History Awesome / Bleach

** The main power of '''Tensa Zangetsu''' is finally revealed, and it's spine-chillingly awesome: rather than give Ichigo a big, flashy attack, all it does is compress its power into its sword...and that compression has the side-effect of making Ichigo ''[[LightningBruiser ludicrously fast]]''. This is an aspect that the anime just can't pull off as well as the manga does, because here Ichigo is damn-near ''teleporting'' [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/b/b6/163Ichigo_evades.png/revision/latest?cb=20200501063005&path-prefix=en between]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/f/f1/163Ichigo_attacks.png/revision/latest?cb=20200501063106&path-prefix=en the]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/3/3c/163Ichigo_dodges.png/revision/latest?cb=20200501063133&path-prefix=en panels]] on each page, to the point where Byakuya, the resident '''[[FlashStep Shunpo]]''' master, can ''barely'' keep track of him. Hell, Ichigo [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/7/7d/163Ichigo_moves.png/revision/latest?cb=20200501063216&path-prefix=en goes so fast]] that he ''leaves afterimages!'' So Byakuya decides to up the ante by controlling '''Senbonzakura Kageyoshi''' with his hands, which doubles its speed, and it seems he's finally caught Ichigo - then the latter [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/3/31/163Ichigo_dispels.png/revision/latest?cb=20200501063416&path-prefix=en deflects]] '''every single blade''' in '''''seconds''''' by just swinging his sword around at lightning speed, followed by Ichigo appearing behind Byakuya (who had [[TemptingFate previously claimed Ichigo wouldn't be able to pull one over on him again]]) and stabbing at him. Byakuya's forced to stop the sword with his bare hand and finally, ''finally'' acknowledges '''Tensa Zangetsu''' as a proper Bankai. Chills, all the way through.

* Aizen's words ring even more true when one remembers that the second Ichigo unleashed his bankai Yhwach moved in to break it immediately. The man who had all the power of the Soul King at his disposal, and had spent millennia rebuilding his StoryBreakerPower to become one of the strongest antagonists in the series, ''''feared'''' the terrible power that Ichigo possesses. And as shown at the end of the fight, his wariness was not unwarranted..

** More importantly, this chapter marks the beginning of a full volume of TheChessmaster moments for the one and only Sōsuke Aizen, who, in a now-iconic and [[FollowTheLeader endlessly copied]] twist, [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/e/ea/169Aizen_stands.png/revision/latest?cb=20200508061058&path-prefix=en reappears 69 chapters after his supposed death,]] seemingly still the nice guy we and the other characters knew him as...only to suddenly [[WhamShot impale his lieutenant]], [[FourEyesZeroSoul stare coldly]] while she crumples to the ground, and [[ManBehindTheMan head off with Gin]]. [[DarthWiki/NightmareFuel Horrifying?]] Oh, absolutely, but even though [[ItWasHisSled everyone sees it coming now]] and it's not as gut-punching as it used to be, at the time '''''absolutely no one''''' saw this twist coming, yet it's still perfectly set up by the arc (doubly impressive since [[WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants originally the villain was going to be Urahara]]) and what follows hasn't lost any of its shock value, mainly due to no other series having the balls to...well, let's run down the list, shall we?

* 603: The mere fact that Liltotto managed to save herself and Giselle from Yhwach's [[ThePurge Auswählen]] by dodging his [[PillarOfLight life-absorbing pillars of light]] qualifies as this. Think of it: '''this''' is what killed people like Masaki, Kanae and many other Quincies several years ago, it also killed someone as experienced as Accutrone (implied to be old-school Quincy material) and other Ritters, and yet [[LittleMissBadass a teenage girl]] dodged it '''and''' saved her friend from it, even if just for the moment.

* Chapter 672: As Ichigo approaches Yhwach, his only companion is Orihime. His assumption that she will provide defence is a big change from the days when he told her to leave the fighting to him. It proves his confidence in the strength of her BarrierWarrior powers

** This really deserves proper elaboration. Rukia, who spent almost the entire first arc [[BreakTheCutie mentally crushed and wishing for her own death]] and seemed to be permanently afflicted with Can't Catch Up ever since, ''HAS'' '''''BANKAI'''''. And it's [[AnIcePerson BEAUTIFUL]]! She has definitely come a long way.

* 484. The Vandenreich kill Yamamoto's liutenant Chojuro Sasakibe. He's the first straight-up fatality on the good guys' side '''ever since the beginning of the manga'''. Oh, and later we learn that they have ''already'' conquered Hueco Mundo and keep [[DarkActionGirl Harribel]] hostage. It's both awesome [[KickTheDog and horrible]].

** [[LifeOrLimbDecision Him crushing his eardrums to defeat Rose's Bankai]] was badass too.

* Chapter 561: After Rose and Kensei have been beaten to a bloody pulp by Mask de Masculine, Renji goes BigDamnHeroes and save the day.
** Mask completely destroying two Bankai-wielding Captains is an awesome moment in his own right. Especially since he is the only Stern Ritter so far to triumph against a Bankai much less two.
** Him crushing his eardrums to defeat Rose's Bankai was badass too.
* Chapter 562: After crushing two captains and powering up, Mask de Masculine is totally helpless against Renji who blocks his strongest punch yet and defeats him only with his Shikai.
* Chapter 563: ... And it turns out that he did '''NOT''' defeat Mask. He's actually alive, and then uses his Vollstanding to power himself up further.

** But let's be fair to Renji, who also gets his own for not being knocked down/out by the empowered Mask, either.

** More importantly, this chapter marks the beginning of a full volume of TheChessmaster moments for the one and only Sōsuke Aizen, who, in a now-iconic and [[FollowTheLeader endlessly copied]] twist, [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/e/ea/169Aizen_stands.png/revision/latest?cb=20200508061058&path-prefix=en reappears 69 chapters after his supposed death,]] seemingly still the nice guy we and the other characters knew him as...only to suddenly [[WhamShot impale his lieutenant]], [[FourEyesZeroSoul stare coldly]] while she crumples to the ground, and [[ManBehindTheMan head off with Gin]]. [[DarthWiki/NightmareFuel Horrifying?]] Oh, absolutely, but even though [[ItWasHisSled everyone sees it coming now]] and it's not as gut-punching as it used to be, at the time '''''absolutely no one''''' saw this twist coming, yet it's still perfectly set up by the arc (doubly impressive since [[WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants originally the villain was going to be Hanatarō]]) and what follows hasn't lost any of its shock value, mainly due to no other series having the balls to...well, let's run down the list, shall we?

** Upon learning that Ichigo's teacher was ''[[FamedInStory Urahara]]'', [[WhamShot who for the first time is depicted as a captain]], Ikkaku decides to kill him properly by releasing his Shikai, '''[[BladeOnAStick Hōzukimaru]]'''. Ichigo thinks he doesn't have much to worry about from a spear...then Ikkaku ''[[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/6/60/87Ikkaku_splits.png/revision/latest?cb=20200214213950&path-prefix=en separates it]]'' mid-swing, catching Ichigo completely off-guard and leaving him with a huge cut in his arm. Once again, far from a pushover.

** More importantly, this chapter marks the beginning of a full volume of TheChessmaster moments for the one and only Sōsuke Aizen, who, in a now-iconic and [[FollowTheLeader endlessly copied]] twist, [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bleach/images/e/ea/169Aizen_stands.png/revision/latest?cb=20200508061058&path-prefix=en reappears 69 chapters after his supposed death,]] seemingly still the nice guy we and the other characters knew him as...only to suddenly [[WhamShot impale his lieutenant]], [[FourEyesZeroSoul stare coldly]] while she crumples to the ground, and [[ManBehindTheMan head off with Gin]]. [[DarthWiki/NightmareFuel Horrifying?]] Oh, absolutely, but even though [[ItWasHisSled everyone sees it coming now]] and it's not as gut-punching as it used to be, at the time '''''absolutely no one''''' saw this twist coming, yet it's still perfectly set up by the arc (doubly impressive if you ascribe to the theory that [[WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants Urahara was originally going to be the villain]]) and what follows hasn't lost any of its shock value, mainly due to no other series having the balls to...well, let's run down the list, shall we?

** Then, when Byakuya decides to CuttingTheKnot and end this skirmish now with '''Senbonzakura''', none other than ''[[EccentricMentor Yoruichi]]'' shows up and binds the blade before he can finish the release. Though the previous chapter had raised the question of who, exactly, she was after she displayed knowledge of Soul Society and pulled out rare objects originating from it, this encounter hints that she's MUCH more than a pretty face - Byakuya and Ukitake can't BELIEVE she's standing in front of them.

** [[UnflinchingWalk Gert]] [[DelayedExplosion Sprenger.]] More specifically, Uryu completely outclassing his energy absorbing opponent without much effort. It's especially satisfying when you compare his fight to Rukia and Renji's, who were on the verge of getting killed before they gained the upper hand. Pride of the Quincy indeed.

** The anime also ''drastically'' expands the fight scene preceding this with great aplomb - rather than Ichigo just firing a '''Getsuga Tenshō''' and immediately getting manhandled, his flaring Reiatsu first makes gives him [[RedEyesTakeWarning flashing red eyes]] to signify just how beyond ''pissed'' he is, and then he and Yhwach begin fighting at '''hypersonic speeds''', hurtling not only across the battlefield but also ''above it'' with attacks nearly faster than the eye can follow, before the two of them clash directly with their Reiatsu, ultimately resulting in Ichigo crashing back down before the aforementioned series of events plays out. While Ichigo obviously isn't ready to take on the Father of the Quincy now, the fact that he's THE first person to put up this kind of fight with him since Yamamoto himself [[CurbStompCushion makes his eventual loss much less bitter]] and shows that, with the training he's going to receive, Ichigo ''does'' stand a fair chance of ending this blood war himself.

** [[BadassGrandpa Yamamoto]] gets one last moment of Awesome before his [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill demise]]; just as Yhwach's preparing to walk away, Yamamoto musters the energy and willpower to grab his leg despite being ''[[{{Determinator}} little more than a head and arm]]'' at this point. It doesn't really do anything to stop Yhwach since he just cuts off the remaining hand, but it ''does'' [[OhCrap unnerve him ever so slightly and ever so briefly]] as he clearly sees the last flicker of the brutal, unrelenting warrior he once admired.

[[caption-width-right:350:'''[[HesBack This is what you waited for and it's you that they all adore]]''']]

** Orihime gets two pretty good moments almost at the same time. First, when [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan she warns Ichigo]] that [[LeeroyJenkins his course of action isn't the best]] but Ichigo can't exactly change it since Yhwach won't stop attacking ''and'' taunting him, she [[NervesOfSteel steels herself for whatever will follow]] and [[BarrierWarrior keeps shielding/healing him at her best capacity.]] And ''then'', when Yhwach goes to attack a momentarily staggered Ichigo, Orihime immediately [[NoSell tanks the whole attack with Santen Kesshun]]. That's right, the former DistressedDamsel [[TookALevelInBadass has just completely nullified a demigod]].

** Also as we see Ichigo head to the gate, a Kushanada emerges to get in his way... and from behind Ichigo comes Byakuya's Senbonzakura blades, successfully driving it back. We get a glimpse of the Captain manipulating his Bankai, as if giving his support to Ichigo.
** That was still nothing compared to Ichigo temporarily becoming an agent of Hell to punish Kokuto. That has got to be THE most awesome scene in all the four movies. In Ichigo's own words, [[GodzillaThreshold Hell would sooner ally with an outsider like him than allow Kokuto to escape.]] It gives Ichigo enough power to not only [[SingleStrokeBattle defeat Kokuto in a single blow]], but to [[FateWorseThanDeath replace his broken chains with new ones that promptly drag a screaming Kokuto to an even deeper layer of Hell]], from which he will likely ''never'' escape. [[IronicHell A fitting punishment after all the crap he pulled.]]

** An understated one for Renji, [[NightmareFuel who gets a front row seat to Ichigo turning into a Hollow.]] When he realizes that Kokuto is goading him into breaking the chains that bind him to Hell, Renji (who is already heavily injured) [[NervesOfSteel destroys Ichigo's Hollow mask]] and sends him back to the World of the Living before he can release Kokuto, giving the sinner a verbal middle finger and [[SkywardScream leaving him to scream in rage at having his escape denied to him.]]

** An understated one for Renji, [[NightmareFuel who gets a front row seat to Ichigo turning into a Hollow.]] When he realizes that Kokuto is goading him into breaking the chains that bind him to Hell, Renji (who is already heavily injured) destroys Ichigo's Hollow mask and sends him back to the World of the Living before he can release Kokuto, giving the sinner a verbal middle finger and leaving him to scream in rage at having his escape denied to him.

** Ulquiorra vs Vasto Lorde Ichigo in the beginning of the movie. No banter, no talking, no call-out attacks, its just two monsters duking it out, trying to tear each other part in a absolutely high speed, no holds barred, brutal fashion. [[AdaptationExpansion Kubo goes out on his way that THIS is the fight he truly idealized between Ichigo and Ulquiorra.]]

** Ulquiorra vs Vasto Lorde Ichigo in the beginning of the movie. No banter, no talking, no call-out attacks, its just two monsters duking it out, trying to tear each other part in a absolutely high speed,no holds barred, brutal fashion. [[AdaptationExpansion Kubo goes out on his way that THIS is the fight he truly idealized between Ichigo and Ulquiorra.]]

** An understated one for Renji, who gets a front row seat to Ichigo turning into a Hollow. When he realizes that Kokuto is goading him into breaking the chains that bind him to Hell, Renji (who is already heavily injured) destroy's Ichigo's Hollow mask and sends him back to the World of the Living before he can release Kokuto, giving the sinner a verbal middle finger and leaving him to scream in rage at having his escape denied to him.

* In the Hell Chapter movie, Ichigo finds out that he was tricked into coming to Hell so the villains could force him into his uber-hollow form and break them out. Ichigo is sent back by an emergency spell, but leaves Yuzu, Renji, Rukia and Ishida stranded in Hell, with Yamamoto forbidding him to save them and leaving Ukitake and Toshiro to guard the partially damaged HellGate. After a pep talk from both Byakuya and Orihime, Ichigo shows up at the HellGate with a look that clearly says "I fucking DARE you to try and stop me." The Kushanada showing up provides them with a convenient excuse to ignore him, but you can tell Toshiro was thinking "Nah man. I ''like'' having my spinal cord intact." It's not a fight or a big victory, but it's a great moment that shows that you never want to get in Ichigo's way.
** Also as we see Ichigo head to the gate, a Kushanada emerges to get in his way... and from behind Ichigo comes Byakuya's Senbonzakura blades, successfully driving it back. We get a glimpse of the captain manipulating his Bankai, as if giving his support to Ichigo.
** That was still nothing compared to Ichigo temporarily becoming an agent of Hell to punish Kokuto. That has got to be THE most awesome scene in all the four movies. In Ichigo's own words, [[GodzillaThreshold Hell would sooner ally with an outsider like him than allow Kokuto to escape.]] It gives Ichigo enough power to not only [[SingleStrokeBattle defeat Kokuto in a single blow]], but to [[FateWorseThanDeath replace his broken chains with new ones that promptly drag a screaming Kokuto to an even deeper layer of Hell]], from which he will likely ''never'' escape. [[IronicHell A fitting punishment after all the crap he pulled.]]

** Ulquiorra vs Vasto Lorde Ichigo in the beginning of the movie. No banter, no talking, no call-out attacks, its just two monsters duking it out, trying to tear each other part in a absolutely high speed,no holds barred, brutal fashion. Kubo goes out on his way that THIS is the fight he truly idealized between Ichigo and Ulquiorra.

* A moment of Byakuya's occurs in the movie, Memories of Nobody. Rukia was getting her ass handed to her by one of the Dark Ones, things were looking bleak. Then, you saw the blades from Byakuya's bankai rise from the ground, without actually seeing Byakuya. He gives the command, ripping the Dark One to shreds, and then just turns around and mutters over his shoulder something to the effect of "Let's go home." Rukia books to catch up to him.
* Sui-Feng in the movie ''Memories of Nobody'' also deserves a mention here. First, while one of the Dark Ones, Benin (the girl with purple hair), was about to fire an arrow at Yumichika. She fires the arrow ... except Sui-Feng ''stole her arrow the second she fired it''. In fact, it takes her a while to realize her arrow disappeared and Sui-Feng had to call out to her for her to truly realize.
** Also from the movie, Kenpachi and Yachiru were just walking around when suddenly something sharp cut Kenpachi's face. He grabbed the blade and flung it to where the Dark One was hiding. He backed up and bam! Kenpachi was right behind him. Then, he tried to run away, only to be easily caught up with Yachiru, who was laughing the whole time, seeing it as a game.
** Kenpachi gets ''another'' one when he [[DynamicEntry drops in for the final battle]]... ''[[GroundShatteringLanding literally]]''. (The guy's like a one-man Colony Drop [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KylPGADZmvI]])

** In the latter, he got frozen solid at the start by Kurotsuchi's machine, but after Ikkaku tumbles into him, the climax giant monster makes one teeny-tiny mistake: it brushes by the Kenpachi-statue, knocking off his [[PowerLimiter eyepatch]]. Guess who shows up to the party, [[PutTheLaughterInSlaughter laughing all the while?]]