Summary
- In Bleach, there are the majority of characters who were killed or died
- Unohana and Ukitake’s death was the most powerful death stances in the series
- The death of Kaien and Masaki was the reason behind Ichigo and Rukia’s character development
In the anime Bleach, death is portrayed in the most beautiful way ever, completing the life and motive of one person and making them understand the concept of life in the final moments.
Retsu Unohana
❝ Having finally fulfilled what I set into motion all these years ago I feel blissful joy even in death.❞
In the Bleach Thousand Year Blood War arc Retsu Unohana who was formerly known as Yachiru Unohana was the first Kenpachi and captain of the fourth division. She finally died during an important fight with Kenpachi Zaraki, with whom she wanted to teach how to fight by fighting to the death. This fight was crucial because Unohana wanted to reveal all the potentialities of Zaraki, using for that purpose her last breath. Her death was for Zaraki to get to the level of strength needed and she saw it as an opportunity to need to die for a greater cause.
Jushiro Ukitake
❝ It’s my wish that this life that I was given is given back for the sake of Seireitei.❞
The Captains of ‘Bleach’ series: The 13th Division’s Jūshirō Ukitake sadly dies in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. Back in his childhood, Ukitake had a severe lung disease that nearly killed him, before he was treated in the Soul Society. Realizing it, his parents worship the deity, Mimihagi, Mimihagi became part of Ukitake and with his lungs that were failing him, he was able to live. Ukitake sacrifices himself to replace the Soul King who was killed by Ichigo by offering the power of Mimihagi within him. Ukitake’s death is one of the shocking and effective dramatic turns in the series that reflects his sacrifice and devotion to the Soul Society.
Gin Ichimaru
❝ Yes. Your gaze has grown strong. Now I can finally die and leave the rest to you.❞
In the anime and manga show ‘Bleach,’ readers learn that Gin Ichimaru, former captain of Squad Three dies while fighting Sosuke Aizen. First Gin is portrayed as Aizen’s devotee, who obeys his orders without question; however later it turns out that Gin has been planning against Aizen. Gin’s true situation is to kill Aizen because Aizen caused harm to his childhood friend, Rangiku Matsumoto. Gin’s story is so tragic that he wishes to team up with Aizen to get revenge on him.
Masaki Kurosaki
❝ Ichigo.. Don’t..❞
Ichigo’s mother, Masaki Kurosaki, died a rather vicious death when he was nine years old. The two were attacked near the riverbank of Karakura Town by the Hollow recognized as Grand Fisher. Masaki tried to avert Ichigo but she got killed in doing so. Masaki was truly killed by Yhwach’s Auswahlen ritual where the powers will be reclaimed from the Quincies whom Yhwach thinks unworthy.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto
❝ You Bastard!❞
In the “Bleach” series, the Head Captain of the Gotei 13 and a leader of Squad One, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, dies during that arc – the Thousand-Year Blood War. In the battle between Yamamoto and Yhwach, Yamamoto suffers serious injuries as he cannot fight Yhwach with full power because of his age. After Yamamoto is completely exhausted from his Zanka no Tachi, the real Yhwach takes Yamamoto’s Bankai and stabs him to death.
Nemu Kurotsuchi
❝ Mayuri Sama…❞
One of the most detailed and popular animes and manga series “Bleach” has many characters some of which die throughout the storyline but one of the most fateful ones is Nemu Kurotsuchi alongside her creator, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the Captain of the Twelfth Squad, she is an artificial franken, created by the essential cell. She fights Pernida Parnkgjas, the Left Arm of the Soul King, dying in the process. This is the first time that Nemu goes against Mayuri’s instruction to stay out of the fight to protect him from the deadly strikes of Pernida.
Kaien Shiba
❝ Kuchiki, I put you in risk by making you withstand my selfishness. Sorry, surely it was hard. Still Thank you…. Thanks to you, I can leave my heart here.❞
One of the key characters in the Bleach series, Kaien Shiba, the former lieutenant of the 13th Division, meets with the hollow called Metastacia. This Hollow had the power to assimilate a body and, as a result, engage control over its host. While on a mission to deal with Metastacia, Kaien was overpowered by the Hollow which had killed his wife – Miyako Shiba. At some point, Kaien entrusts Rukia to stab him to keep his pride as a Soul Reaper even in death. Kaien’s death affected Rukia to the point of guilt and trauma, which adds a major role in her character development.
Hisana Kuchiki
❝ The years I spent with you were like a dream… Byakuya-sama❞
Hisana Kuchiki, a normal person from the 78th Rukongai District married Byakuya Kuchiki, the head of the esteemed noble. Kuchiki did not have an easy life beforehand. About five years later into the marriage, Hisana perished due to illness on one of the spring mornings. As her last wish, Hisana requested to find her sister Rukia whom she abandoned in childhood and take care of her.
Kaname Tosen
❝ Hisagi, please show me more of your face. As I am still in my Hollowfication form. I am still able to see with my eyes. While I still can, I want to try and remember your face…❞
In the series of “Bleach” Kaname Tōsen, ex-captain of the 9th Division, dies in the course of the fight in the Fake Karakura Town arc. After leaving the Soul Society alongside Sōsuke Aizen and Gin Ichimaru, Tōsen undergoes Hollowification, gaining a Resurrección form named Suzumushi Hyakushiki: Grillar Grillo, the power to see for the first time in his life. However, he loses in the battle against the Gotei 13 Captains. In this form, Tōsen fights his former colleagues, both Sajin Komamura and Shūhei Hisagi.
Chojiro Sasakibe
❝ Genryusai…There is something.. I must tell you.. They.. Our Bankai! They can make it❞
Chōjirō Sasakibe in the series ‘Bleach’ as the Lieutenant 1st Division, and Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto’s right-hand man, dies while the Wandenreich invades the Soul Society. In the first episode of the Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War arc, Sasakibe is killed by Driscoll Berci who is part of the Sternritter. The death of Sasakibe has a heavy toll on the Seireitei and Genryusai as he was a loyal trust protector of Soul Society.
Ulquiorra
❝ Oh, I get it. This is it. This here in my hand. The heart…❞
Ulquiorra Cifer of the Cuarta Espada in the “Bleach” show dies when he battles Ichigo Kurosaki in Hueco Mundo. Ulquiorra fights Ichigo fiercely and unbearably loses to him, Ichigo shooting him in the chest with his Cero. In his last scene, Ulquiorra tries to understand what a human’s “heart” means after he fails to kill Orihime Inoue. He understands the feelings that he had for Inoue which stopped him from killing her. Every man’s final words are an attempt to reveal the meaning of what the heart is before death occurs.
