Best Kenpachi Matches, Ranked

Key things

• Kenpachi's ruthless fighting style leads to memorable battles, but also shows his flaws as a fighter.
• Kenpachi's thirst for battle drives him to face formidable foes and even his own comrades, proving his raw strength.
• Kenpachi's evolution in combat is evident in battles where he unleashes new powers and techniques and shows his growth.

No one in Soul Society loves the thrill of an intense battle more than Zaraki Kenpachi. This wild and ruthless captain is all about one thing; finding anyone he deems strong enough to give him a good fight in the process Bleachhe encountered several enemies who had varying degrees of success in satisfying Kenpachi's appetite.

While most Gotei 13 captains tend to be more calm and calculated in their battles, most of Kenpachi's fights involve him throwing everything he has at his enemy as soon as possible to test their strength once the battle officially begins. So while it's always nice to see him go all out, there have even been a few instances where Kenpachi has unleashed new powers and techniques during his fights, which also means they're memorable.

8 Kenpachi VS Pernida

A rare but interesting example of Kenpachi's faults as a fighter

Granted, Mayuri does most of the fighting against Pernida, but Kenpachi's little skirmish with the mysterious masked Sternritter still says quite a bit about his character, especially his flaws. Seeing him, Kenpachi rushes to Pernida without a second thought despite Mayuri warning him otherwise. This eventually leads to his arm being completely sliced ​​off, though Kenpachi doesn't seem to mind, instead focusing more on the enemy standing right in front of him.

It's only after Kenpachi tries to attack that Mayuri asks what Pernida actually is, which just goes to show how he tends to act before he speaks, which could get him into deep trouble if the enemy was a formidable foe. It's usually a given that Kenpachi will win his fights, but his encounter with Pernida proved that his hot head can get the better of him at times.

7 Kenpachi VS Tosen

Kenpachi proves that he is more than willing to fight his own kind if they get in his way

Throughout the Soul Society arc, each of the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13 get their own time in the spotlight to show who they are, what they stand for, and how loyal they truly are to the Seireitei as a whole. Although Tosen's firm belief in justice has overshadowed his loyalty, Kenpachi is simply obsessed with battle, so when the two inevitably clash, it results in a brief yet memorable duel that showcases Kenpachi's monstrous power to the full.

The fact that Kenpachi mocks the strength of Tosen and Komamura, two of his fellow captains, shows that all he cares about at this point in the story is strength and nothing else. However, Kenpachi also manages to outwit Tosen, even escaping his Bankai, which cuts off his opponent's senses, showing that he still has some brains to match his power.

6 Kenpachi VS Yammy

Duel Against A Brutal Giant unleashes Kenpachi's raw power

One thing to know about Kenpachi is that he is a character who will never hide from an opponent, no matter how big or strong they may be. Nowhere was this more evident than when he willingly reached out to Yammy, who at that point in the story was revealed to be Espada #0, or in other words, the strongest of the pack.

The fact that Kenpachi threw himself at Yammy so willingly proved that he was still willing to put himself in danger if he could relieve his itch to fight. During this skirmish, he was also ready to face Byakuya, reminding the audience that he is willing to fight his friends if he deems them a worthy opponent or if they stand in his way.

5 Kenpachi & Byakuya & Hitsugaya VS Gerard Valkyrie

A fight full of upgrades and epic moments

Similar to his battle with Yammy, Kenpachi's confrontation with Sternritter Gerard Valkyrie sees him take on the giant, though he is neither intimidated nor hesitant to join the fight alongside Byakuya and Hitsugaya. Instead, Kenpachi decides to get creative as he rides Gerard's massive blade and delivers devastating blows to his newfound foe that only someone with his level of raw power can deliver.

This is also a fight where Kenpachi wields his blade, the Nozarashi, as it would be used traditionally, rather than just carelessly swinging it around. It's also just a feast for the eyes to see Kenpachi's long-awaited Bankai unleashed as part of the battle, showing how far his relationship with his Zanpakut has come since those early episodes.

4 Kenpachi VS Nnoitra

Pushed to his limits, Kenpachi is forced to reveal his hidden power

Just as Nnoitra is about to deliver the finishing blow to Ichigo, none other than Kenpachi swoops in to save the day, and it's fair to say he has his work cut out for him when he takes on this Espada. This is the first time in the series that Kenpachi is seen getting a little worried that he might die, revealing a side of him that the captain rarely ever sees.

However, he also pointed out that the longer Kenpachi fights, the more bloodthirsty he becomes. A notable moment from this battle is when Kenpachi decides to use both hands when swinging his Zanpakut, admitting that it was never “his thing” but after trying it, he dealt a devastating blow to Nnoitra. It's a clever way to showcase how unorthodox Kenpachi's fighting style is, along with a subtle hint of the absurd levels of power he's yet to acquire.

3 Kenpachi VS Ichigo

The first real demonstration of the bloodthirsty 'monster' known as Kenpachi

Kenpachi's first big match in the series is so long Bleach fans will always remember how ruthless and one-sided it was, at least in the first half. The weight of Kenpachi's spiritual pressure forces Ichigo to flee for the first part of the fight, before Kenpachi then teases the protagonist by offering him a chance to get a free attack on him. With Ichigo slowly working his way up in terms of power level, seeing him utterly humiliated by Kenpachi was a great way to showcase how absurdly powerful yet terrifying the latter is.

The reveal of Kenpachi's bells, which give his opponents a chance to know where he is and when he will strike, also showed how Kenpachi was strong enough to allow himself to play with his prey in the middle of battle. Although Ichigo eventually amassed enough power to take down Kenpachi, the captain's personality as a bloodthirsty and violent warrior with no remorse towards his enemies began here.

2 Kenpachi VS Unohana

Kenpachi must prove his worth to hold the title of Kenpachi

In terms of visual spectacle, Kenpachi's match with Unohana is one of the best battles of all Bleachbut Kenpachi's character is also talked about a lot in this fight. Although he starts out with his usual joy at being able to fight someone on his level, there are times when Kenpachi wonders if he has weakened and if he really deserves to be called Kenpachi, which is not something he really cared about before. .

This was also one of the few times Kenpachi went up against someone he respected, and it provided an interesting look at how his mindset and fighting style changes when he's up against a familiar foe. Kenpachi's epic battle with Unohana was also the fight that made him strong enough to take on the powerful members of the Sternritters that he would later face.

1 Kenpachi VS Grammy

Gremmy's imaginative powers force Kenpachi to release everything he has in a dazzling battle

Kenpachi's fight against the imaginative Sternritter Gremmy is a battle that developed the captain's character in many ways. Almost as soon as the battle begins, Kenpachi proudly proclaims himself as 'Kenpachi', emphasizing how he has finally begun to take the title seriously after his bloody encounter with Unohana just a few episodes earlier.

In addition, Kenpachi also unleashes brand new abilities during this fight in an effort to face Gremmy, who is able to turn anything he imagines into reality. Needless to say, this pushes Kenpachi to his limits, forcing him to release his Zanpakuto to literally cut the meteor to pieces. He even manages to use his brute strength to break free from the closed vacuum of space. This is a fight that shows that while Kenpachi has matured and accepted his newfound responsibility after losing Unohana, that killer instinct is still very much alive and well beneath the surface.