash a few times during theThousand-Year Blood War, the anime adds quite a few extra scenes to help flesh out these duels, with one of the best examples being their battle seen in episode 2 of cour 3. With Yhwach just moments away from killing the Soul King, Ichigo and his friends managed to confront him just in time. Studio Perriot really went all out with the animation for this episode with Ichigo and Yhwach’s fight being flashy and utterly stunning from a visual standpoint.
The pacing of this episode ensures that fans' eyes are glued to the screen at all times. Just as it seems as though Yhwach may finally be on the back foot, he then shocks everyone by manipulating Ichigo into slicing the Soul King in two with his very own blade, resulting in what has to be the greatest cliffhanger since ichigo was taken out by Ulquiorra earlier on in the series.
6Episode 166
Ichigo Partakes In A Wild Battle With Grimmjow While A Fearful Orihime Watches On
Episode 166 marks the midpoint of Ichigo’s second fight with Grimmjow, which is undoubtedly one of the most iconic battles in the entire series. The beginning of the episode kicks off with Ichigo protecting Orihime from a barrage of missiles, but because Ichigo is wearing hisHollow mask, it makes Orihime incredibly uneasy and even slightly fearful of her savior.
The rest of the episode showcases the best moments of the epic fight between Ichigo and his arch rival, with Grimmjow unleashing his Resurrection form and Ichigo using every last bit of his Hollow Powers to overcome his foe. The final few seconds where Orihime screams out Ichigo’s name, resulting in the protagonist gaining one last boost of strength to cut down Grimmjow for good, is a legendary moment to end off an already incredible episode.
5Episode 54
This Episode Is Intense From Beginning To End, Containing Some Incredible Action And Memorable Moments
No fan ofBleachwill ever be able to forget the moment where Ichigo swoops down and saves Rukia from her execution in the Soul Society. This was the moment that the entire story arc was leading up to, with Ichigo finally able to show off his training by taking on a swarm of lieutenants single-handedly. While the episode is extremely intense, there are also some nicecomedic momentsthrown in there for good measure too, such as Ichigo throwing Rukia towards Renji like he’s pitching on a baseball field.
The burning flames of the Sokyoku provide a nice bright red tint for much of the episode, which helps to make it even more memorable; ramping up the bubbling intensity of the situation. It all also ends off with one hell of a cliffhanger after Ichigo runs into Byakuya, the man who had been propped up as the strongest out of the Gotei 13 for the entire arc.
4TYBW Season 1: Episode 4
A Stunning Adaptation Of Yamamoto’s Confrontation With Yhwach
Fans of the Bleach manga already knew that Yamamoto’s encounter with Yhwach was going to look incredible once it was animated, but nobody could have anticipated just how incredible episode 4 of the Thousand Year Blood War anime would truly be.Yamamoto’s Bankai revealis always a big moment, but the attention to sound design and visual aesthetics really helped the ultimate ability feel genuinely over the top and impactful. This is also, without a doubt, the episode with the best animation in the series, with Yamamoto and the king of the Quincy moving around at lightning speed while still having full motion and power in their attacks.
The scenes of Uryu learning about Yhwach and the Quincy army also help to add intrigue to the context of the war between the Quincy and the Soul Reapers as a whole, alongside setting up a lot of reveals later in the arc. The Thousand-Year-Blood War anime has done an incredible job at adapting the much-beloved final arc of Bleach, but this episode really took it to a whole new level.
3Episode 309
Fans Finally Get To Witness The Long-Awaited Duel Between Ichigo And The God-Like Aizen
After Aizen had exterminated the Gotei 13 and avoided Gin’s attempt at betraying him, it genuinely seemed as though there was nobody capable of stopping him, not even Ichigo. Thankfully,Ichigo’s father, Ishin, was able to teach him one final technique that would use up all of his remaining Soul Reaper powers so that he could hopefully become strong enough to defeat Aizen and save Karakura Town from being wiped out.
All of this culminates in the final battle which can be seen in episode 309. Considering the insane power levels possessed by these two, this is truly an explosive battle which gets pretty chaotic in barely any time at all until, eventually, Ichigo unleashes his final Mugestu technique, which proves to be just enough to lock Aizen away once and for all. WhileBleachobviously continued on after this point in the story, in many ways, this still felt like a conclusion to a saga which had been running for many years by that point, which is why the episode stands out to so many people.
2Episode 270
Truly The Most Shocking Episode In The Arrancar Arc, And Maybe Even The Series As A Whole
When Ichigo finally goes up against Ulquiora after he managed to take downhis fellow Espada member Grimmjow, it felt as though he would be more than capable of holding his own, especially since he was using his Hollow powers more than ever. However, much of episode 270 is dedicated to watching Ichigo be utterly humiliated by the number three Espada, though he does at least try to put up a fight with the last remnants of his power.
While the first few minutes of the episode showcase the incredible fight in all of its glory, it’s not long before the focus switches over to Uryu and Orihime, who can be shown desperately racing towards each Ichigo in an attempt to save him. What really takes this episode to a whole new level though is those final five minutes where Ichigo is being strung up by Ulquiorra, who seemingly kills him right there and then, resulting in our heartbreaking scream from Orihime before the screen turns to black.
1Episode 293
The Episode Which Proved Why Aizen Deserves To Be So Feared By The Soul Reapers
Leading up to the Fake Karakura Town arc, it was clear that Aizen, who had betrayed the Soul Society early on in the series, was someone that possessed an absurd level of power. This primarily came from his blade,Kyoka Suigestu, which was capable of hypnotizing anyone under its effect. In episode 293, Aizen decides to step up against all the Soul Society captains and lieutenants at once, and despite being severely outnumbered, manages to defeat every single one of them with his abilities, resulting in one of the most devastating defeats in the series.
The first few moments of the episode are filled with a lot of hope as fans get to see the Soul Reapers and Vizards teaming up to take down Aizen with one final attack, once Hitsugaya is tricked into stabbing his childhood friend Momo though, the tone of the episode entirely changes, with the Gotei 13 being cut down to size in mere moments in what still stands as an iconic battle in the series, and an episode which changed everything for the story.
