Bleach TYBW Why Ichigo s Zangetsu is different from other Zanpakuto explained Notifications New User posted their first comment this is comment text Approve Reject & ban Delete Logout

Bleach TYBW Why Ichigo s Zangetsu is different from other Zanpakuto explained

Kurosaki Ichigo with the real and the fake Zangetsu (Image via Tite Kubo) Mangaka Tite Kubo, the genius that he is, has showcased his talent for impeccable worldbuilding in his magnum opus, . Spanning over 600 chapters, Bleach features one of the most extensive lores in manga history, with a plethora of different elements and characters. Zangetsu, or Ichigo’s has been a mystery in the narrative for quite some time and even though Kubo had tied all the loose knots surrounding it by the end of the manga, fans can still get confused over its out-of-the-box nature. Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Bleach manga

Why is Ichigo s Zangetsu not a traditional Zanpakuto in Bleach

Understanding the true nature of Ichigo s soul

To say that Zangetsu is unlike any other Zanpakuto is an understatement. Its novelty and powers stray miles away from the traditional shinigami blade. Zangetsu represents Ichigo’s soul. The reason for its uniqueness is a result of Ichigo’s soul being anything but normal. To understand Zangetsu and its true significance, we must first take a look at Ichigo’s heritage. Ichigo’s father Isshin Kurosaki used to possess shinigami powers which he gave up to save his pure blood Quincy wife Masaki. She was infected by a hollow and the shinigami powers from her husband neutralized the malicious hollow from her spirit, right before Ichigo's birth. I really liked how they combined these scenes back to back. Making it feel as if Ichigo was rejecting old man Zangetsu & accepting White instead. Something he's not done before. Then teasing the Yhwach connection.
I really liked how they combined these scenes back to back. Making it feel as if Ichigo was rejecting old man Zangetsu & accepting White instead. Something he's not done before. Then teasing the Yhwach connection. Ichigo was thus born with both and a coalesced Shinigami-Hollow powers inside him which went to manifest themselves in his Zanpakuto. The Zangetsu we first come across, or the old man in the black ragged cloak, is his Quincy self, taking form (he resembles the Quincy king Yhwach himself), while the White Zangetsu who looks like Ichigo, is his Shinigami-Hollow self.

What makes Zangetsu so unique in Bleach

The core fact that sets it apart from the rest of the zanpakutos is its dual personality, housing both the Quincy powers and the shinigami hollow powers of Ichigo. This makes Zangetsu one of the most powerful of its sort in all of Soul Society. Ichigo however could not access all of it partly because of the perceived conflict between the two personalities of his Zanpakuto. Initially, the White Zangetsu, or the true Shinigami-Hollow manifestation, seemingly came off as a malicious force, trying to harm Ichigo, which later we learn is far from the truth. Ichigo acknowledging his true self (Image via Tite Kubo) The old man Zangetsu never wanted Ichigo to become a shinigami, so he tried his best to suppress the real Zangetsu, or the White Zangetsu, from influencing Ichigo. It is true that the two Zangetsus didn't always see eye to eye with each other but both shared the same goal of protecting Ichigo. It was only when Ichigo learned to acknowledge and accept his inner duality and successfully merge the opposing powers, that he unlocked the true potential of his Zanpakuto. Additionally, the reason why his zanpakuto was always in a Shikai is because the Old Man Zangetsu was never the real Zangetsu to begin with. He was only channeling the Quincy part of Ichigo’s soul. In Bleach, a real Shinigami only has one true Shikai and one true Bankai, which are accessible through their pure shinigami soul, and since Ichigo is a tribred, the supposed Bankais which he had been manifesting up until this revelation, were never true Bankais. Nimaiya revealing that Ichigo never had an Asauchi (Image via Tite Kubo) Nimaiya had explicitly stated in the that he never gave Ichigo any Asauchi, which meant that his Zanpakuto was never a true shinigami katana, making Ichigo a truly unique force of nature in the world of Bleach. Poll : 0 votes Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Thank You! Show More Comments No thanks Delete Cancel Update Reply ❮ ❯ No thanks Delete Cancel Update Reply ❮ ❯ Be the first one to comment on this story More from Sportskeeda Fetching more content... 1 Logout No Results Found