Summary
Tite Kubo is a manga author who has long been admired for his character designs within the story ofBleach. Kubo has a unique way of making each and every one of his characters extremely distinct from one another, while also knowing exactly how to make them stand out for being stylish and eye-catching. While the Gotei 13 and Espada are prime examples of this, another group that demonstrates Kubo’s expertise in the realm of character design is the Sternritter.
Despite all being Quincy and pledging themselves to their King, Yhwach, every Sternritter is entirely different in their personalities, abilities, and most importantly for this list, their appearances. From minimalistic and mysterious appearances to over-the-top and exaggerated, these are the Sternritter with some of the best designs in the story ofBleach. Before jumping in, it should be noted that the Sternritter’s basic forms will be accounted for, rather than their transformations.
8Bazz-B
Bazz’s Cool Mohawk And Casual Attire Make Him An Immediate Standout
As was already proven with Grimmjow, Kubo knows exactly how to make apunk-rock-stylecharacter look the part, with Bazz-B being another clear example. Despite having a fairly minimalist design, a lot can be gathered about Bazz’s character by taking a closer look. The fact he opts for having the top of his getup completely open highlights he’s not exactly the most formal guy out there, hinting at his unpredictable and restless personality.
Clearly, the most striking aspect of Bazz B’s appearance though is the bright pink mohawk that rests on the top of his head. Though this sounds like it should look ridiculous, for Bazz, it simply makes him look even more badass and further demonstrates just how little he cares about social norms, or what people think of him in general.
7Gremmy Thoumeaux
Gremmy’s Introverted Appearance Highlights How Distant He Is From His Comrades
Gremmy is another character whose appearance and design can seem a little basic on the surface, but there’s still quite a bit to pick apart here which reveals a lot about the man, or brain, that lies underneath. Gremmy takes no creative liberties with his Sternritter trench coat, having it fully buttoned up and always keeping his hood hanging over his head to conceal his identity.
All of this gives the imaginative trickster an aura of mystery, while also implying he’s somewhat of an introvert who prefers keeping to himself. As is revealed later inhis duel with Kenpachi, Gremmy really is a heartless killer who doesn’t like giving much away, even to his comrades, and his dress sense certainly reflects that.
6Quilge Opie
Kubo Made Sure That The First Sternritter In The Series Looked As Menacing As Possible
Quilge is the very first official Sternritter thatIchigo comes acrossin the story, and it’s fair to say he provides a clear idea of what the group is all about, even just from his appearance alone. Quilge can be seen wearing a small cap that slightly covers his shades, which seem to be glued to his eyes. He also dons the standard Sternritter outfit with a long white cape and a pair of white gloves for good measure.
All of this spells out that this is a guy who is all about formality, and clearly someone who dresses in a way that allows him to look down on others with how well put together he is. Before his transformation, Quilge almost always wears a scolding smirk across his face, further showcasing his no-nonsense attitude and persona.
5Lille Barro
Lille Has Taken Some Creative Liberties With His Unique Attire
Lille’s unique design indicates he wasn’t too fond of the traditional Sternritter outfits, causing him to seemingly create his own makeshift attire which is a lot more experimental than many of the others. While he does retain the white vest, the sleeves are fully removed, and half of Lille’s clothes are a mellow green color, including the small and dark-furred bicorne hat that contrasts with his light blond hair.
Lille is so dedicated to Yhwach’s cause that he also has numerous symbols decorated around his clothes, including a Wandenreich symbol on either side of his cap, along with small emblems on his gloves. His always-moody facial expression and single closed eye also give off the impression Lille is someone who’s been in his fair share of battles, making for an extremely intimidating individual who can scare off his enemies before even firing a bullet.
4Bambietta Basterbine
Bambietta’s Sense Of Style And Varied Facial Expressions Have Made Her A Fan Favorite
Bambietta is a Sternritter who easily stands out from the crowd, not just because of her clothing, but also her facial expressions. One moment, she can be shown having acocky and arrogantlook on her face, while the next, her eyes will be wide open when witnessing a strong opponent standing before her.
Kubo and the animators of the Thousand Year Blood War arc anime were clearly having a lot of fun with Bambietta’s expressions, and it results in a character who always keeps people guessing. Additionally, Bambietta’s thick trench coat, which is designed to look slightly baggy over her smaller stature, paired with her knee-high boots has made her somewhat of a fashion icon to manyBleachfans.
3Askin
Askin’s Nonchalant Design Masks His Underlying Powers
Askin has a rather unusual appearance that almost feels like he was ripped out of a different anime entirely. The joke has been made many times that he closely resembles Aizen in terms of his facial structure, and while the similarities are clear to see, Askin also has this derpy expression on his face that makes him seem incredibly weird and unpredictable.
However, since he is an official member of the Schutzstaffel, his wild facial expressions are complimented by a stylish hooded coat, and his underlying fancy white V-neck shirt, which makes him look more like a high-ranking official of the Quincy army. It’s a strange pairing, but one that purposefully keeps fans wondering what this guy’s deal is, and why they can’t look away from the screen whenever he shows up.
2Gerard
Gerard’s Mighty Appearance Matches His Impressive Physical Strength
Kubo is no stranger to borrowing from ancient history when designing his characters, and in the case of Gerard, it’s clear he took a few notes fromNorse mythologywhen creating this Thor lookalike. However, while the silky blonde hair and mighty physique do harken back to that ancient hero, Gerard still has a few other quirks that help him stand out, one of which is the white mask that rarely ever leaves his face.
He also has his own unique red cape that really bolsters his image of being the brave and mighty ‘hero’ that he envisions himself as. All of these extra decorations and outfit choices aren’t just for show though, as Gerard’s powers are still strong enough that he could quite easily be confused for a Nordic god given his immense strength.
1As Nodt
As Nodt’s Spiked Mask And Deep Black Eyes Are Enough To Strike Fear Into Any Opponent
As Nodt’s strange and unnerving design is very much in line with his special abilities of being able to manipulate his enemies with fear. As a result, As is all about freaking his opponents out, which is pretty easy to do given his appearance. Since a black spiked mask is hiding his mouth, it draws the viewers' attention directly to his pitch-black eyes, which are more than enough to strike fear into even the most seasoned horror fans.
Additionally, As Nodt is a very tall and slender being who can often be seen extending his body in all sorts of weird and creepy ways, and who can forget the long flowing black hair that makes him look like the lead singer of aheavy metalband. It’s a design that is so striking that it has stuck with a lot of fans even long after As met his demise at the hands of Rukia.
