The best Sternritter character designs in Bleach, ranked

Key points

• Kubo's unique character designs make each Sternritter stand out in Bleach TYBW.
• The different appearances of the Sternritter characters, such as As Nodt's spiked mask, reflect their personalities and abilities.
• Bambietta's fan-favorite expressions and outfits make her a prominent figure in Kubo's character designs.

Tite Kubo is a manga author who has long been admired for his character designs within the story of Bleach. Kubo has a unique way of making each of his characters extremely distinct from each other, while also knowing exactly how to make them stand out to be stylish and captivating. While the Gotei 13 and the Espada are great examples of this, another group that demonstrates Kubo's expertise in the realm of character design is the Sternritter.

While they are all Quincy and pledged to their king, Yhwach, each Sternritter is completely different in their personality, abilities, and, most importantly for this list, their appearance. From minimalist and mysterious appearances to over-the-top and exaggerated, these are the Sternritters with some of the best designs in the history of Bleach. Before getting into the details, it should be noted that the basic forms of the Sternritter will be taken into consideration, rather than its transformations.

8 Bazz-B

Bazz's cool mohawk cut and casual attire make him instantly standout

• First appearance: TYBW Episode 3

As already demonstrated with Grimmjow, Kubo knows exactly how to make a character play in a punk-rock style, and Bazz-B is another clear example of this. Despite having a fairly minimalist design, you can tell a lot about Bazz's character by taking a closer look. The fact that he chooses to keep the top of his suit completely open highlights that he's not exactly the most formal guy around, hinting at his unpredictable and restless personality.

Clearly, the most striking aspect of Bazz B's appearance is the bright pink mohawk that rests on the top of his head. While it seems ridiculous, to Bazz it just makes him seem even more badass and further demonstrates how little he cares about social norms or what people think of him in general.

7 Gremmy Thoumeaux

Gremmy's introverted appearance highlights how distant he is from his peers

• First appearance: TYBW Episode 15

Gremmy is another character whose appearance and design may seem a little basic on the surface, but there's still quite a lot to distinguish here that reveals a lot about the man, or the brains, beneath. Gremmy doesn't take any creative liberties with her Sternritter trench coat, having it buttoned up completely and always keeping the hood hanging over her head to hide her identity.

All of this gives the imaginative trickster an aura of mystery, while also implying that he's a bit of an introvert who prefers to keep to himself. As revealed later in his duel with Kenpachi, Gremmy is truly a heartless killer who doesn't like to reveal much, even to his comrades, and his dress sense certainly reflects this.

6 Quilge Opie

Kubo made sure the first Sternritter in the series looked as menacing as possible

• First appearance: TYBW Episode 1

Quilge is the first official Sternritter that Ichigo encounters in the story, and it's fair to say that he gives a good idea of ​​what the group is, even just from his appearance alone. Quilge can be seen wearing a small cap that slightly covers his sunglasses, which appear to be glued to his eyes. He also wears the standard Sternritter outfit with a long white cape and a pair of white gloves for good measure.

All of this indicates 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 for how well put together he is. Before his transformation, Quilge almost always has a reproachful smirk on his face, further showing his no-nonsense attitude and personality.

5 Lilla Barro

Lille took some creative liberties with his unique attire

• First appearance: TYBW Episode 15

Lille's unique design indicates that he wasn't too fond of traditional Sternritter clothing, causing him to apparently create his own improvised clothing that is much more experimental than many others. Although he retains the white vest, the sleeves are completely removed and half of Lille's clothes are a pale green, including the small, dark fur bicorn hat that contrasts with his light blonde hair.

Lille is so dedicated to Yhwach's cause that he also has numerous symbols emblazoned around his clothes, including a Wandenreich symbol on either side of his cap, along with small emblems on his gauntlets. His ever-moody facial expression and closed eye also give the impression that Lille is someone who has had his fair share of battles, making him an extremely intimidating individual who can scare his enemies before even firing a bullet.

4 Bambietta Basterbine

Bambietta's sense of style and various facial expressions have made her a fan favorite

• First appearance: TYBW Episode 3

Bambietta is a Sternritter who easily stands out from the crowd, not only by her clothing, but also by her facial expressions. One moment, she can be shown with a cocky and arrogant look on her face, while the next moment, her eyes will be wide open when she sees a strong opponent standing in front of her.

Kubo and the anime animators of the Thousand Year Blood War story arc clearly had a lot of fun with Bambietta's expressions, and the result is a character that always leaves people perplexed. Additionally, Bambietta's thick trench coat, designed to look slightly baggy for her short stature, paired with her knee-high boots, has made her something of a fashion icon for many. Bleach fans.

3 Askin

Askin's casual design masks his underlying powers

• First appearance: TYBW Episode 4

Askin has a rather unusual look that almost looks like he was ripped from a completely different anime. The joke has been made many times that he looks a lot like Aizen in terms of facial structure, and while the similarities are clear to see, Askin also has this derpy expression on his face that makes him seem incredibly strange and unpredictable.

However, since he is an official member of the Schutzstaffel, his wild facial expressions are complemented by a stylish hooded coat and his patterned white V-neck shirt, making him look more like a high-ranking officer in the Quincy army. It's an odd pairing, but one that intentionally makes fans wonder what this guy's problem is and why they can't take their eyes off the screen every time he shows up.

2 Gerard

Gerard's powerful appearance matches his impressive physical strength

• First appearance: TYBW Episode 15

Kubo is no stranger to borrowing from ancient history when designing his characters, and in Gerard's case, it's clear he took some notes from Norse mythology when creating this Thor lookalike. However, while the silky blonde hair and powerful physique are reminiscent of that ancient hero, Gerard still has a few other quirks that help him stand out, one of which is the white mask that rarely leaves his face.

He also has his own unique red cape which really reinforces his image as being as brave and powerful a “hero” as he imagines himself to be. All these extra decorations and clothing choices aren't just for show, as Gerard's powers are still strong enough that he could easily be confused with a Norse god given his immense strength.

1 Like Nodt

For Nodt's spiked mask and deep black eyes are enough to strike fear into any opponent

• First appearance: TYBW Episode 3

As Nodt's strange and disturbing design is very much in line with his special abilities to manipulate his enemies with fear. As a result, As tries to scare his opponents, which is quite easy to do given his appearance. Since a black spiked mask hides his mouth, it draws viewers' attention directly to his pitch-black eyes, which are more than enough to strike fear into even the most seasoned horror fans.

Furthermore, As Nodt is a very tall and slender being who can often be seen extending his body in all the strangest and most disturbing ways, and who can forget about the long, flowing black hair that makes him look like the lead singer of a heavy metal band. . It's such a striking design that it stuck with many fans even long after As met his demise at Rukia's hands.