Kenpachi Zaraki/Expanded Universe

is the current captain of the 11th Division in the Gotei 13. He is the eleventh Kenpachi to hold the position. His first lieutenant was Yachiru Kusajishi and his current lieutenant is Ikkaku Madarame.

Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World
Six months after the final defeat of Yhwach, Kenpachi, Yumichika Ayasegawa, and Ikkaku Madarame sense a large amount of Reiatsu emanating from the First District of the Seireitei. Thrilled, Kenpachi says he relishes a fight since he was bored.

Sometime later, Kenpachi, Yumichika, and Ikkaku Madarame are summoned by Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyōraku to Kūkaku Shiba's residence, where they encounter a large group composed of Quincy, Arrancar, and Fullbringers.

As Shunsui explains his reasoning for summoning all parties, both Kenpachi and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez start to lose their patience and demand to know why they all have to tolerate each other, which causes both of them to gain an interest in fighting the other to gauge their power.

After Mayuri Kurotsuchi has successfully transported the group from the Shiba residence to the Valley of Screams, they find themselves confronted by a large group of Hollows. Kenpachi initially wants to ignore the Hollows and head straight for the stronger foes. As the Hollows try blocking his path by multiplying, Kenpachi starts cutting them down and Candice Catnipp and Grimmjow join the fray. As more and more Hollows keep swarming them, Shinji assures the group he will handle them himself and releases Sakanade.

Eventaully, Kenpachi, Shunsui, and their allies arrive at the fake Soul King Palace constructed in the Valley of Screams. Sensing Tokinada Tsunayashiro's Reiatsu inside, Shunsui prepares to enter, though he orders Kenpachi Zaraki to stay behind for now; though reluctant to do so, Kenpachi understands Shunsui's reasoning and begrudgingly accepts his duties as a captain. After a tense coversation with Tokinada, Shunsui initiates the battle by using Kageoni to attack him.

Tokinada barely manages to draw his own Zanpakutō to block Shunsui's Kageoni attack. Kenpachi complains that Shunsui finally initiated the fight without telling him, as he was bored from the conversation, and Ikkaku and Yumichika ask Shunsui to let the three of them to fight first. Before anyone can react, however, Tokinada yells Hikone Ubuginu's name, which immediately causes an immense Reiatsu to be sensed by everyone present. Eventually, Shunsui proceeds to fight against Tokinada, while the Arrancar initiate battle with the Hollow Ikomikidomoe, and the Quincy confront Hikone while Kenpachi observes the fights.

When Hikone starts to overpower the Quincy, Kenpachi exerts his monstrous Reiatsu and appears next to them. As Kenpachi declares Hikone to be the strongest opponent present, Hikone responds by firing a Cero at the Shinigami, only for Kenpachi to effortlessly dissipate it with his sword. As Kenpachi effortlessly fights off Hikone's attacks, he responds by slashing through Hikone's Hierro, though Hikone uses Blut Vene to stop the bleeding. Kenpachi recognizes the technique from his fight with Ichigo Kurosaki, and Hikone is elated to be compared to such a hero. Referring to Kenpachi by name, Hikone says they heard about the Shinigami captain from Hisagi, alarming Ikkaku and Yumichika, and explains that Hisagi is unconscious in the throne room at the moment. As the two Shinigami try to leave to rescue their ally, Hikone intercepts them, but prevented from killing them by Kenpachi.

Kenpachi reminds Hikone that the fight is between the two of them and orders Ikkaku and Yumichika to leave. In response, Hikone combines Shunpo, Sonído, Hirenkyaku, and the Fullbringers' high-speed movement technique to appear instantly in front of Kenpachi before using Hierro and Blut Arterie to strike several powerful blows. However, Kenpachi merely slashes through Hikone's defenses again and notes that he has figured out Hikone's strength. Removing his eyepatch, Kenpachi declares that Hikone is entertaining.

Powers & Abilities
Immeasurable Spiritual Power: Kenpachi Zaraki is repeatedly noted to have truly monstrous amounts of Reiryoku, even by captain standards. Even before Kenpachi unlocked his true power and gained access to his Zanpakutō's release forms, Sōsuke Aizen considered him one of the two captains to be the biggest hindrances to his plans (the other being Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto), and admitted he wanted to avoid fighting Kenpachi until after he had awakened the Hōgyoku and gained his immortal body. Even at this time, Sōya Azashiro was afraid of his power, believing it was strong enough (without his eyepatch) to negate his Bankai's defensive properties. By the Quincy Blood War's end, Kensei Muguruma expressed his belief that Ichigo Kurosaki and Aizen were the only known beings to rival or surpass Kenpachi in raw power. Indeed, Kenpachi was entrusted by Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyōraku and Yoruichi Shihōin to fight Hikone Ubuginu because he was far more powerful than either of them, and could do so without releasing his Zanpakutō, despite the hybrid having released Ikomikidomoe's full power. Later, Kenpachi defeated an empowered Ikomikidomoe effortlessly with just his Shikai, and was disappointed by his increased power, even calling the Hollow a "wimp".


 * Adaptive Reiatsu Adjustment: As Aizen notes, Kenpachi regularly holds back in his fights to avoid ending them too soon, and subconsciously limits his Reiatsu as a result, even without his eyepatch, until the enemy proves strong enough and allows Kenpachi to adapt in return. This gradual adjustment is ultimately what allowed Kenpachi to win against Azashiro, as Azashiro himself tried to win with as little effort as possible, and had he used his Bankai to its fullest at the start, Aizen surmises Kenpachi would have died. Kenpachi's subconscious limit was also the reason he lost his fight with Ichigo, as despite removing his eyepatch then, he could not adjust to Ichigo's increase in power in time.

Highly Perceptive Combatant: Despite his brutality, Kenpachi is a very perceptive person when it comes to battle. During the fight in the Valley of Screams, Kenpachi quickly figured out Hikone Ubuginu was the strongest out of his present opponents from merely observing them for a few minutes. He also instantly recognized the latter's use of Blut Vene from when Ichigo used it briefly in their fight. When it seemed like Hikone had just killed Shūhei Hisagi, both Kenpachi and Shunsui were the only ones present, among other Shinigami like Shinji Hirako, Kensei, and Yoruichi, who realized Hisagi had survived.

Supernatural Endurance: Kenpachi often ignores most of the injuries he sustains in battle, not suffering any debilitation despite having multiple slash wounds on his body and rarely any signs of pain much like a berserker. Notably, despite a prolonged encounter with Cien Granz and being significantly injured, he was still able to fight at full power against Azashiro immediately after, and come out the victor.

Supernatural Durability: Kenpachi is a notoriously difficult opponent to damage. Cien's Teatro de Titere could not damage his organs with the doll he produced, due to them being just as hardened as his own body. While fighting Azashiro, he was able to fully sustain 100 instances of '''Hadō #96. Ittō Kasō''' without faltering.

Zanpakutō
Nozarashi redirects here. For the manifested spirit see Nozarashi (Zanpakutō spirit)


 * The blade of Nozarashi is much longer than a standard Zanpakutō's, roughly the size of a nodachi, with a long guard which extends inward from its center, similar to a shinai. The hilt is white, though most of it is wrapped in bandages, as is his sword's sheath.


 * Shikai: Its release command is . Upon release, Nozarashi takes on the form of a great axe/war cleaver hybrid with a long, cloth-wrapped handle and a green tassel attached to the top.


 * Shikai Special Ability: In its released state, Nozarashi possesses tremendous attack power. Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyōraku believes Nozarashi is one of the few Zanpakutō capable of destroying a replica of the Soul King Palace within mere minutes. With a single strike, Kenpachi defeated Ikomikidomoe, who absorbed most of Hikone's Reiryoku and Soul King pieces, despite the Hollow being durable enough to survive combined attacks from several Espada and Sternritter while in a weaker state.