The last two Journal Entries I've tried to write on here both crashed on me.  Rude.  The first one was a really long one about what I've been up to lately, and I didn't feel like rewriting it.  The second one was like this one.

So, the strengths of the Captains have been a heated discussion between Bleach Fans a lot, and my friends and I have gotten into some as well, so I'd figured I'd write my own opinion on which Captain is strong or weak.  Keep in mind that my personal feelings for the Captains are invalid and I measure their strengths by their attacks, abilities, Shikai and Bankai, and Kidō knowledge.

Captains (Soul Society arc):
Yamamoto Genryūsai
Aizen Sōsuke
Unohana Retsu
Kyōraku Shunsui
Ukitake Jūshirō
Ichimaru Gin
Kuchiki Byakuya
Zaraki Kenpachi
Suì-Fēng
Kurotsuchi Mayuri
Tōsen Kaname
Komamura Sajin
Hitsugaya Tōshirō

I really hate that Kenpachi is ahead of Kurotsuchi. T-T  But, yep, that's my list.  Looks about right…  Yamamoto and Aizen were pretty much a given, and I think Unohana would be tied with Aizen, but stupid Kyōka Suigetsu…  But even he ran from her back when she approached him and found her out.  Kyōraku and Ukitake are two of the most oldest Captains and students of Yamamoto, so they must be powerful.  Ukitake is weaker than Kyōraku, though, because his Shikai is pretty much useless against those with only physical attacks.  As for Ichimaru, his Bankai and Shikai are overwhelmingly fast, and the way he fights is fairly quick as well.

But the poor kitty is second to last.   That's because his Bankai does more harm to him than good.  Even Tōsen's ahead of him.  As for Hitsugaya… he just shouldn't be a Captain.  He isn't that strong at all.  I think even some of the Lieutenants could beat him.  The only reason he's Captain is because he knows Bankai, and it isn't even all that impressive strength-wise.

Captains (Current):
Yamamoto Genryūsai
Unohana Retsu
Kyōraku Shunsui
Ukitake Jūshirō
Hirako Shinji
Muguruma Kensei
Kuchiki Byakuya
Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō
Zaraki Kenpachi
Suì-Fēng
Kurotsuchi Mayuri
Komamura Sajin
Hitsugaya Tōshirō

This one was a little difficult to determine because we haven't really seen anyone's strength yet after the seventeen month time span.  However, Yamamoto, Unohana, Kyōraku and Ukitake are still at the top for obvious reasons.  Hirako is next because Aizen was frightened of him, and if he wasn't such a Gary-Sue and Hirako didn't babble about his Shikai's ability, he would have beaten him.  Kensei's next because he's brutally strong physically, and then add on his Hollow Mask and he could beat a Menos Grande to a pulp with just his fists.  Byakuya's just off angsting because he isn't strongest. XP  We also haven't really seen a lot of Rose's abilities, but his control over his Shikai is pretty good, so he must be good.  Plus, he has a mask as well.

But, other than that, the bottom of the list is pretty much the same.  This list will most likely be different once the manga chapters start coming out and we get more information on fights, but until then, this is how I stand. ^-^