Moving faster than the eye can see is a skill that most Shinigami are expected to be proficient at, but some excel at it more than others in the world ofBleach. As one of the four basic combat stylesused by Shinigami in Soul Society, Hoho refers to footwork and movement techniques consisting mainly of defensive maneuvers. Covering the speed and agility needed to take on the strongest of opponents, Hoho is an essential skill for most Shinigami. Its highest technique is known as Shunpo, or “Flash Step.”
Shunpo is the art of moving between points in the most efficient manner. It allows for high-speed movement that leaves enemies confounded, making it an invaluable skill in a Shinigami’s arsenal. There arequite a few among the Gotei 13and the Royal Guard inBleachwho have exhibited mastery beyond the norm, with some even creating techniques of their own. Although many have exhibited skill in this arena, only one can claim to be the best Shunpo user in Soul Society.
12Ichigo Kurosaki
With his advanced growth rate, incredible Reiatsu, and natural athleticism,Ichigo rapidly became an adept userof Shunpo, even if his mastery is still not enough to compete with the best. He can outmatch most lieutenant-level Shinigami with his skill, which grew more pronounced on returning from the Soul King Palace.
Shunpo was not his primary source of speed, since he relies on his Bankai to enhance his Shunpo. However, Ichigo is still an expert whose prowess far exceeds most in the Gotei 13.
11Jushiro Ukitake
One of themost experienced Captains in the Gotei 13, trained by Captain-Commander Yamamoto, Jushiro Ukitake was also a highly skilled user of Shunpo. He was even able to keep up with Yamato for a short while, but soon lost out to his mentor’s far superior skills.
It is worth noting tha Yamamoto’s skill eclipses some of the fastest Shinigami in history, which makes this feat more impressive. Hence, it is safe to say that he is likely an elite-level Shunpo user, even if it is not critical to his fighting style.
10Byakuya Kuchiki
As someone who relies heavily on Shunpo when fighting with his sealed Zanpakuto, Byakuya Kuchiki has been noted among the best exponents of this art. He far surpassesmost of the other Captainsin the Gotei 13, and was even taught by Yoruichi Shihoin — but was never able to match her speed.
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Byakuya is also one of the few Shinigami to have devised his own techniques that exploit his skill at Shunpo, allowing him to execute deadly attacks in the blink of an eye.
9Shunsui Kyoraku
Another of Yamamoto’s students, viewed by many as second in power only to the Captain-Commander himself, Shunsui Kyoraku is another Shinigami who excels at Shunpo. In his fight againstCoyote Starrk, the fastest Espada, Shunsui was able to effortlessly evade his opponent’s attacks through his Shunpo mastery.
Additionally, the Captain of the 1st Division even elicited praise from Yamamoto himself for his skill at Shunpo, which speaks volumes of his prowess.
8Kirio Hikifune
The former Captain of the 12th Division, who isnow a member of the Royal Guard, Kirio Hikifune has shown an impressive level of mastery over Shunpo.
During the Quincy Blood War, she was even able to momentarily match the speed of her fellow comrade in the Royal Guard, Tenjiro Kirinji, when fighting against Lille Barro of the Sternritter. This is no mean feat, as Kirinji was once renowned for his skill in the art. Being able to keep up with him indicates that she is no slouch either.
7Kisuke Urahara
Having trained to keep up with even Yoruichi Shihoin, it is no surprise thatKisuke Urahara is a master of Shunpo. He can run through inferior opponents without giving them so much as a chance to breathe.
To top that, he was also the head of the Detention Unit in the Onmitsukdo (Stealth Force), a division that boasts some of the series' best Shunpo users. Urahara can even use his Shunpo for misdirection, as seen when he replaced himself with a portable Gigai to evade Aizen.
6Sosuke Aizen
Make no mistake, Aizen is a monster in every department, and Shunpo is no exception. A large number of his victims did not even realize they were being attacked before he cut them down, and this was prior to him fusing with the Hogyoku.
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Aizen’s speed is so great that he could evade Bankai-level techniques, including Ichigo’s own Bankai which concentrated his speed and strength to an incredible level. Furthermore, he was not even fazed whenIchigo augmented his Bankaiwith his Hollow mask. Aizen is easily one of the best in Soul Society, and he only edges out Urahara by an exceptionally narrow margin.
5Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto
TheCaptain-Commander of the Gotei 13is no slouch when it comes Shunpo, and could easily outstrip his students Jushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyoraku without breaking a sweat even in his old age. It is likely that he was even faster in his physical prime, which is all the more intimidating to think of since his speed is quite fearsome already.
However, he is still a few steps below certain Shinigami who specialize primarily in this field of combat, as he already far exceeds all his subordinates in virtually every other department.
4Ichibe Hyosube
As the Leader of the Zero Division, also known as the Royal Guard,Ichibe Hyosube boasts incredible speedand command of Shunpo. He was able to go up against Ywach and sidestep most of his attacks while only using this ability.
Ichibe is easily one of the most powerful Shinigami of all time, and he has innumerable years of training and battle experience behind him. His experience indicates that he would have masteres Shunpo to a degree that few, if any, can emulate.
3Sui-Feng
As the current Captain of the Onmitsukido, Sui-Feng has been hailed as one of the fastest Shunpo users in history, second only to her mentor Yoruichi Shihoin. In fact, she was able to match Yoruichi in speed for a time, and even succeeded in landing multiple hits withher Zanpakuto Suzumebachi. However, she could not land two hits in the same spot to activate her Shikai special ability, due to Yoruichi being slightly faster than her.
Sui-Feng is equally proficient at using the technique in close quarters combat and long range encounters, making it nearly impossible to land a hit on her. Lastly, her Shunpo mastery can also create up to 15 Speed Clones, which mimce her movements and cannot be distinguished from her main body.
