Zanpakutō

A is the main weapon of the Shinigami, the Arrancar and the Visored. The Shinigami art of wielding a Zanpakutō is called.

Overview
The Zanpakutō of low-ranking Shinigami are called Asauchi and don't have names. But the Zanpakutō of Shinigami of rank have names. In its sealed state, a Zanpakutō has the form of a Japanese sword. Such weapons are unique swords generated from their owners souls. Its shape differs depending on its owner.

Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō, and each Zanpakutō is unique: as the swords are both reflections of a Shinigami's soul and power, and sentient beings unto themselves. The Zanpakutō'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.

A Zanpakutō'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. Zanpakutō 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.

Inside each Zanpakuto is an incarnation that manifests itself upon the Zanpakuto's transformation. The first step is to acquaint oneself with this incarnation.

Arrancar Zanpakutō
An Arrancar's primary weapon is the same as a Shinigami's. But unlike a Shinigami's Zanpakutō, the blade is an embodiment of the Hollow's power.

Zanpakutō Facts

 * Because they are part of their owner's soul, a Zanpakutō cannot be replaced, though it will slowly regenerate if it is broken.


 * The size of the Zanpakutō reflects the amount of the swordsman's spiritual power. Exceptions to this rule are beings of immense power who are required to actively control the size of their Zanpakutō.


 * If a Shinigami pierces the chest of a Human with their Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō has its own name.


 * A Zanpakutō can determine whether or not its wielder is worthy of its power.


 * Normally, even a broken Zanpakutō would return to its original state as its wielder recovered.


 * Zanpakutō have a true form. This true form resides inside their Shinigami. A Zanpakutō has a mind, and a body that controls their powers. Shinigami are able to grow more powerful by communicating with them.


 * Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō, 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 Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō in a manageable size, otherwise they would be holding Zanpakutō the size of skyscrapers. Therefore, one cannot judge one's opponent's strength solely by the size of their Zanpakutō.


 * No Zanpakutō in existence has a Shikai and a Bankai that use unrelated abilities.

Obtaining A Zanpakutō
A wielder knows their Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō spirit) to take place in the inner world while the prospective Shinigami sleeps.

A Zanpakutō is generated by its wielder upon the solidification of their Reiryoku into the sword's form.

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

Zanpakutō Training

 * This method is the only way to carry on a proper conversation with one's Zanpakutō. One places their sword over their lap and takes a meditative pose and then forces their mind to become one with the Zanpakutō.

In this form, one can call out the true form of the powers of their Zanpakutō. Its been refined over thousands of years, since the beginning of Soul Society, to allow one to commune with their Zanpakutō. 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 Zanpakutō and engage them there. In this state a wielder will have to fight their Zanpakutō spirit in order to attain access to new abilities, the Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō hates the nickname, it becomes moody and only releases a fraction of its power. This allows him to pass off his Zanpakutō as a simple melee-type rather than what it truly is, a Kidō-type, something that is unacceptable in the 11th Division due to an unspoken rule that all Zanpakutō in the 11th Division must be melee-types. Only when its true name is uttered does it achieve full potential).

Inner World
Normally, the Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō's spirit can bring its wielder into its inner world, though Shinigami can voluntarily achieve this simply by meditation.

General Powers

 * the process by which a Shinigami sends wandering Pluses (souls) in the living world and send them to their respective place. Either Soul Society if they are good in life, or to Hell if their life was full of evil acts (such as murders, theft, etc). Konsō is performed by using the hilt of the Shinigami's Zanpakutō, tapping the soul on the head and transporting them to the afterlife.


 * Hollow Purification: When a Hollow is sliced with a Zanpakutō, it is cleansed of the sins it committed as a Hollow, and is led into the Soul Society. This is called sublimation. Souls that live in the Soul Society are reborn again into the Human world.

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

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

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


 * The class of nameless Zanpakutō 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 Zanpakutō. Shinigami who are unable to communicate with their Zanpakutō, the "shallow hit", which refers to the grossly reduced power of a Zanpakutō whose wielder cannot connect with it properly.

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


 * 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.


 * 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 . The wakizashi was usually worn together with the katana. When worn together the pair of swords were called daishō, which translates literally as "large and small". The katana was often called the long sword and the wakizashi the companion 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.


 * The tanto is commonly referred to as a knife or dagger. The blade is single or double edged with a length between 15 and 30 cm (6-12 inches, in Japanese 1 shaku). The tantō was designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but the edge can be used for slashing as well.

Zanpakutō can also be disguised as other objects, though such objects seem to need to be of similar proportions to the sword itself. Kisuke Urahara, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and Kagerōza Inaba for example, disguise their Zanpakutō as canes. Yamamoto's cane resembles a large walking stick that dissolves on command to reveal his sheathed Zanpakutō, whilst Urahara's forms a shikomizue, a thin blade hidden within the hollow shaft of a cane and Inaba's as a silver cane, which is immersed in a green light once released.

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

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.

The blade changes shape and gains special abilities by chanting a Kaigo, release incantation. Using the special phrase (incantation) followed by the name of the Zanpakutō actives shikai. It is crucial to memorize each phrase, as every Zanpakutō has a different incantation.

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. Sometimes the Shinigami who didn't learn Bankai can release their Zanpakutō only by saying its name.

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.

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. 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 also the ultimate technique of a Zanpakutō. 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 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.

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.

Resurrección
returns the essence of an Arrancar's offensive Hollow abilities to their humanoid bodies.

Types
There are several types of Zanpakutō though only three types mentioned (Melee, Kidō and Elemental). Kidō has many sub-groups and the Elemental-types while part of Kidō-type grouping, is so big and diverse that is able to stand on its own as its own grouping. (Note, Types are determined by what a Zanpakutō is shown and/or stated to be capable of within the confines of these types and nothing more). These types include:

General Sub-Types
There are a few "sub-types" of Zanpakutō classification such as:


 * Constant-Release Type: Zanpakutō that are always in Shikai form because of the strength of their wielders' spiritual energies, or, more importantly, their lack of control over it.


 * Kenpachi Zaraki
 * Ichigo Kurosaki/Hollow Ichigo