Zanjutsu

is the most used form of combat among Shinigami. As the name suggests, it involves using a Zanpakutō and its various special abilities to attack an opponent. In addition to its basic form, each Zanpakutō has two enhanced forms: and, which change the sword's form to unlock its potential and that of its user.

Swordsmanship Specialist:
Swordsmanship specialists are self-explanatory- They are shinigami that specialize in the use of swords during combat. A swordsmanship specialist need only have a few abilities to be referred to as "specialist": The shinigami must have a skill level at least equal to that of a seated officer in swordsmanship, as well as know their first release, or Shikai. This makes most seated officers, all lieutenants, and all captains swordsmanship specialists.

Expert Swordsmanship Specialist:
An Expert swordsman is highly skilled using their zanpakutō while sealed, or in it's shikai. Most lieutenants are experts, since they must know shikai, and master it to a degree, so as to be promoted. This applies not only to Shinigami, but Arrancar as well, since they fight completely with sealed zanpakutō before their Resurrección. Hisagi Shūhei, Izuru Kira, Rangiku Matsumoto, Nel Tu Oderschvank and Ulquiorra Schiffer are all experts.

Master Swordsmanship Specialist:
Master Swordsmanship Specialists vary greatly by power and technique. In order to be called such, one must be able to fight incredibly skillfully using actual swordplay (Kenpachi Zaraki & Nnoitra Jiruga), have achieved Bankai (Renji Abarai & Ichigo Kurosaki,) or have completely mastered their zanpakutō's bankai (Byakuya Kuchiki & Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai.) The reason for this is it takes incredible skill to achieve bankai alone, and to master it is even better, but someone who has simply achieved it already has an advantage over lieutenant-level fighters. Kenpachi does not know the name of his zanpakutō, yet he is a master to be able to fight other zanpakutō masters like Kaname Tosen despite this disadvantage. Nnoitra is an arrrancar, but is a master by default since he fought evenly with Zaraki actually using a sword.