The Best Kenpachi Fights, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Kenpachi’s reckless fighting style leads to memorable battles but also showcases his faults as a combatant.
• Kenpachi’s thirst for battle drives him to face formidable foes and even his own comrades, proving his raw strength.
• Kenpachi’s evolution in combat is evident in battles where he unleashes new powers and techniques, showcasing his growth.

Nobody in the Soul Society loves the thrill of an intense battle quite like Zaraki Kenpachi. This wild and reckless captain is concerned with one thing; finding anyone who he deems as strong enough to give him a good fight, and throughout the course of Bleach, he’s encountered several enemies who have had varying degrees of success in satisfying Kenpachi’s appetite.

While most of the Gotei 13 captains tend to be more calm and calculated in their battles, most of Kenpachi’s fights involve him throwing everything he has at his foe as soon as possible in order to test their strength once the battle officially kicks off. While it’s therefore always enjoyable to see him going all-out, there’s even been a few cases where Kenpachi has unleashed new powers and techniques during his fights, which also goes a long way in making them memorable.

8 Kenpachi VS Pernida

A Rare But Intriguing Showcase Of Kenpachi’s Faults As A Combatant

Admittedly, it’s Mayuri who does the majority of the fighting against Pernida, but Kenpachi’s small skirmish with the mysterious cloaked Sternritter does still say quite a bit about his character, primarily his faults. Kenpachi, without even a second thought, lunges towards Pernida upon seeing him, despite Mayuri warning him otherwise. This eventually leads to his arm being completely shredded, though Kenpachi doesn’t seem to care, instead being more focused on the enemy standing right in front of him.

It’s also only after Kenpachi tries to land a strike that he asks Mayuri what exactly Pernida even is, which just goes to show how he tends to act before he speaks which could land him in deep trouble if the enemy were a formidable foe. It’s usually a given Kenpachi will come out the victor in his fights, but his encounter with Pernida proved his hot-headed nature can get the better of him at times.

7 Kenpachi VS Tosen

Kenpachi Proves That He’s More Than Willing To Fight His Own Comrades If They Get In His Way

Throughout the Soul Society arc, each of the Gotei 13 captains and lieutenants are given their own time in the spotlight to showcase who they are, what they stand for, and how loyal they truly are to the Seireitei as a whole. Though Tosen’s firm belief in justice overshadowed his loyalties, Kenpachi is simply obsessed with battle, so when the two inevitably clash, it leads to a brief, but still memorable fight that puts Kenpachi’s monstrous strength on full display.

The fact Kenpachi mocks the strength of both Tosen and Komamura, two of his fellow captains, shows that all he cares about at this point in the story is power, and nothing more. However, Kenpachi also manages to outsmart Tosen, even escaping his Bankai which cuts off the opponent’s senses, showing that he does still have a few brains to match his brawn.

6 Kenpachi VS Yammy

A Duel Against A Brutal Giant Puts Kenpachi’s Raw Strength On Full Display

One thing to know about Kenpachi is he’s a character who will never cower away from an opponent, no matter how big or powerful they may be. Nowhere was this made more clear than when he willingly approached Yammy, who by that point in the story had revealed himself to be the Number 0 Espada, or in other words, the strongest of the pack.

The fact Kenpachi hurled himself at Yammy so willingly proved that he was still up for putting himself in danger, so long as he could relieve his itch for battle. He was also prepared to take on Byakuya during this skirmish, reminding viewers that he is willing to do battle with his comrades if he views them as a worthy opponent, or if they get in his way.

5 Kenpachi & Byakuya & Hitsugaya VS Gerard Valkyrie

A Fight Full Of Power-Ups And Epic Moments

Similarly to his battle with Yammy, Kenpachi’s face-off with Sternritter Gerard Valkyrie sees him taking on a giant, though that doesn’t scare him away or make him hesitant to partake in the fight alongside Byakuya and Hitsugaya. Instead, Kenpachi decides to get creative as he runs up Gerard’s massive blade and deals devastating blows to his newfound foe that only someone with his level of raw strength could muster.

This is also a fight where Kenpachi gets to wield his blade, Nozarashi, as it would be used traditionally rather than simply swinging it around without a care in the world. It’s also just a feast for the eyes to see Kenpachi’s long-awaited Bankai unleashed as part of the battle, showing just how far his relationship with his Zanpakuto has come since those early episodes.

4 Kenpachi VS Nnoitra

Kenpachi Is Pushed To His Limit And Is Forced To Unveil His Hidden Power

Just as Nnoitra is about to land the finishing blow on Ichigo, none other than Kenpachi swoops in to save the day, and it’s fair to say he has his work cut out for him when taking on this Espada. This is the first time Kenpachi is seen in the series becoming a little worried that he might die, bringing out a side of him that is rarely ever seen by the captain.

However, it also highlighted that the longer Kenpachi fights, the more bloodthirsty he becomes. A standout moment from this battle is when Kenpachi decides to use both of his hands when swinging his Zanpakuto, admitting it was never really “His thing”, but after trying it out, he unleashes a devastating blow to Nnoitra. It’s a clever way of showcasing how unorthodox Kenpachi’s fighting style is, alongside a subtle hint at the absurd levels of power he is yet to unlock.

3 Kenpachi VS Ichigo

The First Real Showcase Of The Bloodthirsty ‘Monster’ Known As Kenpachi

Kenpachi’s first major fight in the series is one that longtime Bleach fans will always remember for how ruthless and one-sided it was, at least, for the first half. The weight of Kenpachi’s Spiritual Pressure forces Ichigo to run away for the first portion of the fight, before Kenpachi then teases the protagonist by offering him the chance to get a free attack on him. Considering Ichigo had slowly been working his way up in terms of power level, to see him get utterly humiliated by Kenpachi was a great way to showcase how absurdly powerful, but also terrifying, the latter is.

The reveal of Kenpachi’s bells, which give his opponents a chance to figure out where he is and when he’s going to strike, also showcased how Kenpachi was strong enough to afford to toy with his prey in the middle of battle. Though Ichigo does eventually muster up enough power to take Kenpachi down, the captain’s persona as being a bloodthirsty and violent warrior with no remorse for his enemies all started right here.

2 Kenpachi VS Unohana

Kenpachi Must Prove His Worth To Hold The Title Of Kenpachi

When it comes to visual spectacle, Kenpachi’s bout with Unohana is one of the best battles in all of Bleach, but there’s also a lot being said about Kenpachi’s character throughout this fight too. Though he starts off with his usual glee at being able to fight someone on his level, there are moments where Kenpachi ponders whether he’s gotten weaker and whether he truly is worthy of being called Kenpachi, which isn’t something he’s ever really cared about before.

This was also one of the only times where Kenpachi faces off against someone he respects, providing an intriguing insight into how his mindset and fighting style change when up against a familiar foe. Kenpachi’s epic battle with Unohana was also the fight that made him strong enough to take on the powerful members of the Sternritter he would face later down the line.

1 Kenpachi VS Gremmy

Gremmy’s Imaginative Powers Force Kenpachi To Unleash Everything He Has In A Dazzling Battle

Kenpachi’s duel against the imaginative Sternritter Gremmy is a battle that developed the captain’s character in many ways. Almost as soon as the battle begins, Kenpachi proudly proclaims himself as ‘The Kenpachi’ which highlights how he has finally begun taking the title seriously after his bloody confrontation with Unohana only a few episodes earlier.

Additionally, Kenpachi also unleashes brand new abilities during this fight in an attempt to counteract Gremmy, who is capable of turning anything he imagines into a reality. Needless to say, this pushes Kenpachi to his limit, forcing him to unleash his Zanpakuto to slash a literal meteor into pieces. He even manages to use his brute strength to break out of a sealed vacuum in space. This is a fight that showcases that, while Kenpachi has matured and accepted his newfound responsibility after the loss of Unohana, that killer instinct is still very much alive and well beneath the surface.