Bleach can almost be thought of as soft isekai fantasy series, since the human hero, Ichigo Kurosaki, can travel from his Karakura Town home to faraway realms such as the Soul Society and even the deserts of Hueco Mundo. There are reverse-isekai elements as well, mainly when Rukia Kuchiki and other Soul Reapers visit Karakura Town for business or even for leisure.
Karakura Town is a small city with countless secrets and notable locations, from the high school Ichigo and his friends attend class to the sparkling river and the warehouse where the eight Visoreds hide from their enemies. Many of Bleach's earliest characters live here, but which ones command the most respect and admiration from the rest of the cast?
10 Karin Kurosaki, Ichigo's Soccer-Loving Little Sister
Ichigo has two twin sisters, Karin and Yuzu Kurosaki, who have only trace amounts of spiritual power. These girls live fairly ordinary lives, generally unaware of their big brother's many adventures, and not even their father, Isshin Kurosaki, wants to clue them in to what's going on.
Karin Kurosaki, the tougher twin, can still tell that something is going on. She can vaguely see Hollows, and she once hung out with Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, too. Everyone around her respects her for being smart and mentally tough for her age.
9 Tatsuki Arisawa, Orihime's Karate Champ Friend
Another bystander character is Tatsuki Arisawa who, like the Kurosaki sisters, has a trace amount of spiritual power. She has just enough spirit affinity to vaguely sense Yammy Llargo when he got close, and she once saw a Hollow all on her own. Overall, though, Tatsuki wants nothing to do with Hollows and Soul Reapers.
Instead, Tatsuki is focused on her budding karate career and her friendship with Orihime Inoue. Orihime looks up to Tatsuki as her dear friend and protector, and other students, from Keigo to Ichigo, know that Tatsuki is the real deal.
8 Ryuken Ishida, The Official Last Quincy
The title "the last Quincy" may apply to Uryu Ishida, but for now, his father Ryuken is generally recognized as the last full-fledged Quincy in the human world. Ryuken knew Masaki growing up, and he desperately implored both Isshin Shiba and Kisuke Urahara to save Masaki's life after Aizen's Hollow attacked.
Ryuken is the director of the Karakura Hospital, and no doubt many of his staff members look up to him. His son Uryu is impressed by his father's abilities as well, though Uryu is bitter that Ryuken doesn't have more interest in the future of the Quincy way. Isshin has some respect for Ryuken, too.
7 Yasutora "Chad" Sado, The Gentle Giant
For a time, Chad lived in Mexico with his grandfather Oscar, where he was a bitter loner who violently took out his frustration on others. Then, Chad learned the true meaning of strength and resolved to become a semi-pacifist who absorbs blows without returning them. Ichigo once saw this philosophy in action near the Karakura river.
Chad refused to strike back at the bullies who tormented him, so Ichigo beat them up, and he and Chad soon became friends. Now, Chad is highly respected as a smart, kind, and gentle giant, and it's nearly impossible to not like him.
6 Hachigen Ushoda, The Kido Specialist
The huge Visored known as Hachigen Ushoda has been living in Karakura Town since before Ichigo was born, though he and his fellows didn't appear in Bleach's first season, nor were the Visoreds even alluded to. But when they appeared, it became clear that everyone likes Hachigen a great deal.
The rambunctious Visoreds often make fun of each other, but they won't do that to Hachigen, and no doubt Kisuke and Tessai also greatly respect Hachigen for his experience with using advanced kido spells. He used to be the Kido Corps' second-in-command, after all.
5 Isshin Kurosaki, The Ex-Captain Of Squad 10
Captain Isshin Shiba's life was changed forever when he went to Karakura Town and fought the Hollow called White. He and Kisuke Urahara not only defeated it but also saved Masaki the Quincy. Isshin gladly gave up his powers to save her, and no doubt Kisuke thought very highly of him for that.
In the present day, Karin finds her father annoying, but Yuzu looks up to him, and after a point, Ichigo relied on his father greatly for training. Ichigo also respected Isshin a great deal for everything that Isshin has done and sacrificed up until now. And Kisuke likes Isshin quite well, too.
4 Tessai Tsukabishi, Kisuke's Old Friend
Tessai is another of Kisuke Urahara's old friends, and, like Hachigen, he was once a part of the Kido Corps as its commander. Tessai has no doubt impressed Kisuke many times with his kido prowess, and it's almost certain that Hachigen, and perhaps the other Visoreds, also respect him a great deal.
Rukia, during her gigai days, also treated Tessai with great respect, and Kisuke's young assistants Jinta and Ururu don't dare question Tessai or speak out against him. They will do what he says, or pay the price.
3 Yoruichi Shihoin, The Rogue Feline Captain
Not everyone in Karakura Town knows who the eccentric Yoruichi Shihoin is, and even if they met her, they would see her black cat form rather than her true form. However, anyone who has met Yoruichi thinks quite highly of her, and for good reason.
At first, it was mainly Kisuke who knew Yoruichi, and he was grateful for her help that day when Central 46 tried to convict him. Later, Ichigo also learned to respect Yoruichi and her abilities, and the same is true of Orihime Inoue and certainly Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. Captain Soi Fon, meanwhile, sees Yoruichi as a flesh and blood goddess.
2 Kisuke Urahara, The Exiled Scientist
Kisuke Urahara once transferred to squad 12, only to have Lieutenant Sosuke Aizen steal his precious Hogyoku research and frame him for the creation of the Visoreds. Now, Kisuke lives in exile at Karakura Town, and Yoruichi and Isshin both think very highly of him. The Visoreds also recognize Kisuke as someone of great importance.
Ichigo also learned that Kisuke is a powerhouse character, not just a candy shop owner, and Rukia, Chad, Renji, and many other characters joined the "Kisuke is awesome" club before long. Time and again, Kisuke has proven why he commands so much respect.
1 Ichigo Kurosaki, The One Defender
The protagonist himself, Ichigo Kurosaki, has slowly but surely won over the respect and admiration of just about every friendly Bleach character there is. His sisters look up to him, his school friends like Chad and Mizuiro think highly of him, and Kisuke Urahara trusted him to rescue Rukia when Byakuya Kuchiki took her away.
From there, Ichigo impressed many more characters, from Toshiro Hitsugaya to former enemies such as Byakuya, and even the Visoreds and Don Kanonji. By the end of the series, just about everyone rallied behind Ichigo and counted on him to save the universe from Yhwach's wrath.