Senbonzakura (Zanpakutō spirit)

This article is about the manifested spirit of Byakuya Kuchiki's Zanpakutō. For his Zanpakutō and its abilities, see Senbonzakura.

is the anime-only manifested spirit of Byakuya Kuchiki's Zanpakutō that is seen during the Zanpakutō Unknown Tales and Beast Swords arcs.

Appearance
Senbonzakura appears as a masked samurai in full-body armor. He has long, dark brown hair tied with a silver ribbon and wears a golden forehead plate that resembles a half-cherry blossom. From what little is seen from when his mask was broken apart, he appears to resemble Byakuya to some degree.

Personality
Much like his master, he is portrayed as serious, prideful, and uninterested in small-talk, as shown when he ignored Ruri'iro Kujaku's attempts at conversation. However, unlike Byakuya, he has occasional emotional outbursts and can be rather impatient. According to Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake, this is likely a reflection of Byakuya's inner nature from his younger years. . Senbonzakura also cares for Sode no Shirayuki much like Byakuya cares for Rukia. Unlike his partner, Senbonzakura is more cheerful and humble, willing to relax and enjoy partying, even to the point of passing out from too much drinking. He tends to keep his mask on at all times, even while taking a bath, and he also has a spare mask at hand, should his current one break.

Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc (anime only)
Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.

He is the second-to-the-last of the Zanpakutō spirits to appear; he is seen along with the rest of the Zanpakutō spirits that appeared before the Shinigami who had gathered at the Sōkyoku Hill. He, along with Hyōrinmaru and Ashisogi Jizō, appear seemingly out of thin air and walks past his former master before joining the rest of the spirits. Later, he confronted Byakuya Kuchiki while he was defending Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai. Senbonzakura unleashed his Zanpakutō and seemingly defeated Byakuya. The following morning, Ruri'iro Kujaku and Hōzukimaru attempt to interact with him, but he ignores them.

Following Ichigo's defeat of Muramasa, and Soifon's capture of Gegetsuburi's spirit, Ichigo is seen pursuing Hōzukimaru. While chasing the spirit, Ichigo is then attacked by a flurry of cherry blossom petals, Senbonzakura's signature move, but when Ichigo looks for the user, he sees Byakuya Kuchiki appear briefly on a tower and then disappear. He appears without warning in front of Haineko and Tobiume, effectively startling them. He asks them where Muramasa is, but the other spirits say they don't know. After this, he walks away and vanishes.

He later reappears in front of Ichigo, Rangiku and Momo to defend Muramasa. He proceeds to fight against Ichigo and later disappears with Byakuya and Muramasa. Although Byakuya has claimed that he is siding with Muramasa, Senbonzakura doesn't believe it. As a test of his loyalty, he commands his former master to destroy Sode no Shirayuki, Rukia's Zanpakutō. Without hesitation, Byakuya fights and defeats her to the surprise of the other Zanpakutō spirits. Upon seeing Sode no Shirayuki fall, Senbonzakura, who is noticeably distraught, rushes to her and picks her blade up. With Muramasa vouching for Byakuya, the other spirits accept him. However, Senbonzakura doesn't, vowing to his former master that if he even acts the slightest bit suspicious, he would kill him.

They attack the 6th Division and are confronted by Rukia and Renji. While Byakuya fights Renji, Senbonzakura fights Zabimaru. Although Zabimaru initially overwhelms him, once Senbonzakura performs Bankai, he is able to defeat the two. After the fight, he and Byakuya find Rukia outside the 6th Division headquarters with a battle-weary Renji. The other Zanpakutō spirits arrive to help, and they surround the two Shinigami. As they get ready to kill them, Senbonzakura, Byakuya, and the others are surrounded by Soifon, the Onmitsukidō, and other Shinigami. Senbonzakura quickly engages Ichigo once again and has his Shikai quickly defeated, after which they immediately release their Bankai.

After Ichigo initially defeats Senbonzakura again, the Zanpakutō spirit takes advantage of Ichigo letting his guard down while focusing on Byakuya and launches him into Ashisogi Jizō's poison mist before escaping with Byakuya. Senbonzakura later accompanies Muramasa and Byakuya to the Karakura Town. When Byakuya leaves Muramasa's side to check there are no Hollows nearby, Senbonzakura goes with him in order to keep an eye on him.

When Muramasa approaches Kōga's seal, he is cut off by Uryū Ishida and Sado. Senbonzakura appears to fight them off as Muramasa finally releases Kōga. However, instead of thanking Muramasa, Kōga believed the Zanpakutō spirit abandoned him back then and decided to kill him. He was stopped by Byakuya. Senbonzakura appeared and revealed the whole story to Ichigo and Rukia. Senbonzakura explained that back during the initial attack of the Zanpakutō rebellion, he did indeed get hypnotized by Muramasa, but was freed from his control by Byakuya. Byakuya then resolved to end the threat of Kōga once and for all and had Senbonzakura pretend to still be with Muramasa.

Senbonzakura then joins Byakuya in fighting Kōga. When Kōga's unique hypnotic powers begin affecting Byakuya, Senbonzakura uses his powers to level the battlefield. Senbonzakura and Byakuya then unleash their Bankai, forcing Kōga on the defensive. The fight then comes to a final clash, with Byakuya as the victor. Proud of his partner, Senbonzakura congratulates Byakuya while helping him stand. Senbonzakura joins Byakuya in sealing the Garganta created by Muramasa's transformation by pouring their energy into the Garganta's sides. When it was clear their energy alone would not be enough, the other Shinigami and Zanpakutō spirits join in, successfully closing the Garganta. Afterwards, Senbonzakura asks Byakuya how he is. Byakuya merely tells him not to look down on him, making Senbonzakura smile. After the mission is completed and Muramasa is defeated, Senbonzakura returns to Byakuya's sword.

Beast Swords arc (anime only)
Note: Events occurring in this arc are only in the anime and do not constitute canon material.

In Soul Society, the Gotei 13 is given a day of rest and partying to recover from the recent madness. Two strange beings appear at the Kuchiki manor and begin destroying everything in sight. Senbonzakura and Sode no Shirayuki arrive and defeat one of them, while the other escapes. Later, it is explained by Captain Kurotsuchi that some of the Zanpakutō that Muramasa had brainwashed had gone permanently rogue by killing their masters. Mayuri calls them Tōjū. Senbonzakura joins Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki in finding one so Mayuri can analyze them. However, their best ideas to draw one out is either to cause more destruction or through a crazy party. When the latter idea is tried, Senbonzakura collapses from too much drinking.

After defeating another Tōjū, he goes to the Shinigami Research and Development Institute along with Zabimaru to put the broken blade in a machine, which Zabimaru opens. Senbonzakura fools around with the remote, and traps both himself and Zabimaru in a Tōjū-resistant cage. Senbonzakura gets angry and attempts to break the cage with his Shikai, yet it does not budge. As they reluctantly wait for someone to help them, Ashisogi Jizō enters the room, noticing the caged Zanpakutō. They both ask him to get the remote, yet they cannot be heard. Instead, Ashisogi Jizō picks the remote up and breaks it, greatly angering Senbonzakura, who scares him off. After waiting for a few seconds, he gets even angrier, using his Bankai to break the cage. He succeeds, but destroys a large portion of the room, and nearly kills Zabimaru. The alarm goes off, in which they respond by barely escaping the room. They end up in the control room. Noticing that the SRDI has been spying on all of Seireitei, Senbonzakura presses buttons randomly in an attempt to stop spying on Seireitei, but instead, there are many explosions in Seireitei. Ashisogi Jizō then assumes his Bankai form and breaks into the room, apparently mad at what the two Zanpakutō have been doing. Senbonzakura "accepts his challenge", despite him not being challenged himself, much to Zabimaru's anger. A fight insues between their Bankai, and Zabimaru interrupts them with their Hikōtsu Taihō technique. Senbonzakura dodges the massive attack, while Ashisogi Jizō is hit directly, and the institute, as well as several other buildings, are destroyed. Zabimaru is caught red-handed by several members of the Gotei 13, but they try to blame it on Senbonzakura, yet Senbonzakura proves that they take more of the blame than he does. He is later seen leading a group of 6th-Division members to look for another Tōjū, with Zabimaru following him in fear that he will make things worse.

Senbonzakura joins several other Zanpakutō spirits in confronting the Tōjū Kirikaze. When Hōzukimaru is surrounded by Kirikaze's mist form, Senbonzakura uses his Shikai to free him, telling the Zanpakutō that it is not a time for individual heroics. Senbonzakura's attacks on Kirikaze have little effect, but during the climax of the battle, he gives his power to Renji so that he could defeat the Tōjū. He later returns to his sword form as the power enabling the Zanpakutō to temporarily maintain their materialized form is depleted.

Powers & Abilities
Master Swordsmanship Specialist: As shown from his short skirmish against Byakuya, one of the most skilled swordsman in the whole of Soul Society, Senbonzakura possesses highly proficient skill.

Enhanced Speed: Senbonzakura has shown tremendous speed. He was able to keep on equal footing with his master, Byakuya, further showing his level of speed.

Immense Spiritual Power: It is stated by Ichigo that Senbonzakura has the same reiatsu as Byakuya, who has immense spiritual pressure.

Zanpakutō
At anytime, Senbonzakura is able to manifest the sealed sword form of his former self with a square open frame crossguard that resembles a four-pane window.


 * Shikai: Triggered by the command.
 * Shikai Special Ability: In its Shikai, Senbonzakura's blade separates into a thousand slender, tiny blade fragments, which then fly away from the hilt, leaving only the sword's handle in the wielder's hand. Senbonzakura can also transform himself into these many small blades. While the blades are supposedly too small to see normally, they reflect light in such a way as to appear as cherry blossom petals. By swinging the hilt, Senbonzakura can control the blade fragments at will, allowing him to shred opponents at a distance and break through almost any defense.


 * Bankai: : Senbonzakura drops his sword, then it phases into the ground, as though it were a pool of water. Energy ripples expand outwards, turning the surrounding area dark, and within seconds, two rows of a thousand giant blades rise up from the ground. These thousand swords then scatter into countless flying blades that Senbonzakura can manipulate freely.


 * Bankai Special Ability: Senbonzakura's Bankai has several forms, achieved by arranging the blades in different patterns. Each form presents a different advantage, such as increasing offense at the expense of defense.


 * This form unites the scattered petals into complete glowing swords, that form four rows. These rows float just above the other, and circle around Senbonzakura and his opponent in a continuously moving, column-like array. It abandons defense in favor of a concentrated offense. Though visually menacing, this form is not meant for attack from all sides; rather, it is to concentrate his power into fewer blades, thus increasing his attack power. While the swords can be mentally controlled as with his regular blades, he commonly calls them to his hands for actual melee combat. The Senkei also cages himself with his enemy, allowing neither combatant to move very far from each other, though the area is still large enough for maneuverability.


 * This form organizes the tiny blades into a spherical formation of over 100 million tiny blade fragments, which swirl around the opponent like a cloud. It then flies into them from every possible angle, leaving no blind spots and no possibility to escape.

Navigation
Senbonzakura (espíritu)