Which answer did you find the most interesting this time? Does this help the Bankai stealing make more sense? Which version of Hikifune do you think is her 'original self?' Let me know all of your thoughts down below - thanks everyone!
White also had its Hollow Mask in Bankai, as though Ichigo's spirits became closer to their "original sources" - Old Man looks like a young Ywach; White looks like the Hollow they originated from. But, yes, it does seem Kubo's answer to the Bankai question overly complicates things. My best guess is the "Bankai Spirit" represents the "True form" of the spirit, while the Shikai form represents the Shinigami's influence on the spirit. But then again, Katen Kyokotsu appeared as the version of herself from the Rebellion arc while Kyoraku used Bankai. If we take Yachiru into account, and how Zaraki could still learn Nozarashi's name while she was still independent of him... That is my best guess.
@@papasauce234Yhwach is such a great guy, boosting and elevating his allies. He understands that allies are there to help you and the best of your soldiers power up and move on
@@buglifesmatter Bro this reminds me of when Gin tryna monitored the espadas but end up stalking her while she was taking a bath in one of the arrancar encyclopedia, Good stuff man🤣
I think Kubo's answer on Bankai actually ties well into the fan theory that Shikai = perceived self and Bankai = true self, while adding a layer to it. I've always wondered why that difference would be there, and I think the answer comes from "who" shapes the power. Shikai is the wielder's power reflected onto the sword, you shape it according to your own beliefs and biases. I think the Zanpakuto spirit acts as an observer, and so while it's literally a part of the Shinigami, it has enough mental distance to judge its user without the Shinigami's own biases. Bankai is the form and ability that truly compliments you, chosen by someone who does nothing but think about and observe every last part of your soul. Zangetsu and the old man constantly share their opinions about Ichigo, and I think that all Zanpakuto spirits serve the same purpose. Zabimaru gave Renji a fake Bankai that resembled his Shikai but bigger because Renji needed power but wasn't ready to handle Zabimaru's real judgement of him. Senbonzakura genuinely agrees with Byakuya's view of himself, which is why his Shikai could develop so much that it was indistinguishable from his old Bankai. Suzumebachi fundamentally disagrees with Soi Fon's view of herself because she's so repressed, so her Shikai is perfect for the ultimate assassin meant to serve/surpass Yoruichi, while her Bankai is perfect for an angry girl dealt a shitty hand in life who just wants to annihilate the enemy and get back to listening to her Yoruichi 10 Hour Good Girl ASMR Compilation.
I agree. I posted an explanation on why I think Hitsugaya was unable to hear Hyourinmaru but still use Shikai, and the nature of a Zanpakuto spirit, but your explanation is much more thought out. My reasoning is that the Quincy actually steal the Zanpakuto spirit from the Shinigami, as though severing an arm. Since Shikai is the Shinigami shaping the "body" of their Zanpakuto, the asauchi, they're still able to do so. But with the Spirit gone it can no longer exert it's own influence to shape it's "body", locking out Bankai. I also believe that the "Shikai" form of the Zanpakuto _spirit_ is the form taken as a reflection of their Shinigami, while the Bankai form of the spirit is something that the Spirit chooses for itself, either based on how it sees it's Shinigami, or an idealized form of itself/ it's user.
@@darknesswave100 well, the shikai is the Shinigami shaping _the asauchi_, the "body" of the zanpakuto. The form the spirit takes is a reflection of the wielder. So it'd still be the "shikai form" of Hyourinmaru. Also iirc Hyourinmaru is supposed to be special, as Hitsugaya was having dreams of the spirit before he had an Asauchi
@@talhaansari62 While I do think Kubo's work is heavily Freudian, I don't think Zanpakuto are the Ego. Plus souls (human and shinigami) - Ego Hollows and Zanpakuto - Id Quincy - Super Ego
@@DrTimes99 I think the Freudian concept most applies to shinigami in that they have an inner world with an active subconscious, and it’s usually when your consciousness and subconsciousness are in balance that you’re able to access your full potential which would be the ego of the bankai
I think the ego part is very key here. A mind exists without an ego, and an ego can be shattered and reform differently (reflected in certain Zanpakuto and Zanpakuto growth over time) but its not the mind or brain itself dying. I maintain and am actually emboldened by this reveal to posit that Bankai and Shikai are seperate insofar as they are related. To be more clear, i think in an overwhelming majority of cases Zanpakuto spirits are superpositioned so that these states overlap and exist dependently on one another, but as revealed with Kenpachi and to a lesser extent Ichigo and Kyoraku, they can seperate. This doesn't change that they are effectively one entity, because they are. They are born from and reflect the soul of an individual Shinigami, but it comes up in cases like this or desperate sword spirits (Nozarashi, Zangetsu) where they can be apparently separated but still exist via bizarre quasi connectivity. On the note about Toshiro, Toshiro is a prodigy. His connection with his bankai is so strong, that it would make sense he often sees and communicates with the Bankai version of Hyorinmaru. Remember, Zangetsu has proven that even outside of their fused form when teaching Mugetsu, Zanpakuto appear differently when meditating with the sword in a bankai state. What captain Bankai spams the most? What captain could you reasonably assume put far less effort into his shikai than his bankai? Why, Toshiro of course. It makes perfect sense to me that he could not hear a Hyorinmaru he rarely if ever talked to when the one he regularly talked to was taken away.
I'm sorry man but this whole answer is just a poor explanation to something kubo probably forgot about. There was never once any topic of a shikai and bankai being so different that you need a Freudian way to explain their powers. Kubo simply doesn't have an answer on why toshiro called out to hourimaru other than shock value that a bankai and thus its spirit could be stolen. This whole ego thing makes no sense because the blade is me, it's not some Jojo stand that has its own completely different personality and agenda, it's you and yourself being strong enough to listen for your zanpaktou's name and then mastery enough to unlock its full abilities that was always there.
@@dinolover personally I think it still does make sense. In classical psychology, the ego is a part of yourself, yet separate. The ego cannot exist without you, but it is also independent from you to a certain degree. It’s similar to your subconscious. Every person’s subconscious mind and personality is fundamentally different from their conscious self, and not able to be influenced by the conscious self no matter how hard you might try. That’s how I took it at least.
@@dinolover Zanpakuto spirits are a reflection. That doesn't mean they're always a 1:1 replica of the wielder. E.g. Haineko has Rangiku's personality type, and that annoys her. Katen Kyokatsu is a jealous lover, Kyoraku is a loose man. It's born of them, and is influenced by who they are, but it's not exactly who they are to a T. There were enough cases where a Zanpakuto was split into halves or otherwise at odds with the wielder that even before Bankai stealing you could come up with the theory that they exist simultaneously in one body, but that they are mutually exclusive as powers (unless extenuating circumstances bifurcate them.) Just the fact that a Reaper has access to one and not the other from the start is a pretty strong indication. Again, Zangetsu looked completely different in Bankai form in the Arrancar arc. That does not mean it wasn't Zangetsu, but it was Tensa Zangetsu being seen. You've also got Yachiru in TYBW, which means Kubo either wanted to really hammer the point home with her or he did forget, but wanted to incorporate it in. But if he did forget, take Zabimaru for example. Why would Renji have a true Shikai but a false Bankai if your understanding of "one and the same" is correct over the understanding of "two into one"? We know Zanpakuto can produce a false Shikai because of that squad 11 lieutenant with the weird eyebrows in the Arrancar arc. So if Renji's Bankai is false then his Shikai must be false. They're the same spirit. However, we know that's not the case. His Shikai is true because its only condition is its name. He calls it correctly. His bankai is false because he didn't get the respect and total submission from his Zanpakuto spirit. It's conditional on the ego of the sword as far back as Soul Society. Does that not imply they're separate?
Toshiro inherited his sword so he never had to build his Bankai from zero. Part of being a prodigy is effectively using his clan's power to jump start his own growth. It's part of the reason he struggles with feeling worthy of other's assessment of him.
Kubo used the word 'inserted' when answering the question about Mayuri, so I'm inclined to think that Mayuri doesn't put the makeup 'on', so much as 'into' himself hence why it's so battle resistant.
It makes sense considering he already altered his entire body and make up (organs and all) to the point he can turn his whole self into a pool of slime
We've been using the word makeup, but "inserted" makes me think of tattoos instead. I could totally imagine Mayuri being able to easily alter the pigment of his skin cells then take back the melanin if he wanted.
I actually agree with this answer completely, You said it seemed to clash with the idea of the "Blade is Me", but I disagree. As we've seen firsthand through Ichigo and Aizen, Bankai ISN'T the final stage of a zanpakuto's development. The Blade is Me, i think, hints at the true final stage, where one becomes the Getsuga itself in Ichigo's case, or Aizen becoming the Kanzen Saimin itself, as we assume has happened post Arrancar arc. In other words, the final stage is where the Shinigami merges with the spirit after achieving true and final understanding, and becoming one with the powers of the Zanpakuto and spirit entirely. For that to happen, the two must first be separate to begin with.
@@corruptangel6793 The way I see it, both ideas go hand in hand. Zabimaru made note of Renji's desire to get stronger, and at least confront Byakuya, if not surpass him. That being said, he could have just been like "I respect your desire to grow, but I feel like it's for the wrong reasons. I'll give you what I think you can handle, but you still have some growing to do."
@@CaptainKirkZ1LLA The whole theme of Zabimaru and Renji is the monkey who reached out to grab the moon only to find it was the reflection in the water. I don't think Zabimaru had any issues with his reasoning, only that his ambition at the time far outstripped his capabilities. After all, he'd only just recently become a Vice-Captain and gained shikai.
@@CaptainKirkZ1LLA Personally, I like the idea that Renji failed, or at least, only partially succeeded in subduing his Bankai. With Ichigo, he had to make BOTH Old Man Zangetsu and White submit. He managed to make Old Man Zangetsu "submit" in the SS arc and then made White submit in the next arc. Then we learn that Old Man Zangetsu lied, and it was only in the TYBW that he finally submitted. I feel like Renji was similar. He only managed to make the snake side submit, but wasn't strong enough to make the baboon side submit, so it lied and gave a false name, a partial Bankai.
The spirit is absent. Or rather, communication has been cut off. The Ego is the core of your consciousness. It is your very sense of identity and existence. By stripping the Bankai, the Ego from the Zanpakuto, they have removed the Zanpakuto's very identity and severed the bridge between the spirit and the Soul Reaper. Only the Soul Reaper's power that is reflected in shikai remains.
As for Tensa Zangetsu's form, I always assumed that, since Ichigo is using his Fake Bankai, one that is drawing mostly from White, that it creates an imbalance in his soul. Fake Tensa Zangetsu is tilting the scale towards Shinigami and Hollow, leaving the Quincy portion to be less used. As such, Zangetsu reverts to when Yhwach was younger and weaker, while White is either also sporting his own Bankai, and when Ichigo fully masters Hollowfication, the scales tilt more and White turns into the Vasto Lorde form, complete with the full Shihakusho. As for the Hollow Mask thing...if Kubo says that they hover a bit above the Hollow's skin, I can surmise that they can pull the mask away, but perhaps a little spiritual tether extends between the underside and the skin, like Hisoka's Bungee Gum. As such, the Arrancar washes their covered bits and lets go of the mask, which snaps back into position. It would make most sense, as when Harribel goes into Ressurection, her face is certainly kept pristine.
Ive been meaning to make a vid on this tensa explanation for a while cuz ive seen no-one say this when in my eyes its so blatant. Thank you for naking me feel like im not alone in this
Just like New World Review carries Hunter x Hunter. We have Tommo being the real one with Bleach. We also have a new contender with Agamotto as he is reading Bleach for the first time. He also is a writer by profession so he can EASILY spot the subtle details Kubo wants you to see. His takes are great for a first time reader.
@@orangehat1924 I never saw any symbolism in the HM arc. But watching Agamotto easily spot it, made me realize how much detail Kubo puts into things. It gave me a new appreciate in a different light than I used to.
Love the Klub outside stuff. If I ever got a question to Kubo, I’ve always wanted to ask about Byakuya’s missing haori when they kidnap Rukia. In an interview once Kubo stated that he hadn’t come up with the idea of a structure to soul society yet when he wrote the first part of the story. I’ve always wondered if Byakuya didn’t have his haori in this scene because the concept of captains (or at least the haori designation) hadn’t existed yet.
I think you've got it right. But if we had to headcanon an in universe reason. Byakuya wanted to go as head of the kuchki and not just a captain especially since it's not his jurisdiction. By going as the head of a noble clan and not a high ranking soldier he was under no real obligation to kill rukia if she resisted yadayada.
My assumption is Kubo hadn't come up with the idea of the Gotei 13 yet, and instead had a vague idea that Soul Society would be like feudal Japan. Rather than Byakuya and Renji being a captain and vice captain of the Gotei 13 respectively, they would instead have been a nobleman and a retainer. The idea of nobility in Soul Society was of course carried to the final version, but with less direct plot relevance.
I always wanted to ask since Ichigo is part Hollow can he be taught how to open up a portal to the Garganta like Hollows and travel interdimensionally between places he's been before like Living World, Soul Society etc or does he already know how to do it but specifically needs to be in Bankai to do it just like he had to be in Bankai to use Grand Ray Cero.
Didn't Renji refer to Byakuya as 'Captain' when they were hunting Rukia? Plus Rukia mentioned the Royal Guard when the Menos Grande appeared so Kubo had some idea about the structural of Soul Society's military.
Something to note about the Zanpakuto rebellion arc: While it is not directly from the source material, in the tybw anime, Byakuya reminisces on his battle with characters such as Muramasa’s master. So I’d believe that the Zanpakuto rebellion arc wasn’t filler, but just anime canon, like how Boruto has the Jougan only in the anime but we know gf will eventually use it in the manga. Edit: Something that’s possible for Hyorinmaru disappearing is that, by stealing the bankai, they steal the “Ego” that is manifested from the attainment of Bankai, as Kubo says.
@KamiR24 Muramasa is also mentioned in the CFYOW light novel. Though it is different than in the anime as the novel explains that Muramasa is the Zanpakuto of the Kuchiki clan rather than the personal Zanpakuto of Koga Kuchiki. So, technically, Muramasa should belong to Byakuya since he is the clan head.
@@corruptangel6793more like they turned him into one I always thought that it was exactly like how Ichigo took getsuga which was more like a clan technique as a personal one so a zanpakuto could be transformed into that for an entire clan Honestly I can't really explain it but it sounded way more logical in my head
@elaizakaguya4631 Is Getsuga Tenshou a Shiba clan technique? I thought it was Isshin's and Ichigo inheriting a version of it due to how he gained his powers. Hence why Isshin's is a fire type shotgun blast, while Ichigo's is a neutral type malleable cero.
@@corruptangel6793I kinda assume it's a clan technique, but the form it takes is different based on the power in use. The original Getuga Tenso used by Ichigo is more a reflection of his powers as a Quincy, with his Bankai version being closer to a Cero, specifically because they are different versions of the same ability, using different sources of power. His father probably has a more fire based ability in his zanpakto
One thing I want to ask Kubo is when it came to the stolen Bankai being returned, why did BG9 get completely paralyzed by the Hollow poisoning, while Cang Du can still move somewhat freely and even attack? BG9 didn’t even have Soi Fon’s Bankai out like Cang Du had Toshiro’s out when the poisoning happened, so you’d imagine the opposite should’ve happened. On top of that, Äs Nödt and Bambietta weren’t seen affected at all by the Hollow poisoning when the Bankais they stole returned to their rightful owners.
I've seen someone state that perhaps BG9 being more machine could be part of that reason? That could be the reason he was affected despite not using it while As Nodt and Bambietta remained fine. It could be due to how he was created or made, the hollowfication could have done more damage to him specifically. Other Sternritters were probably fine as long as they didn't use the bankai.
@IdkIdk-vm4dm BG9 said his "connection slowed down," so the visual aspect was likely just due to him being mechanical. As Nodt and Bambietta probably experienced a similar sensation Cang Du was in direct contact with Bankai, so it makes sense that he would be injured.
We know from the Quilge v Ayon question that the Sternritter have differing tolerance for Hollow spirit energy with Quilge having the most. BG9 is a more difficult case to work through because of his nature.
I think As Nodt and Bambietta didn't suffer visible side effects due to proximity. They were far away from Byakuya and Komamura, whereas BG9 and Cang Du were in close proximity to Soifon and Hitsugaya at the time.
My interpretation of the seperation of Shikai and Bankai is that it's a kind of symbiosis. A Zanpakuto is made by a Shinigami aspirant pouring his soul into a blank sword, so a sword spirit could be seen almost like a copy or clone of the user's soul, it's own individual entity with it's own ego but one born directly from the soul of the Shinigami owner. So by that logic, a Shikai would probably be seen as a manifestation of the user's own innate power while their Bankai is that same inner power pulled out, poured into the sword and then matured into a whole new entity. Effectively, the Shinigami's own innate inner power growing into the sword spirit and transforming into the new form that we call Bankai. This way, the Bankai is it's own seperate entity and also explains why Hitsugaya couldn't hear Hyorinmaru but could use Shikai as that ability is one innate to him.
I believe Kubo uses "Ego" in the Jungian sense i.e. Ego, Id, and Super Ego being the aspects of the self, so the bankai is a power made manifest specifically by the personality that develops from the shinigami pouring their soul into the asauchi. Basically, a shinigami has way more power than they themselves realize, and are only able to tap into it by mentally separating it from themself in order to become aware of it, and then "The Blade is Me" is the reactualization of the self by recalling that this other power was just another piece of themself all along.
I love how random the Klub Outside questions can get. I imagine that Aizen would be pretty set on the Arrancar washing themselves, since he wanted them to seem more civilized. The fact that Mayuri has his own Make-up machine is also a very fun bit of character trivia, haha!
Nonesense......he saw Homer's device, and ripped off.....I mean "modified" the design for his own needs. He would never use someone else's device outright, as that would imply it's superior to what he could make himself, and we all know he'd never let that stand.
Re: conflict with "The Blade is Me": Maybe, yeah? But like my left hand and right hand are both "me," but there are things I can only reasonably do with one or the other because I'm not ambidextrous. If someone cuts off my left hand and beats me with it, it's still "mine" but makes sense that I can't "feel" it anymore like I could when I was still properly attached.
Actually, the fact that the Mask Fragments actually hover over the Arrancar makes sense considering certain Arrancar like Gatenbainne who are able to move their Masks!
I think it ties nicely with the blade is me chapter because the Shinigami imprint their reiatsu into an asauchi, thus creating their shikai and their zampakutou spirit (the spirit comes from them). Then, later on through developing their zampakutou and their skills, the zampakutou develops and gives the shinigami access to their bankai. But all this process came from the fact that the shinigami imrpinted their reiatsu first in the asauchi, the spirit of the blade CAME from the shinigami.
I'm sure the Arrancar figure it out. Still, the stolen Bankai was quite the ace up the sleeve. No wonder Gotei 13 is reeled from the war in the aftermath, even doing away with the selective and picky recruiting policies. Good on Shunsui for that and other changes.
I remember vividly that Grimmjow's mask slightly moves when he talks or laughs, Harribel's mask can probably move slightly to open the mouth area allowing her to eat.
Best example for arrancar masks is Szayel, he just has a pair of glasses. Imagine bathing or sleeping with those on. As a glasses wearer tommo I’m sure you understand
The bankai stealing answer makes sense when you consider shikai is based on synergy and bankai one of submission aka forcing the ego of the sword to submit
Well, something to keep in mind with Kenpachi and Yachiru is that Kenpachi GAVE Yachiru that name. And in doing so, gave her power. So her having two forms in comparison to the rest might be perfectly fine as well given the circumstances that one embodies that name. Afterall, “ego” in eastern philosophy is a lot more indepth and varied. Having a lot more substance to it. So it would make sense that there’s something like a “self-actualization” of part of the soul. Specifically, the Zanpakutou. Edit: So about the masks hovering, I think it makes sense that they can remove them completely given the choice. It would line up with the previous question about Loly and Menoly. Where it was said that Menoly shaved her mask into shape. That would make a lot more sense if they could just move it off and clean or adjust the mask.
Ichigo is a special case in the zanpakuto department, i think the blade is me is only for him. As Zangetsu looks like a mirrored version of him, while the Yhwach is just a quincy manifestation thing
From what I understand, "The blade is me" is a symbolic acceptance of one's self, stating that ichigo accepts zangetsu as a part of him, not literally of course because they are separate entities. But in the fact that they work together in balance now, since there was power struggle between them with the hollow side of ichigo's powers and there was a secret being kept by his quincy powers. Ichigo saying "The blade is me" signifies that he has found balance, symbolised by the two swords in black and white; yin and yang.
I believe the idea of bankai being stolen hit so hard because we actually got to know A LOT of the characters in bleach . Even if you didn’t like certain characters there was always anticipation to possibly see someone’s power because they literally always hold back. Even with the anime returning everyone was basically hype for the Banaki reveals and to be animated for their favorite characters . That’s one thing Kubo did do well, introduced a full cast and give the audience time with them. So I agree with you on the point of the bankai being stolen . 🤟🏾
We did see Grimmjow's mask separate when he was laughing during I believe one of his Karakura Town battles. My guess is that Harribel's can open up to an extent to eat and drink.
You always make amazing, entertaining, quality content. But I want to take a moment to appreciate how you even have a intro for every series in the Chanel. Thanks for all your dedication and effort Tommo!
hollow masks can open. reference; grimmjow laugh at ichigos getsuga tenshou in their first fight. and i think ichigo/shiro opened the hollow mask at least once to scream
I see a lot of similarities between Hikifune and Tsunade from Naruto in that both characters have a technical "normal" form (older Tsunade and slender Hikifune) but in the case of Tsunade she vastly prefers her younger form making that her "normal" appearance even in the eyes of the fanbase. If you look through it from that perspective, Kubo's answer makes a lot of sense!
The notion of the zanpakto manifesting an ego as power is poured into them probably stems from Japanese animism, where objects have souls. There's even a myth that any object which survives for 100 years awakens and becomes a yokai, so the idea of pouring power into something to create a magical spirit is super consistent with Japanese mythology. If Kubo isn't directly using that myth, he's definitely playing with the themes.
There's not really a separate Bankai spirit afaik; Yachiru was a piece representing Bankai, but considering she could summon more spirits it's possible Kenpachi's true power involves an army of spirits. Kubo's answer about Hikifune seems like the obvious one. She only reverts to her skinny form if she provides a divine feast, and this is likely the first time she needed to do so since ascending 100+ years earlier. Harribel's mask has a mouth; while we never see it open, it might be possible for her to use it if desired
I was thinking the same for Tier. Grimjow's mouth piece is also closed most of the time but the moment he opened his mouth up vastly we see how the mask also reflects the motion by moving directly in synch of his mouth showing how long the teeth really are. It should work the same for Tier as we see the same separation of the upper and bottom jaw on her mask.
Zanpakuto spirits developing their own sense of self and power explains a lot of things. It explains why damaged bankai are are such a big deal and why Yachiru could give Kenny access to at least a part of her power even though he wasn't ready.
Sounds to me like Kubo just didn't want to say the dude was right about her normal form otherwise he wouldn't need to change the context of the question. I'm kinda surprised he gave an answer like that.
I think the Bankai stealing still works even as we understand “The Blade is Me” and in fact gives it even more weight while explaining why it was so traumatic for the captains. Essentially, imagine suddenly having your arm separated from your body painlessly. This thing that was a part of you that you controlled suddenly not being connected to you anymore and the implications of that.
I feel we have seen two bankai spirits, kenpachi's, and ichogo's. When we meet tensa zangetsu, we learn later that hes not his actual zonpokto spirit, white however, is different even before they merge, having long hair and a different shihakusho? Idk how to spell it lmao. I believe that version of white is ichogos bankai spirit
If the Bankai/Shikai situation was a simple Shikai being the Shinigami's power and Bankai being the Zanpakuto's power. Then it's a good job that the Zanpakuto rebellion arc isn't canon as most Shinigami couldn't use their Shikai without the Zanpakuto's permission Or Renji and a few others being able to force it out. IMO, I don't think Mayuri uses makeup from the answer Kubo gave. looks more like he inserts a device into his body and then it kinda works like a hologram but made real rather than just an image. Hence why it doesn't rub off.
I always like learning any new bits of information about my favorite Bleach character, Mayuri! And I agree that it would have been cool to see some of his makeup smudged off in the middle of the Pernida fight! It would be a really cool visual and also would have been oddly fitting thematically for us to get a glimpse of some of his true face during that battle since some small bit of his "humanity" is finally shown during the fight with regards to Nemu and revealing how he does actually care about and value his daughter in his own authentic, albeit twisted, way. I _would_ like to see him without any face paint at all again at least once more though. Whether during a potential Hell Arc for a scene (maybe even getting to see him using the mentioned device to apply the makeup for a new look) or just in some supplementary material drawings. The contrast between how he looks under the makeup and how he chooses to present himself with the various intricate and flamboyant patterns is honestly a such a cool detail and interesting design aspect of Mayuri's character. It would actually be particularly interesting/entertaining to see how some of the other characters would react to seeing his (relatively) normal-looking face in contrast to the incredibly eccentric and theatrical looks he tends to choose for himself.
The Shikai and Bankai separation makes sense. It would explain why Toshiro froze the area in his sleep before even receiving a sword. His power is ice and snow and that gets reflected in Shikai.
Yeah, I think Kubo's answer makes sense. It comes down to self-perception. Hikifune is usually chubby these days and seems to be happy about it, so her self-image is of being chubby. As a Captain, she probably either used up a lot more energy or just didn't eat as much because she didn't have an entire city of resources to cook as much as she liked.
On the bankai: Shikai is the "true physical body" of the zanpakto spirit while the Bankai is a spiritual fusion of the shnigami and the blade (Bankai and Vizard mask are considered a 5-10 times power multiplier, suggesting that a similar mechanic is happening) the fusion theory is suported by some remarcable bankai that alter users appereance like Ichigo's outfit change and Kenpachi's oni-like transformation. What the medallions did is a refined tool version of sklavered as demonstrated when Quilgie absorbed Akon and took on his characteristics, only instead of ripping the spirit to pieces it is transplanted into the medallion where it can be used reliably. So the shikai remains because they are just taking the zanpakto from travel-katana mode into their true/combat form, but there isnt a spirit to call
My personal explanation for why Hyorimaru wasn't responding to Toshiro is that perhaps when a bankai is stolen from a shinigami it not only seals the use of bankai but it interfere's with a shinigami's ability to communicate with their zanpaktou and vice versa maybe Hyorimaru was trying to communicate with Toshiro but just couldn't reach him because if they could communicate I'm sure it wouldn't be long before bankai could be used again
Ego can also refer to the actual identity/self (like in psychoanalysis theory). I think this makes more sense than imagining a "formless" spirit choosing a physical form that it prefers, even though that's also a cool concept.
Where would you even get the water to take a bath in Hueco Mundo? Is there just a giant tank somewhere that Harribel fills up every once in a while? Also do they have to clean their holes?
I always assumed arrancars could move their mask fragment if necessary, but with each mask fragment having their natural position, the position better suited for them.
On Hikifune: It's a matter of points in time. From being a captain with arguably active duties to being part of the royal guard that only really has to prepare in the rare eventuality of a breach her priorites would change. It's not a transformation so much a state. Think of it: Is a car's true form being full of gas, being almost empty of gas? You gotta drive to work so you could say its normal to have 1/2 or less of a full tank most of the time, but if you swap to a remote job over the internet and you suddenly dont have to commute then all things equal you would have 3/4 or more of the tank normally. TLDR:*Shinji didnt recognized her beause she didnt have the opportunity or need to stockpile on that level as a shinigami captain, but as a 0-squad she did*
To me, the spirit is the embodiment of the Shinigami’s subconscious mind, but when it melds with the asauchi, it develops a simultaneous existence as both a part of and apart from the Shinigami in question, giving it an ego of its own
When Kubo says "ego", I interpreted that as the personality of the Zanpaktou. The Shikai is the power of their weapon that the wielder themselves have to unlock while the Bankai is the sentient force that can be awakened. Although it seemingly becomes aware of it's existence before Bankai, I think it only gains true separation as it's own entity through bankai. And with the Zanpaktou gaining full sentience, it develops it's own power that the user can then combine with their's to unleash a new form. So once the Quincy steal their Bankai (sentient partner), their accumulated power goes with them. The Asauchi are something that seem to mimic "life". They are "alive" in a sense but don't do much more than live. They have purpose but simply because they were made with that directive. Only with their owner reaching a shikai release, do they gain that spice to have a more lively form. That saying "alive but not living" comes to mind. But either way, I love that separation they're given while still showing that they have a bond that is closer than anything else you could think of.
Expertly written Tommo. You somehow managed to keep a discussion about Harribel's bra floating off her chest professional. I wonder if Kubo likes answering the big or little questions more. Is he more of a lore buff or a slice of life kinda dude?
I think we can tell a little from the length of his responses. He gives very short answers to a lot of questions, even if they could necessitate a longer answer, while he goes longer with others when he could leave it at a blunt statement. The Arrancar mask answer is actually pretty long, I want to believe that he liked it.
As far as Halibel's mask blocking her ability to eat or drink, I am positive I saw her mask open to laugh or roar. So she is able to open and close the mouth portion.
i feel like Arrancar mask fragments work similarly to the Visored's masks. in that once a hollow removes part of its mask and transforms into an Arrancar, they can then freely remove/move their mask for grooming like Gantenbainne does with his glasses type mask. should also be noted that Harribel could just eat normally since both Visored masks (Loves and Tosens) as well as Arrancar masks (Grimmjows) have been shown to be able to physically open the mouth parts of the mask
ive been showing my friend bleach we have just gotten to where Aizen invades the world of the living, skipping filler to catch up in time for part 3 of TYBW (im all caught up and have been for years, i LOVE bleach my favorite of the BIG 3) this video actually answered some questions she had, specifically the difference between shikai & bankai AND the hollow mask fragments (dont worry i havent spoiled anything for her)
Really makes me question then if the Shinigami are actually able to "fuse" with their Zanpaktou on a further level. Much like how Ichigo could become "Zangetsu". Or even "Reimprint" their Shikai's much like how Byakuya when he returned, showed that his Shikai had improved to such a point it was mistaken as his Bankai.
Great video and definitely some cool insight. In regards to the Bankai stealing I sort of imagine it with a metaphor like this: You have a shinigami with their Zanpakto/shikai and they cast a "shadow" on the ground. That shadow is their Bankai spirit and power. The medallions stole the Shinigamis and Zanpaktos "shadow". So they can still access the swords base power, but not the deeper shadow it could cast. It would explain why you can't hear your Zanpakto spirit. It's gone, like you wouldn't see your shadow if stolen. But the object that cast the shadow is not gone. It's still in your hand, just lesser, incomplete.
For Sui-Feng I would say the idea behind the Shikai/Bankai makes sense, considering that she treats her Shikai like an assassination tool where her mentality is striking the same place twice would kill the target but that "poison" could be seen as something like radiation poisoning so one incapable of defending against it would fall prey to it, but it's empowered by the fact it hits the same place twice. Then her Bankai is just Mass destruction where by all intent it's the same concept as her Shikai to kill the target but without the stealth. In that sense it is interesting to see the different between Shikai and Bankai because her self sees the destructive nature as something she wants to control and centralize but the Bankai sees themselves as something that can destroy a large mass of area in one fell swoop. Which then makes Byakuya's shikai/bankai even more interesting because by his design they are similar, his Shikai is a more subdued/controlled version of his Bankai while the Bankai is a more chaotic/risky version that honestly requires both sides to trust each other in order for it to actually work considering what Tsukishima was able to learn about it. This goes to show how well he understands his Bankai though given that they are as similar as they are, unlike Renji sadly who pretty much imprinted his Shikai and for some reason the Bankai decided to follow suit. Where Renji goes from a blade that can extend, to a large bamboo that can extend to a form in which both sides of the spirit work together and fire capabilities.Which is interesting because the shikai seems designed to be long range which could suggest Renji is afraid to get up close and personal where even his Bankai was pretty much designed to be big and with the potential to defend himself, meanwhile his True Bankai is more up close and personal with an elemental affinity added to it.
Think of activating Bankai as manifesting that part of your soul with it's own ego into the blade itself, which partially separates the zanpakto spirit from the soul reaper and makes it vulnerable to be taken by the quincy. It could have something to do with how quincy manipulate reishi, physically manifesting the spirit in the power of the blade gives the quincy something to target whereas captains who didn't activate their Bankai kept the spirits within themselves and away from the quincy's reach.
I never thought the Bankai stealing needed an explanation. Quincy can break down and manipulate Reishi, which are literally the spiritual equivalent of atoms. It would be easier to list what Quincies can't do.
The way I see it is this Shikai: Represents the Soul Reapers specific individual power on a surface level (aka "The Blade Is Me" as Ichigo was in Shikai when he said this, not Bankai). Like you admitted the Soul Reapers in the Academy pour THEIR SOUL into the Asauchi in order to change it's form from a regular Katana into an actual weapon that best suits them by nature. Bankai: Represents that individual power being/becoming it's own sentient entity that shows the True Potential of what the prior individuality was. Which to me makes sense bcus with it's own Sentients it has a right to govern whether it's Master is ready for the full thing, a portion, or not at all. Which is why it takes 10 years to Truly Master Bankai itself. It also pairs nicely with the fact of Zangetsu scolding Ichigo for thinking just bcus you know my name doesn't mean you KNOW ME and Zabimaru only giving Renji half of the true potential bcus he hasn't proven worthy just yet. It also brings light but also question of Yumichika himself calling his Zanpakuto a different name when he knows it doesn't appreciate that which also in turn hinders the true capability.
For the second question, I think that Kirio’s true form is her overweight form. 1000 years ago, during the Turn Back the Pendulum arc, her “normal” form was her slender form. However, after joining the Zero Division and learning to store Reiatsu, the form that she found the most comfort in taking (her “normal” form) is the overweight form.
I mean, it is developed and manifested by the Shinigami putting in their own work to achieve it. I dunno if it really throws any contradiction, the shinigami is still fundamentally the reason that they'll obtain in the power, which allows the spirit to flourish and unlock bankai. So bankai really does have a strong relationship with the spirit and shinigami. What interests me is that this can happen even with false spirits like Old Man Zangetsu, who gave him a suppressed shikai and bankai. Maybe this "creation" of shikai and bankai is more based on a *relationship* between inner spirits rather than solely Reaper Spirit/Shinigami. It's an innate thing that any shinigami can do, but Ichigo is UNIQUE in that he also has a quincy spirit inside him. Not many shinigami can say they have a quincy spirit too. So this may be a real concept
Every time I see one of these I pray that kubo answered the question of if Quincy’s are able to obtain shrifts naturally without the intervention of a special being like yhwach since their power is already there just dormant much like a shikai before it’s awakened.
I think Kubo sometimes explains where its not necessary and doesn't explain where it is most required. Like in case of Rose's fight in the tybw arc, he was defeated essentially because Kubo decided to explain his bankai a little too much. Same is with Shinji's dual with Aizen. Aizen would have probably deciphered Shinji's shikai abilities along the way, yet it made no sense to explain his powers to someone like Aizen from the get go.
I think the issue with renji which is indirectly similar to ichigo is that they used uraharas contraption to summon their zanpakuto spirits. Since its established that power comes from depending their relationship with the zanpakuto, thos wound be more like forcing said relationship. We know renji was already partly training for bankai. But used uraharas setup to speed up the process. Which kinda messes with the relationship building. Thus his bankai remained incomplete
I think the reason he specifically calls out the ego of the zanpacto spirit is because while their power source is one and the same as their wielder, they still have a mind of their own. The shinigami reflect their power through their zanpacto to create a shikai, and then the zanpacto that has developed a full will of it's own (thanks to all the power the wielder has been pouring into it) adds it's will to the shinigami's will to create an effect that the shinigami could never have accomplished on their own, that's how I interpret Kubo's answer. So I think the Quincy's stole the ego of the zanpakto, it's consciousness, but the power of the zanpacto, it's ability to reflect and focus the power of it's wielder was still there, so they could still use shikai, this also kinda explains why shinigami that have achieved bankai can activate shikai without the release command, in the process of learning bankai they learned that shikai was actually their own power all along and they no longer need the help of their sword spirit to help them access it
The bankai answer is very interesting. If the Asauchi spirit becomes your sword spirit by reflecting your soul, then what happened to the Asauchi spirit in Ichigo's zanpakuto? It didn't transform into a second zangetsu inside of Ichigo, so I see two options here. Either Zangetsu's hollow side let him just devour the Asauchi spirit and take it's place, or perhaps the reason Ichigo was able to truly merge his powers together while forging the new blade was because of the Asauchi spirit. Perhaps in order to reflect his soul, it had to merge Zangetsu and OMZ into a single entity inside itself, which led to his powers being fully unified. With Renji we saw the Asauchi took the form of his old spirit, so it'd make sense that Ichigo's could fuse the two beings within him, but then still appear to be Zangetsu.
It makes a bit more sense that the mask floats for that one dude that broke his mask to get stronger as he was just whacking that thing right on his face and not reacting lol
I always assumed White was effectively an Asauchi, but with a second mind/power to manage/compete with, this simply wasn't enough to manfiest the entirety of Ichigo's power.
I always assumed the hollow mask wasn't attached because of the way that Shinji was able to lift his and look under it while training Ichigo. Also Ichigo being able to shatter his. I thought it was like a piece of armor. Also the Shikai/Bankai thing makes sense the way you explained it the first time, with one being a projection to the sword, the power comes from inside the shinigami, so they would have it and then the bankai is the spirit of the sword itself being stolen. They would always be able to do the shikai, they focus that to achieve the discipline in order to manifest the bankai, to force it to appear, like a summons I guess. Rungs on a ladder, I may be able to climb the ladder, but stepping from the ladder onto a roof is something different!
I think personally that the reason Kubo has espoused a layer of separation between the bankai spirit and the shinigami, contradicting The Blade Is Me, is that Bankai can still develop and evolve further beyond their initial presentation. A mature finalized Bankai is likely that of a shinigami who has come to realize that "the blade is in fact me" such as that of Genryusai Yamamoto. I also think it's possible he's leaving room for even greater evolution and greater possibilities for power, akin to the Beyond Bankai in Bleach Brave Souls
Honestly, though I never really thought too hard about it, I always just kinda assumed the hollow masks floated there. Idk why, maybe cause with Grimmjow there’s not like anything actually attaching his mask to his jaw. I will say though, what about Szael? His mask is his glasses, right? Do they just hover slightly over the bridge of his nose? And what about when he adjusts them? Is he adjusting them to hover in a slightly different position?
A while ago i had a discussion about something similar. The zanpakuto is made up of two components A physical part and a spiritual part. The quincy stole the spiritual part leaving the physical part behind. Thats why the shinigami could still use a weak shikai but had no bankai anymore.
I think the reason Renji got a false Bankai was that he used Urahara's method to do it. Zabimaru didn't respect him enough since he took shortcuts or you could argue that he simply still didn't know himself well enough, which is ultimately what is needed for Bankai. He still had a lot of unresolved issues around Rukia.
Related to the Hyorinmaru shikai question, I almost wonder if having the bankai stolen effectively resulted in some sort of unconsciousness which made Hitsugaya unable to communicate. And considering someone who has achieved bankai can release their shikai without using its release command combined with the idea that the shikai comes from the shinigami Hitsugaya would be able to use shikai while Hyorinmaru was unconscious. And then when the bankai was returned Hyorinmaru was able to wake up from his coma. Interesting to think about
One thing I'll say is the dual spirits feel like a exception, and something the Zanpakutou themselves do if the scenario calls for it. Katen Kyokotsu split to create "Kyokotsu" which seems to represent the Shikai abilities, only because Shunsui wanted to hide the Ise family Zanpakutou. Kenpachi has the dual spirits because Nozarashi desperately wanted to be at Kenny's side. The only one who would be an enigma is Ukitake, as we have little answers for overall.
The way I see it w/ Bankai forms, it's likely that select types of Zanpakuto have a Bankai & Shikai form based on their relationship w/ their blade. It's likely that the Power-types (like Ikkaku, Kenpachi, & more) have a form reflecting the amount of power they have access to in each given form. While Kido/technique-types (such as Rukia, Shunsui, & Izuru) likely have 1 or 2 forms or follow their own set of rules Hitsugaya likely wasn't able to hear Hyorinmaru's voice b/c the link between his bankai & shikai are quantity, just like Byakuya's, but more than that it's likely that since the bankai was taken, their link was likely weakened so neither were able to hear each other Also when it comes to the Arrancar's masks, I personally think they likely have some level of conscious control over them, mostly cause there's no way Grimmjow laughing & his mask moving wasn't a conscious choice
Soul reapers are beings of reishi (spirit matter) that have reiryoku (spirit energy), their soul is made of reishi and can produce reiryoku. You can think of this as how matter is energy in a different state (interchangeable).
Zanpakuto are reishi blades for soul reapers.
Asauchi are strictly no named zanpakuto, both a white being and blade that allows for a soul reaper to imprint their soul onto it. After an asauchi gains a name it is no longer an asauchi but a named zanpakuto.
Asauchi = No named Zanpakuto (Vice versa) Named Zanpakuto ≠ Asauchi
Zanpakuto Spirit is a part of the soul reapers soul that has its own ego or personality that is manifested as a bankai. Originally we thought it was the shikai and bankai that both made up a named zanpakuto spirit but it appears the shikai is independent of the zanpakuto spirit. This explains why the release names for both states are different, because they are different things in nature aswell and not only state.
Typically soul reapers must have an asauchi to form a named zanpakuto but this isn't a universal rule as ichigo proved it wrong, the side effects were his powers and soul were not fully manifested into it, ichigo appears to be the only exception.
So originally the consensus was the shikai is the 1st state of the named zanpakuto spirit and bankai is the final, but its never stated that the shikai is the first state of the zanpakuto "spirit", just the zanpakuto which is the named blade. Both shikai and bankai are named zanpakuto but the shikai is independent of the zanpakuto spirit and thus a zanpakuto spirit is not required for aquiring or using shikai as toshiro proved and stated by kubo.
In other words, shikai is the power at the surface level of the soul reapers soul while bankai is the power of the soul reapers soul that has sentience, ego or personality. We also know some shikai abilities can and can't be used in bankai and vice versa. Shikai and bankai are independent of eachother but both come from the same source, they can be similar in form, power, shape, abilities etc or they dont have to be, toshiro always uses ice in both forms being similar form but different levels of power and abilities, while soi fons shikai and bankai share no similarity in any regard.
The only contention I have with this is the previous idea was much easier to understand that the shikai is the 1st form and bankai is the 2nd of the zanpakuto spirit as it fits much nicer with the zanpakuto term itself, now we have to distinguish between the zanpakuto in shikai state not being related to the zanpakuto spirit.
As for the fixed/static mask take you gave, grimmjows mask split when he laughed at ichigo, so they do come apart. So its likely the same case for halibel, you can even see the seperation lines between the teeth and along/up the jaw line of the mask.
Which answer did you find the most interesting this time? Does this help the Bankai stealing make more sense? Which version of Hikifune do you think is her 'original self?' Let me know all of your thoughts down below - thanks everyone!
The right oneTM
White also had its Hollow Mask in Bankai, as though Ichigo's spirits became closer to their "original sources" - Old Man looks like a young Ywach; White looks like the Hollow they originated from.
But, yes, it does seem Kubo's answer to the Bankai question overly complicates things. My best guess is the "Bankai Spirit" represents the "True form" of the spirit, while the Shikai form represents the Shinigami's influence on the spirit. But then again, Katen Kyokotsu appeared as the version of herself from the Rebellion arc while Kyoraku used Bankai.
If we take Yachiru into account, and how Zaraki could still learn Nozarashi's name while she was still independent of him...
That is my best guess.
Bigger question, could renji have beaten byakuya with his true bankai?
@@Kalurielno
The answers of the masks hovering for Arrancar and able to be moved, followed by Kirio's true form being her initial appearance
Yhwach was literally like:
“Ok guys, we’re up against diamond league players here. Everyone download these cheats and we should win.”
Back again with Captain Kotetsu
Yhwach is the top 500 player that boosts his friends from bronze to diamond
@@papasauce234Yhwach is such a great guy, boosting and elevating his allies. He understands that allies are there to help you and the best of your soldiers power up and move on
@@IdkIdk-vm4dmuntil he did the final cheat code that took all their LP 🤣
@@sirnonsense5033 All so he can attain that fabled number 1 spot from his dad.
Harribel can manipulate water so I imagine she shouldn’t have much of a problem washing herself. 😅
I was too busy imagining Harribel in the shower so I didn't even think about that 😂
🥵
@@buglifesmatterme too buddy, me too😂
@@buglifesmatter Bro this reminds me of when Gin tryna monitored the espadas but end up stalking her while she was taking a bath in one of the arrancar encyclopedia, Good stuff man🤣
I think Kubo's answer on Bankai actually ties well into the fan theory that Shikai = perceived self and Bankai = true self, while adding a layer to it. I've always wondered why that difference would be there, and I think the answer comes from "who" shapes the power. Shikai is the wielder's power reflected onto the sword, you shape it according to your own beliefs and biases. I think the Zanpakuto spirit acts as an observer, and so while it's literally a part of the Shinigami, it has enough mental distance to judge its user without the Shinigami's own biases. Bankai is the form and ability that truly compliments you, chosen by someone who does nothing but think about and observe every last part of your soul.
Zangetsu and the old man constantly share their opinions about Ichigo, and I think that all Zanpakuto spirits serve the same purpose. Zabimaru gave Renji a fake Bankai that resembled his Shikai but bigger because Renji needed power but wasn't ready to handle Zabimaru's real judgement of him. Senbonzakura genuinely agrees with Byakuya's view of himself, which is why his Shikai could develop so much that it was indistinguishable from his old Bankai. Suzumebachi fundamentally disagrees with Soi Fon's view of herself because she's so repressed, so her Shikai is perfect for the ultimate assassin meant to serve/surpass Yoruichi, while her Bankai is perfect for an angry girl dealt a shitty hand in life who just wants to annihilate the enemy and get back to listening to her Yoruichi 10 Hour Good Girl ASMR Compilation.
As a big fan of Soi Fon, you perfectly described her
I agree. I posted an explanation on why I think Hitsugaya was unable to hear Hyourinmaru but still use Shikai, and the nature of a Zanpakuto spirit, but your explanation is much more thought out.
My reasoning is that the Quincy actually steal the Zanpakuto spirit from the Shinigami, as though severing an arm. Since Shikai is the Shinigami shaping the "body" of their Zanpakuto, the asauchi, they're still able to do so. But with the Spirit gone it can no longer exert it's own influence to shape it's "body", locking out Bankai.
I also believe that the "Shikai" form of the Zanpakuto _spirit_ is the form taken as a reflection of their Shinigami, while the Bankai form of the spirit is something that the Spirit chooses for itself, either based on how it sees it's Shinigami, or an idealized form of itself/ it's user.
@@ecanoyaso was the spirit we see back in Hitsugayas flashback his bankai one then since he hadn't shaped his shikai yet?
@@darknesswave100 well, the shikai is the Shinigami shaping _the asauchi_, the "body" of the zanpakuto. The form the spirit takes is a reflection of the wielder. So it'd still be the "shikai form" of Hyourinmaru. Also iirc Hyourinmaru is supposed to be special, as Hitsugaya was having dreams of the spirit before he had an Asauchi
*throwing my theory/head cannon out the window and using this from now on* thank you 🙏
Kubo might have been referring to the "ego" in the id, ego, and superego aspects of the mind.
This
Kubo is a Freudian!!. Who would've guessed with those massive tids.
@@talhaansari62 While I do think Kubo's work is heavily Freudian, I don't think Zanpakuto are the Ego.
Plus souls (human and shinigami) - Ego
Hollows and Zanpakuto - Id
Quincy - Super Ego
Dude, what the fuck I was gonna write something like this
@@DrTimes99 I think the Freudian concept most applies to shinigami in that they have an inner world with an active subconscious, and it’s usually when your consciousness and subconsciousness are in balance that you’re able to access your full potential which would be the ego of the bankai
I think the ego part is very key here. A mind exists without an ego, and an ego can be shattered and reform differently (reflected in certain Zanpakuto and Zanpakuto growth over time) but its not the mind or brain itself dying. I maintain and am actually emboldened by this reveal to posit that Bankai and Shikai are seperate insofar as they are related. To be more clear, i think in an overwhelming majority of cases Zanpakuto spirits are superpositioned so that these states overlap and exist dependently on one another, but as revealed with Kenpachi and to a lesser extent Ichigo and Kyoraku, they can seperate. This doesn't change that they are effectively one entity, because they are. They are born from and reflect the soul of an individual Shinigami, but it comes up in cases like this or desperate sword spirits (Nozarashi, Zangetsu) where they can be apparently separated but still exist via bizarre quasi connectivity.
On the note about Toshiro, Toshiro is a prodigy. His connection with his bankai is so strong, that it would make sense he often sees and communicates with the Bankai version of Hyorinmaru. Remember, Zangetsu has proven that even outside of their fused form when teaching Mugetsu, Zanpakuto appear differently when meditating with the sword in a bankai state. What captain Bankai spams the most? What captain could you reasonably assume put far less effort into his shikai than his bankai? Why, Toshiro of course. It makes perfect sense to me that he could not hear a Hyorinmaru he rarely if ever talked to when the one he regularly talked to was taken away.
I'm sorry man but this whole answer is just a poor explanation to something kubo probably forgot about. There was never once any topic of a shikai and bankai being so different that you need a Freudian way to explain their powers. Kubo simply doesn't have an answer on why toshiro called out to hourimaru other than shock value that a bankai and thus its spirit could be stolen. This whole ego thing makes no sense because the blade is me, it's not some Jojo stand that has its own completely different personality and agenda, it's you and yourself being strong enough to listen for your zanpaktou's name and then mastery enough to unlock its full abilities that was always there.
@@dinolover personally I think it still does make sense. In classical psychology, the ego is a part of yourself, yet separate. The ego cannot exist without you, but it is also independent from you to a certain degree. It’s similar to your subconscious. Every person’s subconscious mind and personality is fundamentally different from their conscious self, and not able to be influenced by the conscious self no matter how hard you might try.
That’s how I took it at least.
@@dinolover Zanpakuto spirits are a reflection. That doesn't mean they're always a 1:1 replica of the wielder. E.g. Haineko has Rangiku's personality type, and that annoys her. Katen Kyokatsu is a jealous lover, Kyoraku is a loose man. It's born of them, and is influenced by who they are, but it's not exactly who they are to a T. There were enough cases where a Zanpakuto was split into halves or otherwise at odds with the wielder that even before Bankai stealing you could come up with the theory that they exist simultaneously in one body, but that they are mutually exclusive as powers (unless extenuating circumstances bifurcate them.) Just the fact that a Reaper has access to one and not the other from the start is a pretty strong indication.
Again, Zangetsu looked completely different in Bankai form in the Arrancar arc. That does not mean it wasn't Zangetsu, but it was Tensa Zangetsu being seen. You've also got Yachiru in TYBW, which means Kubo either wanted to really hammer the point home with her or he did forget, but wanted to incorporate it in. But if he did forget, take Zabimaru for example.
Why would Renji have a true Shikai but a false Bankai if your understanding of "one and the same" is correct over the understanding of "two into one"? We know Zanpakuto can produce a false Shikai because of that squad 11 lieutenant with the weird eyebrows in the Arrancar arc. So if Renji's Bankai is false then his Shikai must be false. They're the same spirit. However, we know that's not the case. His Shikai is true because its only condition is its name. He calls it correctly. His bankai is false because he didn't get the respect and total submission from his Zanpakuto spirit. It's conditional on the ego of the sword as far back as Soul Society. Does that not imply they're separate?
Toshiro inherited his sword so he never had to build his Bankai from zero. Part of being a prodigy is effectively using his clan's power to jump start his own growth. It's part of the reason he struggles with feeling worthy of other's assessment of him.
@@Saetanigeraare you talking about that non canon bleach movie or something else?
Kubo used the word 'inserted' when answering the question about Mayuri, so I'm inclined to think that Mayuri doesn't put the makeup 'on', so much as 'into' himself hence why it's so battle resistant.
It makes sense considering he already altered his entire body and make up (organs and all) to the point he can turn his whole self into a pool of slime
But the shower scene! 🤣
Is bro a cuttlefish?
ah so you mean its closer to being a tattoo than makeup?
We've been using the word makeup, but "inserted" makes me think of tattoos instead.
I could totally imagine Mayuri being able to easily alter the pigment of his skin cells then take back the melanin if he wanted.
Being the experimental and Sadisitc freak of nature Mayuri is, it wouldn't be so far-fetched.
I actually agree with this answer completely, You said it seemed to clash with the idea of the "Blade is Me", but I disagree. As we've seen firsthand through Ichigo and Aizen, Bankai ISN'T the final stage of a zanpakuto's development. The Blade is Me, i think, hints at the true final stage, where one becomes the Getsuga itself in Ichigo's case, or Aizen becoming the Kanzen Saimin itself, as we assume has happened post Arrancar arc. In other words, the final stage is where the Shinigami merges with the spirit after achieving true and final understanding, and becoming one with the powers of the Zanpakuto and spirit entirely. For that to happen, the two must first be separate to begin with.
What if Zabimaru was not happy with Renji just wanting to beat Byakuya?
Renji explains the issue when he reveals his true Bankai: he wasn't strong enough to handle its full power.
Zabimaru was mad that its baboon portion was forced to have a sex change after the Bleach Bootleg/Shinigami Encyclopedia.
@@corruptangel6793 The way I see it, both ideas go hand in hand. Zabimaru made note of Renji's desire to get stronger, and at least confront Byakuya, if not surpass him.
That being said, he could have just been like "I respect your desire to grow, but I feel like it's for the wrong reasons. I'll give you what I think you can handle, but you still have some growing to do."
@@CaptainKirkZ1LLA The whole theme of Zabimaru and Renji is the monkey who reached out to grab the moon only to find it was the reflection in the water. I don't think Zabimaru had any issues with his reasoning, only that his ambition at the time far outstripped his capabilities. After all, he'd only just recently become a Vice-Captain and gained shikai.
@@CaptainKirkZ1LLA Personally, I like the idea that Renji failed, or at least, only partially succeeded in subduing his Bankai. With Ichigo, he had to make BOTH Old Man Zangetsu and White submit. He managed to make Old Man Zangetsu "submit" in the SS arc and then made White submit in the next arc. Then we learn that Old Man Zangetsu lied, and it was only in the TYBW that he finally submitted.
I feel like Renji was similar. He only managed to make the snake side submit, but wasn't strong enough to make the baboon side submit, so it lied and gave a false name, a partial Bankai.
The spirit is absent. Or rather, communication has been cut off.
The Ego is the core of your consciousness. It is your very sense of identity and existence. By stripping the Bankai, the Ego from the Zanpakuto, they have removed the Zanpakuto's very identity and severed the bridge between the spirit and the Soul Reaper. Only the Soul Reaper's power that is reflected in shikai remains.
💯💯
As for Tensa Zangetsu's form, I always assumed that, since Ichigo is using his Fake Bankai, one that is drawing mostly from White, that it creates an imbalance in his soul.
Fake Tensa Zangetsu is tilting the scale towards Shinigami and Hollow, leaving the Quincy portion to be less used. As such, Zangetsu reverts to when Yhwach was younger and weaker, while White is either also sporting his own Bankai, and when Ichigo fully masters Hollowfication, the scales tilt more and White turns into the Vasto Lorde form, complete with the full Shihakusho.
As for the Hollow Mask thing...if Kubo says that they hover a bit above the Hollow's skin, I can surmise that they can pull the mask away, but perhaps a little spiritual tether extends between the underside and the skin, like Hisoka's Bungee Gum. As such, the Arrancar washes their covered bits and lets go of the mask, which snaps back into position. It would make most sense, as when Harribel goes into Ressurection, her face is certainly kept pristine.
I like your take on the tends zangetsu's form, but don't let this distract you from the fact that bungee gum has the properties of rubber and gum
Ive been meaning to make a vid on this tensa explanation for a while cuz ive seen no-one say this when in my eyes its so blatant. Thank you for naking me feel like im not alone in this
Tommo out here carrying the entire bleach fandom
Just like New World Review carries Hunter x Hunter. We have Tommo being the real one with Bleach.
We also have a new contender with Agamotto as he is reading Bleach for the first time. He also is a writer by profession so he can EASILY spot the subtle details Kubo wants you to see. His takes are great for a first time reader.
@@blkhauck I'd have to agree. Agamotto's content is cool.
@@orangehat1924 I never saw any symbolism in the HM arc. But watching Agamotto easily spot it, made me realize how much detail Kubo puts into things. It gave me a new appreciate in a different light than I used to.
Love the Klub outside stuff.
If I ever got a question to Kubo, I’ve always wanted to ask about Byakuya’s missing haori when they kidnap Rukia. In an interview once Kubo stated that he hadn’t come up with the idea of a structure to soul society yet when he wrote the first part of the story. I’ve always wondered if Byakuya didn’t have his haori in this scene because the concept of captains (or at least the haori designation) hadn’t existed yet.
I think you've got it right. But if we had to headcanon an in universe reason. Byakuya wanted to go as head of the kuchki and not just a captain especially since it's not his jurisdiction.
By going as the head of a noble clan and not a high ranking soldier he was under no real obligation to kill rukia if she resisted yadayada.
My assumption is Kubo hadn't come up with the idea of the Gotei 13 yet, and instead had a vague idea that Soul Society would be like feudal Japan. Rather than Byakuya and Renji being a captain and vice captain of the Gotei 13 respectively, they would instead have been a nobleman and a retainer. The idea of nobility in Soul Society was of course carried to the final version, but with less direct plot relevance.
I always wanted to ask since Ichigo is part Hollow can he be taught how to open up a portal to the Garganta like Hollows and travel interdimensionally between places he's been before like Living World, Soul Society etc or does he already know how to do it but specifically needs to be in Bankai to do it just like he had to be in Bankai to use Grand Ray Cero.
@@kaimobley5324Probably; since his kid Kazui can open Portals to Hell in Special Shrine Areas
Didn't Renji refer to Byakuya as 'Captain' when they were hunting Rukia? Plus Rukia mentioned the Royal Guard when the Menos Grande appeared so Kubo had some idea about the structural of Soul Society's military.
Okay we need a filler episode of Harribel and Nel taking a shower to see if they can wash their mask properly.
👀
cmon man
Hold up you're cooking something
You SAY that, but we both know the real reason...
Yeah frfr
Something to note about the Zanpakuto rebellion arc:
While it is not directly from the source material, in the tybw anime, Byakuya reminisces on his battle with characters such as Muramasa’s master. So I’d believe that the Zanpakuto rebellion arc wasn’t filler, but just anime canon, like how Boruto has the Jougan only in the anime but we know gf will eventually use it in the manga.
Edit: Something that’s possible for Hyorinmaru disappearing is that, by stealing the bankai, they steal the “Ego” that is manifested from the attainment of Bankai, as Kubo says.
@KamiR24 Muramasa is also mentioned in the CFYOW light novel. Though it is different than in the anime as the novel explains that Muramasa is the Zanpakuto of the Kuchiki clan rather than the personal Zanpakuto of Koga Kuchiki.
So, technically, Muramasa should belong to Byakuya since he is the clan head.
@@corruptangel6793more like they turned him into one
I always thought that it was exactly like how Ichigo took getsuga which was more like a clan technique as a personal one so a zanpakuto could be transformed into that for an entire clan
Honestly I can't really explain it but it sounded way more logical in my head
@elaizakaguya4631 Is Getsuga Tenshou a Shiba clan technique? I thought it was Isshin's and Ichigo inheriting a version of it due to how he gained his powers. Hence why Isshin's is a fire type shotgun blast, while Ichigo's is a neutral type malleable cero.
@@corruptangel6793I kinda assume it's a clan technique, but the form it takes is different based on the power in use. The original Getuga Tenso used by Ichigo is more a reflection of his powers as a Quincy, with his Bankai version being closer to a Cero, specifically because they are different versions of the same ability, using different sources of power. His father probably has a more fire based ability in his zanpakto
One thing I want to ask Kubo is when it came to the stolen Bankai being returned, why did BG9 get completely paralyzed by the Hollow poisoning, while Cang Du can still move somewhat freely and even attack? BG9 didn’t even have Soi Fon’s Bankai out like Cang Du had Toshiro’s out when the poisoning happened, so you’d imagine the opposite should’ve happened. On top of that, Äs Nödt and Bambietta weren’t seen affected at all by the Hollow poisoning when the Bankais they stole returned to their rightful owners.
I've seen someone state that perhaps BG9 being more machine could be part of that reason? That could be the reason he was affected despite not using it while As Nodt and Bambietta remained fine. It could be due to how he was created or made, the hollowfication could have done more damage to him specifically. Other Sternritters were probably fine as long as they didn't use the bankai.
@IdkIdk-vm4dm BG9 said his "connection slowed down," so the visual aspect was likely just due to him being mechanical. As Nodt and Bambietta probably experienced a similar sensation
Cang Du was in direct contact with Bankai, so it makes sense that he would be injured.
We know from the Quilge v Ayon question that the Sternritter have differing tolerance for Hollow spirit energy with Quilge having the most. BG9 is a more difficult case to work through because of his nature.
Dude give it a rest
I think As Nodt and Bambietta didn't suffer visible side effects due to proximity.
They were far away from Byakuya and Komamura, whereas BG9 and Cang Du were in close proximity to Soifon and Hitsugaya at the time.
My interpretation of the seperation of Shikai and Bankai is that it's a kind of symbiosis. A Zanpakuto is made by a Shinigami aspirant pouring his soul into a blank sword, so a sword spirit could be seen almost like a copy or clone of the user's soul, it's own individual entity with it's own ego but one born directly from the soul of the Shinigami owner. So by that logic, a Shikai would probably be seen as a manifestation of the user's own innate power while their Bankai is that same inner power pulled out, poured into the sword and then matured into a whole new entity. Effectively, the Shinigami's own innate inner power growing into the sword spirit and transforming into the new form that we call Bankai.
This way, the Bankai is it's own seperate entity and also explains why Hitsugaya couldn't hear Hyorinmaru but could use Shikai as that ability is one innate to him.
Exactly what I said but slightly different
I believe Kubo uses "Ego" in the Jungian sense i.e. Ego, Id, and Super Ego being the aspects of the self, so the bankai is a power made manifest specifically by the personality that develops from the shinigami pouring their soul into the asauchi. Basically, a shinigami has way more power than they themselves realize, and are only able to tap into it by mentally separating it from themself in order to become aware of it, and then "The Blade is Me" is the reactualization of the self by recalling that this other power was just another piece of themself all along.
I love how random the Klub Outside questions can get. I imagine that Aizen would be pretty set on the Arrancar washing themselves, since he wanted them to seem more civilized.
The fact that Mayuri has his own Make-up machine is also a very fun bit of character trivia, haha!
Mayuri uses the make up dispenser Homer Simpson created.
Nemu: Master Mayuri, you've got it set to whore.
Mayuri, you got it set on whore
The shotgun applicator 🤣
Literally first thing that came into my mind how he applies his make up xD
Nonesense......he saw Homer's device, and ripped off.....I mean "modified" the design for his own needs. He would never use someone else's device outright, as that would imply it's superior to what he could make himself, and we all know he'd never let that stand.
Re: conflict with "The Blade is Me": Maybe, yeah? But like my left hand and right hand are both "me," but there are things I can only reasonably do with one or the other because I'm not ambidextrous. If someone cuts off my left hand and beats me with it, it's still "mine" but makes sense that I can't "feel" it anymore like I could when I was still properly attached.
Actually, the fact that the Mask Fragments actually hover over the Arrancar makes sense considering certain Arrancar like Gatenbainne who are able to move their Masks!
I think it ties nicely with the blade is me chapter because the Shinigami imprint their reiatsu into an asauchi, thus creating their shikai and their zampakutou spirit (the spirit comes from them). Then, later on through developing their zampakutou and their skills, the zampakutou develops and gives the shinigami access to their bankai. But all this process came from the fact that the shinigami imrpinted their reiatsu first in the asauchi, the spirit of the blade CAME from the shinigami.
I'm sure the Arrancar figure it out. Still, the stolen Bankai was quite the ace up the sleeve. No wonder Gotei 13 is reeled from the war in the aftermath, even doing away with the selective and picky recruiting policies. Good on Shunsui for that and other changes.
I remember vividly that Grimmjow's mask slightly moves when he talks or laughs, Harribel's mask can probably move slightly to open the mouth area allowing her to eat.
The hollow masks explains how ichigo was able to grab and grip his mask in his fight with byakuya
KLUB OUTSIDE VIDEO LETS GOO!!!!!
Best example for arrancar masks is Szayel, he just has a pair of glasses. Imagine bathing or sleeping with those on. As a glasses wearer tommo I’m sure you understand
The bankai stealing answer makes sense when you consider shikai is based on synergy and bankai one of submission aka forcing the ego of the sword to submit
Well, something to keep in mind with Kenpachi and Yachiru is that Kenpachi GAVE Yachiru that name. And in doing so, gave her power. So her having two forms in comparison to the rest might be perfectly fine as well given the circumstances that one embodies that name.
Afterall, “ego” in eastern philosophy is a lot more indepth and varied. Having a lot more substance to it. So it would make sense that there’s something like a “self-actualization” of part of the soul. Specifically, the Zanpakutou.
Edit: So about the masks hovering, I think it makes sense that they can remove them completely given the choice. It would line up with the previous question about Loly and Menoly. Where it was said that Menoly shaved her mask into shape. That would make a lot more sense if they could just move it off and clean or adjust the mask.
The edit makes a lot of sense
'Ego' can also mean 'sense of self'. If you are aware of your own existence and individuality, you have an ego.
the last question just put the thought of grimmjow and halibel pulling down their masks like a covid mask just to wash their face in my head.
Ichigo is a special case in the zanpakuto department, i think the blade is me is only for him. As Zangetsu looks like a mirrored version of him, while the Yhwach is just a quincy manifestation thing
From what I understand, "The blade is me" is a symbolic acceptance of one's self, stating that ichigo accepts zangetsu as a part of him, not literally of course because they are separate entities. But in the fact that they work together in balance now, since there was power struggle between them with the hollow side of ichigo's powers and there was a secret being kept by his quincy powers. Ichigo saying "The blade is me" signifies that he has found balance, symbolised by the two swords in black and white; yin and yang.
I believe the idea of bankai being stolen hit so hard because we actually got to know A LOT of the characters in bleach . Even if you didn’t like certain characters there was always anticipation to possibly see someone’s power because they literally always hold back. Even with the anime returning everyone was basically hype for the Banaki reveals and to be animated for their favorite characters . That’s one thing Kubo did do well, introduced a full cast and give the audience time with them. So I agree with you on the point of the bankai being stolen . 🤟🏾
We did see Grimmjow's mask separate when he was laughing during I believe one of his Karakura Town battles. My guess is that Harribel's can open up to an extent to eat and drink.
You always make amazing, entertaining, quality content. But I want to take a moment to appreciate how you even have a intro for every series in the Chanel. Thanks for all your dedication and effort Tommo!
hollow masks can open. reference; grimmjow laugh at ichigos getsuga tenshou in their first fight. and i think ichigo/shiro opened the hollow mask at least once to scream
Tosen also splits open a mouth in his Mask as well.
Hiyori also can open her Mask's mouth when firing a Cero at Gerard.
@RGA301092 and i always wonder why ichigo and vizards masks look the way they do cause it looks like its not on all the way.
Always great to have new videos from you. Ty.
Sees Mayuri without face paint:
*squidward voice* : OH NO HE’S HOT
I see a lot of similarities between Hikifune and Tsunade from Naruto in that both characters have a technical "normal" form (older Tsunade and slender Hikifune) but in the case of Tsunade she vastly prefers her younger form making that her "normal" appearance even in the eyes of the fanbase. If you look through it from that perspective, Kubo's answer makes a lot of sense!
I really hope one day kudos gets asked about the beast realm.
The notion of the zanpakto manifesting an ego as power is poured into them probably stems from Japanese animism, where objects have souls. There's even a myth that any object which survives for 100 years awakens and becomes a yokai, so the idea of pouring power into something to create a magical spirit is super consistent with Japanese mythology. If Kubo isn't directly using that myth, he's definitely playing with the themes.
This is my second favorite series you do, right behind the Battle Analysis series
There's not really a separate Bankai spirit afaik; Yachiru was a piece representing Bankai, but considering she could summon more spirits it's possible Kenpachi's true power involves an army of spirits.
Kubo's answer about Hikifune seems like the obvious one. She only reverts to her skinny form if she provides a divine feast, and this is likely the first time she needed to do so since ascending 100+ years earlier.
Harribel's mask has a mouth; while we never see it open, it might be possible for her to use it if desired
I was thinking the same for Tier. Grimjow's mouth piece is also closed most of the time but the moment he opened his mouth up vastly we see how the mask also reflects the motion by moving directly in synch of his mouth showing how long the teeth really are. It should work the same for Tier as we see the same separation of the upper and bottom jaw on her mask.
Zanpakuto spirits developing their own sense of self and power explains a lot of things. It explains why damaged bankai are are such a big deal and why Yachiru could give Kenny access to at least a part of her power even though he wasn't ready.
Sounds to me like Kubo just didn't want to say the dude was right about her normal form otherwise he wouldn't need to change the context of the question. I'm kinda surprised he gave an answer like that.
I think the Bankai stealing still works even as we understand “The Blade is Me” and in fact gives it even more weight while explaining why it was so traumatic for the captains. Essentially, imagine suddenly having your arm separated from your body painlessly. This thing that was a part of you that you controlled suddenly not being connected to you anymore and the implications of that.
I think Kubo is intentionally playing games with us in the Hikifune comment🤣 like he’s flipping the question.
I feel we have seen two bankai spirits, kenpachi's, and ichogo's. When we meet tensa zangetsu, we learn later that hes not his actual zonpokto spirit, white however, is different even before they merge, having long hair and a different shihakusho? Idk how to spell it lmao. I believe that version of white is ichogos bankai spirit
If the Bankai/Shikai situation was a simple Shikai being the Shinigami's power and Bankai being the Zanpakuto's power. Then it's a good job that the Zanpakuto rebellion arc isn't canon as most Shinigami couldn't use their Shikai without the Zanpakuto's permission Or Renji and a few others being able to force it out.
IMO, I don't think Mayuri uses makeup from the answer Kubo gave. looks more like he inserts a device into his body and then it kinda works like a hologram but made real rather than just an image. Hence why it doesn't rub off.
Make me think of a tattoo.
I always like learning any new bits of information about my favorite Bleach character, Mayuri!
And I agree that it would have been cool to see some of his makeup smudged off in the middle of the Pernida fight! It would be a really cool visual and also would have been oddly fitting thematically for us to get a glimpse of some of his true face during that battle since some small bit of his "humanity" is finally shown during the fight with regards to Nemu and revealing how he does actually care about and value his daughter in his own authentic, albeit twisted, way.
I _would_ like to see him without any face paint at all again at least once more though. Whether during a potential Hell Arc for a scene (maybe even getting to see him using the mentioned device to apply the makeup for a new look) or just in some supplementary material drawings. The contrast between how he looks under the makeup and how he chooses to present himself with the various intricate and flamboyant patterns is honestly a such a cool detail and interesting design aspect of Mayuri's character. It would actually be particularly interesting/entertaining to see how some of the other characters would react to seeing his (relatively) normal-looking face in contrast to the incredibly eccentric and theatrical looks he tends to choose for himself.
Harribel should be able to eat with her mask on. The mouth of Grimmjow's mask opens when he laughs.
Seems Hikifune is a very popular topic, I can’t imagine why 🤣
Hot woman or wholesome woman who makes nice food. Win-win 😊
18:16 i think the makeup is a sort of thin layer of protection, it fits him to make a durable makeup
The Shikai and Bankai separation makes sense. It would explain why Toshiro froze the area in his sleep before even receiving a sword. His power is ice and snow and that gets reflected in Shikai.
Well she just gains and loses weight, if a fat person in real life exercises and loses weight which one is their “real” body?
Yeah, I think Kubo's answer makes sense. It comes down to self-perception. Hikifune is usually chubby these days and seems to be happy about it, so her self-image is of being chubby. As a Captain, she probably either used up a lot more energy or just didn't eat as much because she didn't have an entire city of resources to cook as much as she liked.
It’s exactly like Life Return from One Piece
well it makes sense but question probably intended to mean what she originally looked like rather than her usual appearance is like.
MORE KLUB OUTSIDE STUFF?? LETSSS GOOOO🔥🔥🔥🔥
On the bankai: Shikai is the "true physical body" of the zanpakto spirit while the Bankai is a spiritual fusion of the shnigami and the blade (Bankai and Vizard mask are considered a 5-10 times power multiplier, suggesting that a similar mechanic is happening) the fusion theory is suported by some remarcable bankai that alter users appereance like Ichigo's outfit change and Kenpachi's oni-like transformation. What the medallions did is a refined tool version of sklavered as demonstrated when Quilgie absorbed Akon and took on his characteristics, only instead of ripping the spirit to pieces it is transplanted into the medallion where it can be used reliably. So the shikai remains because they are just taking the zanpakto from travel-katana mode into their true/combat form, but there isnt a spirit to call
My personal explanation for why Hyorimaru wasn't responding to Toshiro is that perhaps when a bankai is stolen from a shinigami it not only seals the use of bankai but it interfere's with a shinigami's ability to communicate with their zanpaktou and vice versa maybe Hyorimaru was trying to communicate with Toshiro but just couldn't reach him because if they could communicate I'm sure it wouldn't be long before bankai could be used again
I imagine Kubo getting high as a kite and just making up some answers off the top of his head 😂😂😂
Ego can also refer to the actual identity/self (like in psychoanalysis theory). I think this makes more sense than imagining a "formless" spirit choosing a physical form that it prefers, even though that's also a cool concept.
Where would you even get the water to take a bath in Hueco Mundo? Is there just a giant tank somewhere that Harribel fills up every once in a while?
Also do they have to clean their holes?
I always assumed arrancars could move their mask fragment if necessary, but with each mask fragment having their natural position, the position better suited for them.
On Hikifune: It's a matter of points in time. From being a captain with arguably active duties to being part of the royal guard that only really has to prepare in the rare eventuality of a breach her priorites would change. It's not a transformation so much a state. Think of it: Is a car's true form being full of gas, being almost empty of gas? You gotta drive to work so you could say its normal to have 1/2 or less of a full tank most of the time, but if you swap to a remote job over the internet and you suddenly dont have to commute then all things equal you would have 3/4 or more of the tank normally. TLDR:*Shinji didnt recognized her beause she didnt have the opportunity or need to stockpile on that level as a shinigami captain, but as a 0-squad she did*
I never noticed that the highlights in yachirus eyes looks just like kenpachi's chipped blade
Same
To me, the spirit is the embodiment of the Shinigami’s subconscious mind, but when it melds with the asauchi, it develops a simultaneous existence as both a part of and apart from the Shinigami in question, giving it an ego of its own
When Kubo says "ego", I interpreted that as the personality of the Zanpaktou.
The Shikai is the power of their weapon that the wielder themselves have to unlock while the Bankai is the sentient force that can be awakened. Although it seemingly becomes aware of it's existence before Bankai, I think it only gains true separation as it's own entity through bankai.
And with the Zanpaktou gaining full sentience, it develops it's own power that the user can then combine with their's to unleash a new form. So once the Quincy steal their Bankai (sentient partner), their accumulated power goes with them.
The Asauchi are something that seem to mimic "life". They are "alive" in a sense but don't do much more than live. They have purpose but simply because they were made with that directive. Only with their owner reaching a shikai release, do they gain that spice to have a more lively form.
That saying "alive but not living" comes to mind. But either way, I love that separation they're given while still showing that they have a bond that is closer than anything else you could think of.
Expertly written Tommo. You somehow managed to keep a discussion about Harribel's bra floating off her chest professional.
I wonder if Kubo likes answering the big or little questions more. Is he more of a lore buff or a slice of life kinda dude?
I think we can tell a little from the length of his responses. He gives very short answers to a lot of questions, even if they could necessitate a longer answer, while he goes longer with others when he could leave it at a blunt statement. The Arrancar mask answer is actually pretty long, I want to believe that he liked it.
As far as Halibel's mask blocking her ability to eat or drink, I am positive I saw her mask open to laugh or roar. So she is able to open and close the mouth portion.
i feel like Arrancar mask fragments work similarly to the Visored's masks. in that once a hollow removes part of its mask and transforms into an Arrancar, they can then freely remove/move their mask for grooming like Gantenbainne does with his glasses type mask.
should also be noted that Harribel could just eat normally since both Visored masks (Loves and Tosens) as well as Arrancar masks (Grimmjows) have been shown to be able to physically open the mouth parts of the mask
ive been showing my friend bleach we have just gotten to where Aizen invades the world of the living, skipping filler to catch up in time for part 3 of TYBW (im all caught up and have been for years, i LOVE bleach my favorite of the BIG 3) this video actually answered some questions she had, specifically the difference between shikai & bankai AND the hollow mask fragments (dont worry i havent spoiled anything for her)
Really makes me question then if the Shinigami are actually able to "fuse" with their Zanpaktou on a further level. Much like how Ichigo could become "Zangetsu".
Or even "Reimprint" their Shikai's much like how Byakuya when he returned, showed that his Shikai had improved to such a point it was mistaken as his Bankai.
Great video and definitely some cool insight. In regards to the Bankai stealing I sort of imagine it with a metaphor like this: You have a shinigami with their Zanpakto/shikai and they cast a "shadow" on the ground. That shadow is their Bankai spirit and power. The medallions stole the Shinigamis and Zanpaktos "shadow". So they can still access the swords base power, but not the deeper shadow it could cast.
It would explain why you can't hear your Zanpakto spirit. It's gone, like you wouldn't see your shadow if stolen. But the object that cast the shadow is not gone. It's still in your hand, just lesser, incomplete.
For Sui-Feng I would say the idea behind the Shikai/Bankai makes sense, considering that she treats her Shikai like an assassination tool where her mentality is striking the same place twice would kill the target but that "poison" could be seen as something like radiation poisoning so one incapable of defending against it would fall prey to it, but it's empowered by the fact it hits the same place twice.
Then her Bankai is just Mass destruction where by all intent it's the same concept as her Shikai to kill the target but without the stealth. In that sense it is interesting to see the different between Shikai and Bankai because her self sees the destructive nature as something she wants to control and centralize but the Bankai sees themselves as something that can destroy a large mass of area in one fell swoop.
Which then makes Byakuya's shikai/bankai even more interesting because by his design they are similar, his Shikai is a more subdued/controlled version of his Bankai while the Bankai is a more chaotic/risky version that honestly requires both sides to trust each other in order for it to actually work considering what Tsukishima was able to learn about it. This goes to show how well he understands his Bankai though given that they are as similar as they are, unlike Renji sadly who pretty much imprinted his Shikai and for some reason the Bankai decided to follow suit.
Where Renji goes from a blade that can extend, to a large bamboo that can extend to a form in which both sides of the spirit work together and fire capabilities.Which is interesting because the shikai seems designed to be long range which could suggest Renji is afraid to get up close and personal where even his Bankai was pretty much designed to be big and with the potential to defend himself, meanwhile his True Bankai is more up close and personal with an elemental affinity added to it.
Think of activating Bankai as manifesting that part of your soul with it's own ego into the blade itself, which partially separates the zanpakto spirit from the soul reaper and makes it vulnerable to be taken by the quincy. It could have something to do with how quincy manipulate reishi, physically manifesting the spirit in the power of the blade gives the quincy something to target whereas captains who didn't activate their Bankai kept the spirits within themselves and away from the quincy's reach.
I never thought the Bankai stealing needed an explanation. Quincy can break down and manipulate Reishi, which are literally the spiritual equivalent of atoms. It would be easier to list what Quincies can't do.
The way I see it is this
Shikai: Represents the Soul Reapers specific individual power on a surface level (aka "The Blade Is Me" as Ichigo was in Shikai when he said this, not Bankai). Like you admitted the Soul Reapers in the Academy pour THEIR SOUL into the Asauchi in order to change it's form from a regular Katana into an actual weapon that best suits them by nature.
Bankai: Represents that individual power being/becoming it's own sentient entity that shows the True Potential of what the prior individuality was. Which to me makes sense bcus with it's own Sentients it has a right to govern whether it's Master is ready for the full thing, a portion, or not at all. Which is why it takes 10 years to Truly Master Bankai itself. It also pairs nicely with the fact of Zangetsu scolding Ichigo for thinking just bcus you know my name doesn't mean you KNOW ME and Zabimaru only giving Renji half of the true potential bcus he hasn't proven worthy just yet. It also brings light but also question of Yumichika himself calling his Zanpakuto a different name when he knows it doesn't appreciate that which also in turn hinders the true capability.
For the second question, I think that Kirio’s true form is her overweight form. 1000 years ago, during the Turn Back the Pendulum arc, her “normal” form was her slender form. However, after joining the Zero Division and learning to store Reiatsu, the form that she found the most comfort in taking (her “normal” form) is the overweight form.
Turn Back The Pendulum was 100 years ago.
i always assumed that when the bankai was stolen the sword ghost was knocked out,
that way hyorimaru couldnt answer,
I mean, it is developed and manifested by the Shinigami putting in their own work to achieve it. I dunno if it really throws any contradiction, the shinigami is still fundamentally the reason that they'll obtain in the power, which allows the spirit to flourish and unlock bankai.
So bankai really does have a strong relationship with the spirit and shinigami. What interests me is that this can happen even with false spirits like Old Man Zangetsu, who gave him a suppressed shikai and bankai. Maybe this "creation" of shikai and bankai is more based on a *relationship* between inner spirits rather than solely Reaper Spirit/Shinigami. It's an innate thing that any shinigami can do, but Ichigo is UNIQUE in that he also has a quincy spirit inside him.
Not many shinigami can say they have a quincy spirit too. So this may be a real concept
Every time I see one of these I pray that kubo answered the question of if Quincy’s are able to obtain shrifts naturally without the intervention of a special being like yhwach since their power is already there just dormant much like a shikai before it’s awakened.
I think Kubo sometimes explains where its not necessary and doesn't explain where it is most required. Like in case of Rose's fight in the tybw arc, he was defeated essentially because Kubo decided to explain his bankai a little too much. Same is with Shinji's dual with Aizen. Aizen would have probably deciphered Shinji's shikai abilities along the way, yet it made no sense to explain his powers to someone like Aizen from the get go.
This is evident in Zanpakuto chronicles arc where the Zanpakuto spirit were able to easily perform Bankai but not Shikai
I think the issue with renji which is indirectly similar to ichigo is that they used uraharas contraption to summon their zanpakuto spirits. Since its established that power comes from depending their relationship with the zanpakuto, thos wound be more like forcing said relationship.
We know renji was already partly training for bankai. But used uraharas setup to speed up the process. Which kinda messes with the relationship building. Thus his bankai remained incomplete
I think the reason he specifically calls out the ego of the zanpacto spirit is because while their power source is one and the same as their wielder, they still have a mind of their own. The shinigami reflect their power through their zanpacto to create a shikai, and then the zanpacto that has developed a full will of it's own (thanks to all the power the wielder has been pouring into it) adds it's will to the shinigami's will to create an effect that the shinigami could never have accomplished on their own, that's how I interpret Kubo's answer. So I think the Quincy's stole the ego of the zanpakto, it's consciousness, but the power of the zanpacto, it's ability to reflect and focus the power of it's wielder was still there, so they could still use shikai, this also kinda explains why shinigami that have achieved bankai can activate shikai without the release command, in the process of learning bankai they learned that shikai was actually their own power all along and they no longer need the help of their sword spirit to help them access it
The bankai answer is very interesting. If the Asauchi spirit becomes your sword spirit by reflecting your soul, then what happened to the Asauchi spirit in Ichigo's zanpakuto? It didn't transform into a second zangetsu inside of Ichigo, so I see two options here. Either Zangetsu's hollow side let him just devour the Asauchi spirit and take it's place, or perhaps the reason Ichigo was able to truly merge his powers together while forging the new blade was because of the Asauchi spirit. Perhaps in order to reflect his soul, it had to merge Zangetsu and OMZ into a single entity inside itself, which led to his powers being fully unified.
With Renji we saw the Asauchi took the form of his old spirit, so it'd make sense that Ichigo's could fuse the two beings within him, but then still appear to be Zangetsu.
Renji: *goes through the process of shikai & bankai* “so i can use bankai right ?”
Zabimaru: “i’ll give you half”🗿
"Inserted?" So Mayuri is giving himself different face tattoos? Thats cool
It makes a bit more sense that the mask floats for that one dude that broke his mask to get stronger as he was just whacking that thing right on his face and not reacting lol
I always assumed White was effectively an Asauchi, but with a second mind/power to manage/compete with, this simply wasn't enough to manfiest the entirety of Ichigo's power.
I always assumed the hollow mask wasn't attached because of the way that Shinji was able to lift his and look under it while training Ichigo. Also Ichigo being able to shatter his. I thought it was like a piece of armor. Also the Shikai/Bankai thing makes sense the way you explained it the first time, with one being a projection to the sword, the power comes from inside the shinigami, so they would have it and then the bankai is the spirit of the sword itself being stolen. They would always be able to do the shikai, they focus that to achieve the discipline in order to manifest the bankai, to force it to appear, like a summons I guess. Rungs on a ladder, I may be able to climb the ladder, but stepping from the ladder onto a roof is something different!
I think personally that the reason Kubo has espoused a layer of separation between the bankai spirit and the shinigami, contradicting The Blade Is Me, is that Bankai can still develop and evolve further beyond their initial presentation. A mature finalized Bankai is likely that of a shinigami who has come to realize that "the blade is in fact me" such as that of Genryusai Yamamoto. I also think it's possible he's leaving room for even greater evolution and greater possibilities for power, akin to the Beyond Bankai in Bleach Brave Souls
Honestly, though I never really thought too hard about it, I always just kinda assumed the hollow masks floated there. Idk why, maybe cause with Grimmjow there’s not like anything actually attaching his mask to his jaw. I will say though, what about Szael? His mask is his glasses, right? Do they just hover slightly over the bridge of his nose? And what about when he adjusts them? Is he adjusting them to hover in a slightly different position?
A while ago i had a discussion about something similar.
The zanpakuto is made up of two components
A physical part and a spiritual part.
The quincy stole the spiritual part leaving the physical part behind. Thats why the shinigami could still use a weak shikai but had no bankai anymore.
I think the reason Renji got a false Bankai was that he used Urahara's method to do it.
Zabimaru didn't respect him enough since he took shortcuts or you could argue that he simply still didn't know himself well enough, which is ultimately what is needed for Bankai. He still had a lot of unresolved issues around Rukia.
Related to the Hyorinmaru shikai question, I almost wonder if having the bankai stolen effectively resulted in some sort of unconsciousness which made Hitsugaya unable to communicate. And considering someone who has achieved bankai can release their shikai without using its release command combined with the idea that the shikai comes from the shinigami Hitsugaya would be able to use shikai while Hyorinmaru was unconscious. And then when the bankai was returned Hyorinmaru was able to wake up from his coma. Interesting to think about
One thing I'll say is the dual spirits feel like a exception, and something the Zanpakutou themselves do if the scenario calls for it.
Katen Kyokotsu split to create "Kyokotsu" which seems to represent the Shikai abilities, only because Shunsui wanted to hide the Ise family Zanpakutou.
Kenpachi has the dual spirits because Nozarashi desperately wanted to be at Kenny's side.
The only one who would be an enigma is Ukitake, as we have little answers for overall.
The way I see it w/ Bankai forms, it's likely that select types of Zanpakuto have a Bankai & Shikai form based on their relationship w/ their blade. It's likely that the Power-types (like Ikkaku, Kenpachi, & more) have a form reflecting the amount of power they have access to in each given form. While Kido/technique-types (such as Rukia, Shunsui, & Izuru) likely have 1 or 2 forms or follow their own set of rules
Hitsugaya likely wasn't able to hear Hyorinmaru's voice b/c the link between his bankai & shikai are quantity, just like Byakuya's, but more than that it's likely that since the bankai was taken, their link was likely weakened so neither were able to hear each other
Also when it comes to the Arrancar's masks, I personally think they likely have some level of conscious control over them, mostly cause there's no way Grimmjow laughing & his mask moving wasn't a conscious choice
My understanding is this,
Soul reapers are beings of reishi (spirit matter) that have reiryoku (spirit energy), their soul is made of reishi and can produce reiryoku. You can think of this as how matter is energy in a different state (interchangeable).
Zanpakuto are reishi blades for soul reapers.
Asauchi are strictly no named zanpakuto, both a white being and blade that allows for a soul reaper to imprint their soul onto it. After an asauchi gains a name it is no longer an asauchi but a named zanpakuto.
Asauchi = No named Zanpakuto (Vice versa)
Named Zanpakuto ≠ Asauchi
Zanpakuto Spirit is a part of the soul reapers soul that has its own ego or personality that is manifested as a bankai. Originally we thought it was the shikai and bankai that both made up a named zanpakuto spirit but it appears the shikai is independent of the zanpakuto spirit. This explains why the release names for both states are different, because they are different things in nature aswell and not only state.
Typically soul reapers must have an asauchi to form a named zanpakuto but this isn't a universal rule as ichigo proved it wrong, the side effects were his powers and soul were not fully manifested into it, ichigo appears to be the only exception.
So originally the consensus was the shikai is the 1st state of the named zanpakuto spirit and bankai is the final, but its never stated that the shikai is the first state of the zanpakuto "spirit", just the zanpakuto which is the named blade. Both shikai and bankai are named zanpakuto but the shikai is independent of the zanpakuto spirit and thus a zanpakuto spirit is not required for aquiring or using shikai as toshiro proved and stated by kubo.
In other words, shikai is the power at the surface level of the soul reapers soul while bankai is the power of the soul reapers soul that has sentience, ego or personality. We also know some shikai abilities can and can't be used in bankai and vice versa. Shikai and bankai are independent of eachother but both come from the same source, they can be similar in form, power, shape, abilities etc or they dont have to be, toshiro always uses ice in both forms being similar form but different levels of power and abilities, while soi fons shikai and bankai share no similarity in any regard.
The only contention I have with this is the previous idea was much easier to understand that the shikai is the 1st form and bankai is the 2nd of the zanpakuto spirit as it fits much nicer with the zanpakuto term itself, now we have to distinguish between the zanpakuto in shikai state not being related to the zanpakuto spirit.
As for the fixed/static mask take you gave, grimmjows mask split when he laughed at ichigo, so they do come apart. So its likely the same case for halibel, you can even see the seperation lines between the teeth and along/up the jaw line of the mask.