Bleach: Every Arc, Ranked By Number Of Fights

Bleach: Every Arc, Ranked By Number Of Fights


Summary

  • Bleach arcs vary in the number of fights, with the Fullbring and Arrancar having 12, and the Blood War boasting 36.
  • The Fullbring Arc focuses on Ichigo’s character growth and lore, while the Soul Society Arc has intense battles.
  • The Hueco Mundo Arc is action-packed with iconic battles, setting the stage for intense confrontations in the series.

Considering Bleach is a shonen series, it needs to ensure that it maintains a steady flow of intense and exciting fights to keep the target audience engaged in the action. However, the amount of actual fights that happen throughout the series differs drastically between each arc in order to suit the intended tone and setting for that particular part of the story.

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The truth is though, arcs that have plenty of nail-biting encounters always make for a fun re-watch, while those with lesser can be more of a slow burn and are usually filled with lore and extensive dialogue. As a result, every arc in Bleach is still well worth checking out considering they all bring something unique to the table, but when looking at fights only, here is how they each rank in terms of their total amounts. Before jumping in, this list will not be counting the flashback arcs including Turn Back the Pendulum since these only contain one or two fights and are also very short in length.

7

Fullbring Arc

Total Fights: 12

The Fullbring Arc is undoubtedly the most divisive part of the entire series, and it ultimately boils down to the fact that it features only a handful of fights. It seems as though author Tite Kubo was going for a very different style when approaching this arc, focusing more on Ichigo as a character and his emotions after losing his Soul Reaper Powers, rather than big and stylish fight sequences.

As a result, the arc feels a lot slower and more character-focused than most others, but is still sprinkled with action here and there to keep things interesting. The Fullbring Arc is usually more recognized for its additions to the lore, and colorful cast of new characters in the Fullbringers, who show up again much later down the road.

6

Arrancar Invasion

Total Fights: 12

The Arrancar Invasion is essentially a set-up for the much bigger arcs that would come after it, but despite being quite brief in overall runtime, there are still a few exciting fights here that manage to be very unpredictable. Rukia vs D-Roy Rinker, for example, is a small skirmish that sees Rukia utilizing her Zanpakuto’s ice-based powers to freeze the Arrancar in mid-air, showcasing the true potential of her underlying power.

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A bit later on in the arc, Ikakku decides to throw out his Bankai in an attempt to fend off the Arrancar forces, which for many fans is one of the most memorable and badass power-up sequences in the entire series. This would also be the arc that saw Grimmjow utterly humiliating Ichigo and beating him to a pulp, kicking off their longstanding rivalry and teaching Ichigo that he still had a very long way to go.

5

Substitute Shinigami Arc

Total Fights: 14

The very first arc of the series would follow a monster-of-the-week kind of format for much of its runtime, which is why the majority of the battles involve members of Ichigo’s crew going up against Hollows. Considering this was the beginning of the series, many of the fights don’t feature overly complex abilities or techniques, which makes them much more straightforward to watch.

Rukia’s intense bout with the Shrieker and Ichigo’s fateful stand-off with Grand Fisher are some of the most notable battles in this introductory arc, but the surprise appearance from Renji and Byakuya at the end also leads to an intriguing interaction. Overall, while it doesn’t boast quite as many fights as some of the other arcs, Substitute Shinigami still has plenty of action to get stuck into.

4

Hueco Mundo Arc

Total Fights: 16

The Arrancar arc features some of the most iconic and recognizable battles in the series. While this would be the saga that saw Ichigo finally have his well-earned rematch against Grimmjow, it would also feature Ichigo vs Ulquiorra, which ended in the Soul Reaper’s Hollow powers taking over his entire body and soul. However, it’s not just Ichigo who gets to enjoy all the fun, as there are plenty of other stunning fights here too, including Nel vs Nnoitra, Uryu and Renji vs Szayelaporro, and Rukia vs Aaroniero.

Once the Soul reapers captains decide to enter the fray, they too get to partake in a few fights, including the battle of the minds between Byakuya and Zommari, and the ferocious duel between Kenpachi and Nnoitra. Needless to say, the Hueco Mundo arc is full of action, alongside plenty of character development, which is why it is looked back on so fondly by many fans.

3

Soul Society Arc

Total Fights: 18

Ichigo and his friends have little to no idea what they are getting themselves into once they decide to invade the Sul Society in an attempt to save Rukia. When they finally manage to actually enter, each member is thrust into a constant barrage of intense fights that only get more challenging as they go. While Chad, unfortunately, suffers a miserable defeat at the hands of Kyoraku, Ichigo, and Uryu manage to overcome some of the most powerful captains in the entire Gotei 13 with their abilities.

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As would be expected, Ichigo is the one who takes on the most opponents during this arc, from Renji to Kenpachi, and eventually his final bout with Byakuya, which would see Ichigo’s Hollow powers awaken for the very first time. Some of the battles that take place in this arc are even initiated between the Soul Reapers themselves, who begin turning on one another after Aizen fakes his death.

2

Faka Karakura Town Arc

Total Fights: 25

Once Aizen had finally made his way to Karakura Town with the intent of harvesting as many souls as possible to fulfill his plans, he was intercepted by a bunch of Soul Reaper captains and lieutenants who were not going to let him pass without a fight. Rather than taking them all on at once, Aizen initially sends his Espada to deal with the thorns in his side, resulting in plenty of epic confrontations, including Hitsugaya’s tense stand-off with Harribel and Kyoraku’s battle with Starrk; the number one Espada.

Once these warm-up fights are over, Aizen then begins slashing each Soul Reaper to pieces one by one, and orders Gin to slow down Ichigo so that he doesn’t end up getting in the way. The arc would end with the iconic climax featuring Ichigo, who was now in his Final Gestuga form, and Aizen, who had become one with the Hogyoku and was essentially a god-like being hell-bent on ruling the world.

1

The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc

Number Of Fights: 36

Considering the final arc of the series focuses on a long-awaited war between the Soul Reapers and Quincy, it only makes sense that it would be packed full of fights, some being no more than brief skirmishes, while others having drastic effects on the world and its future. For the first half of this arc, the Soul Reapers must battle with Yhwach’s army of Sternritters, who all possess their own unique powers and techniques. Because the Sternritter are able to steal the captain’s Bankai abilities, it puts the Soul Reapers on the back foot and even sees some of their most prominent members receiving humiliating losses, including Byakuya.

However, as the arc goes on, the Soul Reapers gradually start to take back control, but while all this is happening on the ground, up in the Soul Palace, an entirely different set of fights is taking place. Not only do the Schutzstaffel duke it out with Squad 0 up there, but Ichigo also confronts Yhwach, which is just one of the many times the two go at it in this particular section of the story. This isn’t even mentioning the Wahrwelt saga, which essentially acts as the final push for the Soul Reapers as they go up against some of Yhwach’s most seasoned warriors, including the mysterious Pernida and the colossal behemoth known as Gerard Valkyrie.



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