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Shonen TCG · General
Union Arena Bleach Guide: Best Decks & Cards (2026)
12 min readBy Michael Riley
Tagsunion-arenableachdeck-guidecard-values
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Shonen TCG · General
Reviewing
Union Arena
Bleach's Union Arena set plays nothing like Solo Leveling, and that's what makes it interesting from a competitive standpoint. Where Solo Leveling generates sustained resource advantage through recycling, Bleach generates a one-time massive power spike through Ichigo's transformation. Both approaches are viable. They just create completely different game patterns.
If you prefer the tactical satisfaction of engineering a board state and then transitioning into a more powerful version of your key piece, Bleach is the right IP for you in Union Arena.
TL;DR: Union Arena Bleach (BT02) runs Ichigo's Hollow Form as its core game plan: establish 3+ Soul Reapers, trigger the transformation, close with Hollow Ichigo's superior stats. Budget build $70-90, competitive with Hollow Ichigo $130-170. Competitive at 52-54% win rate. Harder than Solo Leveling but more rewarding.
Bleach decks build toward Ichigo's Hollow Form. You play Soul Reapers early to meet the Hollow Form condition (3+ Soul Reapers on field), then transition Ichigo into his Hollow state for a mid-game power spike that most opponents cannot answer cleanly. Rukia and Uryu support the Soul Reaper count; Orihime provides healing effects to keep Ichigo alive long enough to transform.
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TCG Deck Analyst
Former card game tournament organiser turned analyst. Covers One Piece TCG meta, deck efficiency, and card valuation. Builds spreadsheets for decks most people just play.
Disclaimer
This article is published for informational and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute professional financial, legal, or technical advice. Game performance, online services, patch schedules, and store listings change. Verify critical details (pricing, system requirements, regional availability) with publishers and storefronts before you buy. Affiliate links, where present, help support our editorial work and are labelled in our affiliate disclosure.
OP-16 Meta Tier List Week 1: Best Decks & Matchups
General · 13 min
Ichigo starts in his base Soul Reaper form. His standard card is a 4-cost 5000 power character with "When this card attacks, if you control 3+ Soul Reapers, draw 1 card." Solid but not exceptional.
The Hollow Form trigger activates when you have both Ichigo on field AND 3 or more Soul Reapers on field simultaneously. Some versions of Ichigo have an activate ability that triggers the transformation directly when conditions are met.
When Hollow Form activates, you replace the base Ichigo card with Hollow Ichigo. This is a separate card you have in hand or fetched from your deck. Hollow Ichigo is a different card with different stats, typically 8000-9000 power with additional abilities. The transition is not a buff to the existing Ichigo; it replaces him entirely.
This is the Hollow Form game plan: establish the Soul Reaper count by turn 3-4, transform Ichigo by turn 4-5, and then attack with a 9000-power body that most non-event removal cannot touch.
The risk: if opponents remove Ichigo before transformation, you restart the clock. If they remove too many Soul Reapers to drop your count below 3, transformation becomes impossible without rebuilding. These are the two strategic pressure points opponents target.
Key Card: Ichigo Kurosaki
Soul Reaper Core (18):
Ichigo Package (8):
Support Characters (8):
Events (16):
Total: 50 cards
GODEEPER: New to Union Arena entirely? The beginner guide covers the turn structure and energy system before diving into IP-specific builds. Union Arena TCG Beginner Guide →
Rukia (4 copies, mandatory): Rukia is the most important non-Ichigo card in the deck. She enters as a 3-cost Soul Reaper (counts toward the 3+ condition), draws a card when a Soul Reaper is K.O.'d (generating card advantage when opponents attack your board), and her 3000 power trades cleanly with most 2-3 cost opposing characters. Four copies is non-negotiable.
Hollow Ichigo ($25-40, run 2): The win condition. At 9000 power he survives most combat without event support. His special ability lets him attack through blockers under specific conditions. Most budget players run 1 copy; competitive builds run 2 because seeing him is the difference between winning and stalling in turns 5-7. Do not run 3: the entry cost and hand space required make multiples a liability.
Getsuga Tensho (4 copies): 3000 removal at 3 energy is the best rate for targeted removal in the Bleach set. Removes most early threats and handles opposing Shadows that survive combat. Essential for clearing blockers before your Hollow Ichigo attacks.
Soul Society Emergency (4 copies): Returning K.O.'d Soul Reapers to hand means your count resets after opponent removal. This event is the answer to opponents who try to reduce your Soul Reaper count below 3.
Keep any hand that contains:
Mulligan any hand with:
The critical opening is 2 Soul Reapers on field by turn 2. This puts you one Soul Reaper away from the Hollow Form condition on turn 3-4. Hands that cannot achieve this are unkeepable.
Turn 1: Play Renji (2-cost blocker). Establish Soul Reaper count at 1.
Turn 2: Play Rukia (3-cost, count reaches 2). Use Renji to attack if the opponent has no blocker.
Turn 3: Play Yasutora or a third Soul Reaper (count reaches 3). This is the turn you hold Ichigo if he is in your hand; you need the Soul Reapers in play first.
Turn 4: Play Ichigo. With 3+ Soul Reapers, he immediately grants his draw trigger. Set up the Hollow Form condition for next turn.
Turn 5: Hollow Form activates. Replace base Ichigo with Hollow Ichigo. Attack with Hollow Ichigo plus 2-3 additional Soul Reapers for substantial damage.
Turn 6+: Close. Hollow Ichigo at 9000 power plus the continued Soul Reaper board state typically closes the game in 2-3 additional turns.
vs. Solo Leveling (45-55, slightly unfavorable): Solo Leveling's Shadow recycling outlasts Bleach's burst window. If you transform by turn 4, you win. If the transform is delayed to turn 5+, Shadow Army's volume makes it nearly impossible to close. Prioritize your Soul Reaper count above all else.
vs. JJK (40-60, unfavorable): Domain Expansion removes all characters, resetting your Soul Reaper count to zero. Keep Soul Society Emergency specifically for this matchup to rapidly rebuild. Even so, JJK's ability to wipe twice per game is often too much.
vs. Dragon Ball Super (55-45, favorable): DBZ's power scaling is slower than Hollow Form. Transform before they accumulate Ki; they cannot respond. Getsuga Tensho removes their power-accumulation characters before they reach threatening Ki counts.
vs. InuYasha (50-50, even): InuYasha's counter scaling matches Bleach's burst timing. The matchup is decided by which player controls the mid-game combat more efficiently. Bankai Activation events outperform in even trades.
Budget version ($70-90): Replace Hollow Ichigo with 2x Ichigo Shikai (Rare, $4-7 each). The Shikai version is weaker but still provides a mid-game power bump at significantly lower cost. Remove 1x Byakuya. This build loses games to higher power bodies in late turns but functions for locals.
Count your Soul Reapers at the start of every turn. The Hollow Form condition is easy to miss when you're managing multiple attacks. Before declaring any attack, verify your count.
Keep Soul Society Emergency for reactive use. Playing it proactively to thin your deck is tempting but wasteful. Wait until an opponent's attack drops your Soul Reaper count below 3, then return the K.O.'d Soul Reaper to hand.
Hollow Ichigo does not enter as a "played" card; he enters through the transformation ability. This means some cards that say "when you play a character" do not trigger when Hollow Ichigo enters. Read your own card interactions carefully.
Can you run multiple Key Card versions of Ichigo? No. You choose one Key Card at deck construction. Most Bleach builds use base Ichigo as the Key Card with Hollow Ichigo as a main deck piece.
What happens if Hollow Ichigo is K.O.'d? He goes to the discard pile like any other character. There is no secondary transformation from Hollow Ichigo. You either have a second Hollow Ichigo in hand or you transition back to your Soul Reaper control game.
Is Bleach worth building over Solo Leveling? If you prefer conditional-synergy decks over pure aggro, yes. Solo Leveling is more consistent but less varied in its play lines. Bleach rewards planning but punishes slower draws.
When does Bleach BT02 rotate out of standard? BT02 was released EN in June 2023; standard rotation typically hits at 18 months. Rotation assessment for BT02 is expected Q4 2024 but has not been confirmed as of May 2026. Check the official rotation schedule.
How does Hollow Mask differ from a standard counter event? Hollow Mask adds +2000 like a standard counter event but has a secondary effect: if Ichigo is on your field when Hollow Mask resolves, you heal 1000 damage from Ichigo's life total. This dual utility makes it worth running at 4 copies.
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