The Gotei 13 is the Soul Society’s primary military force, composed of the strongest Soul Reapers in Bleach. Each squad has a unique personality, and several have special duties that set them apart from other squads. Each Gotei 13 squad participated in the Thousand-Year Blood War, and while several squads did not change much after the war, some certainly did.
Several Gotei 13 squads received new Captains and Lieutenants after the Thousand-Year Blood War. This happened because the previous Captains died or Lieutenants got promoted. Some squads lost most of their members during the Sternritter invasions, and although most replenished their ranks, it is unclear if they all truly recovered in terms of overall strength.
13
Squad 13 Gets a New Captain and Lieutenant Years Later
Squad 13 has no known special duties within the Seireitei, but it is responsible for protecting Karakura Town, Ichigo’s hometown. Jushiro Ukitake was the squad’s Captain for more than 200 years, but his tenure ended during the war when he sacrificed himself to summon Mimihagi in an attempt to stop Yhwach. Following Yhwach’s defeat, the squad remained without a Captain for a decade.
Rukia Kuchiki had been with Squad 13 for years, and when she finally achieved Bankai, it was only a matter of time before she became a Captain. She was chosen to replace Ukitake as Captain, which left the Lieutenant spot open. That position went to Sentaro Kotsubaki, who spent most of the series as the squad’s co-3rd Seat with Kiyone.
12
Squad 12 Gains a New Lieutenant and Continues to Gather Data While Developing New Technology
Squad 12 is directly linked to the Soul Society’s Technological Development Department, charged with developing new technology and spiritual tools for the Gotei 13. The majority of the squad’s members are not fighters; instead, they spend most of their time doing research and collecting data. These duties have not changed, but the composition of the squad has.
Despite having multiple members, Squad 12 is effectively a one-man squad, with Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi running the show. Nemu died while fighting Pernida at the Soul King’s Palace, which forced Mayuri to name Akon the squad’s new Lieutenant. This will likely change once the new Nemu is old enough. Squad 12’s fighting strength has improved significantly, though, as the Corpse Unit, comprised of powerful Arrancar, now acts as the squad’s main fighting force.
11
Squad 11 Gains a New Lieutenant and Third Seat Officer
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Image via Studio Pierrot. -
Image via Studio Pierrot -
Image via Studio Pierrot
In terms of pure fighting strength, Squad 11 has been considered the strongest squad since the inception of the Gotei 13. It is a direct-combat squad that specializes in swords-only combat. As a result, its members are all skilled swordsmen who enjoy fighting to the death. Squad 11 is led by Kenpachi Zaraki, one of the strongest Soul Reapers of all time, and now that he has regained his full power, very few people can face him in a one-on-one fight.
With Yachiru taking her place as Kenpachi’s Bankai, Ikkaku Madarame was picked to replace her as the squad’s Lieutenant. This led to Yumichika being promoted to the 3rd Seat position. Squad 11 lost many members to Giselle and Liltotto during the war, but it has since replenished its numbers in the decade since.
10
Squad 10 Remains Unchanged, but Toshiro and Rangiku Have Gotten Stronger
Squad 10 doesn’t have any special duties, but it was one of the few squads that underwent no major changes in the years following the end of the TYBW. Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya has been the Captain of Squad 10 for roughly 20 years now, and Rangiku Matsumoto continues to serve as the squad’s Lieutenant.
Squad 10 had to deal with Cang-Du and Bazz-B of the Sternritter, but it did not lose many members during the two Sternritter invasions. Toshiro might still be the youngest Captain, but his power increases every year, and when he reaches adulthood, he will be able to defeat almost anyone. Rangiku is learning to use her Bankai, which means Squad 10 could soon be led by two Captain-level Soul Reapers.
9
Squad 9 Has the Same Leadership After the War, and It Continues to Serve as the Security Force
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Image via Studio Pierrot -
Image via Studio Pierrot -
Image via Studio Pierrot
When it comes to combat, Squad 9 is always on standby because it is charged with protecting the Seireitei. It also serves as the security force of the Gotei 13. Kensei Muguruma was reinstated as the squad’s Captain shortly after Aizen’s defeat, and he continues to serve as Captain after the events of the Thousand-Year Blood War.
Given its primary duty, Squad 9’s members were on the front lines during the Sternritter invasions, but it is unclear how many squad members were lost during the fighting. That said, their numbers have been replenished. Mashiro continues to share the Lieutenant rank with Shuhei, but they are no longer on equal terms because he finally achieved Bankai during the timeskip.
8
Squad 8 Is Led by a New Captain and Lieutenant After the War
Shunsui Kyoraku was the Captain of Squad 8 for over two centuries, but when he was named the Gotei 13’s new Captain Commander, the squad was left without a Captain for the rest of the war. Nanao Ise went with him, which means the squad did not have a Lieutenant either. Squad 8 has no known special duties, but it seems to be pretty laid-back.
Following the war, Squad 8 gains a new Captain. Lisa Yadomaru, who was the squad’s Lieutenant a century earlier, received the promotion, making her one of the strongest female characters at the end of the TYBW. Yuyu Yayahara is named the squad’s new Lieutenant, which is impressive because she was not even a ranked officer during the war. Squad 8 lost a lot of strength and experience with Shunsui’s departure, but they got a huge upgrade to the Lieutenant position because Nanao was not a fighter.
7
Squad 7 Also Gains a New Captain and Lieutenant After the War
Squad 7 dealt exclusively with Bambietta of the Sternritter during the initial Sternritter invasion, and although many squad members were severely injured, they got back up to fight when their Captain urged them on. Captain Komamura reinvented Squad 7, to the point that each member is a sincere and moral Soul Reaper. Unfortunately, Komamura was forced to retire after permanently transforming into a wolf.
Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba continued Komamura’s legacy, and after achieving Bankai, he was named the Squad’s new Captain. Under his leadership, Squad 7 continues to be a morally just unit. He named Atau Rindo his new Lieutenant, even though he was not an active fighter during the war.
6
Squad 6 Is Still Filled With Model Soldiers, While Byakuya and Renji Have Gotten Stronger
The Kuchiki Clan has led Squad 6 for more than a century, and under their leadership, it has become a model squad filled with members who follow the rules of the Soul Society. If any member is caught breaking the rules, they get severely punished. It appeared as though Byakuya died at the beginning of the war, but he survived and continues to serve as Squad 6’s Captain.
Multiple squad members were killed by As Nodt and Mask de Masculine, but they have since been replaced. Renji continues to serve as Squad 6’s Lieutenant, which is odd, because with his complete Bankai, he could be promoted to Captain at any time. Byakuya and Renji received major power-ups at the Soul King’s Palace, which means Squad 6’s military strength has significantly increased since the war.
5
Squad 5 Is Filled With New Members Who Excel Under Shinji and Momo’s Leadership
Squad 5 was left leaderless for quite some time after Aizen’s defection, but Shinji Hirako was reinstated as its Captain shortly after Aizen’s defeat. He could have named anyone his Lieutenant, but he decided to keep Momo Hinamori, and she continues to serve him in the same capacity after the war. The squad has no special duties, but each member is a highly skilled fighter who was trained by Shinji.
Many squad members were killed during the first Sternritter invasion, and most of the remaining squad members were wiped out during the second invasion. Shinji faced a group of Quincy Soldats and confirmed that his squad had essentially been wiped out. Squad 5’s ranks may have been restored, but its members are not as experienced as those who died during the war. Luckily, Shinji is one of the most dangerous characters at the end of the TYBW, so the squad’s fighting strength is still pretty high.
4
Squad 4 Receives a New Captain and Lieutenant After the War
For some reason, Squad 4 was virtually untouched during the TYBW, which is strange because, from a military standpoint, it should have been one of the first squads eliminated. Squad 4 might have a few fighters, but it is strictly a medical and support squad. Most of its members specialize in healing Kido, which means they treated all the injured Soul Reapers during the war. They also deal with most of the manual labor within the Seireitei.
Squad 4 suffered a massive blow when Captain Unohana died, both in healing capability and combat strength. At some point after Yhwach’s defeat, Isane Kotetsu, who served as Unohana’s Lieutenant, replaces her as Captain. The only other major change is that she named her sister Kiyone the squad’s new Lieutenant.
