10 most shocking plot twists in Bleach, ranked

Tite Kubo’s Bleach revolves around the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, an orange-haired teenager capable of seeing spirits. Long considered one of Shonen Jump’s “Big Three,” alongside Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto and Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, Bleach stands out for its dynamic, energetic battles and a cast of charismatic characters.

Despite the rushed ending of the Bleach manga, the series has made a huge comeback with Bleach TYBW, the much-awaited anime adaptation of the final arc. A good portion of Bleach’s never-fading popularity comes from its trademark storytelling, packed with gripping plot twists that keep fans on the edge as they are forced to expect the unexpected.

Whether blindsiding betrayals, hidden agendas, or unexpected revelations, Bleach’s plot twists are sudden, game-changing turnarounds that unveil the true nature of certain characters to raise the stakes of the narrative, capturing the interest of fans. Read on for some of the most surprising turns of events in Kubo’s iconic story.

Ten of the greatest plot twists in Bleach, listed worst to best

10) Yammy is the Zero Espada

Yammi as the Zero Espada in the Bleach manga (Image via Shueisha)

Within the Espada, the mightiest members of Sosuke Aizen’s army of Arrancars, strength was ranked by number, following a hierarchy in which lower-numbered Espada were meant to be stronger than higher-numbered ones. So, Coyote Starrk stood out as the group’s strongest member, as evidenced by his number one and corresponding status of Primera Espada (First Espada).

That said, Yammi Llargo, who normally held the rank of Diez Espada (Tenth Espada) due to carrying the number ten, would become the Cero Espada (Zero Espada) when entering his Resurrección form. Initially dismissed as a minor and not particularly powerful character, Yammi left fans speechless when his Espada number suddenly changed as he transformed.

Yet, this twist proved disappointing as Yammi failed to pose a significant threat despite his raw power and enlarged body. He was defeated by Byakuya and Kenpachi in a largely off-screen battle, with the two seemingly showing little regard for him. For the supposedly highest-ranked Espada, or at least the one with the most powerful Reiatsu, it was an underwhelming display.

9) The Fullbring plot

Kugo Ginjo's betrayal in the Bleach manga (Image via Shueisha)

After sacrificing all of his Shinigami powers to unleash the Final Getsuga Tensho on Aizen, Ichigo Kurosaki was approached by the members of Xcution, a secretive organization led by Kugo Ginjo. Kugo and the others offered to help Ichigo regain his Shinigami powers by learning and training a unique ability called Fullbring.

As Ichigo trained with Kugo, Xcution’s true, sinister intentions surfaced. Kugo was manipulating Ichigo to steal his newly developed Fullbring and use it to empower himself and his acolytes. It’s also revealed that Kugo’s history is linked with the Soul Society, as he was the first Substitute Shinigami before Ichigo himself.

Shukuro Tsukishima’s Book of the End ability turned allies into enemies – including Ichigo’s sisters – leaving Ichigo with no one left to trust but Kugo, only for the latter to be revealed as Tsukishima’s comrade, backstab Ichigo and steal his Fullbring, in a moment which plunged the protagonist into emotional despair, shattering his spirit. Ichigo had to confront his trust in others and his vulnerabilities until he finally reclaimed his Shinigami powers.

8) Ulquiorra’s additional Resurrección

Ulquiorra in his Segunda Etapa form (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The embodiment of dread and despair, the Cuatro Espada (Fourth Espada) Ulquiorra Cifer was tasked to abduct Orihime Inoue before engaging Ichigo Kurosaki in a tremendous showdown. For Arrancars like Ulquiorra, Resurrección is the equivalent of a Shinigami’s Bankai, i.e., a released form that unleashes the fighter’s true potential.

Ulquiorra was the only Espada capable of a second transformation after the standard Resurrección. He showcased this formidable form during the fight with Ichigo, immediately overwhelming the protagonist. Fans assumed that Ulquiorra had already shown the best he could do by activating his Resurrección, Murciélago, yet he powered up again, entering the “Segunda Etapa”.

Ichigo was only able to defeat Ulquiorra after undergoing an unprecedented Hollow transformation, which he could only access after Ulquiorra wounded him. This led many fans to speculate that Segunda Etapa Ulquiorra could be the actual strongest Espada, also considering that no one else, including Aizen, knew about his additional Resurrección, and that his #4 disappeared as soon as he went Segunda Etapa.

7) Ichigo's father is a powerful Shinigami

Isshin Kurosaki killing Grand Fisher (Image via Shueisha)

After beginning his adventures as a Shinigami, Ichigo tried to keep his family in the dark, acting normal around his family and classmates. Unbeknownst to Ichigo, however, his father Isshin was already well aware of his activities, and that was by no accident, as Isshin was a powerful Shinigami himself.

The former captain of the Gotei 13’s Tenth Division, Isshin, sacrificed his Shinigami powers to save Masaki Kurosaki, who had been infected by a Hollow, to help him during a fight. Forced to remain in the Human World, Isshin adjusted to his new life, married Masaki, and opened a medical clinic.

While Bleach saved the complete reveal of Isshin’s strength for later, fans got an early taste of it during the Arrancar Arc. As the Hollow inside Ichigo awakened during the latter’s fight with Byakuya Kuchiki, Isshin’s Shinigami powers were freed from their role in uppressing it and returned to Isshin.

So, when Grand Fisher – the Hollow responsible for Masaki’s death – returned as an imperfect Arrancar and targeted Kon, who was in Ichigo’s body, Isshin appeared. Clad in his Shinigami uniform after so long, he effortlessly cut down Grand Fisher, revealing his extraordinary strength.

6) Gin betrays Aizen

Gin betrays Aizen in the Bleach manga (Image via Shueisha)

Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen abandoned the Soul Society to serve Sosuke Aizen as his most trusted subordinates. A cunning and manipulative figure, often likened to an opportunistic snake stalking his prey for the ideal moment to strike, Gin seemed entirely loyal to Aizen.

However, true to Gin’s reputation as a treacherous snake, this was a masterful deception to hide his true intentions. Driven by his love for Rangiku Matsumoto, Gin harbored a deep hatred for Aizen ever since witnessing him and some of his henchmen using the Hogyoku to steal a portion of Rangiku’s soul, nearly killing her. So, Gin resolved to kill Aizen and steal the Hogyoku from him.

He did everything he could to gain Aizen’s trust and position to get as close to him as possible. Gin kept his Bankai’s true power hidden and used it to perform a surprise attack on Aizen when the latter’s guard was down. Yet, the Hogyoku’s power thwarted Gin’s plan, preserving Aizen’s life and allowing the villain to evolve further. Aizen then brutally injured Gin, leaving him to perish.

Gin died, placing his hopes in Ichigo, and could barely interact with Rangiku, who only arrived to find his lifeless body. Despite the failure, Gin’s double treachery – first the apparent betrayal of the Soul Society, then the actual backstabbing to Aizen – was one of Bleach’s greatest plot twists, the culmination of a man who played a dangerous game with unwavering resolve, his motives hidden behind a sly, inscrutable grin.

5) The fake Yhwach

A shocked Yamamoto understands the truth (Image via Shueisha)

As the Quincy resurfaced to suddenly attack the Shinigami, the Soul Society was invaded by Yhwach and his Sternritter. The Gotei’s Captain Commander, Genryusai Yamamoto, stepped onto the battlefield to confront Yhwach, the Quincy Emperor, whom he had already defeated a millennium before.

Unleashing his Bankai, Zanka no Tachi, Yamamoto overwhelmed Yhwach with a series of devastating fiery moves. Just as Yamamoto dealt the final blow to Yhwach, however, it was revealed that he had been fighting a fake the whole time. The “Yhwach” that Yamamoto had defeated was merely Royd Lloyd, a Sternritter who used the Schrift “The Yourself” to perfectly mimic other people’s appearance, memories, and – up to a certain extent – powers.

Using Royd as a decoy to deceive and tire Yamamoto, Yhwach ensured his victory over the Captain Commander. He appeared before Yamamoto and stripped him of his Bankai, stealing it with a Quincy medallion, then mercilessly murdered the former.

It was a shocking moment that set the tone for the Thousand-Year Blood War. Yamamoto, depicted as a near-invincible fighter, was humiliated and slain, plunging the Gotei into despair as they lost their cornerstone. On the other hand, Yhwach was emphasized as a ruthless and cunning leader who exploited his opponent’s blind pride to outwit him.

4) The return of the Quincy

The Quincy suddenly resurface in the Soul Society (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The Quincy were introduced as spiritually aware Humans capable of absorbing and manipulating Reishi, their race being extinct except for Uryu Ishida and his father, Ryuken. It was stated that all the other Quincy had been wiped out in a conflict with the Soul Society about a thousand years before the present narration.

So, while it was immediately established, through Uryu, that the Quincy had a deep hatred for the Shinigami, this seemed to be a resolved threat. Until Quincy’s shocking return, that is. Late in the series, the Quincy army returned as a formidable threat when they launched a devastating assault on the Soul Society.

Led by their Emperor and Father, Yhwach, the Quincy had been hiding within the Schatten Bereich, a “Shadow Realm” they created by manipulating Reishi to create space in the Soul Society’s shadows. Hidden in this parallel realm, the Quincy waited for a thousand years before emerging to take revenge on the Shinigami, a jaw-dropping plot twist that left fans stunned.

3) Uryu's double deception

Uryu Ishida and Ichigo Kurosaki in the Bleach anime (Image via Pierrot Films)

In Bleach TYBW, Uryu, who has been Ichigo’s steadfast friend and ally through countless battles, shocked everyone by seemingly joining the Quincy’s Wandenreich. He became a Sternritter and rapidly climbed the ranks of the Quincy army as he was admitted into Yhwach’s elite guard, the Schutzstaffel, a group that only allows the most powerful Sternritter.

Yhwach even appointed Uryu as his successor, and granted him a substantial power boost as well as the outlandish Schrift ability “The Antithesis”. As the conflict between Shinigami and Quincy unfolded, Uryu clashed with his former friends, such as Ichigo and Renji, facing them in fierce battles.

Though Uryu’s actions suggested he had truly embraced a dark path, they were eventually revealed to be part of a plan to take down Yhwach, who had caused the death of Uryu’s mother, Kanae Katagiri. Driven by this burning desire for vengeance, Uryu waited for the right moment to hit back at the Quincy Emperor.

After battling Yhwach’s right-hand man, Jugram Haschwalth, Uryu teamed up with Ichigo to face Yhwach in a decisive showdown. During the fight, Uryu managed to strike Yhwach with the special arrowhead that Ryuken Ishida had forged with the silver clot left in Kanae’s heart by Yhwach’s Auswahlen. The silver arrowhead temporarily disrupted Yhwach’s powers, allowing Ichigo to finish him for good.

2) Ichigo's Quincy powers

Ichigo's unconscious Blut Vene activation in the Bleach manga (Image via Shueisha)

Already endowed with Shinigami, Hollow, and, temporarily, Fullbring powers, Ichigo uncovered another layer of strength as he was revealed to also possess latent Quincy abilities. At the beginning of Bleach, Ichigo wielded Rukia Kuchiki’s Shinigami powers, only to develop his powers with Kisuke Urahara’s help.

Since then, Ichigo’s Shinigami powers took the form of “old man” Zangetsu, a figure heavily resembling Yhwach’s appearance from a thousand years ago. Ichigo also displayed Hollow powers, due to an inner Hollow that sometimes took over his body. Zangetsu served as Ichigo’s mentor, offering him guidance and power surges in critical moments, such as the fight against Kenpachi Zaraki.

In his first confrontation with Yhwach, Ichigo unknowingly tapped into Blut Vene, a signature Quincy ability. Later, it was revealed that Zangetsu was not the embodiment of Ichigo’s Shinigami powers, but the manifestation of the Quincy powers passed down from his mother, Masaki. Yhwach addressed Ichigo as “my son lost in the darkness,” acknowledging Ichigo as part of the Quincy from Masaki.

Ichigo then awakened his real Zanpakuto, a brand-new weapon formed by the Shinigami powers he got from his father, Ishin, as well as the inner Hollow he got from Masaki, which was revealed to be the real Zangetsu. The shocking revelation of Ichigo’s Quincy lineage and forging his new, authentic Zanpakuto marked a major turnaround in the protagonist’s journey.

1) Aizen's betrayal of the Soul Society

Aizen revealing his true colors in the Bleach manga (Image via Shueisha)

Evil lurking in plain sight to strike at the most unexpected moment is a hallmark of Bleach, and nothing epitomizes it better than Sosuke Aizen’s betrayal of the Soul Society. Born with prodigious power, Aizen aimed to transcend the limits of Shinigami and claim the Soul King’s heavenly throne to rule the universe.

Thus, Aizen pretended to be a humble and gentle Gotei Captain, hiding his true self while advancing his grand plan. He projected an image of kindness to conceal his true intentions, and when his experiments with the reality-shaping Hogyoku and the Shinigami’s Hollowfication were exposed, he laid the blame on Kisuke Urahara.

He then orchestrated a series of events involving Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki to seize the Hogyoku that Urahara had created and hid in Rukia’s body. Using the hypnotic abilities of his Shikai, Kyoka Suigetsu, Aizen sowed chaos in the Soul Society, causing an internal struggle only to exploit it for his ends.

Finally, he revealed his true colors in style, dropping the act to openly defy the Soul Society. The stunning reveal was perfectly timed, with the previous “death” being erased from the seemingly inexplicable “resurrection”. Aizen’s blend of calm confidence, intellectual superiority, and overwhelming power cemented him as a formidable antagonist and iconic mastermind.

From the mind-blowing deception to the way Aizen belittled everyone when he showed his true colors, this betrayal shocked fans and characters alike, standing as the bigger plot twist in Bleach and one of all fiction’s finest.