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Bleach fans will never forget the Soul Society arc, which still stands as a fan-favorite anime saga even after all this time. Viewers enjoyed the stunning exploration of an exotic new world, meeting new Soul Reapers of all kinds, and certainly the power-ups and battles. While the Agent of the Shinigami arc had some solid fights, such as Ichigo battling Shrieker and Grand Fisher, the fights in the Soul Society arc were on a whole new level.
Uryu Ishida had an emotionally charged showdown with Captain Kurotsuchi while Chad tried his best against Captain Kyoraku, and Ichigo Kurosaki himself had the best battles of all. From the very start, he was ready to take on anyone and everyone who stood between him and rescuing Rukia Kuchiki, and sure enough, he got into a few scraps on the way there. A few of them were battles for the sake of it, while other clashes were highly personal and made all the difference in those characters’ lives.
10 Jidanbo Didn't Think Ichigo Would Hit so Hard
Debut Episode: "Enter! The World of the Shinigami"
Ichigo demonstrated his compassionate side when he fought people like Jidanbo in the famed Soul Society arc, whom he aimed to pacify but not seriously harm. This particular fight was also the first time Ichigo was seen using Zangetsu in a proper fight, and it made a fine impression on Bleach fans. The battle was brief and rather straightforward, but the Soul Society arc was still warming up at the time.
The enormous Jidanbo was one of the Seireitei’s gate guardians, an ax-wielding man who was astonished to watch Ichigo destroy his axes. Jidanbo even cried about it, but if tears were Jidanbo’s biggest consequence of the fight, then he was in good shape. Unfortunately, Ichigo didn’t reach the gate before Captain Gin Ichimaru made Ichigo’s victory moot and pushed him away with his shikai.
9 Ganju and Ichigo Fought Without Realizing They're Actually Family
Debut Episode: "The Man Who Hates Shinigami"
Not all of Ichigo’s fights in the Soul Society story arc were serious battles to the finish, nor should have they been. Sometimes, Ichigo expresses his punk side with silly fights, and such was the case when he met Ganju Shiba in the Rukon District. Ganju was a ruffian riding a boar named Bonney, and at once, Ichigo knew he couldn’t stand Ganju. They came to barehanded blows, and later, they fought once again.
The second fight was interrupted when Ganju’s older sister Kukaku forcibly intervened, allowing the team to focus on getting into the Seireitei via Kukaku’s kido cannon. The funny part was that Ganju and Kukaku were Ichigo’s cousins on Ichigo’s father’s side, but they didn’t know it. Thus, the Shibas and Kurosakis had a rough reunion, even though they did help each other.
8 Ikkaku Thought He Was Fortunate to Face Ichigo in the Seireitei
Debut Episode: "Formation! The Worst Tag"
After Kukaku used her kido talents to get Ichigo’s team into the Seireitei, Ichigo started fighting actual Soul Reapers en route to Rukia’s prison tower. First, Ichigo went up against the 3rd seat officer of squad 11, the battle-loving Ikkaku Madarame. Bleach fans might say Ikkaku was a preview of his Captain, since both of them wanted to fight Ichigo for the sake of it and savor the clash of wills.
Ikkaku also released one of the first shikai ever seen in Bleach aside from Renji’s, revealing the next form of Hozukimaru. With it, Ikkaku put the hurt on Ichigo, but Bleach‘s star prevailed with sheer force. That was the first time viewers were certain that Ichigo was strong enough to save Rukia, since defeating Jidanbo felt too easy. Ikkaku also became one of many Soul Reaper allies of Ichigo’s later, with him taking part in the Hitsugaya Advance Team in Karakura Town, where Ichigo lived.
7 Renji Fought to Uphold His Captain's Orders
Debut Episode: "Kon's Great Plan"
Ichigo had already faced Lieutenant Renji Abarai of squad 6 before in the world of the living, a clash that established them as shonen-style rivals. The two of them traded blows once again in the Soul Society arc, with Renji being Ichigo’s next serious opponent after Ikkaku. And this time, the fight was far more personal, since both contestants had ties to Rukia, the girl who held the entire arc together.
Just the way Ikkaku was a preview of Kenpachi, Renji was a preview of Byakuya. Like his Captain, Renji had a personal link to Rukia but had forced himself to set that bond aside to do his duty. Renji fought hard for duty’s sake, but he was eventually bested, and that was his redemption. Renji realized he had been wrong to defend Rukia’s execution, and pleaded with Ichigo to save his friend no matter what.
6 Kenpachi Was Overjoyed to Face a Worthy Foe Among the Ryoka
Debut Episode: "Gin Ichimaru's Shadow"
Ichigo’s battles in the Soul Society arc kept escalating until he was fighting Captains, who were simply too strong for a human with no bankai to defeat. At least, that’s what it seemed like when Ichigo went up against Captain Kenpachi Zaraki of squad 11, a fight that began on a bizarre note. Kenpachi’s spiritual pressure and will were much harder, meaning when Ichigo tried to cut Kenpachi’s chest, Ichigo’s hand was injured instead.
This was a battle of serious growth for Ichigo, who was nearly killed before he was forced to confront Zangetsu’s spirit and recognize him as a trusted ally, not a tool. That was the first step toward Ichigo fully understanding the nature and origins of his powers, and that power of friendship helped him defeat Kenpachi in a serious upset. Similarly, Kenpachi was motivated to get stronger as well, hoping to learn his own zanpakuto’s name.
5 Byakuya Faced Ichigo Twice, First On the Prison Bridge
Debut Episode: "Kon's Great Plan"
Captain Byakuya Kuchiki was another Soul Reaper whom Ichigo had fought in the world of the living, but that fight was just a one-sided beatdown. Meanwhile, in the Soul Society story arc, Ichigo fought two more fights against Byakuya that proved to be much fairer. The first battle of theirs in the Soul Society arc took place on the bridge leading to Rukia’s prison tower.
This fight was a short one, and it was interrupted when Yoruichi stepped in and sealed Byakuya’s shikai with a long cloth. The fight wasn’t meaningless, though, since it proved Ichigo could handle Byakuya’s flash step, a development that shocked squad 6’s Captain. The fight also pressured Yoruichi to make a serious gamble and ask Ichigo to master bankai in three days — or else.
4 Marechiyo Didn't Stand a Chance Against Ichigo's Shikai
Debut Episode: "Renji's Confrontation"
On the day of Rukia’s execution, Ichigo fought three of the Soul Reaper Lieutenants, and all of them swiftly fell to their Ryoka opponent. They were little more than jobbers to show how far Ichigo had come since he trained with Yoruichi, and he only needed shikai and his bare fists to defeat them. The first to feel Ichigo’s wrath was Lieutenant Marechiyo Omaeda of squad 2.
Marechiyo had barely activated his shikai before Ichigo pummeled him in the gut, sending Marechiyo reeling. Looking back, it’s clear Marechiyo was taking Ichigo far too lightly, since he has swift and tricky, like his Captain. Marechiyo can move like an assassin despite his hulking frame, but he didn’t use any of those well-honed skills during the clash on Sokyoku Hill.
3 Chojiro's Shikai Was No Good Against Ichigo's Bare-Handed Strike
Debut Episode: "Renji's Confrontation"
More than once, Lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe of squad 1 held back or underestimated his opponents in Bleach, and paid a stiff price for it each time. Later on in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, he wasn’t prepared to fight Driscoll Berci and was crushed, which cost him his life. However, Ichigo showed gruff mercy when he took his turn to battle Yamamoto’s Lieutenant.
Chojiro activated his rapier-like shikai to face Ichigo on Sokyoku Hill, but he had no chance to use it. Ichigo took Chojiro out of the fight with a bare-handed blow to the chin, a bloodless way to make sure Chojiro couldn’t intervene with Ichigo’s rescue. There’s no doubt Chojiro felt disgraced after losing so easily when Yamamoto was counting on him, but at least he had no scars to show for it.
2 Isane Wasn't Ready to Face Ichigo in Battle
Debut Episode: "Overcome Your Limits!"
Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu of squad 4 was one of the three Lieutenants who faced Ichigo on Sokyoku Hill, and she stood no more of a chance than Marechiyo or Omaeda did. In fact, it was rather odd for Isane to be there at all, seeing how her expertise lays in kido, not offense. Isane’s shikai, Itegumo, looks so pitifully weak, Bleach fans might wonder why she bothered releasing it when facing Ichigo.
Isane couldn’t do much before Ichigo knocked her away with a bloodless attack, taking Isane out of the fight at once. Once she fell, Ichigo was ready to move on to Byakuya himself, and Isane had no intention of getting back up to interfere with Ichigo a second time. Later in Bleach‘s story, Isane wisely didn’t try to attack anyone, instead using her kido to support the Gotei 13.
1 Aizen Was the Surprise Villain Who Turned the Soul Society Arc Upside Down
Debut Episode: "14 Days Before Rukia's Execution"
The supervillain Sosuke Aizen, then the Captain of squad 5, seemingly returned from the dead to terrorize everyone at Sokyoku Hill after Ichigo had already fought Byakuya to a draw. Ichigo’s odds of defeating Aizen were vanishingly small, whether or not fans factored in Ichigo’s heavy injuries, but Bleach‘s star didn’t dare run. He had to protect Rukia at any cost, so he and Renji teamed up against Byakuya.
For a precious moment, it seemed Ichigo and Renji had a chance at scoring a nasty blow on Aizen, but it was for naught. Aizen casually swept aside their joint attack and badly injured both opponents, then moved on to seizing the Hogyoku hidden n Rukia’s chest. Ichigo had thoroughly lost, but at least he survived to fight again, eventually launching a second rescue mission in Bleach‘s next saga.
