Zanpakuto Forms

Depending upon the Shinigami's ability to communicate with and control their Zanpakuto's spirit, a Zanpakuto 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 Zanpakuto, giving it abilities far beyond that of its simple use as a sword. Shinigami usually carry their Zanpakuto in the sealed state and activate the released forms as necessary.

All Zanpakuto 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 Zanpakuto. They also vary according to the wielder's strength and training.


Sealed
Most Zanpakuto 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 hilt long enough to accommodate two hands.


* Wakizashi (literally "side insertion"): 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 (small sword). The wakizashi was usually worn together with the katana. When worn together the pair of swords were called daisho, which translates literally as "large and small". The katana was often called the long sword and the wakizashi the companion sword.


* Nodachi (literally "field sword"): 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 Zanpakuto 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 Hozukimaru, whose hilt stores a blood-clotting ointment. Zanpakuto 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 Zanpakuto as canes, Yamamoto's as a large walking stick that dissolves on command to reveal his sheathed Zanpakuto, Urahara's as a shikomizue, a thin blade hidden within the hollow shaft of a cane. A Zanpakuto will return to its sealed state when its wielder is knocked unconscious.


Shikai
The Shikai (Initial Release) is the second form (or first "upgraded" form) available to a Zanpakuto. To activate it, the Shinigami needs to learn the name of their Zanpakuto. This is not as easy as simply picking a name, as the living spirit of the Zanpakuto already has its own name. Therefore, the Shinigami must be able to communicate and harmonize with their Zanpakuto effectively, which requires being able to speak to the spirit within its world. A Zanpakuto can change size and shape depending on the spiritual strength of the owner.

Achievement of the Shikai is a mark of control of a Zanpakuto, 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 Zanpakuto's name, the Shikai can be performed at will simply by speaking a command followed by the Zanpakuto's name. The commands vary between users and range from a simple imperative verb to a short poem. They often relate to the Zanpakuto'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 Zanpakuto, 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 Zanpakuto, as such the Zanpakuto is described as a constant released form. The only known Shinigami with Full-Time Release Zanpakuto are Ichigo Kurosaki and Kenpachi Zaraki. By the nature of this type of Zanpakuto, a Shinigami with a constant release form does not need a release command nor is it necessary to even know their Zanpakuto's name. However, not knowing the name of one's Zanpakuto can put a Shinigami at a disadvantage in terms of power against those who do know their Zanpakuto's name.

Shikai Forms: Once the Shikai is activated, the Zanpakuto will change form to access whatever special abilities it is capable of. They almost always take on the form of a weapon of some kind, though the type of weapon can vary greatly among different Zanpakuto. One exception is Retsu Unohana's Shikai, which seems to take on the characteristics of an animal, rather than a weapon.

Special Abilities: Once the Shikai is activated, the Zanpakuto will change form to access whatever special abilities it is capable of. The special abilities of the Zanpakuto, like the Zanpakuto itself, have specific names that usually must be announced to fully activate the effect. As Ichigo's Zanpakuto, 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.


Bankai
The Bankai (Final Release) is the second and final upgraded form of a Zanpakuto. To achieve Bankai, one must be able to materialize and subjugate their Zanpakuto spirit. Materialization means the opposite of getting dragged into the Zanpakuto's inner world. Instead the wielder needs to summon the Zanpakuto'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 Zanpakuto. 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 also the ultimate technique of a Zanpakuto. Even the Four noble families, whose members are always exceptionally talented, have a member capable of Bankai only 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 Zanpakuto 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 Zanpakuto's spirit, the Zanpakuto 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 Zanpakuto's Bankai is often a manifestation of the spirit itself, usually creating a massive creature or a very 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 Zanpakuto (for example Ichigo's Zangetsu becomes Tensa Zangetsu, Byakuya's Senbonzakura becomes Senbonzakura Kageyoshi). Certain Shinigami also change with their Zanpakuto, gaining clothing similar to what their Zanpakuto's spirit form looks like. Most Zanpakuto 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 and effect. Some simply increase the original ability, such as Byakuya Kuchiki's blade count multiplies greatly, Ichigo Kurosaki's Getsuga Tensho becoming faster, far more powerful, and its color become black, or Sajin Komamura's, who instead of only generating pieces of the giant, summons the whole 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 (Jizo) on his trident-esque sword, but kept the theme of poison that came from the monster's breath.

Weakness: A high enough level of spiritual energy can be used to disrupt the rhythm of a Bankai. The biggest flaw of Bankai lies in the overwhelming power it releases. Its power and form are often far beyond that of a normal weapon. This is the reason that in order for one to become capable of using it completely and effectively, one needs to train at least 10 years with Bankai. Any Bankai before that period of time has been reached should not be used in battle.


Sourced from http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Zanpakut%C5%8D

Zanpakuto Control

Wielding a Zanpakuto is more than 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, as a sign of carelessness and/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 Zanpakuto. If a wielder were to lend its power to its Zanpakuto then the weapon would become stronger. To fully use a Zanpakuto's power, a wielder must get to know its Zanpakuto's spirit.

Training

Jinzen (Blade Zen): This method is the only way to carry on a proper conversation with one's Zanpakuto. One places their sword over their lap and takes a meditative pose and then forces their mind to become one with the Zanpakuto.

In this form, one can call out the true form of the powers of their Zanpakuto. This form is something that Soul Society has worked out over the thousands of years since its formation. It is entirely about speaking with one's sword. This advanced form of training is far different from attaining abilities by force. In this form it is about entering a state of calm to enter the inner world of the Zanpakuto and engage them there. In this state a wielder will have to fight their Zanpakuto spirit in order to attain access to new abilities, the Zanpakuto spirit does not want to teach these moves and engage the wielder in a battle the likes of which has never taken place before.

In this meditative state, one is so deeply entranced that even sustained wounds are ignored. Any form of injury sustained in the inner world while in this meditative state is reflective in the real world.

Mood & Communication
As stated, a Zanpakuto 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 Zanpakuto 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 Zanpakuto hates the nickname, it becomes moody and only releases a fraction of its power. This allows him to pass off his Zanpakuto as a simple melee-type rather than what it truly is, a Kido-type, something that is unacceptable in the 11th Division due to an unspoken rule that all Zanpakuto in the 11th Division must be melee-types. Only when its true name is uttered does it achieve full potential.

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 break 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.


Sourced from http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Zanpakut%C5%8D

What's Your Zanpakuto Name?

Want your own Zanpakuto name? Mine seems to be "Demon of White Snow" though I'm not sure what it's called in Japanese, that would be cool to find out. Demon of White Snow produces a poisonous mist that surrounds the wielder and resembles a beautiful Kusarigama with an oversize weight after it is unsealed. Kusarigama (literally chain sickle) is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of kama (the Japanese equivalent of a sickle) on a metal chain (manriki) with a heavy iron weight at the end. To invoke shikai, I have to scream out the magic words "Enhance, Demon of White Snow!"

Find your own Zanpakuto name here at http://www.magatsu.net/zanpakuto/blog.php.

Zanpakuto Facts

A Zanpakuto (literally soul-cutter sword) is the main weapon of the Shinigami, the Arrancar and the Vizard. The art of wielding a Zanpakuto is called Zanjutsu (literally, swordsmanship).

Zanpakuto are the trademark weapons of the Shinigami. Capable of cutting spiritual bodies, they are amongst the few weapons which can be used to combat Hollows. Each Shinigami carries a Zanpakuto, 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 greatly in appearance and have their own distinct personalities which match their owner's. Normally, the Zanpakuto spirit can 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's and is unique to themselves. A Zanpakuto's spirit can bring its wielder into its inner world, though Shinigami can voluntarily achieve this simply by meditation.

A Zanpakuto's shape and abilities are based on their Shinigami's soul. Once a Shinigami learns his/her sword's name, they are able to communicate with one another and grow stronger together. Zanpakuto are born with their Shinigami and they die along 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, and they share a Shinigami's conviction.

Asauchi (literally shallow hit) is 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.

Zanpakuto Facts:

• Because they are part of their owner's soul, a Zanpakuto cannot be replaced, though it will slowly regenerate if it is broken.
• The Zanpakuto size reflects the amount of the swordsman's spiritual power.
• If a Shinigami pierces the chest of a human with their Zanpakuto and channels their Reiryoku through it into the Human's body, it will transform that human into a Shinigami temporarily. The act does not have a high chance of viability even when the human in question has a high level of spiritual energy, and if the method does fail the human will die.
• Every Zanpakuto has its own name. 
• A Zanpakuto can determine whether or not its wielder is worthy of its power.
• Normally, even a broken Zanpakuto would return to its original state as its wielder recovered.
• Zanpakuto have a true form. This true form resides inside their Shinigami. A Zanpakuto has a mind, and a body that controls their powers. Shinigami are able to grow more powerful by communicating with them. 
• Zanpakuto possess their own reiatsu, which can be sensed as any reiatsu can and is identical to that of their wielder though with subtle differences.
• 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 Zanpakuto, 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 Zanpakuto 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 Zanpakuto in a manageable size, otherwise they would be holding Zanpakuto the size of skyscrapers. Therefore, one cannot judge one's opponent's strength solely by the size of their Zanpakuto.

Sourced from http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Zanpakut%C5%8D

Zanpakuto - Trademark Weapons of Shinigami

The Soul Society's Shinigami has only one weapon of choice when it comes to battling the Hollows from Hueco Mundo: the sword or the Zanpakuto.

The Zanpakutos are capable of cutting through spirit bodies, and they are one of the few effective weapons that can defeat Hollows. Each Shinigami wields a unique Zanpakuto, as they have unique names and power. However in the case of Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro, his Zanpakuto, Hyorinmaru chose two wielders during his Academy graduation. The reason why this happened is still unknown. They vary in appearance and use, reflecting the personality of their master. Zanpakuto's spirit coincides with the birth of the Shinigami.

Some interesting trivia about the Zanpakuto:

* A Zanpakuto cannot ever be replaced. They have the power to regenerate themselves when they are broken.
* The Zanpakuto's size may be a result of the wielder's spiritual power.
* Every Zanpakuto has its own name and its own release command
* The Zanpakuto has the power to determine whether its master is worthy of using their power
* All Zanpakutos have a true form. Their true form is inside their Shinigami. A Shinigami can grow their powers thru constant communication and synchronization with their Zanpakutos.

How a Shinigami gains a Zanpakuto is still unknown. Most of the graduates from the Soul Reaper Academy gains their unique Zanpakuto. It may well be assumed that they gained their Zanpakutos in a similar way like the main protagonist, Kurosaki Ichigo, has gained his: via a test of combat.

All Zanpakutos have the power to send souls to Soul Society, purify Hollows and change itself into an elaborate weapon. In the Bleach universe, there are three different kinds of Zanpakutos: Shinigami Zanpakutos, Arrancar Zanpakutos and the Visored Zanpakutos.

Depending on the Shinigami's communication with their swords, the Zanpakuto can manifest itself into three forms: Sealed form, Shikai and Bankai. The sealed form is the usual state of the Zanpakuto when they are normally carried by their wielders. The Shikai is the first upgraded form of the Zanpakuto. To activate this, they must have known the name of their Zanpakuto. Bankai is the second and final release of the Zanpakuto. It normally takes the Shinigami 10 years to achieve Bankai through years of training. Bankai release is accompanied by massive increase of power. A Shinigami releases the Zanpakuto's Bankai by saying the command or by giving another release command (like Reap, Howl or Cry)

Finally there are two sub-types of a Zanpakuto classification:

* Constant-Release type
Constant-Release Zanpakutos are always in Shikai form because of the immense strength of the wielder's energy. Some may point out that it is also possible that the wielder also doesn't have control of their spiritual energy (Kurosaki Ichigo and Kenpachi Zaraki).

* Dual Blade Type
These are Zanpakutos that feature more than one blade in Shikai release. Dual blades are extremely rare and there are only three Shinigamis who have dual blades in Shikai form: Ukitake Jushiro, Kyoraku Shunsui and Hisagi Shuhei.


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