Bleach as a whole may not have aged perfectly, but its character designs still remain some of the best ever seen in modern shonen anime history. Chief among these are the Espada, the ten strongest Arrancar (basically humanized Hollow) in all of Hueco Mundo.

RELATED: Bleach: 10 Ways The Manga Is Better Than The Anime

Ranked from 0 to 10 in terms of strength (10 being the weakest), each Espada embodies a certain aspect of death that’s made clear by their individual philosophies and Resurreccion modes. Some Resurrecions just look cool, while others represent everything the Espada believes and fights for.

10 Zommari Rureaux’s Espada Uniform Is More Presentable Than His Resurrecion

Zommari Releasing His Sword In Bleach

At first glance, Zommari’s Espada look isn’t that eye-catching – which is what makes him all the more disarming. Zommari doesn’t need an extravagant look to intimidate opponents, since his uncanny mannerisms are more than enough. Case in point, how he “clones” himself through super speed and the way he contorts himself to summon his Resurrecion.

As plain as Zommari’s unreleased state is, the alternative makes it look stellar in comparison. When Zommari activates Brujeria, he grows 50 eyes all over his body. Not only that, but his lower half becomes what can only be described as a giant onion wrapped in eyes. Granted, this fits his villainous role, but it’s both visually chaotic and frankly kind of gross.

9 Yammy Llargo’s Resurreccion Turns Him Into A Kaiju

Yammy Llargo Resurreccion

Yammy is an interesting Espada since he actually occupies two numbered ranks, not just one. As the Number 10 Espada, he just looks like a brutish bodyguard to Ulquiorra. But when he reveals his true ranking as Espada Number 0, Yammy becomes raw strength made physical. When he sheds the 1 from 10, Yammy transforms into a towering behemoth fueled by rage.

While he’s technically the strongest Espada in terms of raw power, Yammy has none of his compatriots’ special abilities or skills; he’s literally dumb muscle. That said, turning into a kaiju isn’t just appropriate but perfect. After all, Yammy is the kind of fighter who’d rather punch someone to death than outsmart them. Even better, he has two big modes.

8 Nnoitra Gilga’s Resurreccion Embodies His Death Wish

Nnoitora Gilga Brave Souls Bleach

In brief, Nnoitra is a suicidal warrior whose only goal in life is to die in combat. With such a straightforward motive, it makes sense that his Resurreccion is one of the Espada’s simplest and most practical. Santa Teresa gives him an extra of arms and scythes, which are more than enough to overwhelm even Kenpachi.

Beyond the bonus limbs and a crescent horn, there’s nothing too noteworthy about Santa Teresa, but that’s what makes it fit its user. Nnoitra’s main priority is fighting to his heart’s content, so a barebones secondary form that emphasizes offense over defense is more than enough. Instead of his attire, Nnoitra lets his oversized scythes do the talking for him.

7 Szayelaporror Granz’s Resurreccion Suits His Madness

Szayelaporror Granz Brave Souls

Szayelaporror represents the death aspect of madness so unsurprisingly, he has the motif of a mad scientist. This is clear in his bespectacled default appearance but when his Resurreccion Fornicaras is unleashed, the theme becomes more apparent and even suggestive. Appropriately, his secondary form literally means “you will fornicate” in Spanish.

RELATED: 10 Anime Characters Who Could Destroy The Universe If They Wanted To

With Fornicaras, Szayelaporror can act on his unhinged urges that hide behind his paper-thin veneer of calm and reason. Such urges include devouring his Fraccion to heal, toying with his opponents using parasitic abilities, conducting torturous experiments with tentacles and biologically made voodoo dolls, and more. Long story short, Fornicaras suit him very well.

6 Coyote Starrk’s Resurreccion Is Simply Badass

Coyote Starrk Los Lobos

In his default Espada uniform, Starrk is indistinguishable from every other Arrancar swordsman. However, once Los Lobos is unleashed, he transforms into a fur coat-wearing gunslinger who carries two hand cannons. Add in his Hollow eyepatch and wolf pack, and Starrk rocks one of the simplest yet most badass looks in all of Bleach.

That said, Starrk trades in his pistols for energy swords when the wolf pack is summoned, but this doesn’t diminish his badass look. Starrk also has the honor of being one of only two dual-wielding gunslingers in Bleach, the second being Robert Accutrone of the Wandenreich. Coincidentally, both of them fought Captain Shunsui Kyoraku.

5 Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez’s Thousand-Year Blood War Attire Is His Best Look

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez Time Skip Version

As one of the most popular Espada, Grimmjow got the lion’s share of wardrobe choices among the elite Arrancar. Each get-up has its pros and cons, though the one he wore during his brief appearance during the final arc is easily the best of the lot. Not only does it look good, but it’s the one that embodies his delinquent persona the best.

Minus his jacket, Grimmjow’s base uniform doesn’t stand out among the Espada or Arrancar. Meanwhile, his Resurreccion is more bestial than stylish. His final ensemble – black shirt and pants paired with his old Espada jacket – complement his aggressive and short-tempered nature the most, even if in a stereotypically Yakuza kind of way.

4 Tier Harribel’s Espada Uniform Fits Her Stoicism

Tier Harribel Masked

Harribel is one of the more reserved Espada who lets her actions do the talking, which makes her cool uniform all the more fitting. Her oversized collar hides her Hollow mask, which covers the entire lower half of her face. Strapped to her back is her Zanpakuto, which she can unsheathe in a unique manner. All in all, it’s an effortlessly badass look for her.

RELATED: 10 Anime Characters You Didn't Know Were Voiced By Black Actors

The alternative is exactly the kind of Amazonian garb that functions more as fanservice than ancient Greek armor. Harribel’s Resurreccion sticks out among the Espada for neither being practical or monstrous, but at the very least, she gets a massive sword that’s nearly as tall as she is.

3 Aaroniero Arruruerie’s Masked & True Forms Are Mysteriously Creepy

Aaroniero Arruruerie Masked

In all honesty, Aaroniero is just the Bleach version of the classic B-movie trope of a sentient brain in a jar. Instead of a brain, Aaroniero is a pair of two small Gillian Hollows floating in a jar of blood-red fluid. That said, their depiction in the anime where they have two differently pitched voices and the build-up to their unmasking was something both special and disturbing.

Beneath the mask is Lieutenant Kaien Shiba, Rukia’s former superior, though Aaroniero just wears the dead Shinigami’s skin. Aside from their true look being a worthwhile and creepy reveal, Aaroniero has one of the most unique appearances among modern shonen anime villains. For someone who’s just a mini boss, achieving an unforgettable look is impressive.

2 Baraggan Louisenbairn’s Resurreccion Is Death Incarnate

Baraggan Louisenbairn Resurreccion Brave Souls Bleach

Unreleased, Baraggan looks like an aging Viking monarch. This is already enough to make him stand out since antagonists of his age and build aren’t exactly common. However, his Resurreccion is what elevates him from intimidating to downright nightmarish. When released, Barragan basically becomes the Grim Reaper, and it represents everything about him.

Something else worth noting is that unlike the other Espada, Barragan’s Resurreccion isn’t a mere extension of himself; it’s his pre-Arrancar form. Additionally, the skeletal king isn’t just Barragan when he was Hueco Mundo’s self-proclaimed ruler before Aizen’s arrival, but it’s the perfect visualization of an aging god-king who refuses to acknowledge that his time is long over.

1 Ulquiorra Cifer’s Segunda Etapa Is A Tragic Irony

Ulquiorra Cifer Segunda Etapa

Ulquiorra is defined by his disdain for everyone around him, though this is more informed by his emptiness than pure evil or hatred. This nihilistic mindset is emphasized by both of Murcielago’s modes, which basically turns him into Bleach’s Devilman. Given how Devilman desperately tried to connect with people despite becoming a monster, it’s an apt transformation for Ulquiorra.

When Segunda Etapa is activated, Ulquiorra’s fully demonic form ironically retains a human appearance, despite his inability to comprehend basic human emotions. Meanwhile, his rival, the very human Ichigo, loses his humanity when he temporarily turns into a Hollow to defeat the fourth Espada. It’s one thing for Ulquiorra to openly discuss his philosophy and the inevitable lonesome death he faces, but it’s another to see him physically embody it.

NEXT: 10 Final Villains In Anime Who Came Out Of Nowhere