Bleachis one of the most popular anime ever, initially bringing in millions of fans back in the mid-2000s because of its style and action. Despite taking a seriously long hiatus, the anime finally returned in 2022, with seasons adapting the final story arc. While the anime may not be finished, fans can get a good grasp on all the arcs, making now a perfect time to compare them all and see which is best.This list will not include any filler arcs.
Depending on who fans ask, there can be anywhere between 5 and 21Bleacharcs, but for the sake of this list, it isbreaking them down into the official seven arcs: Agent of the Shinigami, Soul Society, Arrancar Invasion, Hueco Mundo, Fake Karakura Town, The Lost Substitute Shinigami, and Thousand Year Blood War. This list will rankBleach’sbest arcs based onfan opinion, critical acclaim, writing, animation, action, pacing, and story.
7Agent of the Shinigami
Episodes 1-20
It feels wrong to put the firstBleacharc in the last spot since it was every fan’s introduction to the series. By introducing the audience to Ichigo, his peculiar situation, and the world, fans got a good grasp on the world and what the story would entail. Despite focusing on the supernatural, Bleach went to the action quickly by introducing Rukia and giving her powers to Ichigo. With his new Shinigami powers and Zanpakuto, Ichigo battles the dangerous Hollows that threaten his town and friends.
The Agent of the Shinigami arc isn’t bad, but it just doesn’t have enough to compete with the rest ofBleach’sarcs. It wasa great foundation, but the urban fantasy vibe should have been explored more. There is nothing wrong with Agent of the Shinigami, as every bit of the arc was entertaining and got fans excited for the future.Bleachhas some of the best anime music, and this arc was fans' first taste. The story and characters were the best thing about this arc, and it was a good introduction to what would come later.
6The Lost Substitute Shinigami
Episodes 346-366
The Lost Substitute Shinigami arc was the last one beforeBleach’s cancelation, giving fans a unique viewpoint about it. Over a year after Ichigo and the Soul Society defeated Aizen and the Arrancars, he decided to regain his Shinigami powers, which he lost in the fight. Enlisting the help of the Fullbringers, Ichigo attempts to reclaim what he lost but encounters a new foe. The very one he sought help from turned out to be an enemy, using Ichigo to fulfill their evil desires.
The Lost Substitute Shinigami arc isarguably the most polarizing in the series, as many fans love it, and many fans hate it. Overall, mixing opinions places the arc near the bottom, but that doesn’t mean it is terrible. The Lost Substitute Shinigami archas many pros, mainly the villains and character development, which provided fans with a fascinating character-focused story. Unfortunately, thisanime arc dragged on for too long, and it waspart of the reason they canceledBleach. It lost fans' interest after the grand battle against Aizen.
5Hueco Mundo
Episodes 132-167 and 190-205
The Arrancar saga is broken into three parts: the Invasion, Hueco Mundo, and Fake Karakura Town, each with pros or cons. Hueco Mundo followed the introduction and dealt with the hype of a new set of characters. With Orihime’s disappearance and everyone’s training complete, they head to the Mexican-inspired location to stop the Arrancar. Some friendly Arrancar help the group find their way to the stronghold, where they have to battle countless Arrancar, ranging from weak to powerful, in order to find and save Orihime.
The Hueco Mundo arc is all over the placeand mainly finds itself near the bottom because of the first section. There is a lot of running around and fighting weak opponents, taking up too much time and dampening the amount of hype fans had. Compared to the rest of theBleacharcs, which are around 20-40 episodes, this one is around 50 episodes.The pacing isn’t great, but everything made sense when the arc entered its second phase. This arc contains some of the best fights inBleachand themost epic action in anime, with Ichigo versus Grimmjow and Kenpachi versus Nnoitra. This arc would have been higher if this iconic fight had happened much sooner.
4Arrancar Invasion
Episodes 110-131
After Aizen’s and some other Soul Society captains' betrayals in the previous arc, the Arrancar Invasion was the setup for the eventual grand battle. It is the first part of the Arrancar Saga, which introduces a slew of characters, from the Arrancars to the Visoreds. After Ichigo and the other captains utterly lose, they begin their training arc. They reveal Aizen’s grand plan and that the Visoreds are defiant Shinigami, making them the perfect teachers for Ichigo.
This arc lands in the middle part strictly becausethere is nothing wrong with it; no noticeable flaws or massive plot holes.The Arrancar Invasion arc is the most consistent in the series, constantly providing entertaining and essential content. However, there isn’t anything groundbreaking about this arc either; it isthe ideal training/setup arc that doesn’t offend or amaze. From the downtime to school-related antics to training to fighting weaker Arrancar, this arc was a solid experience with a little bit of everything. The Arrancar Invasion is short and sweet and doesn’t overstay its welcome, making it themost underratedBleacharc.
3Fake Karakura Town
Episodes 213-229 and 266-316
The Arrancar Saga had its ups and downs, and the final part encapsulates that saying perfectly. With Aizen about to enact his plan and destroy Karakura Town and the world, the Captains and Visoreds come together to put up one final fight. While they hold off the top three Arrancars, Ichigo finishes his battle with Ulqiorra, making his way to the battlefield as well. In a fateful duel, all the strongest characters battle each other, concluding the epic saga.
Fake Karakura Town, like mostBleacharcs, isexceptionally polarizing, mainly because of its inconsistent pacing and moments. A lot of the early stages amount to nothing, with boring fights against no-name characters. However, it is still a treat to watch the Captains get their shine. But this arc makes its way up here because of the second half, which has some of thestrongestBleachcharactersfighting, including Ichigo versus Ulqiorra, Shunsui versus Coyote Stark, and, of course, Ichigo versus Aizen. Despite a slow first half, Fake Karakura Town ended with a bang by providinginsightful character moments, hype battles, and stellar animation.
2Thousand-Year Blood War
Episodes 367-406 (so far)
After over a decade of waiting,Bleachfinally returned to conclude the last arc, and while it isn’t over at the time of writing this list, the Thousand-Year Blood War is already phenomenal. With everything seemingly back to normal, the resurgence of the Quincies throws everyone in for a loop, with them declaring war on the Soul Society and Ishida joining them. This action brings the Shinigami into action, hoping to stop their plan of resetting the world out of revenge.
There will at least be one more season for this arc, and while there are mixed reviews for the manga ending, fans are sure the anime will do it justice.Tite Kubois working with the staff to deliver new and improved content, meaningthe anime ending might be even better than the manga. While this last season determines whether it moves to the top spot or goes down a notch, everything fans have seen so far is perfect.The animation is out of this world, highlighting some of themost beautiful Bankai inBleachwith crisp and gorgeous art. It has some of the best fights in the series, including Yamamoto versus Yhwach, Ichigo versus Yhwach, and countless Shinigami versus Quincies. The direction, production, animation, and action are all top-tier, makingBleachone of thebest anime series of 2024.
1Soul Society
Episodes 21-63
Some fans may disagree, stating that Thousand-Year Blood War is better, butSoul Society is the complete package. After the introduction arc, the Soul Society arc captured Rukia after committing the crime of giving powers to a human. Unhappy with this action, Ichigo and his friends invade the Soul Society to rescue her, fighting against countless Shinigami and Captains in what seems like an impossible task. There may be someweakBleachBankai, but the action was impeccable.
While the Thousand-Year Blood War arc is bigger and has better animation, Soul Society is whenBleachreally took off. It has a simple story, but this approach makes iteffective in telling the plot, showcasing beautiful character moments, and letting the story breathe. Despite not having stunning animation, every fight was a well-choreographed and epic duel, challenging each opponent in a suspenseful brawl. From Ikkaku to Kenpachi to Byakuya, Ichigo fought some powerful opponents. The Soul Society arc hasthe perfect blend of nostalgia, story, and action, creating an entertaining journey that became one of thebest arcs in anime.
