Any hit shonen title is going to have some cool action scenes, with swords, magic, fists, sports and more, and in the case of Bleach, hero Ichigo Kurosaki has claimed victory over many a foe with his zanpakuto, Zangetsu. He is a substitute Soul Reaper, sworn to slay hollows and take on any villain who threatens the peace. And there are more than a few villains to face.
Ichigo has had more fight scenes than any other character in Bleach, and he's faced hollows, Soul Reapers, Arrancars and Quincy alike. But which of his fight scenes are the most intense, creative, dramatic and overall awesome of them all? The following are Ichigo's top action scenes, in order.
10 Ichigo Vs Grand Fisher
This was Ichigo's most challenging battle where a conventional hollow is involved. Grand Fisher may not be a Menos, but he is a powerful hollow with a unique trick: he uses a shapeshifting lure to trick his enemies into lowering their guard.
Ichigo had a history with this monster since it was Grand Fisher that killed Masaki Kurosaki. Ichigo didn't win this fight, but it was gratifying to see him fight so hard to try and slay his mother's killer, and the personal drama really drove this fight.
9 Ichigo Vs Renji Abarai
This was one of the most consequential fight scenes during the Soul Society arc, and it has a personal edge, too. Ichigo and his friends infiltrated the Soul Society to rescue Rukia from her cruel fate, and Renji made sure to stand in their way with his sword drawn.
Renji was acting on Captain Byakuya Kuchiki's behalf, to defend Soul Reaper law. But after fighting him to a draw, Ichigo convinced Renji to step aside and see things his way, and Renji reluctantly agreed. Rukia was Renji's old friend, and how he was cheering Ichigo on.
8 Ichigo Vs Grimmjow (2nd Fight)
Ichigo clashed with the aggressive Arrancar Grimmjow three different times, and the first time, Ichigo suffered a serious loss. But the tables turned when Grimmjow confronted Ichigo a month later one afternoon, and Ichigo was ready for him.
By now, Ichigo has Visored training on his side, and for the first time, he properly used his hollow mask and put Grimmjow on the back foot during a brutal match. Unfortunately, Ichigo's mask soon shattered and Grimmjow regained the upper hand, but at least Ichigo had proof of concept where control of his mask was concerned.
7 Ichigo Vs Quilge Opie
Aizen's Arrancar army was gone, but a new threat had arisen: the Wandenreich. This was the Quincy empire, and Ichigo faced one of the elite Sternritter on the sands of Hueco Mundo: Quilge Opie. This was a fight unlike any he'd fought before.
As a Quincy, Quilge could use Hirenkyaku and absorb spirit particles from his surroundings, to fuel his powerful arrows. Ichigo had a rough time against Quilge's power at first, but with bankai on his side, he soon put Quilge on the defensive, and an unknown party (Grimmjow, it turned out) finished off Quilge for good.
6 Ichigo Vs Kenpachi Zaraki
Ichigo had already faced Renji and Ikkaku Madarame and managed to defeat them, but his real challenge still lay ahead: the almighty Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of Squad 11. Soon enough, Kenpachi cornered Ichigo and demanded a good fight. He even offered Ichigo a free first strike.
The ensuing battle was an educational one for Ichigo, who not only learned what a Captain is capable of but learned the true meaning of trusting Zangetsu and treating it like a partner and not just a tool. This was also the battle where Ichigo began to awaken his hunger for battle.
5 Ichigo Vs Gin Ichimaru
The mysterious, sarcastic Captain Ichigmaru of Squad 3 inspires mistrust everywhere he goes, and he fought by Aizen's side during the Arrancar arc. He had his own reasons, and he intended to take Aizen down. But he was still willing to fight Ichigo.
Ichigo had to face a true swordsman, and Gin's fearsome shikai and bankai forced Ichigo to stay on his toes the entire time. It was exciting to see Gin's deadly bankai in action, and its speed and sheer length are not to be underestimated.
4 Ichigo Vs Grimmjow (3rd Fight)
Grimmjow was certain that this final showdown was inevitable, and after a point, Ichigo had to agree. Once Ichigo and his friends set foot in Hueco Mundo, Grimmjow took notice and made sure that Ichigo would eventually end up facing him again.
It was a titanic clash of wills, where each fighter gave it their all and Grimmjow declared his intention to prove himself "the king." Ichigo finally realized that yes, he really was here to fight, and he proved his resolve by defeating Grimmjow once and for all.
3 Ichigo Vs Ulquiorra (Final Fight)
Unlike Grimmjow, Ulquiorra would only fight Ichigo when ordered, or when he had no choice. Late in the Arrancar arc, Ulquiorra deemed Ichigo a dire threat to Las Noches and showed off the true extent of his terrifying power.
A conventional sword battle turned vicious when Ulquiorra released his winged true form, Murcielago. His strength overwhelmed Ichigo, and he even had a monstrous second form that crushed Ichigo with sheer despair. But hope won in the end, when Ichigo's strongest hollow form emerged and turned the tables for good.
2 Ichigo Vs Sosuke Aizen (Final Fight)
This was another battle that was meant to be. The traitor Captain Sosuke Aizen plotted to become the new god and take his place in the heavens, but Ichigo wasn't about to let that happen. At long last, he faced Aizen directly, and he didn't have to do it alone, either.
It was the high-stakes battle that decided the entire world's fate, and Ichigo even got some last-minute training from his father Isshin was well as support from Kisuke Uarahara to take Aizen down once and for all. It was incredibly satisfying to see Aizen toppled after all he has done.
1 Ichigo Vs Byakuya Kuchiki
Many fans agree that this is the best fight in all of Bleach, and it's easy to see why. This is the most intense battle of wills in the entire story, where Byakuya had to uphold Soul Society law and his own honor by defending Rukia's scheduled execution.
Ichigo, however, had other ideas. He showed off his new bankai and faced off against Byakuya's own, and the fight escalated to the point where Ichigo's inner hollow took over. In the end, it was a draw, and like Renji had done earlier, Byakuya began to see things Ichigo's way and entrusted Rukia's care to him. This was a big moment for both of them.