Among the Soul Reapers in Bleach, their strongest power is their Bankai. A Bankai is the second form of the swords of these Soul Reapers called Zanpakuto, which is considered absolutely lethal and can only be used by the strongest characters in the series. Bleach has featured a lot of Bankai transformations over the years, and each of them is unique in its own way.
However, there is one Bankai that is so terrifying that it has been banned from the Soul Society. This Bankai belongs to Shinji Hirako, who is the current captain of the 5th Division of Gotei 13. The name of his Bankai is Sakashima Yokoshima Happofusagari, and it is considered to be a big threat to Shinji’s enemies and his friends alike.
Tite Kubo, the creator of Bleach, once explained the reason behind Shinji Hirako’s Bankai being banned in the Soul Society in the Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World light novels.
The Most Terrifying Bankai in the Bleach Universe
In the fifteen years of the Bleach manga series, Tite Kubo has introduced a lot of powerful Soul Reapers who have unleashed some of the strongest Bankais. From Shunsui Kyoraku’s Katen Kyokotsu: Karamatsu Shinju to Kisuke Urahara’s Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame, these Bankais have some of the most unique abilities.
However, Shinji Hirako’s Bankai is the only one that is banned in the soul society. Shinji’s Zanpakuto: Sakanade looks like any normal blade, but its Bankai: Sakashima Yokoshima Happofusagari is dangerous for Shinji’s enemies as well as his allies, which makes it difficult for him to use in certain situations.
His Bankai alters the perception of all the characters present in its range and makes them attack anyone, no matter which side they are on. The only person who is unaffected by this ability is Shinji because it provides cover protection that not only keeps him safe from enemy attacks but also from the effect of his own Bankai.
Tite Kubo Revealed The Reason Behind Shinji’s Bankai Being Banned
During Shinji’s battle with Tokinada Tsunayashiro, the antagonist of the Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World light novels, Kubo explicitly mentions that Shinji’s Bankai can’t be used because of the situation they are in, and thus, ultimately, they are defeated by Tokinada. During that narrative, Shinji explains how his Bankai works and why it is banned in the Soul Society.
Sakashima Yokoshima Happofusagari’s inability to differentiate between allies and enemies makes it a double-edged sword that may help Shinji in dealing with any kind of enemy but will also hurt the allies that are present around him. Thus, it is dangerous for him to use it in Soul Society, no matter what the consequences are.
However, Shinji does get a chance to use his Bankai during the sixteenth episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. His Bankai makes the Quincy soldiers attack each other and kill their own allies without even leaving a scratch on Shinji. Bleach fans might get to see Shinji’s Bankai once more during the third season of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War.
You can watch Bleach on Hulu.
