From 2004 to 2012, the Bleach anime filled screens around the world with great action, stylish animation, and long running storylines. Starting with the "Agent of the Shinigami" arc and ending with "The Lost Substitute Shinigami" arc, the series put Ichigo and friends through many a hardship. They battled Hollows, Arrancars, Shinigami, and villains of immense power.
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Yet their greatest fight was never animated due to the series cancellation. This fight extended from volumes 55 to 74 of the manga and contained numerous revelations, intense battles, and fantastic artwork. Luckily, in March of 2020 , it was announced that the anime would be returning to adapt the final arc of the manga at long last. Viewers will finally get to see how everything ends for Ichigo, the Soul Society, his friends, and their world in general.
5 The Blood Warfare
The Soul Society and their Shinigami are tasked with keeping the balance between the Human World and the Spirit World. This is far from an easy task and as such at times blood must be spilled. 1000 years prior to the start of the series, the Soul Society went to war with and wiped out the Quincy. These humans have the ability to see spirits and use Reishi to create weapons (most commonly bow and arrows) to kill hollows or other threats.
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Their actions, according to the members of the Soul Society, causes the Human and Spirit World balance to be thrown off. As such, the Gotei 13 were forced to wipe out all the Quincy with only a few select families escaping. Unbeknownst to them, the Quincy secretly grew their numbers for a millennia and waited till the time was right to strike. More than a year after the battle with Sosuke Aizen, they finally made their move and began a new war with the Soul Society.
4 The Soul Society Decimated
For all his power and master manipulation, Aizen could never annihilate the Soul Society or reach the Soul King. The King of the Wandenreich, the group of Quincy attacking, is a man named Yhwach that actually fought and lost against the Soul Society 1000 years ago. Unlike his previous defeat, this time he has come prepared and wastes no time in making a direct assault on the Soul Society. He and his top warriors, the Sternritter, do battle with the Gotei 13.
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They share a similar goal with Aizen, they also want to kill the Soul King for his lack of action and apathy towards all of existence. The Sternritter come equipped with weapons that allow their to steal Bankai, a Shinigami's most potent weapon. This allows Yhwach and his warriors to make easy work of all the captains and vice captains of the Soul Society. Ichigo and friends attempt to stop the madness and fail.
3 Isshin Comes Clean With Ichigo
One thing that Ichigo does alot in Bleach is train after he suffers defeat. He decides once again to train after his rapid loss to Yhwach, this time though he has new teachers. The mysterious members of Squad Zero or the Royal Guard reside in the palace of the Soul King and protect him from all danger. This matter with the Quincy grabs their attention and they quickly mobilize to defend the Soul King and the Soul Society as a whole.
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They take Ichigo under their wing and begin his intense training. After a realization, one member of Squad Zero cancels Ichigo's training and sends him back to the Human World. Lost and dismayed, Ichigo is confronted by his father. Isshin tell Ichigo about his past as a member of the Gotei 13 and how he met his mother Masaki.
2 Yhwach Makes a Final Assault
After taking some time to heal their wounds and formulate new battle strategies, the Gotei 13 and the Wandenreich prepare to end things. Before they even know it, Yhwach and his warriors appear from the shadows and strike. This causes the war to enter its final stages as every Gotei 13 member is pushed to their limits and beyond. Adding to this difficultly, Yhwach has taken the battle to Squad Zero and inches ever closer to the Soul King. The Sternritter use abilities that have never been seen before and at time boggle the mind. Warriors fall on both sides as the very fabric of the Soul Society itself stands on shaky ground. Old characters return and strange alliances are made. Yhwach's power grows exponentially and the final hour arrives.
1 Ichigo's Most Difficult Battle
Yhwach showcases a few amazing abilities and gains immense strength. This forces Ichigo and anyone else left with the energy to fight to engage him in a brutal, bloody battle. As expected this battle is not easy and the outcome looks quite bleak. Fortunately, a few old allies and a couple of old enemies assist in the fight knowing that the chances of victory is very slim. The war rages to a conclusion that leaves the Soul Society changed forever. The entire Bleach Universe looks far different than it did at the beginning of the arc. While this arc if long and can drag at times, it is no doubt one of the greatest in the entire series.