Bleach: Why did Zaraki kill Unohana?

Bleach’s return with the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc skyrocketed the anime to new heights. In this storyline covering the tensions between the Soul Reapers and the Quincies, several shocking twists and deaths are showcased, one of the most notable being Restu Unohana’s.

Rather than being beaten by the antagonists, Unohana was killed by none other than Kenpachi Zaraki in Bleach. As a result, fans may be curious about what led to this tragic outcome. Unohana allowed herself to be killed by Zaraki as a way of atoning for limiting his strength in the past and to help him evolve to the next level.

Unohana and Zaraki are two of the most beloved Soul Reapers in Bleach, though their personalities couldn’t be more different. Unohana is mostly seen as the beautiful and serene captain of the Fourth Division of the Gotei 13, renowned for its healing capabilities. Zaraki, on the other hand, is the battle-hungry Kenpachi who is judged the strongest and most excitable among his peers.

However, during the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc, after the Soul Reapers suffered immense losses and Zaraki was greatly injured due to his lack of strength, the truth about his relationship with Unohana was revealed.

As one of the oldest captains on the Gotei 13, Unohana was the very first Kenpachi in Bleach. She was feared for her brutality and cold-bloodedness, finding pleasure during battle. On the other end, Zaraki was a young boy who grew up in a lawless area and was forced to hone his swordsmanship to survive. In his harsh circumstances, Zaraki grew to become a monstrous fighter.

Unfortunately, both Zaraki and Unohana had strengthened immensely and did not find pleasure in wielding their blades. Coincidentally, they ran into each other during their adventures and ended up engaging in a fight. Though their confrontation seemed even at the beginning, Zaraki soon began overpowering Unohana.

Sensing the shifting tides, Zaraki did not want the enjoyable fight to end and unconsciously sealed his own strength and held back. This allowed Unohana to defeat him, though she realized that Zaraki was stronger. Soon after, she left her position as Kenpachi, and Zaraki inherited the title.

Unohana’s death in Bleach

As mentioned, after being humiliated by the Quincies, the Soul Reapers began training themselves to get stronger for the next stage of the war. Since Zaraki had barely escaped death, Unohana understood the course of action she had to take.

She guided Zaraki to the lowest level of the Central Underground Prison and began a battle to the death to train him. Since the Kenpachi was believed to be the most formidable killer among the Soul Reapers, it was not common practice for multiple Kenpachis to exist at the same time.

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Hence, Unohana confronted Zaraki and started brutally beating him. She pushed him to the edge of death multiple times, even going as far as using her Bankai. However, Unohana refused to let Zaraki die and kept reviving him through her healing. With each near-death experience Zaraki faced, he began undoing his limiters and regaining the sense he had as a boy.

Over the course of the fight, Zaraki finally stopped holding back and managed to pierce Unohana with his blade. Though he regretted killing his opponent, Unohana died with satisfaction, having achieved her objective. After the battle, Zaraki could hear the voice from his Zanpakuto and went on to learn Shikai.

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