Facebook
Reddit
Email
Witness the glory of Kenpachi Zaraki’s jaw-dropping moments that left Bleach fans stunned—from feral child to demon Bankai!
Blood-soaked blades. Maniacal grins. Battle lust unmatched in the Soul Society. When Kenpachi Zaraki enters a scene in Bleach, it is pure chaos. The wild-haired captain of the 11th Division, Zaraki, has delivered some of the most jaw-dropping moments throughout the series. He doesn’t need strategy, fancy techniques, or even a zanpakuto name to dominate a fight—he just needs an opponent strong enough to make things interesting. Kenpachi has carved his way into the hearts of fans with sheer, unrelenting brutality.
This listicle will slice through nostalgia and revisit eight times when this battle-hungry Soul Reaper made fans absolutely speechless. Ready your zanpakuto as well.
1) Kenpachi Zaraki Kills Unohana
The past of Kenpachi Zaraki collided with his present in the most brutal way possible. It happened by slaughtering the woman who made him a monster. Unohana, the original Kenpachi, had spent centuries waiting for the day Zaraki would surpass her. And in the depths of the Soul Society’s underground prison, that day finally came.
Unohana unleashed her true monstrous nature, pushing Zaraki to break through the mental blocks he’d placed on himself since childhood. As their swords clashed repeatedly, each fatal wound only made Zaraki stronger. The ultimate twist was that Unohana’s death was her victory.
By dying at Zaraki’s hand, she passed the “Kenpachi” title officially to him, unlocking his true potential in the process. The moment was haunting, tragic, and perfect for Kenpachi Zaraki’s character. Unohana died smiling, knowing she had unleashed the true beast.
By the end, Kenpachi stood victorious, drenched in blood, finally embracing his full strength.
2) Kenpachi Zaraki’s Shadowy Past
Long before wielding authority as a captain, young Kenpachi Zaraki was a feral child roaming the lawless Rukongai. Fans were shocked by his origin—a skeletal, wide-eyed boy already carrying an oversized blade and surrounded by mountains of corpses.
His first clash with Unohana exposed the raw, animalistic beginnings of the Soul Society’s most feared fighter. The silent child Zaraki fought with pure instinct—no technique, just overwhelming natural talent that even terrified Unohana. His first encounter with Unohana revealed a terrifying truth—Kenpachi had always been a monster. This moment shocked fans because it proved Kenpachi’s bloodlust wasn’t learned—it was innate. Even as a kid, he was stronger than most Soul Reapers, and he loved the kill.
3) Kenpachi Zaraki’s First Intro With Ichigo
Ichigo thought he was ready for the Soul Society’s captains. Then, he met Kenpachi. After exchanging minimal words, Kenpachi did something unthinkable—he pulled open his shihakusho, exposing his bare chest and inviting Ichigo to take a free shot. It wasn’t arrogance. It was excitement. Kenpachi desperately wanted Ichigo to be strong enough to hurt him.
The shock escalated when Ichigo’s sword merely bounced off Kenpachi’s skin, drawing blood from Ichigo’s own hands instead. The look of utter disappointment on Zaraki’s face as he realized Ichigo couldn’t even cut him set the stage for everything to come. This moment set the tone for Kenpachi’s character: a battle-hungry madman who wanted his opponents to hurt him. It also proved that Ichigo was still way out of his league.
4) Kenpachi Zaraki One-Shots Giriko Kutzusawa
After Bleach’s Fullbringer Arc kept Soul Reapers on the sidelines, their return needed to make a statement. Kenpachi Zaraki delivered that statement in blood when he faced Giriko Kutzusawa.
The confrontation began with Kenpachi’s disappointment at facing “small fry” instead of a worthy opponent. Insulted, Giriko activated his “Time Tells No Lies” Fullbring, transforming into a towering behemoth that dwarfed Kenpachi. Before Giriko could finish his sentence, he suddenly split vertically from head to toe, blood spraying everywhere as his massive body collapsed in halves. Kenpachi had cut him down so quickly that viewers barely registered the movement.
Giriko didn’t even realize he’d been cut in half until his body split apart. This moment marked why Kenpachi is the king of one-shot kills—no monologues, no drama, just instant annihilation.
5) Kenpachi Zaraki Kills Three Sternritter
The first Quincy invasion left the Soul Society in ruins—until Kenpachi arrived. At the moment of greatest despair, Kenpachi suddenly appeared, carrying three dead Sternritter on his back, with one still skewered on his sword. He dropped them at Yhwach’s feet like trash.
The casual display of dominance over enemies that had been decimating other captains was perfectly timed. When viewers believed all hope was lost, here was Kenpachi, not just surviving but hunting Quincies for sport. This moment was hype. After seeing captains fall left and right, Kenpachi’s entrance was a much-needed reminder that the Gotei 13 still had monsters on their side.
6) Kenpachi Zaraki’s Bankai
After centuries of fighting with no zanpakuto name, Kenpachi finally unlocked Bankai—and it was reckless. When it finally appeared during the battle with Gerard Valkyrie, it exceeded all expectations in the most horrifying way possible.
When Yachiru appeared before him and enabled his transformation, Kenpachi’s skin turned blood red, horns erupted from his forehead, and his zanpakuto transformed into a damaged, demonic blade. He became less Soul Reaper and more demon—a berserker capable of ripping limbs with his teeth. Fans had waited years for this moment of Zaraki, and Kubo delivered. Kenpachi’s Bankai was brutal, just like him.
7) Kenpachi Zaraki’s Shikai
After hundreds of chapters of waiting, Kenpachi Zaraki finally spoke his zanpakuto’s name, becoming one of Bleach’s most cathartic moments. Facing Gremmy’s world-ending meteor, Kenpachi grinned wildly and uttered “Nozarashi” for the first time.
Kenpachi soared toward the massive meteor—a tiny speck against its enormity—and obliterated it with a single swing. The battlefield was showered with flaming debris as Kenpachi revealed his Shikai among the inferno: a ridiculously oversized blade with an ornate gold cap and green tassel. This moment was cathartic. After years of wondering what Kenpachi’s zanpakuto could do, seeing him finally use it was pure hype.
8) Kenpachi Removes His Eyepatch Against Ichigo
The moment that defined Kenpachi Zaraki’s madness. When he tore it off against Ichigo, his spiritual pressure exploded, shaking the entire Soul Society. Fans witnessed a power limiter being released instead of an empty socket or scarred eye.
As the eyepatch came off, spiritual pressure exploded around Kenpachi in a pillar of light so intense it changed the atmosphere of the battle. His revealed eye was perfectly normal; the patch itself had been devouring his reiatsu all along. This was the first time fans realized Kenpachi had been holding back the entire time. And if this was his restrained power, what was he like at full strength?
Conclusion
That’s it—the eight Kenpachi Zaraki moments in Bleach that show how shockingly great he is. Whether he’s slaughtering Sternritter, unlocking Bankai, or casually one-shotting enemies, every moment he’s on-screen is pure chaos. No fancy tricks, no complicated backstory—just raw, unfiltered carnage.
Let us know your favorite Kenpachi moment and if we missed any epic scenes!
Looking For More?
Thank you for reading the article. We provide the latest news and create guides for Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, ARK Survival Ascended, and more. Also, watch Deltia play games on Twitch or visit his YouTube channel!
