22 Years Later, Bleach Finally Unveils Kenpachi Zaraki’s Bankai With a Twist No One Saw Coming
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War‘s final part is currently airing, and as expected, the series is featuring some revelations in the climax that fans had hoped for, but it is going far beyond their expectations. The final part of Bleach has been on a streak of featuring some startling revelations. It started with Kisuke Urahara unveiling his Bankai, with a power that perfectly suits him and also makes it one of the best and strongest Bankai in the series. However, the momentum continued with fans seeing Ichigo achieve a new form to fight against Yhwach. While these were more than enough for a couple of episodes, the latest episode went even beyond everyone’s expectations.
The latest episode stands out as a special one, featuring not one but two epic revelations, both of which can be considered retcons. While one featured Hitsugaya’s new mature Bankai and his adult form, the show-stealer was undoubtedly Kenpachi Zaraki’s Bankai debut. Zaraki has been one of the series’ most unique characters, having been dubbed a Shinigami without even knowing his sword’s name, let alone possessing a Shikai or Bankai. However, the final part has been diving into unexplored territory, and while fans suspected that his lieutenant, Yachiru, was somehow related to his Zanpakuto when Zaraki’s Shikai appeared, it is now confirmed that Yachiru was his Zanpakuto’s manifestation all along.
Bleach Retcons Kenpachi’s Most Defining Trait in the Coolest Way
For 22 years, the series has defined Kenpachi as the sole Shinigami without a Bankai, making him unique among everyone else. However, the latest revelation confirms that Kenpachi’s Bankai was his lieutenant, Yachiru, all along. The series makes this clear when Kenpachi’s Bankai manifests, with Yachiru herself implying that she was his Bankai all along. Her disappearance ever since Kenpachi obtained Nozarashi now makes perfect sense as well. Kenpachi’s Bankai form is also unique to him, giving him one of the most distinct appearances of any Bankai.
It features him with raging red skin covering his entire body and even small horns emerging from his head, implying that he has truly become a demon. Kenpachi truly becomes a monster, as he is not only able to cut down his opponents with even greater ease, but his biting power is also comparable to the cutting power of other Bankai. With Gerard Valkyrie still being in the picture, perhaps fans could get to see Kenpachi use his Bankai in action even more, as he is yet to reveal a signature attack in this state, which could help fans learn more about Yachiru being the spirit of his Zanpakuto.
In any case, there is no denying that this retcon is one of the biggest elements fans have wanted to see in Bleach for a while. Even though there are some cracks in this retcon, such as how Yachiru, being a Zanpakuto, was able to wield her own sword, the series has always positioned Kenpachi as a special character. Therefore, with Kenpachi’s Bankai being Yachiru, something that perhaps he manifested because he was too powerful or for some other reason, it helps further establish his status as a special character in Bleach, and the series couldn’t have come up with a better explanation for this twist.
