History Bleach / TropesUToZ

** Many characters in the final arc due to the series' ending never addressing their fates such as Nel, Ginjo, Tsukishima, the entire Zero Squad, Harribel and her Fraccion, Grimmjow, Kisuke and his group, Yoruichi, Isshin and Ryuuken among many, many others.

* WhiteMaskOfDoom: Hollowfication is the process by which a spirit's heart is transformed into a pale mask that covers the face. As a result, Hollows wear them and Hollowfied Soul Reapers such as the Visoreds or Ichigo can also pull on a mask when using their Hollow powaners.

** Many characters in the final arc due to the series' ending such as Nel, Ginjo, Tsukishima, the entire Zero Squad, Harribel and her Fraccion, Grimmjow, Kisuke and his group, Yoruichi, Isshin and Ryuuken among many, many others.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Ashido might be this manga's only genuine example of this trope. Kubo created the character and fully intended to use him but ran out of time to insert him into the manga. The anime decided to create a filler arc based around him and insert him where Kubo had originally intended to use him. However, the filler arc ended with him facing down the enemy to give the group time to escape and Rukia vowing to go back to Hueco Mundo to search for him. She never did, so Ashido's fate remains unknown.

* WhiteMaskOfDoom: Hollowfication is the process by which a spirit's heart is transformed into a pale mask that covers the face. As a result, Hollows wear them and Hollowfied Soul Reapers such as the Visoreds or Ichigo can also pull on a mask when using their Hollow powers.

** Ulquiorra defeats Ichigo with his released form. However, he still takes on a second release, something no other arrancar has been seen to possess, to not only kill him, but to defeat him with pure despair. Ichigo's Hhollowfied response takes this even further, beyond anything even Ulquiorra has seen a Hollow be capable of doing.
** Bankai is supposed to be the final release of a zanpakutou, the ultimate SuperMode. Then it's revealed Final Getsuga Tenshou exists... and that more than one character knows how to develop it.
* UrbanFantasy: When the stories are set in present day Japan

* WarIsHell: A prominent theme about ''Bleach'' is that there is a distinct lack of "happy" deaths. When people die here, they invariably die in rather ''ugly'' ways, from decapitation to bifurcation and incineration, among other things. If their deaths are not particularly nasty (see Starrk), their scenes are still [[AlasPoorVillain executed in incredibly depressing ways]]. Even if they're particularly nasty characters, well, their deaths may be deserved, but in each case, Kubo refuses to glorify how they died (see Driscoll) by making it as gruesome as he can. If they do accept their fate gracefully, Kubo consistently shows that, despite their peace at the prospect of death, their compatriots are affected in negative ways (Kaien to Rukia, [[spoiler:Ichimaru]] to Rangiku and [[spoiler:Unohana]] to Zaraki). Even if it doesn't lead to death, several characters get permanent scars, lose their limbs, [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal suffer several severe sets]] of wounds, or end up so traumatized by their experiences that it influences their personalities and philosophies later in life (Kira, Hisagi). This all comes to a head during the Vandenreich arc, where the Stern Ritters' pragmatism seriously cripples much of the Soul Reapers and defies a multitude of Shonen battle cliches as a result. Aizen, himself a former teacher, once recited one such a commandment that all cadets are taught to in the Spiritual Arts Academy.

* WeaponTwirling: The third seat of squad 8 tries to intimidate Chad with some quick swordplay, and just gets punched in the face.

* YouAreAlreadyDead: Happens pretty often, but a good example is when [[spoiler: Aizen attacks Hitsugaya in the council chamber]]

* YouMonster: Loly to ''Orihime'' of all people. Of course, this can be explained because Loly's an [[UngratefulBastard Ungrateful Bitch]]. Lilynette says something similar to Ukitake when he dispels her cero with his bare hand.

** In the manga Yammy does this to a servant who was tending to his newly healed arm. He decided to test his arm's strength by slamming his fist down on the servant's head causing it to splatter into a bloody mess. In the anime, due to censorship, it was changed to him hitting the servant with his arm causing her to smash against the wall which kills her instantly.

* ZergRush: In Chapter 511, [[spoiler:the Soldats rampage through the remains of the Seireitei ''in droves'', slaughtering the red shirts along the way.]]

** Ulquiorra defeats Ichigo with his released form. However, he still takes on a second release, something no other arrancar has been seen to possess, to not only kill him, but to defeat him with pure despair. Ichigo's hollowfied response takes this even further, beyond anything even Ulquiorra has seen a hollow be capable of doing.

* VampiricDraining: Hollows feed on spiritual energy as a secondary source of nourishment (the primary being the "hearts" of both living and dead Humans). Sources include humans, Soul Reapers and other hollows.

** Ordinary hollows are the worst threat in the early stages of the story. Then this is ramped up when it's revealed there are giant versions of hollows called Menos Grande that only the Royal Guard are supposed to handle. Turns out Rukia's textbooks were wrong: any high seated officers can handle Menos Grande if they're Gillian level and captains and lieutenants can handle Adjuchas levels. Only the Vasto Lord level of Menos Grande gives captains trouble.

** It's gotten to such an extent that the Vandenreich threat has been introduced in a way that makes the Espada look extremely underwhelming. It's even lampshaded in-universe when one Quincy captain easily defeats ''five'' Arrancars and complains that Aizen's followers were weak.

* WhiteMaskOfDoom: Hollowfication is the process by which a spirit's heart is transformed into a pale mask that covers the face. As a result, hollows wear them and Hollowfied Soul Reapers such as the Visoreds or Ichigo can also pull on a mask when using their hollow powers.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Ashido might be this manga's only genuine example of this trope. Kubo created the character and fully intended to use him but ran out of time to insert him into the manga. The anime decided to create a filler arc based around him and insert him where Kubo had originally intended to use him. However, the filler arc ended with him facing down the enemy to give the group time to escape and Rukia vowing to go back to Hueco Mundo to search for him.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: With such a large cast, this was bound to happen. The focus bounces around constantly that many characters who aren't killed (such as Ichigo's friends from the Daily Life arc or the surviving Espedas for example) wind up completely dropping from the story and run the risk of never having it revealed what became of them.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: With such a large cast, this was bound to happen. The focus bounces around constantly that many characters who aren't killed wind up completely dropping from the story and run the risk of never having it revealed what became of them.

* WorthyOpponent: While this trope is more specifically and blatantly played with in regards to character motivations and fight matchups, it is a DownplayedTrope in a more general sense. ''Bleach'' naturally borrows customs and mannerisms from Feudal Japanese {{samurai}}, who would often ask or announce their name and title before a match to acknowledge that they were facing a peer in combat. Obviously, members of the Gotei do this, but so do members of other factions, such as the Espada and Vandenreich. In fact, a major EstablishingCharacterMoment for Nnoitra is when he asks Ichigo for his name, only moments later to claim he forgot it because Ichigo is simply trash to him.

* UnreliableCanon: Kubo has mentioned in interviews that he creates the overall structure of the story arc in advance, but fine details may be developed as he writes. He rarely {{Retcon}}s information but a few major {{Revision}}s have occured as a result of him introducing plot-relevant information from the points-of-view of the characters explaining them; the accuracy always depends on whether or not the character is well-informed, honest or driven by an agenda. One major example includes how zanpakutou function; the limitations, procedures and details unfold gradually over the course of the story, the reliability of which depends entirely on how much knowledge the character concerned has about zanpakutou. The creator of the zanpakutou lampshades this in-universe by suggesting that very few soul reapers truly understand what zanpakutou are and how they're supposed to function.

* UnreliableCanon: By his own admission, Kubo makes up the story as he goes. While he very rarely {{Retcon}}s information flat out, {{Revision}}s that reveal more context for plot details or story mechanics completely change or invalidate rules that were once explained. A major example are the rules for how zanpakutou and their released forms work. Over time, we learn that the limitations, procedures, and details for how zanpakutou work can vary widely, to the point that some of the "rules" for how they work ultimately mean nothing.

* UltimateJobSecurity: Captains are the strongest beings in the Soul Society, so they have the freedom to do a lot of what they want and get away with it. Even when Mayuri blows up his own squad, it doesn't damage his position as captain, because the law only prohibits captains from doing anything to ''other'' captains' soldiers. Kiganjo was too lazy to turn up to meetings, Ukitake too sick; Zaraki only toes the party line when it suits him and Kyouraku avoids work because he's too lazy or chasing skirt. Zaraki and Unohana once agree that captains can get away with things precisely because they're normally too powerful to be brought to justice.
* UnfinishedBusiness: The reason why Soul Reapers have to perform konsou on spirits and why spirits might linger long enough to turn into hollows if they don't have konsou performed in time.

* UnreliableCanon: By his own admission, Kubo makes up the story as he goes. While he very rarely {{Retcon}}s information flat out, {{Revision}}s that reveal more details or context for plot details or story mechanics completely change or invalidate rules that were once established or believed. A major example are the rules for how zanpakutou and their released forms work. Over time, we learn that the limitations, procedures, and details for how zanpakutou work can vary widely, to the point that some of the "rules" for how they work ultimately mean nothing.

!Tropes for ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', U to Z:

* WarringNatures: Ichigo, who's a human with {{shinigami}} powers and a SuperPoweredEvilSide that doesn't really get along with the rest of him. While he mostly manages to keep [[FanNickname Shirosaki]] under control, his inner Hollow is just waiting for the first available opportunity to have a [[BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind Rematch in the Center of the Mind]] and take over his body. [[spoiler:And when that goal happens to align with ''his''? Yes, Ichigo, I think we can safely say Orihime [[CurbStompBattle has been protected]].]]

* UltimateJobSecurity: Captains are the strongest beings in the Soul Society, so they have the freedom to do a lot of what they want and get away with it. Even when Mayuri blows up his own squad, it doesn't damage his position as captain, because the law only prohibits captains from doing anything to ''other'' captains' soldiers. In Turn Back The Pendulum, Kiganjo never bothered turning up to captains' meetings - it was such a contentious point that other captains commented on it with disapproval. It didn't get him fired, however (he was later killed by Zaraki, but that was just because Zaraki wanted to prove his right to wear the 'Kenpachi' title). Zaraki spends most of his time sleeping and Kyoraku tries to avoid work to chase girls. Ukitake spends most of his time in bed sick, but his situation is justified since he has tuberculosis.

* WipeTheFloorWithYou: During Ichigo and Ulquiorra's battle in the Hueco Mundo, Ichigo[[spoiler:'s SuperPoweredEvilSide]] does this to Ulquiorra, smashing his head into a wall.

* UltimateJobSecurity: Captains are the strongest beings in the Soul Society, so they have the freedom to do a lot of what they want and get away with it. Even when Mayuri blows up his own squad, it doesn't damage his position as captain, because the law only prohibits captains from doing anything to ''other'' captains' soldiers. In Turn Back The Pendulum, Kiganjo never bothered turning up to captains' meetings - it was such a contentious point that other captains commented on it with disapproval. It didn't get him fired, however (he was later killed by Zaraki, but that was just because Zaraki wanted to prove his right to wear the 'Kenpachi' title). Zaraki spends most of his time sleeping and Kyoraku tries to avoid work to chase girls. Ukitake spends most of his time in bed sick, but his situation is justified since he has Tuberculosis.