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Zanpaku-to, Shikai, Bankai Almost as important to the story of Bleach as Ichigo, Rukia, Aizen and the other characters are
the swords that they carry; their zanpaku-to. Unlike other series' super-special attacks and weapons, the blades of Bleach
are characters in and of themselves, with quirks and personalities of their own.
A zanpaku-to is the direct reflection of the power of its wielder, a shinigami's spiritual pressure given physical form.
While they mostly look like any other katana an old-time samurai might carry around, zanpaku-to are far from normal. The foremost
difference is the ability of zanpaku-to to harm shinigami. Since shinigami are really a kind of ghost, normal blades and weapons
can't touch them. In fact, "zanpaku-to" literally means "soul cutting sword."
The other major point that separates them from plain ol' swords is a zanpaku-to's ability to transform. Each blade has
up to three distinct forms which its wielder can acces according to their strength and skill. The first, and one that doesn't
take any effort to attain, is the blade's normal form. With a few exceptions, a zanpaku-to's normal form is indistinguishable
from that of a plain katana.
The second form is called "Shikai", or "first release". The key to Shikai is learning the zanpaku-to's
name. Discovering it is not the easiest thing in the world; some Shinigami never do manage it. But for those that do, they
gain a whole new level of power. Easily triggered by an incantation unique to each sword, a shikai zanpaku-to changes immensely,
often becoming a weapon far removed from a sword. Also, shikai zanpaku-to usually have special powers a shinigami can use,
such as poisons, illusions or power blasts.
"Bankai", the third form, means "all release". Only shinigami at the Captain's rank, or highly powerful
Vice-Captains can acquire bankai. Increasing the zanpaku-to's power by as much as a factor of ten, it takes many decades of
intense training to learn bankai (or three days of cheating courtesy of Urahara and Yoruichi. ^^) Triggering a zanpaku-to's
bankai needs only a one-word incantation: Bankai.
Bankai zanpaku-to get additions to their names, indicating it is New and Special, and it changes even more drastically,
usually (presently with only 1 exception) becoming something far, far larger than the wielder.
As of the present (Chapter 183), 26 zanpaku-to have been introduced, and we've seen 7 Bankai. But there are still several
Captains and Vice-Captains who haven't shown us what their zanpaku-to can do, and several of the blades we have seen have
only given us teasers. So this list is not nearly finished yet.
Zangetsu (Cutting Moon)
Wielder: Kurosaki Ichigo
First Shikai: Chapter 67, vol. 8, End of Lessons
First Bankai: Chapter 162, vol. ?, Black Moon Rising
Description:
Zangetsu, an unorthodox zanpakuto for an unorthodox shinigami. For the first 6 volumes of the manga,
Zangetsu looks exactly like a normal katana, except for his size; frickin' HUGE. He was big enough to make claymores jealous,
being as long as Ichigo is tall (5'8" or so), and at least a hand in width. His crossguard was the normal rectangle, with
a stylized flame pattern on the long sides, and a simple decorative slit on the short ones. Ichigo carried Zangetsu slung
over his back, the heavy sheath held in place with a thick leather belt studded with double-rows of metal-ringed holes.Then
came the fights with Captain Kuchiki and Urahara. Zangetsu was badly broken and Ichigo thoroghly schooled, but the end result
was Ichigo learned Zangetsu's name, and hence learned his
SHIKAI:Shikai Zangetsu looks more like an elegant cleaver than a formal "katana". He has no crossguard and no proper
hilt; what Ichigo holds is the cloth-wrapped tang. Zangetsu is still as long as Ichigo is tall, but the blade is a hand-width
only at it's base. From there it tapers in one long arc into a sharp, pointed tip. The cloth wrapping on the tang seems to
react to Ichigo's will, changing length at a thought or twining about the blade in an impromptu sheath. Instead of the heavy
belt for Zangetsu's sheath, a red chain of interconnecting triangles (one that looks a lot like a spinal column if you look
right) runs from Ichigo's right shoulder to left hip. There's no connection or anything, he just puts Zangetsu across his
back and the blade sticks. Shikai Zangetsu's power is simple but deadly. He can translate Ichigo's spiritual pressure into
tangible energy. The resulting crescent moon of light is called "Getsuga Tenshou" (Moonfang Skyshock) and it can slice cleanly
through anything; rock, buildings, people. However, Ichigo is still working on mastering this particular power. Strangely,
Zangetsu is constantly in his Shikai form. Ichigo has yet to figure out how to get him to transform into a "normal form".
BANKAI: TENSA ZANGETSU (Heaven's Chain Cutting Moon)
The one exception to the "bankai is big" rule, Tensa Zangetsu
is comparatively very small. In fact, this is the only form in which Zangetsu looks anything like a normal sword. He is still
as long as he always was, but he now has a formal hilt, crossguard and blade. Instead of the cloth his Shikai form had, a
short length of chain dangles from the base of the hilt. He finally gets a crossguard, though it isn't normal. Four prongs
bend out to form the kanji for "ban", with the base of the blade at it's center. And every last square inch of him is dead
black. Even his Getsuga Tenshou are dark as pitch.As for Tensa Zangetsu's ability, he takes everything that most bankai put
into being big and translates it into speed boosts for Ichigo. The boosts are big enough that Ichigo can launch Getsuga Tenshou
from two totally opposite sides of a target "almost simultaneously".Like Renji, Ichigo himself also changes appearance, albeit
very slightly. The top half of his shinigami blacks becomes a sort of suit topcoat instead of a kimono, pinned together at
one spot, then left to flare out into ragged ends.
NOTE: Zangetsu is one of two zanpaku-to Avatars that we get to meet. He looks like any other human, really, though it's
sometimes hard to see his body for the long, ragged black cloak he wears. What we do see resembles a suit of some kind, with
a white-trimmed, deep v-collar and white cuffs at his sleeves. He has shaggy, black, shoulder length hair and always wears
a clear pair of slim sunglasses. He seems like a soft-spoken but intense person, and usually has some wise advice for Ichigo.
Asauchi (Shallow Hit)
Wielder: Shinigami Dropouts
First Appearance: Chapter 110, vol. 13, Dark Side of Universe
Description:
Soul Society is very adamant about zanpaku-to
having names. So much so they even give an overall
name to blades so
weak they don't have their own; Asauchi. That's what the blank blades
carried by Shinigami who are
too weak to gain a spot in one of the 13
Divisions are called.Appearance-wise, it's a normal katana with a
plain, oval
crossguard. Since it's so weak it can't find it's own name,
it obviously doesn't have a Shikai, let alone a Bankai. The
only thing
that sets it apart from a mundane katana is that it is capable of
harming a shinigami.
Benihime (Crimson Princess)
Wielder: Urahara Kisuke, Racketeer [SPOILER] Former 12th Division, Captain [/SPOILER]
First Shikai: Chapter 65, vol. 8, Collisions
First Bankai: None, yet.
Description:
Benihime gets kudos for being one of the more unusual normal-form zanpaku-to; Urahara totes her around
as a cane-sword. She also has the flaming skull sigil, which means Urahara can use her to separate souls from bodies.
SHIKAI:
Benihime doesn't look too much different in Shikai form. Her hilt is a little on the longer side, mostly
because the last two or three inches are bent at an angle. A cute little tassel dangles off the end. Instead of a crossguard,
there is a decorative string wrapped thrice around the hilt, with a three-loop bow on one side and a folded paper decoration
on the other. An almost skirt-like decoration covers the first three or four inches of blade, with a flower petal design right
as it meets the string-crossguard. Benihime's blade is straight and slim, though somewhat short, with the tip ending in a
slanted razor-like edge instead of being tapered to a point. Urahara triggers the change to Shikai with the word "okiro" (awaken).
Not much in the way of Benihime's powers have been shown off yet, but Urahara has given us a glance at one; "Chigasumi no
Tate" (Blood-mist Shield). Requiring a little of Urahara's blood and the word "nake" (cry), Benihime can make a thick, red
block of a shield in front of Urahara strong enough to hold off one of Zangetsu's Getsuga Tenshou
strikes.
Houzukimaru (Houzuki)
Wielder: Madarame Ikkaku, 11th div, 3rd Seat
First Shikai: Chapter 87, vol. 10, Dancing With Spears
First Bankai: Ikkaku isn't close to that good yet...
Description:
Houzukimaru is nothing unusual in it's normal form, looking like any regular katana. Madarame does
hide a small vial of healing ointment in the base of the hilt, though. Houzukimaru's crossguard is an oval, with what look
like three small teardrops in relief on both the top and bottom end. Those marks are probably meant to represent "oni-bi"
(demon fire), little balls of blue flame that have a thin wisp trailing up off the top, usually found floating in graveyards
in Japanese ghost stories and myths.
SHIKAI:
Madarame fights in an unusual style, using both Houzukimaru's blade and sheath, one in each hand. Madarame
thunks the base of his sheath into the top of the hilt and clips out the word "nobiro" (extend). The sheath and hilt join
together, morphing into a japanese spear, called a naginata. But that's not all Houzukimaru is. Another short command of "sakero"
(split), and it splits into three separate pieces joined by short lengths of chain; in other words, a san-setsu-kon (three-section
staff). Madarame can manipulate the two joints at will, popping them open or closed as he needs to.
NOTE: You may have noticed that Houzukimaru's name doesn't change much in English. A "houzuki" is a type of flower in japan
that looks more like a little red paper lantern than a real flower. The fruit from the houzuki plant, a ground-cherry, grows
inside that "lantern".Houzuki bloom in the fall, and it is culturally associated with "Obon",the Festival of the Dead.
Zabimaru (Snaketail)
Wielder: Abarai Renji, 6th Div. Vice-Captain
First Shikai: Chapter 56, vol 7, Na mo Kikenu Kodomo (the child who can't hear names)
First Bankai: Chapter 141 vol. 17, Kneel to the Baboon King
Description:
Like the vast majority of other zanpaku-to, Zabimaru's normal form looks exactly like any old katana,
and Renji carries it stuck through his obi, like any samurai would. The only difference is the crossguard, which has a stylized
lighting-bolt pattern carved into it.
SHIKAI:
With a quick shout of "Hoero!" (Howl!), Renji changes Zabimaru from an unassuming katana to a much larger,
heavier weapon looking a lot like a sawblade. Zabimaru is comprised of seven rectangular plates that gradually widen from
hilt to tip. Jutting out from the sharpened end of each plate is a flat, tooth-like spike, the last one on the last plate
being long enough to qualify as a fang. The real surprise comes when opponents figure out that Zabimaru is not a sword, it's
a *whip*. The plates are joined with a flexible material that can extend incredible distances. Renji can mentally control
the length of the whip, but it still takes some weapons finesse to control it directionally. Shikai Zabimaru has one other
ability, which Renji rarely uses. Called "Higa Zekkou" (Monkey Fang Absolute Bite), it allows him to control almost telekenetically
the scattered pieces Zabimaru to "bite" into an opponent in one huge pile.
BANKAI: HIHIOU ZABIMARU (Baboon King Snaketail)
Though he's called the "Baboon King" Hihiou Zabimaru is really a
giant snake skeleton. Renji holds onto the tip of the tail, which then coils into multitudes of round ribs all the way up
into a huge snake head, complete with white furry ruff at the back of the skull-joint and several rows of fangs. Like Shikai
Zabimaru, Hihiou Zabimaru is a whip, it just has a much, much larger range. Instead of having a flexible material joining
the rib segments, all of Hihiou Zabimaru is held together by Renji's spiritual pressure, so it's nearly impossible for an
opponent to sever it. The head can actually search out and bite opponents of it's own will to some extent, as well. Renji
himself also changes appearance to a noticeable extent. He gains a white fur mantle over his black shinigami robes, held in
place by an animal-fang chain. Decorating his left shoulder is a long, flat baboon skull.
NOTES: Besides Zangetsu, Zabimaru is the only other Zanpaku-to Avatar we've met. A huge (as in stands almost 5ft. tall
at the shoulder huge) dignified-looking baboon with a snake for a tail, Zabimaru is actually two personalities in one. Interestingly,
the baboon half of Zabimaru sports the long, slim pointed lines of a tatoo across his back and over his shoulders. One branch
even snakes (pardon the pun) it's way down each arm almost to the wrist.Personality-wise, Zabimaru has two different voices,
but they share the same outlook. The baboon speaks like an old man and the snake like a teenage punk, but both have a touch
of irreverance and bossiness, as well as a distinct fondness for a good fight.
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