Most Underrated Captains In Bleach

Key Takeaways

• Captains in Bleach are powerful, but some are underrated despite playing critical roles in protecting the Soul Society.
• Characters like Rojuro, Soi Fon, and Ukitake deserve more credit for their strengths and sacrifices.
• Mayuri may seem crazy, but he proves to be a hero in the Thousand-Year Blood War, saving many lives.

In the world of Bleach, a captain is a high-ranking member of the Soul Society, who is defined by their immense strength and potential to unleash a powerful Bankai technique. Throughout the series, each of the Gotei 13 have had their own time in the spotlight and have all proven their worth as captains, though some have admittedly been more appreciated than others.

Whether it’s due to a lack of screen time, being overshadowed by their comrades, or even just not having a flashy enough design, there have been several captains who have struggled to reach the same level of fame as the likes of fan favorites like Byakuya or Hitsugaya. This is despite the fact that most of these characters have played a huge part in helping to protect the Soul Society from danger, making them rather underrated when taking their efforts into account.

7 Rojuro Otoribashi

Despite A Lack Of Screen Time, Rojuro Still Shows Himself To Be A Formidable Combatant

• First Appearance: Episode 122

Though Rojuro, also commonly known as Rose, was a former captain by the time Bleach‘s story begins, he then reclaims his position after the defeat of Aizen and leading into the Thousand-Year Blood War. Though he actually doesn’t show up on screen all that much, Rojuro often gets a bad rep because of his Bankai scene, where he willingly tells his opponent Masc de Masculine exactly how his unique ability works, only for Masc to counter him straight after.

However, a lot of credit does still need to be given to Rojuro, considering how strong he actually is. His Bankai, Kinshara Butodan, allows the user to create illusions through the use of music, with Rojuro himself even claiming it can trick his enemies into not breathing when pulled off successfully. Rojuro’s creative Bankai, paired with his special abilities as a member of the Vizored, make him a genuinely fascinating combatant; it’s just unlucky that he was forced to go up against a Sternritter as immensely strong as Masc de Masculine.

6 Soi Fon

Soi Fon Has Taken Down Her Fair Share Of Tough Opponents, Even Though She’s Often Overshadowed

• First Appearance: Episode 24

A major reason why Soi Fon can seem so forgettable at times is because of her likeness to Yoruichi. While the two are incredibly quick and deadly assassins in their own right, Yoruichi’s witty personality and unique powers make her quite a bit more interesting than her student, though that isn’t to suggest that Soi Fon hasn’t still proven to be an incredibly useful asset to the Gotei 13.

During the Fake Karakura Town, for example, her explosive Bankai and agile movements allowed her to even hold off Barragan for a little while, the being who was once known as the king of Hueco Mundo. Not just that, but she was also able to hold her own against BG-9, who could have taken many more lives if he hadn’t been stopped during the initial Quincy invasion.

5 Kaname Tosen

He May Be Remembered As A Villain, But Tosen Had One Of The Best Backstories Of Any Captain

• First Appearance: Episode 24

Kaname is often remembered as being one of Aizen’s lackeys after he betrayed the Soul Society, but there was once a time when this blind swordsman held the position of captain of Squad 9. Though he is, therefore, only a captain for a short while, there’s still a good amount of backstory given to Kaname, which makes him a much more interesting character than some might think.

Kaname’s goal ever since he was young was to become a shinigami and bring peace to the world by enacting justice, while spilling as little blood as possible in the process. Compared to a lot of the captains, this is one of the more heartwarming motivations for him becoming a Soul Reaper, though it can be easy to forget this, since he is often seen serving out Aizen’s orders for much of the series.

4 Sajin Komamura

Komamura Doesn’t Get Enough Credit For How Much He Sacrifices To Keep His Friends Safe

• First Appearance: Episode 24

Komamura is another one of those captains who doesn’t get quite as much prominence as his comrades, though when he does show up, he always goes the extra mile to protect his allies in any way he can. During the Fake Karakura Town, for example, it is Komamura who comes to the aid of both Ikkaku and Iba, blocking the attacks of Choe Neng Po to ensure that the Soul Reapers don’t suffer any more casualties than they need to.

His ultimate sacrifice comes later in the story, though, during the second Quincy Invasion. Though he initially charges straight for Yhwach’s base, Komamura stops along the way to prevent the Sternritter Bambietta from continuing her massacre of the lowly Soul Reapers. Komamura not only unleashes his Bankai, but he also unveils his humanoid form, which eventually causes him to turn back into a wolf as punishment. The captain did all of this just to make sure his allies had one less formidable enemy to deal with on the battlefield, and for that, he’s a highly undervalued member of the Gotei 13.

3 Joshiro Ukitake

Ukitake’s Ultimate Sacrifice To Stabilize The Three Worlds Makes Him A Crucially Underrated Character

• First Appearance: Episode 24

Whenever Ukitake shows up in the Bleach story, a lot of the time, he is accompanied by his best buddy, Kyoraku. Kyoraku’s vibrant design and flamboyant personality often overshadow Ukitake, who’s characterized as being much more stoic and solemn. Despite being a little bland in personality, it’s hard to deny that Ukitake has made some genuinely heroic strides in saving the Soul Society and its people from danger.

A prime example of this comes during the second half of the Thousand-Year Blood War, where Ukitake willingly gives his life to shield the Soul King after he is split in two. Without this sacrifice, the three worlds would have collided, and the Bleach story would have ended right there and then. So, while Ukitake can sometimes blend into the background, he still deserves a lot more credit than he often gets.

2 Genryusai Yamamoto

Yamamoto’s Failures Shouldn’t Overshadow How Much He’s Contributed To The Soul Society

• First Appearance: Episode 24

Despite being, without a doubt, the strongest captain by a country mile, Yamamoto doesn’t get too many opportunities to show off his powers throughout the series. Even when he does, it often comes at his own expense, such as during his epic bout with Yhwach where it’s revealed he had been unleashing his Bankai on a clone the entire time, making him look a little foolish.

It can, therefore, be easy to criticize Yamamoto, especially since he’s also been shown to be very stern and even hostile towards his own captains at times. It’s worth remembering, though, that it was Yamamoto who founded the Gotei 13 in the first place. While they were largely seen as criminals to begin with, Yamamoto has been the one to oversee the group and facilitate its progression and modernization over the last few centuries.

1 Mayuri Korutsuchi

A Crazy Scientist Who Turns Out To Be The Hero Of The Thousand-Year Blood War

• First Appearance: Episode 24

When Mayuri is first introduced during the Soul Society arc, he comes across as little more than a maniacal scientist who is by far the most morally corrupt of all the Gotei 13. As a result, many people dismissed him as a dangerous psychopath who was only capable of spreading chaos and destruction, but the truth is that Mayuri’s twisted mind has seen him save the other captains, and even the entire Soul Society, on more than a few occasions.

This is especially apparent during the Thousand-Year Blood War where Mayuri is the one who not only finds out that the invaders are of Quincy origin, but also that they can steal Bankai. Additionally, Mayuri single-handedly defeats an army of zombies who would have infested the entire Soul Society under Giselle’s command. On top of that, he even saved numerous captains from death, including Zaraki Kenpachi. He was also instrumental in building the gateway to the Soul Palace near the end of the story. It can be easy to dismiss Mayuri as yet another crazy scientist who’s lost his marbles, but in truth, the captain does a lot of heavy lifting for the Gotei 13, especially later on in the series.