Bleach has always amazed fans with its epic battles and powerful transformations, especially the Bankai, the ultimate ability of most Soul Reapers. Since one of the recent episodes of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War featured Captain Shunsui’s Bankai for the first time, Bankai are now in the spotlight more than ever.
To celebrate, we’re counting down the top 10 most powerful bankai in the series. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just getting into Bleach, these incredible powers are sure to leave you in awe. It has to be mentioned that some of our information will be spoilers from the latest season of Bleach TYBW, so do proceed cautiously.
10Captain Unohana- Minazuki
Retsu Unohana, the captain of Squad 4 of the 13 Division Imperial Guards, has quite an interesting Bankai. Considering the fact that Unohana’s Shikai has healing abilities, she wasn’t considered much of a fighter. However, her Bankai has offensive and defensive abilities.
At the time of activation, Unohana cuts her hand before activating her Bankai. On activation, her sword liquifies into blood-like matter, which can be freely manipulated for attacking and even forming shields. The remainder of the blood solidifies to form a shorter blade.
9Kurotsuchi Mayuri- Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō
Mayuri Kurotsuchi possesses the most disturbing Bankai so far, and the visuals from Bleach: TYBW have made it look as unappetizing as possible as well. Mayuri is the captain of the 12th division and also the president of the Shinigami Research Institute. He is a sadistic and cruel mad scientist who sees every living thing as a research subject.
Mayuri’s Bankai, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo Matai Fukuin Shotai, takes the form of a giant purple baby and, immediately upon being summoned, splits its stomach open to spawn a regular Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo. This Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo has different powers depending on the information Mayuri fed into his Bankai. His Bankai can emit a potent poison, which is a derivative of Mayuri’s blood. The poison can spread 200m around Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo, so it isn’t avoidable.
8Urahara Kisuke-Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame
Kisuke is probably one of the goofiest characters in the series, and not many people took him seriously until he revealed his Bankai. Interestingly enough, Kisuke was the only person in the series who could learn Bankai within 3 days. While Ichigo, too did learn Bankai in a short period, he didn’t perfect it, so that doesn’t count.
Kisuke’s Bankai: Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame takes the form of a giant woman with mannequin-like arms who wears a red robe. Any person that this woman touches grants Kisuke the ability to restructure them, making him a deadly adversary in battle.
7Rojuro Otoribashi- Kinshara Butōdan
Zaraki Kenpachi is the captain of the 11th Division of the 13 Division Imperial Guards. Zaraki lives for battle and enjoys a good fight more than anything. His Bankai wasn’t revealed in the anime yet, but it sure is a sight to see and a very unexpected event in the manga.
Zaraki’s Bankai doesn’t have a name. Upon activation, Zaraki’s Bankai releases a huge wave of energy powerful enough to level nearby buildings. In this form, Zaraki’s skin turns red, and he gains multiple black markings across his face and horns on his forehead, causing him to resemble a demon. It grants him a tremendous increase in physical strength and cutting power.
6Kurosaki Ichigo-Tensa Zangetsu
Ichigo’s Bankai was one of the first Bankai that we’ve seen in the series, and he learned it quite fast, too, although he didn’t master it initially. Ichigo’s Bankai looks like an ordinary black katana, and it gives Ichigo a black outfit. It also gives him enhanced speed, reflexes, and durability. The strength of his Getsuga Tenshou gets increased as well.
Over the series, Tensa Zangetsu’s true form is revealed, and this is toward the end of the manga as well. In this state, his blade looks very similar to Zangestu’s curved Shikai design. Its powers haven’t been clearly explained, but it can produce a golden Getsuga Tenshou, which is immensely powerful. This Bankai is also rumored to be the most powerful Bankai, but we’ll know more about this during the progression of the anime.
5Kyoraku Shunsui-Katen Kyokotsu: Karamatsu Shinju
Captain Shunsui’s Bankai was revealed pretty recently in the latest season of Bleach: TYBW, and it had fans absolutely stunned. Shunsui probably has one of the most elaborate Bankai in the series, and the one time that he used it against Lille Baro, he revealed all the information about it.
Shunsui’s Bankai doesn’t have much of a physical manifestation. Several black tendrils extend out from him like shadows, and his Zanpakuto Spirit, Katen, manifests behind him. Shunsui’s Bankai forces him and his opponent to act out the roles of a tragic play based on the story of the double suicide of two lovers. The 4 acts of the play cast different curses on his opponent, thereby ensuring their death.
4Senjumaru Shutara-Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami No Tsuji
Senjumaru Shutara holds the 4th seat in the Zero Division, and she possesses an interesting Bankai called Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji, which resembles a massive ornate loom with multiple clothes strewn throughout the area.
She can weave multiple tapestries, which can create special environments that are capable of wearing down and trapping her opponents. This Bankai is recognized to be so powerful that it can send shockwaves powerful enough to defeat small armies as a side effect of the Bankai’s release.
3Hitsugaya Toshiro-Daiguren Hyorinmaru
Toshiro is the captain of the 10th Divisio, and he possesses the strongest ice type, Zanpakuto, which gives him the ability to control ice and water to defeat his enemies.
Toshiro’s Bankai, Daiguren Hyorinmaru, can instantly freeze anything with a simple hand gesture made by Toshiro. His ice can also negate the spiritual energy and abilities of anyone it catches, making them lose the moment the get trapped in his ice. It is an immensely powerful Bankai, and considering the fact that Toshiro is the youngest captain in the Soul Society, his Bankai is only going to get stronger in the future.
2Ichibe Hyosube-Shirafude Ichimonji
Ichibe Hyosube is the leader of the Royal Guards, and possesses one of the s strongest Bankai in the series. His sword takes the shape of a large brush, which uses black ink. This ink can cause people to lose their powers if it touches them, and Ichibe can, in turn, use these powers.
Ichibe was the first person to ever achieve a Bankai. However, this state of his Zanpakuto was not called a Bankai but simply referred to by its name, Shin’uchi, which is an extremely long white brush.
1Captain Yamamoto-Zanka No Tachi
Captain Yamamoto is considered one of the strongest Soul Reapers in the series, and his powers pale in comparison to the regular squad captains. He possesses the strongest fire type Zanpakuto called Ryujin Jakka, which on the activation of Bankai, becomes a flame-imbued blade.
Zanka No Tachi causes temperatures around Yamamoto to reach over 15 million degrees, which causes everything around him to incinerate. He can also summon an army composed of all the enemies his sword burned, making it the most powerful Bankai in the series.
About Bleach
Bleach is a Japanese anime television series based on Tite Kubo’s manga of the same name. The anime series adapts Kubo’s manga but also introduces some new, original, self-contained story arcs.
It is based in Karakura Town on a 15-year-old high school student Ichigo Kurosaki who becomes a substitute Soul Reaper when Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper, puts Soul Reaper powers in Ichigo. They barely manage to kill the hollow.
Although initially reluctant to accept the heavy responsibility, he begins eliminating some more hollows and also discovers that several of his friends and classmates are spiritually aware and have powers of their own.
No Comments on Top 10 Most Powerful Bankai In Bleach