Summary
The anime world is vast, to the point that there is a series or franchise for everyone. Anime has become very popular in recent years, which is understandable given that many series are well-written and feature interesting and strong characters. These characters all vary in age, and some characters look young despite actually beingthousands of years old.
There was a time whenBleachwas one of the most popular anime and manga series in the world. It mainly focused on spiritual beings fighting each other. These beings do not age as normal humans do. In fact, many of them have lived for a few centuries and look as though they are in their early 20s or 30s. That being said, certain characters are especially old.
Updated July 26, 2025 by George Voutiritsas:Thanks to the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, Bleach’s popularity has seen a massive resurgence. Fans get to see their favorite characters again, as well as a bunch of new ones. Most of these characters are Soul Reapers, and because time passes differently within the Soul Society, some of these Soul Reapers have lived for centuries.
Most of the oldest characters in Bleach are Soul Reapers, but other beings have lived even longer. Some of these beings identify as Quincy, but they are actually related to a god-like entity that is older than any other character.
Fumihiko Tachiki
David Lodge, Patrick Seitz
Kenpachi Zaraki grew up in the worst and most lawless District of North Rukon. It was there that he found his Zanpakuto, which originally belonged to a different Soul Reaper who was killed by one of the District’s many criminals. Kenpachi became a skilled swordsman by fighting and killing every opponent he could find.
One day, after creating a mountain of corpses, he fought Captain Unohana, one ofthe original Gotei 13 Captains.At the time, Unohana was still her natural bloodthirsty self, which means that their fight took place shortly after the first Quincy war. Based on the time period of the fight, and the fact that Kenpachi was still a young boy, it is safe to assume that he is around 1,000 years old.
Yuki Ono
Xander Mobus
Bazz-B was the son of a local lord, but his village was destroyed when Yhwach began conquering the area. When this happened, Bazz-B and Jugram vowed to get stronger so they could kill Yhwach one day. They were both shocked when Yhwach selected Jugram to be his right-hand man, and Bazz-B was enraged when Yhwach revealed that most of his strength actually came from Jugram’s power.
Bazz-B eventually became a Sternritterand gained The Heat, a Schrift which gave him the ability to generate and manipulate intense flames. With it, he can destroy a Soul Reaper’s body in an instant. The conquest that destroyed Bazz-B’s village took place before the first Quincy-Soul Reaper war, meaning that despite his youthful appearance, Bazz-B is actually over 1,000 years old.
Yuichiro Umehara
Robbie Daymond
Jugram is Yhwach’s second-in-command and the Grandmaster of his Sternritter. He cannot manipulate Reishi but he can bestow power onto others. He wields a broadsword that can cut throughthe blade of Ichigo’s Bankai, and his shield can absorb any type of misfortune and redirect it at an opponent of his choosing. As Yhwach’s other half, he is capable of wielding The Almighty for a short time.
Jugram’s Schrift is called The Balance, and it allows him to reflect any misfortune back at someone. If he sustains any fatal injuries, his opponent will suffer them instead. If he is unable to cut through someone, he will gain their fortune and overcome their defenses. Jugram was a boy when he met Bazz-B, and he was part of the Sternritter when Yhwach first invaded the Soul Society, making him over 1,000 years old.
Tomoyuki Shimura
Mick Lauer
As a member of the Royal Guard, Tenjiro Kirinji is one of the strongest Soul Reapers in Soul Society. His Shunpo is faster than Sui-Feng’s, and he is capable of overpowering Jugram Haschwalth, the commander of the Sternritter, with his Shikai. He treats other Soul Reapers like they are children, including Captains, and he often patronizes them until he is physically reprimanded by one of his fellow Guards.
He earned his position because of his healing mastery. He invented special hot springs that can heal serious injuries and replenish lost blood. He is the one who taughtCaptain Unohanahow to heal, and he can heal injuries that even she cannot treat. Tenjiro’s exact age is unknown, but if he taught Unohana, who is extremely old, he must be similar in age.
Takayuki Sugo
Richard Epcar
Yhwach is the son of the Soul King, and he wishes to create a world that is free from the fear of death. He is the progenitor ofthe Quincy, and unlike other villains in the series, he was fond of many of his subordinates. He respected the first generation of the Gotei 13, and he held Yamamoto in especially high regard.
Yhwach’s ability is called The Almighty, and it allows him to see all possible futures at once. More importantly, he can alter the future to suit his desired outcome. He also has the ability to absorb any being, and in doing so, he gains all of their abilities. It took him about 1,000 years to regain his body and power, but he is more than 1,200 years old.
Hideo Ishikawa
Liam O’Brien, Aleks Le
Jushiro Ukitake served as the 13th Division’s Captain for the majority of the series. WhenBleach’s story began, he had already been a Captain for over 200 years. He was the eldest son of a low-ranking noble family. He developed a fatal lung disease when he was three years old, and only survived because the Soul King’s sentient right hand saved him.
Ukitake became a Soul Reaper by joining the Shin’ō Academy, which was founded by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto approximately 2,100 years ago. The former Captain Commander trained Ukitake himself when he was still young. Ukitake became one of the first two Soul Reapers to graduate from the Academy, which would make him at least 2,000 years old.
Akio Otsuka
Steve Kramer
Shunsui Kyorakuhas been a Captain for more than two centuries, and he spent most of that time leading the 8th Division. He is a laid-back and peace-loving man, but when he is forced to fight, he takes battle very seriously. He can stay calm even when dealing with powerful opponents, and he has a keen mind. He is also one of the strongest Captains, which explains why he was named Captain Commander after Yamamoto’s death.
He and Ukitake were the first graduates of the Shin’ō Academy, and he was personally trained by Yamamoto too. During the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc, a young Shunsui was seen speaking with a much younger-looking Yamamoto at the Academy. This means that he must also be at least 2,000 years old.
Yoji Ueda
Catero Colbert
Oetsu Nimaiya is another member of the Royal Guard, and he holds the title of Divine General of the West. He is quite lively and energetic, and he can be very unpredictable. He likes to make grand entrances, but when push comes to shove, he will choose to sacrifice himself. When Yhwach invaded the Soul King Palace, Oetsu eliminated his entire Royal Guard singlehandedly with swift slashes from his sealed Zanpakuto.
He earned his spot with the Royal Guard because he created the Zanpakutō; in fact, he is responsible for forging every Zanpakutō that has ever awakened. Oetsu has been doing this since the birth of Soul Society, which means that he is well over 1,000 years old.
Naomi Kusumi
Aaron LaPlante
As the commander of the Zero Division, Ichibe Hyosube is arguably the strongest Soul Reaper in the series. He is aKido masterwho is very mission-driven, and he tends to be upbeat in most situations. In battle, however, he is known for being ruthless. He was appointed by the Soul King because he wields power over names. Ichibe named everything within Soul Society, including the Zanpakuto.
His sealed Zanpakuto can sever the name of whatever it strikes, thereby cutting its strength in half. Ichibe’s Shikai produces black ink that can neutralize the powers of anything or anyone it covers. It also allows Ichibe to gain the power of any being, alive or dead, as long as they possess the color black. Ichibe wields the first Bankai, which gives him the power to rename any object. Since Zanpakuto have been around since the beginning, Ichibe has to be well over 2,000 years old.
Aya Hisakawa
Kate Higgins
Retsu Unohana is the gentle and kindhearted Captain of the 4th Division, but she is actually the original Captain of the 11th Division and the first person to wield the title of Kenpachi. Before becoming a Captain, she was the worst criminal in Soul Society’s history, andher fight with Kenpachi Zarakiis still one of the major highlights of the Thousand Year Blood War Arc.
She is a founding member of the Gotei 13, which explains why she holds superiority over tenured Captains like Kyoraku and Ukitake. She has mastered several combat styles and is by far the Seireitei’s best healer. Her Shikai produces a harmless manta ray-like creature, but her Bankai produces a blood-like substance that can cut through flesh. The Gotei 13 have existed for more than 1,000 years, and Unohana has been around since before it was even created.
