A list to show all that a higher Reiryoku does not make you the strongest, but it sure does help.
The most powerful Arrancar in Bleach as well as the main force of Aizen’s former army, the Espadas can be considered the most powerful Hollows to ever exist, who, by tearing off their own masks, managed to further increase their abilities. The Espadas are each categorized by their unique rank, which is directly related to their Reiryoku level. With that said, since we all know that you need much more than just pure power in order to be considered the strongest, here are the 5 strongest Espada in Bleach, ranked.
Top 5 Strongest Espada in Bleach, Ranked
5. Nnoitra Gilga
To start off, we have the fifth Espada Nnoitra Gilga, who has in his physical prowess his biggest strength. A user of an offensive fighting style that relies on fast strikes at binding speeds, his style is further empowered by his mastery of Hierro, which allows him to tank blows as he ravages the battlefield. Overall, Nnoitra possessed the strongest Hierro of all Espadas to ever enter the ranks.
Aside from his immense spiritual power, after awakening into his Ressurection, Nnoitra becomes able to, in a way similar to Ulquiorra, regenerate both wounds and limbs, all while wielding four Scyclkes simultaneously.
4. Tier Harribel
Harribel may not be the most flashy of the Espadas but she more than makes up for that with superb swordsmanship and raw power alone, both of which are paired with her ability to freely control water while in her Ressurection state. With that said, given that on this list, we are only analyzing her power up to the end of The Battle Of Karakura Arc, as well as the fact that, although she was incapacitated by Hitsugaya during their fight, she was defeated by Aizen himself, it is possible that she did not reveal the true extent of her powers at the time during the arc.
Overall, Harribel’s biggest strength lies in her massive overall strength and concentrated destructive power, especially when using Trident. After all ”an ice dragon is sent to the bottom of the sea by a single strike from a shark.”
3. Ulquiorra Cifer
One of the trickiest Espada to rank as well as an overall wildcard, Ulquiorra clinches the third spot through how easily he managed to demolish Ichigo while the latter was already strong enough to rival the Gotei 13 Capitans. With that said, the reason why he surpasses Harribel lies in his Second Ressurection, whose power was unknown to even Aizen himself and whose full potential is still a mystery.
Overall, Ulquiorra’s biggest strength lies in his extreme control, speed, and Reiryoku level, all of which are taken to a whole new level after activating Segunda Etapa.
2. Baraggan Louisenbairn
The former King of the Hueco Mundo as well as the second Espada, Baraggan can be considered an immovable force through his ability to literally deteriorate anything around him to dust.
With that said, apart from his massive Reiryoku, speed, and defensive capabilities, Baraggan has in his Respira his biggest trump card, as the move consists of him releasing his Reiatsu as a cloud of miasma, capable of degrading everything it touches into nothingness. He is also able to even coat his weapon on it, thus releasing the Respira through slashes.
1. Coyote Starrk (& Lilynette Gingerbuck)
The Strongest Espada in Bleach, as well as one whose spiritual pressure was capable of killing any non-numbered hollow who came close to him, even after splitting himself in two (thus decreasing his overall Reiryoku).
Although many may claim that Baraggan is stronger than Starrk, given his ability to decay everything, taking into account that he was not able to fully erase the power of Suì-Fēng’s Jakuhō Raikōben and the fact that Respira is, although without actual form, Reiatsu, it is likely that Starrk would be able to deal damage to him thought overwhelming raw power alone.
With that said, it’s worth pointing out that Starrk himself revealed that he is fully capable of firing a total of 1,000 Cero in an instant, all concentrated in a single spot while in his awakened state, Los Lobos.
- It’s also important to point out that Ulquiorra’s Reiryoku at Segunda Etapa has not been measured against that of the other Espada, so it’s highly possible that he, like, Starrk, could be able to bypass Respira with Lanza del Relámpago, though this is only a speculation.
You can currently read Bleach officially through both the Viz Media official site and Shueshia’s MangaPlus. You can also currently buy all of the series’ volumes right now on select retailers.
- This article was updated on January 9th, 2023
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