Forum:Zanpakuto Questions

This thread is for asking any questions or seeking clarity on any doubts you may have about Zanpakuto.

Can Nemu have a working Zanpakuto?
Along these same lines, then, do you think Nemu would have a Zanpakuto in the same sense as all of the other Shinigami? Because unlike them, she is an artificial entity, as noted by Tite himself, so do you think she'd even have a soul of her own, and if so, have part of it sealed into a Zanpakuto? It's something I've been pondering for a bit. Twocents 05:02, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Yeah Nemu has a soul. Or more accurately Nemu IS a soul. Thats true of any constructed soul, artificial soul, or mod soul. I have never seen it called into question that these beings are true souls. Mod souls (and Bounts for that matter) may have been treated like tools to be disposed of or ordered destroyed to hide the shameful doings of superiors but they are still souls. And since Nemu seems to have been derived from similar technologies I think that she is equally ensouled.

But can she generate a Zanpakuto? Thats a good question. I would say yes simply because everyone else seems to have one and nobody has ever noted that Nemu is different in that regard. It might be something innocuous or maybe Mayuri forbids her from wielding it without permission. Plus I could see it as a point of pride for Mayuri to make sure his future lieutenant is as capable as possible even to the point of having a Zanpakuto. It would be a weakness in his creation if she couldn't do that! Great Cthulhu 07:38, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

I don't know how canonical this is, but in the picture of all the current lieutenants (plus Kaien) shown on the Gotei 13 page she clearly has one. TomServo101 14:08, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Ganju Shinigami ?/ Zanpakuto?
Ganju has a zanpaktou?!?! where was mentioned?? I thought it was just some random sword he was carring around--Cyberflame 22:30, 11 June 2009 (UTC)

Yeah, I thought so too. But according to our dear fellow Bleach fans, it's his Zanpakuto. It does sort of resemble one doesn't it? Also, is he a Shinigami? o.O Akami.40 16:54, 12 June 2009 (UTC)

One can assume, seeing as he came from a noble house, and his older brother was one. Plus, we don't see anyone else carrying around a sword randomly, so it's likely a zanpakuto One eye 18:52, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

You cant be considered a shinigami unless you were trained as one and belong to the military and perform their duties. Seeing as he hates shinigami it would seem that he is not one. While a former noble house memeber he would be considered a soul. Though he does have some form of powers but i dont think that counts against any soul before they were to become a shinigami. Also it may or may not be a zanpakuto. I seriously doubt he has an inner spirit to talk to or subjigate and he has been in countless fights during the soul society arc and never really used it or released it so it can't be a real zanpakuto. Think of the kusomaoji family they made weapons as a specaialty. I dont know why they would in soul society who needs weapons besides shinigami but in any case it could be just something he has as a regular weapon.TeamBleach2 13:49, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

LAst i checked he had one.Time to go look up chaps for it.Saimaroimaru 19:13, 10 July 2009 (UTC)

I guess we may know it if he participated in the war against aizen.Frostymoon

It's not just shinigami who have zanpakutou, someone (Yoruichi, Urahara, can't remember) says that some in Rukongai have them. Anyway, Ganju's is abut a foot long and sucks, so it doesn't really matter.

According to her page, Kukaku also has a Zanpakuto... has this ever been explicitly stated? Only Shinigami have ever referred to their swords as Zanpakuto, but is it possible to have one without being a Shinigami? Kukaku and Ganju are just souls right? And we know that souls can become Shinigami 'coz Rukia, Renji, Zaraki did etc. (actually that raises a further point - Zaraki has been shown to be carrying around his released Zanpakuto since before he joined the Shinigami, so it would appear that Zanpakuto can be released without being a Shinigami, but since he never learned the name of his he's something of a special case) so it would seem that all souls have, at the least, the POTENTIAL to have Zanpakuto... maybe they can have them but just not release them. Snappydog 11:47, February 12, 2010 (UTC)

you can also see in the single chapter that tells about toshiro's beggining, he wasn't a shinigami yet but he still had a zanpaktou soul with out even having a sword. so i think the whole mythology of zanpaktou can be fuzzy with the little info we have. Shillagan 06:59, February 13, 2010 (UTC)

Hmm, opening a discussion, but at least it's simple for my first time.

A thought was presented to me and I have reason to disagree with it as it is almost entirely speculation on zanpakuou, hell even then the only evidence is the name meaning Soul cutter.

Does a shikai have a required "sharp or pointy" cutting piece?
Any kind of spike or blade I mean. It is true we've yet to see anyone, except filler and a movie, that didn't have some spike or blade or stabby points on their shikai release state. However as a bleach community I am curious whether a majority believe that Zanpakutou must have some form of sharp edge on them. Fensake 04:15, February 20, 2010 (UTC)

Nope. Look at Retsu Unohana's shikai, it's a flying mantary and as far as I can tell, no "sharp or pointy" part (though I am not sure if it has teeth or not). As for do all Zanpakutou need a sharp edge to them, I think not. Not entirely sure, but I assume that the staff Tessai has in the TBTP arc is his zanpakutou. For Ganju's sword, I always assumed it was his brother's (Kaien's) sword. I don't know why I have always thought this.Genbu noryb 04:57, February 20, 2010 (UTC)genbu noryb

Can Madarame Ikakku's zanpakuto be considered a "Dual-Blade Type"?
Ok, obviously other than the fact that Hozukimaru has 3 sections, and is a three-section staff in shikai form, but what about his bankai Ryumon Hozukimaru? Originally, when this "special" type was mentioned by Yamamoto, he specifically stated that the only two in Soul Society were Ukitake and Kyoraku. But only Kyoraku's is two separate swords in sealed and released forms. Ukitake's is one in sealed form, and connected by a rope when released. Then recently we have the appearance of Hisagi's zanpakuto, which is a katana in sealed form, and while not two swords specifically, are two separate kusarigama connected by a chain. On this wiki already, Kazeshini has been classified as such, but is it correct?

My guesses are: (1) the "Dual-Blade Type" literally means two blades, and one per hand. Because if we're being ridiculously technical, Kazeshini has 4 blades; and with this logic, then Ryumon Hozukimaru with 3 blades wouldn't qualify either. (2) the zanpakuto has to be two (bladed?) weapons in both shikai and bankai form, but this can't be confimed unless/until Ukitake's bankai is also revealed to be "dual-bladed". So unless there are other multi-sectioned weapons that I am currently forgetting, these are my conclusions. Your thoughts?