Bleach will go down in history for its fantastic story and impeccable fights, reaching over six hundred chapters released worldwide. With the recent release of the continuation of the anime in the One-Hundred Year Blood War arc, Bleach returns to the top, as it once did with the big three alongside Naruto and One Piece. Bleach is filled with powerful fighters that possess incredible powers and skills; the dominant skill in Bleach is swordsmanship.
Of all the characters that wield blades in Bleach, there is an apparent skill threshold when a true master steps in to do battle. The 13 squads in the soul society are filled with excellent practitioners of the blade, but there are a select few that wield their weapons with higher precision and poise.
8 Shinji Hirako
Shinji Hirako has a muddled history with the soul society; Shinji escaped the soul society along with members of his squad after they were attacked and transformed into Vizored by Aizen. For one hundred and ten years, Shinji and his comrades stayed hidden until the final battle between the Soul Society and Aizen Sosuke, where they played a pivotal role in defeating him.
Thanks to Shinji's aid, he and many of his comrades were reinstated into the Gotei Thirteen, and he was made captain of Squad five again. Shinji's skill with a blade is sufficient to make Aizen pause when staring him down. As a captain-level shinigami, it is evident that Shinji's power is highly potent; however, he is incredibly fast and precise with his movements, able to overpower Ichigo prior to his Mugetsu training.
7 Byakuya Kuchiki
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Byakuya Kuchiki is the epitome of pride and elegance, which echoes in to his swordsmanship; Byakuya is the captain of squad six and one of the most respected captains in all of the Soul Society.
Byakuya is blindingly fast and efficient in battle, having been trained by Commander Yamamoto as well as Yoruichi at one point before his ascent. In addition, Byakuya demonstrates an indomitable calm in battle, which leaves his opponents on edge; even when faced with insurmountable odds, he keeps a level head that only makes his attacks sharper.
6 Zaraki Kenpachi
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Zaraki is the mad dog of the Soul Society in which the way he fights is vicious and reckless. He enjoys nothing more than engaging in battle with a strong opponent and goes out of his way to ensure that the fight lasts as long as possible.
While this state of mind often leads Zaraki to take more damage than he needs to, it speaks toward his skill as a swordsman that he has to give his opponents handicaps, so the fight isn't over too quickly. Zaraki holds the Kenpachi title, a title only offered to the strongest shinigami, which speaks to his fierce battle presence.
5 Shunsui Kyōraku
As the captain of squad one, Shunsui is looked up to as an elder among the court squad captain; he is also the most approachable and level-headed captain, seeking peaceful resolution and trying to avoid fighting if possible. However, Shunsui's talent with a sword is legendary for his spotless form and effortless accuracy. Shunsui is one of two shinigami to be able to expertly wield more than one sword at a time, and he does so with such skill that he can switch hands at will. Paired with his skill and immense spiritual pressure, Shunsui rarely has to release his Shikai in order to win a fight.
4 Aizen Sosuke
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Aizen Sosuke is feared throughout the entire Soul Society after the events of the final battle in Karakura town; the former squad five, Aizen, turned on the Soul Society and the rest of the shinigami in an ambitious advance to challenge the soul king.
While Aizen kept his strength suppressed for the majority of his time in the Soul Society, he was still respected as captain. Aizen's skill with his sword is a step away from his former shinigami comrades, as with only his Shikai, he was able to fend off four squad captains with little effort.
3 Retsu Unohona
Retsu Unohona had a minimal role in Bleach and reserved herself for healing allies and protecting those who could not defend themselves. Because of this, Unohona was seen as a non-combatant most of the time; this was due to the fact that Unohona stepped down as the first Kenpachi.
Unohona was originally the most dangerous criminal to exist in the Soul Society until she was contracted by Commander Yamamoto. During her time with the Gotei thirteen, she was captain of squad eleven and feared as one of the land's most violent and bloodthirsty swordsmen.
2 Captain Commander Yamamoto
For over one thousand years, Genryusaid Yamamoto has ruled over the Soul Society as the captain commander of the 13 court squads; the number of individuals that have challenged Yamamoto on the battlefield and not met their end have instead found themselves eternal slaves to his Bankai.
Yamamoto is responsible for training the majority of shinigami in the Soul Society and is the model by which they judge their skill; in battle, Yamamoto is an expert swordsman that can tear down any opponent with a single swing of his sword.
1 Ōetsu Nimaiya
Qetsu is the third-seat captain of squad zero, he is also the creator of Zanpakuto. Because of his long history of creating the most powerful Zanpakuto in all of the Soul Society, he is a master swordsman whose skill is unrivaled. Compared to regular captains, Qestu is another level entirely, able to move faster than anyone can see and inflict wounds with no presence making them nearly impossible to avoid.
In addition, Qetsu uses a very relaxed and untraditional fighting style where he completely outclasses most opponents; this has earned him the moniker "God of the Sword" for his unparalleled swordcraft and battle prowess.