Kurosaki Ichigo of Bleach ends up becoming a Soul Reaper through a ridiculous turn of events, and it's his accidental appointment that eventually ends up saving the world from threats such as Hollows. And in his adventures, Ichigo unlocks fonts of powers he never knew he had, alongside meeting friends and foes with equally-powerful abilities.
However, with a manga spanning 686 Chapters, Bleach is bound to have some characters shine more than the rest based on the story and even sheer popularity. Unfortunately, this may result in some remarkable characters being a bit underutilized in Bleach’s overall narrative.
10 Tetsuzaemon Iba
Sunglasses can automatically make someone look stylish, which makes Tetsuzaemon Iba quite the mysterious lieutenant to the anthropomorphic wolf Captain Saijin Komamura of 7th Division. Contrary to the quiet Komamura, Iba has a macho atmosphere to him and is extremely devout and loyal to his comrades. In combat, Iba prefers fierce frontal assaults, which explains the appearance of his Shikai, which is a large bladed scimitar.
Unfortunately, as with other minor characters, Iba didn’t get as much character development throughout the series. This seems more crucial, considering he eventually becomes the Captain of the 7th Division as the series ends. With Komamura proving to be one of the most powerful physical powerhouses of the series, it would’ve been interesting to see if Iba is assigned as his lieutenant because of a similar ability or because of an ability opposite Komamura’s.
9 Isane Kotetsu
The quiet Isane Kotetsu remains a good choice of lieutenant for a captain as mysterious as Captain Retsu Unohana of the 4th Division. And while shy to a fault, Isane is extremely observant and loyal, especially to Unohana which she treats as a mother. However, those who underestimate her immediately tremble at her Kido abilities, as she can easily whip out mid-to-high-level Kido spells in quick succession.
It’s such a shame that Isane didn’t get as much character development, particularly her relationship with Unohana, who originally held the terrifying title of Kenpachi. Moreover, it’s interesting to see Isane participate more in Unohana’s affairs considering her Shunpo is good enough to keep up with Unohana’s, and even possess enough experience to become the 4th Division’s Captain at the end of the series.
8 Tessai Tsukabishi
Glasses often hide eyes that have forbidden knowledge, and Tessai Tsukabishi is precisely that in Bleach. Behind his usual aproned appearance in Urahara Shop, it’s soon discovered that Tessai isn’t just a former Captain of the Kido Corps, but that he has immense spiritual power. As a Kido Master, Tessai can not only use full-power spells at ease but even knows a few Forbidden Kido. In fact, he’s one of very few who can use Kido to manipulate time itself, to the point of slowing down Hollowfication.
Unfortunately, his time in Bleach was spent more as a consultant of sorts for Urahara and the go-to healer for Ichigo and the gang whenever they end up in the shop. However, considering his status as former Captain, it may have been awesome to see Tessai whip out one Forbidden Kido after the other - or perhaps even a Bankai related to it - against the likes of Aizen and maybe even Yhwach.
7 Tier Harribel
Among the Arrancar and the Espada, it’s perhaps Tier Harribel that has one of the most stylish appearances. Boasting a skull mask that covered the bottom half of her face, one could only look at her piercing eyes and long blonde hair to realize she’s not one to mess with. In fact, Harribel was the 3rd Espada until Aizen betrayed her kind. And while she was no match for Aizen, Harribel is a master swordsman and tactician that complements her deadly array of Arrancar abilities to outwit her foes.
Considering her sheer tactical prowess, it’s such a shame to see Harribel sidelined in the Thousand-Year Blood War as a prisoner in Hueco Mundo. Considering Harribel’s appointment as Queen of Hueco Mundo, Harribel should easily be the strongest living Hollow in existence.
6 Ise Nanao
Very few people rock glasses in the Bleach universe, and one of them is Ise Nanao. Serving as the lieutenant of the 8th Division under the eyepatch-toting suave Captain Shunsui Kyoryaku, Ise Nanao is as serious and pragmatic as her Captain is silly with his shenanigans. Regardless, one shouldn’t look at Nanao’s penchant for practicality as a weakness. As a lieutenant, Nanao is one of few to perform low-to-mid-level Kido spells without any need for incantations, and can even keep up with Shunpo masters like her Captain for a time. This easily helps Nanao become one of the most powerful females in Bleach.
Unfortunately, Ise Nanao suffers holes in character development as other lieutenants. This is extremely more frustrating in her position, as she’s perhaps the only lieutenant who didn’t get to show her Zanpakuto in the series. Not to mention, her Kido proficiency has the potential for Bleach to showcase Kido-intensive combat instead of usual sword fights.
5 Sasakibe Chojiro
Given that lieutenants are second-in-line to their respective captains, it’s no question that Sasakibe Chojiro of 1st Division is likely a powerhouse, considering he serves under Captain-Commander of the whole Gotei 13, Genryusai Yamamoto himself. Despite his stature, Chojiro remains fiercely loyal to Yamamoto without any shred of arrogance, and of course, no one could miss his adorable adoration of Western culture.
However, Chojiro’s oddities don’t make him weaker than the other lieutenants as he seems competent enough to defend Yamamoto in times of danger. Unfortunately, Chojiro suffers a lack of narrative participation and development just like his captain. For instance, his Zanpakuto Gonryomaru seems geared towards lightning, with his Bankai seemingly a prison of lightning strikes. It would’ve been interesting to see Chojiro participate in more excursions to see the full length of his abilities, especially when there are no holds barred.
4 Ryuken Ishida
It’s perhaps no surprise that stern-faced Ryuken Ishida is the father of equally-serious Uryu, albeit this time rocking white hair and a penchant for the medical arts. Despite being busy as the Director of Karakura Hospital, Ryuken never seemed to forget his Quincy heritage. He possesses immense spiritual power which, on top of his archery mastery and keen intellect, makes him one of the deadliest Quincies in existence. Such was his prodigious talents as a Quincy that his usual Heilig Bogen bow can willingly change in size and even fire multiple shots simultaneously, something not all Quincy can accomplish.
Unfortunately, Ryuken Ishida suffers from a lack of character development throughout the series. His friendship with Isshin Kurosaki, Ichigo’s father, over the years could’ve been a great plot point to explore. Not to mention, Ryuken’s expertise with the Quincy may have aided Ichigo and the others to study modern Quincy affairs during the Blood War.
3 Tatsuki Arisawa
Before Bleach thrust Ichigo and his friends into the craziness of Shinigami affairs, Tatsuki Arisawa served as one of the members of his inner circle. She’s no ordinary childhood friend, however, as Tatsuki isn’t just Ichigo’s karate partner. Rather, Tatsuki was shown to demonstrate high spiritual pressure to the point of resisting being removed out of existence outright due to Aizen’s presence. At some point, Tatsuki even received specialized armor as a Karakura Raizer to defend Karakura Town against Hollows in the Hueco Mundo Arc.
Unfortunately, Tatsuki hasn’t exactly been active in the story after that. She’s been relegated to the sidelines as a spectator during Aizen’s assault in Fake Karakura Town and was simply kept out of the Thousand Year Blood War. This was a shame towards her development, considering that Tatsuki’s potential could’ve made her into a potential rival of Ichigo or even Orihime.
2 Sado Yasutora
Fans meet Sado Yasutora as a quiet, good-natured lad that often fights as a pro boxer. And by the time Ichigo accidentally drags them into a conflict with a Hollow, it’s him alongside Orihime that Kisuke Urahara introduces to the scary world of Shinigami and Hollow. Interestingly, Sado soon learns that he possesses unnatural strength and durability, something he uses to protect himself and his friends from supernatural threats.
When Ichigo lost his powers while fighting Sosuke Aizen, he’s brought in by Fullbringers for training. This is when Sado discovers his heritage as a Fullbring, eventually allowing him to imbue each arm with special forms and abilities. Among Ichigo’s friends, Sado has had the least development but one with a lot of potential on an action level. Considering that a lot of Bleach fights are fought with swords with special forms, Sado’s penchant for close quarters combat could make for some compelling switch-ups in confrontations.
1 Orihime Inoue
Among Ichigo’s closest confidants, it’s Orihime Inoue that is perhaps the most recognizable. Before ending up as Ichigo’s wife, she's quite the optimistic high-schooler who never buckles under pressure. Her exposure to Ichigo also awakened her latent supernatural abilities, manifesting in the Shun Shun Rikka, which were fairies housed in the hairpin her brother gave her. Each fairy has a special ability, which Orihime often uses to help Ichigo and her friends.
Unfortunately, despite this power boost in Orihime’s abilities, she’s almost always either relegated to the sidelines or serves as the proverbial damsel in distress. And while she’s often become Ichigo’s moral compass in times of need, Orihime could’ve used a push to become a bigger participant in the overall narrative.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War will be released in October 2022, with the original Bleach anime series premiering in 2004.