Tite Kubo certainly doesn't stick to formulaic boxes when it comes to character creation, as the Shinigami, Quincy, and Arrancar contain a mish-mash of admirable and detestable individuals that have many fans questioning their alliances (or simply sticking to Team Ichigo all the way).
For many trapped in the pursuit of power, brutal decisions have to be made to ascend the hierarchy, more often than not at anothers' expense. Bleach has produced some of the most merciless characters in anime history, but thankfully everyone loves a good villain story (and in some cases, an intriguingly twisted anti-hero vibe).
The following article contains spoilers from Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, currently streaming on Hulu.
10 Äs Nödt: The Fear
"I will submerge you in an ocean of pain and fear, and cause you to live out an eternity wishing for the bliss of death!"
While it may be true that a warrior has no control over their weapon's special abilities in Bleach, Äs Nödt evidently has no qualms about how sadistic their Reishi Thorns or Vollständig are; quite the opposite, in fact.
This ominous Quincy makes little effort to end lives quickly and efficiently, but would rather prolong the inevitable to ensure that their victims suffer excruciating pain for as long as possible. Äs Nödt's Reishi Thorns are basically a 'lite' version of Tatarforas, which arouses traumatic and terrifying hallucinations upon anyone unlucky enough to make this merciless Quincy's acquaintance.
9 Nnoitora Gilga: The Envious
"I don't do "mercy." Strong, weak, infant, monster. I just smash 'em all to pieces."
This arrogant Arrancar had such a bee in his bonnet about being surpassed by an insignificant woman that Nnoitora does everything in his power to destroy Nelliel, just to make a point. Underhanded tactics are the #5 Espada's favorite way to get ahead, and he is perfectly content to kick a dog when it's down, even if they happen to be an ally.
The battle-hungry Nnoitora does not have an empathetic bone in his body and will kill and destroy hoards of weaker Hollows purely because he can. His egotistical pride and misplaced superiority complex eventually get the better of him, but not soon enough according to many Bleach fans.
8 Yachiru Unohana: The Bloodthirsty
"Trees...Bugs...People. No matter what I cut, it was the same."
As to be expected from the Captain of the 4th Division, Retsu Unohana has proven to be compassionate and maternal but apparently does not project her true nature. The Shinigami, previously known as Yachiru, has a history much darker than her criminal past suggests.
Most anime fans are unfamiliar with Unohana's Bankai for a good reason, as releasing Minazuki at full force brings out her sadistic side. While the blood-red acidic sludge flows from her Zanpakuto, Unohana ensures to heal her opponent moments before death, so that she can repeat the excruciating cycle of punishment multiple times, prolonging the suffering further.
7 Giselle Gewelle: The Zombie
"Okay, Boys! Kill Yourselves..."
With a few drops of Giselle's potent blood staining one's skin, this Sternritter can turn any unsuspecting victim into a mindless zombie who will willingly follow any of her commands without question. Those with a high-level Reiatsu require a more direct hit whereby Giselle's ichor is injected directly into the heart, and the high-spirited lass has no issue with amping up the aggression to add to her zombified troops.
Incapable of turning living Quincy into zombies, Giselle will quite happily slaughter her own allies to add more to her undead army and even gets aroused by inflicting the final blow upon her former friends. She is also a capable healer if one can calm down the hemophiliac's excitement first.
6 Szayelaporro Granz: The Perfectionist
"You can be assured that I will be thinking of some horrible way to kill you."
There are very few who can make Mayuri look like a good guy, but somehow, Szayelaporro succeeds on this front. Much like his Shinigami counterpart, the #8 Espada values scientific experimentation (and his own self-preservation) above all else, viewing others simply as tools to prove his assumed superiority.
Szayelaporro thoroughly enjoys spreading pain with his voodoo dolls and will remorselessly use a person's body as a makeshift cacoon, lethally ripping through his host from the inside out as soon as their usefulness has run its course.
5 Shūkurō Tsukishima: The Sociopath
"I learned the joy of immersing myself in the moment of madness."
Tsukishima's Fullbringer creates confusion between past and present, ingeniously inserting himself into the role of a loved-one-in-disguise, who can control select memories for personal gain. This sociopathic Shinigami takes delight in pushing his victims to the point of a mental breakdown to get his hands on their deepest, darkest secrets.
Tsukishima lulls his prey into a false sense of security with Book Of The End by posing as a long-lost ally of sorts, gaining their loyalty and friendship before attempting to make the kill. He will even target innocent family members to solidify his sinister schemes, earning him the title of Bleach's Master Manipulator.
4 Barragan Luisenbarn: The King
"Do not force me to walk a path not stained with the blood of my enemies."
The former King of Hueco Mundo did not earn his status by being a nice guy (and only very begrudgingly relinquished his title to Aizen). Empowered by his age-manipulating abilities, Baraggan's god-like status goes straight to his head as the concept of life and death becomes mere playthings in his battle tactics.
Baraggan makes a point of belittling his enemy at any possible opportunity, often considering those around him to be as insignificant as insects. With a superpower similar to Shigaraki's Decay (and a matching inflated ego), this almighty Espada is regrettably not given enough time to shine in Bleach.
3 Sosuke Aizen: The Tyrant
"I should have chopped her into little pieces and hidden them away where you would never find them."
As the major recurring antagonist of Bleach, Aizen has accumulated a substantial list of deplorable acts in his time, as supposedly nothing is immoral if it means following his ambitions. Not only does he deceive his fellow Shinigami for centuries, but Aizen also forces numerous Arrancar into fighting for his cause and orchestrates Urahara and co.'s banishment from Seireitei.
Aizen uses his heightened perceptiveness to manipulate people like pawns and will effortlessly strike down his allies if he is not pleased with their performance. Sacrificing lives to experiment with Hollowfication and the Hōgyoku is a non-issue for the former 5th Division Captain, who will do anything to sit at the top.
2 Yhwach: The Big Bad
"I shall bestow on you the most excruciating and luxurious death...That one moment in time when each of you feels the greatest amount of joy and happiness...And it is there, I shall slaughter you."
The Thousand Year Blood War arc introduces a whole villainous force, led by the all-powerful "peace-loving" Quincy who leaves no room for mercy in his plan for world domination. Yhwach evidently couldn't care less about his subordinates, slaughtering the replaceable soldiers haphazardly, whose presence only gets tolerated so long as they are useful.
Yhwach's whole mission revolves around killing his own father, essentially because he is a constant source of humiliation for having fallen victim to such weak foes. To recharge his own batteries, "The Almighty" performs the fatal Auswählen ability upon many of his own kind, regardless of the Quincy's dwindling numbers.
1 Mayuri Kurotsuchi: The Scientist
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"I will be sure to subject you to the very depths of terror. The kind of terror that will make you look back upon this battle as a happy and pleasant memory!"
Even the most deplorable Bleach villains have their virtues. However, even though he is technically a "good guy," nobody is quite as ruthless as Mayuri. The pursuit of science is his top priority, everyone is a potential lab rat, and every battle is an opportunity to conduct torturous experiments.
The rather misogynistic Mayuri treats his "beloved" daughter like a worthless slave and punching bag and has created an extensive arsenal of chemical warfare and specialized equipment to mess with people's minds, and even enthusiastically turns his own allies into suicide bombers. Although his tone has become more comedic over time, die-hard Bleach fans will never forget how truly savage this scientist can be.