When most people think of Bleach, the first things that come to mind are the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki, his friends, and the entirety of Soul Society. Others may think of the intense fight scenes that have become one of the most iconic in the world of anime, with very few that can rival them.
But amidst its great action and lively cast of characters, Bleach actually has its fair share of cathartic moments. Though they go understated amidst the action, these moments from Bleach will have fans getting emotional upon reliving them. Be sure to get those tissue boxes ready!
8 Rukia is Taken Back to Soul Society
The relationship between Ichigo and Rukia proved to be the basis of not only the very first arc but the rest of the series as well. Despite the initial hostility between the two of them, it was clear that Ichigo and Rukia worked well as a team.
This camaraderie between them ultimately made Rukia's unwitting departure back to Soul Society truly heart-wrenching, with Rukia complying only to prevent more harm from befalling Ichigo. This moment would be the catalyst for Ichigo to stop Rukia's execution, as he felt indebted to her for all she had done to help him.
7 Orihime and Her Brother
Orihime often gets a bad rap for her overly kindhearted attitude and hyperactive tendencies. As a result, it can be easy to forget that she has had a hard life, something that is revealed when she is attacked by her brother Sora, who had recently become the Hollow Acidwire.
Even after Acidwire attempted to kill Orihime for seemingly abandoning him, Orihime still embraced him while confessing that she only wanted to make him happy, wishing him a good day in the process. It was this confession that ultimately motivated Acidwire to purify himself with Ichigo's Zanpakuto.
6 Kaien Shiba's Death
Prior to meeting Ichigo, Rukia had grown acquainted with the Thirteenth Division lieutenant Kaien Shiba. Having just joined the same division herself, Kaien served as Rukia's mentor in swordplay and shared with her his philosophy of battle, vowing to always stand by her.
Unfortunately, when Kaien unwittingly fused with the Hollow Metastacia, Rukia had no choice but to cut him down. Though Kaien ultimately forgave her, even entrusting his heart to her, a grief-stricken Rukia could do nothing but return his body to his siblings and falsely admit to them that she was Kaien's killer.
5 Orihime Says Goodbye to Ichigo
Ichigo and Orihime underwent a lot of change during the Arrancar arc, as the two of them had to deal with the inability to protect their friends in some way. In Orihime's case, however, her wish to protect her friends, especially Ichigo, would be used against her during her encounter with Ulquiorra Cifer in the Dangai.
After Ulquiorra gives her a special bracelet that makes her invisible to everyone, Orihime is tasked with discreetly saying goodbye to one person of her choice. She ultimately chooses to say goodbye to Ichigo, tearfully admitting her love for him, proclaiming that she would fall for him five times over again.
4 Ichigo is Defeated by Ulquiorra
After being defeated by him once before, to say that the final battle between Ichigo and Ulquiorra was very anticipated would be an understatement. Eventually, the inevitable confrontation arrived, with Ichigo ultimately getting overpowered by Ulquiorra's Segunda Etapa form.
While Ichigo's supposed death was already shocking enough, what truly made this moment cathartic was the sheer helplessness experienced by both Orihime and Uryu after the fact. Orihime's cries for help coupled with Uryu's desperate struggle against Ulquiorra are sure to have produced similar feelings in the hearts of fans.
3 Gin Ichimaru's Death
Since his debut, Gin Ichimaru has proved himself to be one of anime's most manipulative characters. From his long-term deception of Soul Society alongside Aizen to manipulating Kira and Hinamori into doing his bidding, it seemed as though no one was safe from Gin's machinations, even Aizen himself.
During the Fake Karakura Town arc, it was revealed that Gin had been plotting against Aizen from the beginning as vengeance for hurting his childhood friend Rangiku, resulting in his death. As Gin apologizes to Rangiku for not taking back what was hers, it is safe to say that many fans were echoing Rangiku's sentiments during this moment.
2 Ichigo Loses His Soul Reaper Powers
After training in the Dangai and besting Aizen with the powerful Saigo no Getsuga Tensho, Ichigo reunites with his friends, who initially believe he was someone else due to his long hair at the time. However, Ichigo suddenly starts experiencing tremendous pain, which is revealed to be the first stage of the loss of his Soul Reaper powers due to using the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho.
A month later, Ichigo later finds that he cannot see any more spirits and even Rukia begins to fade from his sight. Though Rukia chides Ichigo for being so mournful, which Ichigo denies, it is clear that the pair are equally pained at the inability to meet again, feelings to which many fans could relate.
1 Byakuya is Defeated by As Nodt
The invasion of Soul Society came with many well-known characters either dying or suffering humiliating defeats, but no defeat was quite as emotional as Byakuya's defeat at the hands of Sternritter F As Nodt. As one of the proudest characters in Bleach, the way in which Byakuya was defeated heavily contributed to the scene's intensity.
After As steals Senbonzakura Kageyoshi from him, Byakuya is gradually subjected to the Sternritter's The Fear ability before ultimately being mortally wounded by his own Bankai. Despite his best efforts, Byakuya was unable to withstand the barrage of attacks, ultimately begging for Rukia and Renji's forgiveness for his failure to protect them.