Your Guide to Zanpakutou

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A depiction of Gin, with his Zanpakuto in it's sealed form.

Zanpakuto are the trademark weapons of the Shinigami. Capable of cutting spirit bodies, they are amongst the few weapons which can be used to combat Hollows. Each Shinigami carries a unique Zanpakutô, and each Zanpakuto is unique: as the swords are both reflections of a Shinigami's soul and power, and sentient beings unto themselves. The Zanpakuto's name is also the name of the living spirit that empowers the sword and lends its strength to the Shinigami who wields it. These beings can vary widely in appearance and have their own distinct personalities which match their owner's. The Zanpakuto spirit can normally only be seen by its wielder. Otherwise they dwell in their own "inner world," created within the minds of the Shinigami who wield them, as such each Shinigami's inner world is drastically different from another Shinigami and is unique to them. A Zanpakutou spirit can bring its wielder into its inner world, though Shinigami can voluntary achieve this by simple meditation.

A Zanpakuto's shape and abilities are based on their Shinigami's soul. Once a Shinigami learns his swords name, they are able to communicate with one another and grow stronger together. Zanpakuto are born with their Shinigami and they die with their Shinigami. Shinigami use them in battle as a reflection of their heart. When released, they can display a vibrant power. They are one with the Shinigami. They share a Shinigami's conviction.

Asauchi: The class of nameless Zanpakuto that all low-class Shinigami wield. Shinigami who are still in training--those who do not yet belong to any of the Gotei 13--all wield generic Zanpakuto. Shinigami who are unable to communicate with their Zanpakuto, the "shallow hit", which refers to the grossly-reduced power of a Zanpakuto whose wielder cannot connect with it properly.

Obtaining a Zanpakuto

A wielder knows their Zanpakutô spirit very closely and vice versa the connection is very deep, though in the beginning the connection is one sided with the wielder being unable to fully hear the spirit communicating with them. It is not uncommon for the introduction of the two (Shinigami and Zanpakutô spirit) to take place in the inner world while the prospective Shinigami sleeps.

A Zanpakutô is generated by it's wielder upon the solidification of its their Reiryoku into the swords form. Commonly when a Shinigami graduates from the training academy, he/she gains his/her own unique weapon. The process by which this happens has not yet been shown. What has been shown its that Ichigo Kurosaki, who was trained independently and in an unusual manner, gained his own Zanpakutô via a test of combat that required him to reach deep within and take hold of his own power in a way he never had before. Whether this is the same process other Shinigami go through is not yet known.

At any rate, it is known that when a Shinigami obtains their own Zanpakuto, they learn its name and become able to "activate" it. This activated ability is called the "Shikai," the first of two levels of activation. When a Zanpakuto sword is changed into its Shikai form, what is actually being seen is the true form of the weapon.

To control your Zanpakuto..

Wielding a Zanpakutô is more then a simple matter of skill in swordsmanship. Since the swords themselves are alive, a Shinigami must obtain his or her sword's cooperation to truly maximize its performance. This can be done in a variety of ways, though it seems that the orthodox approach involves subjugating the sword; the Shinigami belonging to the Thirteen Divisions keep their swords sealed into the forms of ordinary katana and have strict rules about when and where they are allowed to release their true forms. Keeping a sword in its unsealed form all the time seems to be considered gauche, a sign of carelessness or inexperience. The Shinigami also use certain phrases when they activate their swords, which appear to be necessary to release the seals keeping the swords' powers bound. These are always phrased as commands, further emphasizing the "subjugation" aspect of Zanpakuto control. Most swords have at least one, though some Shinigami use more than one to command their weapons.

It is not enough to simply know the name of one's Zanpakutô, if a wielder were to lend its power to it's Zanpakutô then the weapon would become stronger. To fully use a Zanpakutô's power a wielder must get to know it's Zanpakutô spirit.

Though rare, it is not impossible for more than one soul to be attuned to the same spirit. In such cases, ancient law of the Soul Society will not allow two beings to wield the same Zanpakutô, in which case, they must duel for ownership of the spirit, with the winner gaining it and the loser being sentenced to death.

No matter what form (or size) a Zanpakutô takes, it is always virtually effortless for its owner to wield because it is a part of its owner's soul. Shinigami captains all consciously keep their Zanpakutô in a manageable size, otherwise they would be holding Zanpakutô the size of sky scrapers. Therefore one cannot judge one's opponent's strength by the size of his Zanpakutô.

As stated, a Zanpakutô is a being unto itself and tends to be highly temperamental. Its mood is determined by how it is treated by its Shinigami as well as its overall personality. This allows a Shinigami to partially determine whether it will achieve its true power or not. For example, Yumichika Ayasegawa normally releases his Zanpakutô with the name Fuji Kujaku (Wisteria Peacock), even though its true name is Ruri'iro Kujaku (Azure Peacock), knowing that its favorite color is azure and that its least favorite is wisteria purple. He does this so that its true power is not seen. Since his Zanpakutô hates the nickname, it becomes moody and only releases a fraction of its power. This allows him to pass off his Zanpakutô as a simple melee-type rather than what it truly is, a Kidô-type, something that is unacceptable in the 11th Division due to an unspoken rule that all Zanpakutô in the 11th must be melee-types. Only when its true name is uttered is its full potential achieved.

Another major exception to just about all of the aforementioned rules, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, somehow failed to learn his sword's name. He ignored its living embodiment and preferred to use it simply as a tool, relying only on his own power. He never developed the control to seal his power, and thus also breaks the rule/tradition of keeping a Zanpakuto sword in a sealed form--his sword is always in its true form. Zaraki's immense personal strength not only made it possible for him to buck these rules, but also to rise to the rank of Captain. However, his neglect wasn't exactly good for the weapon, causing immense pain to its embodiment and damage to the sword itself.

Sealed Zanpakuto

Depending upon the Shinigami's ability to communicate with and control their Zanpakutô's spirit, a Zanpakutô can manifest itself in two additional forms and revert to a sealed state. These two forms, known as Shikai and Bankai, are akin to "upgrades" for the Zanpakutô, giving it abilities far beyond that of its simple use as a sword. Shinigami usually carry their Zanpakutô in the sealed state and activate the released forms as necessary.

All Zanpakutô have two levels of release. The first one is Shikai (initial release) and the second one is Bankai (final release). One must be able to do both of them to become a captain. The power and forms of Shikai and Bankai are dependent on the Zanpakutô. They also vary according to the wielder's strength and training.

Sealed
Most Zanpakutô look like regular katana, with slight variations between them as one would expect between different swords. There variations are commonly:

Katana: The term katana may be applied to the standard-size, moderately-curved, Japanese sword with a blade length of greater than 60 cm (23.6 inches). The katana is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single-edged blade, a circular or squared guard, and a grip long enough to accommodate two hands.

Wakizashi: A short blade between 30 and 60 cm (12 and 24 inches), with an average of 50 cm (20 inches). It is similar to but shorter than a katana, and usually shorter than the kodachi. The wakizashi was usually worn together with the katana. When worn together the pair of swords were called daishô, which translates literally as "large and small". The katana was often called the long sword and the wakizashi the companion sword.

Nodachi: The nodachi was more difficult to wield due to its size and weight. The length of the nodachi's hilt varied between twelve to thirteen inches (30 to 33 centimeters). Its cutting capability and range exceeds that of a katana, due to its weight and size.

In addition to the upgraded forms, the sealed form of a Zanpakutô can also be radically altered, though such alterations are purely cosmetic and usually don't offer any significant advantage in battle; one exception is Ikkaku Madarame's Hôzukimaru, whose hilt stores a blood-clotting ointment. Zanpakutô can also be disguised as other objects, though such objects seem to need to be of similar proportions to the sword itself. Both Kisuke Urahara and General Yamamoto, for example, disguise their Zanpakutô as canes, Yamamoto's as a large walking stick that dissolves on command to reveal his sheathed Zanpakutô, Urahara's as a shikomizue, a thin blade hidden within the hollow shaft of a cane.

A Zanpakutô will return to its sealed state when its wielder is knocked unconscious

Shikai & Bankai

The Shikai is the second form (or first "upgraded" form) available to a Zanpakutō. To activate it, the Shinigami needs to learn the name of their Zanpakutō. This is not as easy as simply picking a name, as the living spirit of the Zanpakutō already has its own name. Therefore, the Shinigami must be able to communicate and harmonize with their Zanpakutō effectively, which requires being able to speak to the spirit within its world.

A Zanpakutō can change size and shape depending on the spiritual strength of the owner.

Achievement of the Shikai is a mark of control of a Zanpakutō, and it appears to be a requirement for advancement within the Shinigami ranks, as presumably most seated officers are capable of Shikai. It is also required in order to achieve the rank of lieutenant; as it is a requirement most captains look for. After first learning the Zanpakutō's name, the Shikai can be performed at will simply by speaking a command followed by the Zanpakutō's name. The commands vary between users and range from a simple imperative verb to a short poem. They often relate to the Zanpakutō's signature ability, or hint at the nature of its spirit. This step may be bypassed by expert Shinigami who have learned how to use their Bankai.

Constant-Release: In rare cases, a Zanpakutō, once released, will remain in that state indefinitely. This is due to the vast amount of spiritual energy the possessor has that cannot be finely controlled upon initial generation of their Zanpakutō, as such the Zanpakutō is described as a constant released form. The only known Shinigami with Full-Time Release Zanpakutō are Ichigo Kurosaki and Kenpachi Zaraki. By the nature of this type of Zanpakutō, a Shinigami with a constant release form does not need a release command nor is it necessary to even know their Zanpakutō's name. However, not knowing the name of one's Zanpakutō can put a Shinigami at a disadvantage in terms of power against those who do know their Zanpakutō's name.

Shikai Forms: Once the Shikai is activated, the zanpakutō will change form to access whatever special abilities it is capable of. They usually remain in the form of a sword (with multiple exceptions, such as Soifon wielding a stinger, Byakuya Kuchiki's turns into many sakura-like blades, Ikkaku Madarame wielding a naginata/three-sectional-staff, Kaien Shiba wielding a trident, Marechiyo Ōmaeda wielding a flail, Shūhei Hisagi wielding two connected dual scythes, Rangiku Matsumoto's sword turns into ash, and Retsu Unohana's shikai is a flying manta ray-type creature), but the type of sword differs radically among various zanpakutō.

Special Abilities: Once the Shikai is activated, the Zanpakutō will change form to access whatever special abilities it is capable of. The special abilities of the Zanpakutō, like the Zanpakutō itself, have specific names that usually must be announced to fully activate the effect. As Ichigo's Zanpakutō, Zangetsu, explains, knowing the name of an attack and not knowing it makes a very drastic difference in the amount of power that attack utilizes. Some special abilities are automatically activated upon release.

A depiction of Captain Hitsugaya using an ability in his Shikai state.

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Bankai
The Bankai is the second and final upgraded form of a Zanpakutō. To achieve Bankai, one must be able to materialize and subjugate their Zanpakutō spirit. Materialization means the opposite of getting dragged into the Zanpakutō's inner world, as in the wielders conversations with it. Instead the wielder needs to summon the Zanpakutō's spirit into the physical world. It usually takes 10 years or more to achieve, plus the experience needed to master it.

The power and forms of Shikai and Bankai are dependent on the Zanpakutō. They also vary according to the wielder's strength and training. But in general, one's power can grow 5 to 10 times greater.Only the strongest Shinigami can use it. It is the ultimate technique of a Zanpakutō. Even the Four noble families, whose members are always exceptionally talented, have only a member capable of Bankai every few generations. Those who achieve Bankai always have remarkable roles in the history of Soul Society.

Ichigo Kurosaki and Kisuke Urahara are the only known individuals that have mastered Bankai through a far shorter, yet much more dangerous method. Using a special device created by Urahara, which forcibly materializes a Zanpakutō spirit (thus bypassing a large portion of the training), they were able to attain their Bankai within three days instead of the normal hundreds of years. After successfully testing the device and achieving Bankai, Urahara stated that training by using this method for more than three consecutive days could prove to be fatal, which is why Ichigo was also forced to achieve his own Bankai within three days.

Besides Ichigo Kurosaki, the only non-captain Shinigami known to have achieved Bankai are Renji Abarai (Lieutenant), who finalized his training at about the same time as Ichigo (although he did not use Urahara's device, but rather perfected it while Ichigo was training), and Ikkaku Madarame (3rd Seat), who did so through his own years of training.

Bankai Forms: After a Shinigami is able to materialize and subjugate their Zanpakutō's spirit, the Zanpakutō can assume its final and most powerful form. Unlike the Shikai, there is no command phrase to activate Bankai, though the user will usually say "Bankai" beforehand. A Zanpakutō's Bankai is often a manifestation of the spirit itself, usually creating a massive creature or a powerful effect to aid the user in battle (Ichigo's Bankai is an exception, becoming more compact instead). The Bankai itself will receive a different name in addition to the ordinary Zanpakutō (for example Ichigo's Zangetsu becomes Tensa Zangetsu, Byakuya's Senbonzakura becomes Senbonzakura Kageyoshi). Certain Shinigami also change with their Zanpakutō, gaining clothing similar to what their Zanpakutō's spirit form looks like. Most Zanpakutō will also gain additional special abilities, or a more enhanced version of the usual one. Like with the Shikai, most of these abilities have an associated name. Maintaining the Bankai is taxing for the wielder, and it is difficult to maintain it for long periods of time for most Shinigami, with the exception of Ichigo, as it becomes more compact, thus allowing him to hold it for long periods of time.

Special Abilities: The power that comes with Bankai tends to be similar to the Shikai's ability/theme but amplifies it to much greater levels of power. Some simply increase the original ability, such as Byakuya's blade count multiplies, or Sajin Komamura, who instead of only generating pieces of the giant, summons the giant itself. While other Bankai follow the theme of the sword, such as Renji's remains whip-like while containing baboon and cobra features, or Mayuri summons a monster with the same face (Jizō) on his trident-eske sword, but kept the theme of poison that came from the monsters breath.


A depiction of Byakuya performing his Bankai: Senbon Zakura, Kageyoshi.

Elemental/Kidō-based Zanpakuto

Certain Zanpakutō possess defined abilities and exist in their own category. Due to them being designed around a special ability they are therefore a form of Kidō-Type Zanpakutō.

These Elements/Forms are: Melee, Projectile, Defensive, Poisonous, Illusion, Fire, Earth, Ice, Wind, Water, Plant, Light and Electricity.

Dual Blade Types Zanpakutō that feature more than one blade in Shikai release. It is decidedly rare for one to possess such a weapon and therefore it says a lot about the uniqueness of its wielder's spiritual power.

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