Most Random Powerups In Bleach

Key Takeaways

• Ichigo’s rapid Bankai mastery defies Shinigami norms in Bleach.
• Unohana’s sudden transformation into a powerful fighter leaves fans bewildered.
• Yoruichi’s unexpected display of thunderous power lacks buildup in Bleach.

Bleach is one of the most beloved shoned anime of all time, despite some issues regarding its writing and pacing. The battles in this series are undoubtedly the best thing about Bleach, allowing fans to watch their favorite characters reach new heights in power time and time again.

However, there are times when Bleach‘s writing fails to justify some of the powerups that take place during battles. This can make for a frustrating watch as fans are forced to accept certain developments in battle that don’t feel as cathartic as they should.

8 Tensa Zangetsu

Somehow, Three Days Is All It Takes For Ichigo To Learn His Bankai

• Debut: Release! The Black Blade, the Miraculous Power (Episode 58 of Bleach)

The Soul Society arc revealed the concept of Bankai as something that Shinigami take years to master. So, it’s only fitting that the character with ridiculous plot armor manages to game the system and achieve this power in three mere days.

For what it’s worth, players get to see Ichigo’s grueling training that helps him uncover this new form, which makes his Bankai form somewhat justifiable. However, the three-day time limit is something that most people still find hard to believe, regardless of how gifted Ichigo may be at being a shinigami.

7 Retsu Unohana Revealing Her Former Title Of Kenpachi

Apparently, This Shinigami Is Strong Enough To Fight Toe-To-Toe With Zaraki

• Debut: The Battle (Episode 10 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War)

There’s no denying that the battle between Kenpachi and Unohana makes for one of the best moments in Bleach. The battle reveals many things about their shared past, with Retsu revealing herself as the former holder of the Kenpachi title.

After barely playing a role in any fight before this moment, Unohana suddenly reveals herself as one of the strongest shinigami in Bleach and dies not long after. It’s a sudden transition that fans don’t get the time to digest, since she dies before the true extent of her powers can be uncovered.

6 Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck’s True Form

Reveals Herself To Be A Powerful Arrancar Instead Of An Annoying Child

• Debut: Nel’s Secret (Episode 192 of Bleach)

At the start of the Hueco Mundo arc, Nel appears as an annoying kid who fails to pronounce Ichigo’s name correctly. However, after seeing her savior be tortured at the hands of Nnoitra Gilga, something awakens within her.

Both Ichigo and the fans are surprised to see that Nel was a powerful Arrancar who once held the title of the 3rd Espada. This revelation comes out of nowhere, and it’s a shame that she barely gets her time to shine before being relegated to a comedy character once again.

5 Toshiro Hitsugaya’s Completed Daiguren Hyorinmaru

Hitsugaya Randomly Becomes Relevant After Floundering For A Large Portion Of The Arc

• Debut: The Perfect Crimson (Chapter 670 of Bleach)

Hitsugaya’s participation in the Thousand-Year Blood War has been woefully lacking, especially since his Bankai was stolen by the Quincy. Fans of this character may be frustrated to see him on the sidelines, but he finally gets his moment to shine after his Daiguren Hyorinmaru matures.

Watching the true extent of Hitsugaya’s Bankai makes for one of the coolest visuals in the series, even if may seem rather random. It doesn’t help that Gerard Valkyrie is such an imposing force that even the full force of Hitsugaya’s powers isn’t enough to take him out, taking away some of the steam from his adult transformation.

4 Renji Abarai’s Soo Zabimaru

Renji Had To Earn The Respect Of His Zanpakuto And Learn The True Name Of His Bankai

• Debut: Rages at Ringside (Episode 18 of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War)

After his Bankai breaks, Renji finds out that his Zanpakuto never respected him enough to reveal the true nature of this Bankai to him. It’s only after some grueling training at the Royal Palace that he comes back into the fray with a reforged Zanpakuto and a new Bankai.

It may be a convenient moment, but fans don’t mind as long as Renji finally gets another meaningful victory. This character has lost the vast majority of his fights, and this win helps re-establish his credibility as one of the strongest shinigami in Bleach.

3 Yoruichi Shihoin’s Shunryu Kokubyo Senki

Yoruichi Randomly Reveals A Human-Feline Hybrid With Thunderous Power

• Debut: God of Thunder 3 (Chapter 662 of Bleach)

Yoruichi is one of the most interesting characters in Bleach, but there’s no denying that she didn’t get too many moments to shine in the Thousand-Year Blood War. As a result, there isn’t a ton of buildup before she reveals a cool-looking transformation that should’ve had more impact.

This shinigami uses her thunder powers to humiliate Askin Nakk Le Vaar, but she becomes moody in this form and fails to muster a sustained offense. It may be a cool moment for Yoruichi but can seem random for fans who didn’t see her earn this moment in Bleach.

2 Vasto Lorde Ichigo

Getting A Hole Blown In His Chest Somehow Makes Ichigo Stronger

• Debut: Ichigo Dies! Orihime, the Cry of Sorrow! (Episode 271 of Bleach)

Ichigo can be a frustrating protagonist at times. His personality is a bit too one-dimensional at times, but what fans hate the most is this character’s tendency to power up randomly without any justification. One such moment comes after he’s killed by Ulquiorra.

Most characters would die after a hole is blasted in their chest, but Ichigo is made of different gravy. Somehow, the Hollow part of his body triggers an admittedly cool transformation that comes out of nowhere to defeat Ulquiorra in a definitive fashion and is never revealed again.

1 Final Getsuga Tensho

Ichigo’s Training In The Dangai Is Random And Helps Him Become Stronger Than Ever Before

• Debut: Fierce Fighting Conclusion! Release, the Final Getsuga Tensho! (Episode 309 of Bleach)

Aizen is one of the greatest villains in shonen history, and the way his fight with Ichigo is mishandled makes for one of the biggest fumbles in Bleach that permanently tanked the series’ reputation. Realizing that Ichigo needed to up his game to tackle this foe, his dad decided to use the compromised nature of the Dangai to his advantage and help Ichigo train as much as he could in a short span of time.

The end result is one of the most unsatisfying and random powerups in Bleach history. Aizen could do no wrong up till that point, but underestimating Ichigo turned out to be his biggest mistake. He was humiliated by the Substitute Shinigami, who revealed the final form of Getsuga Tensho by transforming into a living version of his iconic attack and blasting Aizen with Mugetsu to defeat this antagonist in one fell swoop.

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  Release Date

  October 5, 2004

  Studio

  Pierrot

  Creator

  Tite Kubo

• Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War

  Release Date

  Studio

  Creator