In the season finale of the first half of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Ichigo Kurosaki reforges his sword Zangetsu and unlocks its true power after his Bankai is destroyed. Zangetsu has been with Ichigo since he became a Shinigami, but he had to discover the secret origins of his powers before revealing its true form.
However, some fans may find that this revelation seems sudden, and they might think that Ichigo’s Zanpakuto is not fully developed. Tite Kubo, the creator of Bleach, hinted at a clue regarding the incompleteness of Ichigo’s Zanpakuto. To know, whether this incompleteness was intentional or if there is a specific reason behind it read the article until the end.
Creator of Bleach Hints at the incompleteness of Ichigo’s Zanpakuto
Currently, Ichigo’s Zanpakuto has a dual-bladed form, with the larger blade symbolizing his Soul Reaper abilities and the smaller blade representing the old Zangetsu and his Quincy heritage. In its Shikai state, it was a massive Khyber knife, and in Bankai, a long black-bladed katana. Notably, Zangetsu lacked a sheath, although Tite Kubo, the creator, stated that no Zanpakuto is complete without a sheath.
In a Q&A on Shueisha’s Klub Outside platform (via ScreenRant), a fan asked Kubo about Ichigo’s Zanpakuto’s form. Kubo explained that a Zanpakuto should have both a sword and a scabbard. In Ichigo’s case, the second blade is formed from what would be the scabbard, making his Zanpakuto complete, albeit in an unconventional way.
Kubo also mentioned Oetsu Nimaiya’s blade, Sayafushi, which lacks a sheath and is called Sheath Dodger. He concluded that Ichigo could have two blades again if he wished. This detail about Ichigo’s Zanpakuto played a role in the later Bleach storyline, specifically in the Thousand-Year Blood War.
Also Read: Does Ikkaku Madarame Have the Most Unoriginal Bankai – 6 Most Boring Bankai in Bleach History
Ichigo’s Unique Zanpakuto – Zangetsu and Its Forms
Ichigo possesses a unique Zanpakuto called Zangetsu, a Soul Sword used to combat Hollows and guide souls to the afterlife. Zangetsu has two forms: a large khyber knife in its Shikai and a black daito sword in its Bankai.
Zangetsu’s spirit initially appeared as a rugged, long-haired middle-aged man in Ichigo’s inner world. However, later revelations in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War show that Ichigo had limited knowledge of his sword.
When Ichigo first manifested his original Zanpakuto, its large size seemed linked to his latent but untamed spiritual pressure. Achieving Bankai transformed the blade into a more typical shape and size.
While Bankai situations usually don’t involve sheathing the sword, most Soul Reapers in the 13 Court Guard Squads use and carry their scabbards, especially Byakuya Kuchiki, who needs to draw his blade from its sheath to activate his Bankai. Interestingly, when Ichigo initially used Rukia’s powers in early Bleach, he did have a scabbard.
Source: ScreenRant
