Zangetsu

Zangetsu's first spirit is the representation of Ichigo Kurosaki's Shinigami powers in the form of a Hollow, and is therefore the latter's strongest source of power. Its appearance is practically the same as that of a small negative hollow of Ichigo.

He possesses the same physical features and constitution, only the color of his body and clothing differ from those of the Substitute Shinigami. Both Hollow Ichigo's skin and hair are completely white, while his nails and teeth are black and his tongue is dark blue. Instead of being white, the sclera of his eyes are as black as his pupils, while the irises are yellow.

Despite being the personification of Ichigo's Hollow powers, this character dresses in the Shinigami style, although using opposite colors. Thus, the uniform is a pure white tone, while the undershirt, sash belt and shoes are black, resembling in that aspect more the attire of an Arrancar.

After being pulled out of Ichigo's body by Tensa Zangetsu, Hollow Ichigo now has much longer hair reaching his waist and also wears Ichigo's 2nd Hollowfication mask, his mask however is different from Ichigo's, as it is black with white lines and his eyes turn completely white, it should be noted that his appearance more closely resembles an Arrancar in the usual white suit and his feet now more closely resemble those of an Arrancar, being a kind of dinosaur foot, he also has sharp claws and white hair covers his wrists, as if it were animal fur.

Zangetsu (Hollow/Shinigami) 1,75 m Zangetsu (Hollow/Shinigami)

Possessing one of the most distinctive characters in the series, Zangetsu (Hollow) is brutal and arrogant, tremendously self-assured and of his superiority. One of his most easily distinguishable features is his manic smile, which is usually accompanied by hysterical laughter and mocking and theatrical gestures. He seems to be crazy and enjoys it, developing a cruel and sadistic personality, who enjoys cornering his victims and terrorizing them, before giving them the coup de grace and continuing to enjoy their spoils.

He fights like a fanatic, insensitive to pain, with pure brute force and unparalleled violence. Previously he was shown not obeying Ichigo and wanting to control his body, but he knows how to assume his position and wait for a change of circumstances to take up the fight again when one of the battles has been lost. Recently it has been shown that Zangetsu (Hollow) may obey Ichigo, after Ichigo trained with Nimaiya.

Zangetsu is one of the characters in the Bleach manga to have starred in more than one volume, these being volumes 8, 25 and 61 alongside Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, Rukia Kuchiki, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Shinji Hirako, Ulquiorra Cifer, Gin Ichimaru, Sōsuke Aizen, Byakuya Kuchiki and Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai. In addition, he is the first of all to appear in two different forms. Zangetsu is part of the twin Zanpaku-tō games in the series, sharing this privilege with Katen Kyōkotsu, and Sōgyo no Kotowari. Both the Quincy and Hollow powers are part of Ichigo's shinigami power, as he accepted that they are both Zangetsu. Since the Quincy part is the reflection of Yhwach's power, it is thought that Tensa Zangetsu being Zangetsu's Bankai form is actually Yhwach when he was young, while Zangetsu is his version from 1,000 years ago. Despite the Quincy part being a reflection of Yhwach, the current antagonist, throughout the series he has been shown to care about Ichigo's well-being as he has helped him overcome the enemies he faced. It is curious that Yhwach being the creator of the Quincy and Zangetsu having the same appearance, Yoruichi did not recognize him when he trained Ichigo to achieve bankai.

Zangetsu is one of the only "Zanpakutō spirits" to appear in the manga, sharing the honor with Zabimaru, Hyōrinmaru, Kazeshini, and Katen Kyōkotsu. Zangetsu was the first "Zanpakutō spirit" to appear in the manga. According to Hollow Ichigo, he and Zangetsu are one and the same, something that is corroborated by his showing his original form, fusing with Hollow Ichigo. Ichigo's Zanpakutō spirit has appeared in the series' popularity polls twice. In the second poll, it ranked 24th, while in the third poll it dropped to 35th. In a preview of the next episode of the anime, Zangetsu has stated in the form of a comedic omake that he hates Ichigo's inner world because there are no green areas or vegetation, to which Ichigo indicates that he is going to change that, and add cats and dogs. Out of all the spirits seen, Zangetsu is known to be the only one that exists with the same appearance both in the inner world of its bearer and outside of it. Zangetsu is the first spirit to show its materialized form in Bankai state. Zangetsu has so far only said one curse, although it is only in the anime. Ichigo states that everything that Zangetsu's sword emanates seems to be filled with sadness (probably due to having to separate from Ichigo, when using Mugetsu), and also Zangetsu's motive is the Moon, therefore, "Moonless Sky" could be understood as "Ichigo without Shinigami powers".

Zangetsu is the only Zanpakutō of a Visored , having appeared in the Unknown Tales of the Zanpakutō Saga. Due to Ichigo's father being a Shinigami, it is possible that Zangetsu was born to Ichigo, and he is legitimately a full, "pure-blooded" Shinigami as Grand Fisher claims upon becoming an Arrancar. During Ichigo's training to obtain the Final Getsuga Tensho, Isshin reveals that the name of his Zanpakutō is Engetsu, suggesting, given their father-son relationship and the name of Ichigo's Zanpakutō, that Zangetsu and Engetsu are somehow related (along with Isshin's remark that "these guys don't like showing off their techniques"). Zangetsu is the only Zanpakutō spirit to have graced a cover of the series' manga, appearing in volume 8, "The Blade And Me". Tensa Zangetsu is one of the few characters to have shown the ability to fuse with another person (Hollow Ichigo), though they are actually one and the same. Ichigo claims that he never felt superior to others for seeing spirits, and that he always dreamed of living a normal life, which could be understood as Ichigo secretly wishing that Zangetsu had never existed. It is important to note that Ichigo was apparently unaffected by Zangetsu's disappearance. Since it is implied that Ichigo wished that Zangetsu had never existed (as he never wished to be able to see souls), this may be the reason why Zangetsu cries at the moment of his disappearance.

"Ichigo...I hate the rain...It rains here too...When your heart harbors doubt, this sky clouds over...When you get sad, it starts to rain...I can't stand it. Do you understand me? How terrible it is to have the rain fall on you when you're alone in an empty world...To prevent that from happening...I'll give you all the power you need!! If you can trust me...I won't let a single drop of rain fall from this sky!! Trust me...You're not alone in the battle...Ichigo!!." "When two people who don't trust each other fight together, they only damage each other's power. A person who doesn't believe in anything but his own power doesn't understand this."

To us, a person's feelings are small compared to what the world needs, there is no comparison. This is no different, it's your world. But the hearts of humans become confused, and that leads to weakness. (Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion). If you can see the future, don't stop to look at the past, go ichigo" (Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion) There is only one rival and you are alone too, what are you afraid of? Forget that fear, pay attention, walk forward, never stop, turning back will only make you weaker!! Cowardice only causes death!! Say it. My name is ZANGETSU!! "Shake off fear, Look ahead! Move forward, never hesitate. Run away and you die, doubt and you die." "Do you want to fight? ...Or live...Choose." "Let me teach you how to attack at will, Ichigo. Whether or not you know the name makes a huge difference in the strength of your attack. Remember it well, Ichigo. The name of this attack." "Can you hear it Ichigo? The cry of his sword?" "Someone who only believes in his own strength and has never fought alongside his Zanpakutō can't hear it, Ichigo, do you believe in me?"

"Calm down... This is a tough thing to watch. You need to be able to breathe, you know that?" "If you can see the future, don't stop to look at the past." "...Is this how you talk to... the one who taught you how to breathe?" It's no surprise that you didn't recognize this form after all this is the first time, that you come here in Bankai state..." (After being asked if he's Zangetsu): "No what? You call your Bankai?... I'm Tensa Zangetsu. "Ask? About the Final Getsuga Tenshou?...I can't...teach you such a Technique." "So? If something happens to the ones YOU want to protect, why should I care?... Don't get me wrong, Ichigo. It's just that what you want to protect and what I want to protect are two completely different things." "What exactly does that mean...? Look at this world! Your world! It was once filled with hope and skyscrapers reaching for the sky! Now it's just a degraded copy of that small town you were born in!!... The constant rain that existed in this world has stopped, but instead everything is sunken into this sea!!... And this is Ichigo! Because of your despair, you no longer walk forward..." "Ichigo, I will not allow you to continue like this, right here, right now I will extract the source of all your despair..."

"I see. So this is the first time you've seen this form with your own eyes... You defeated Ulquiorra Cifer using this form... That's right, this is the appearance you fear so much. You fear transforming into this because your heart is overwhelmed by all this destructive power and you can't even Hollowify properly anymore." "No, your opponent in this battle is not him, it's us... Both of us." (After fusing with Hollow Ichigo): "Technically we are two parts of one being... We are both your power... Here we go!!" "...You are so foolish... The final Getsuga Tensho is not something that can be acquired by simply crossing your sword with mine..." "Of course, this Tensa Zangetsu is actually yourself... And if you accept it... You don't have to feel pain when pierced by it... Ichigo... Do you remember what I told you when the battle started? What you want to protect is not what I want to protect... The one I want to protect is you, Ichigo." "It means that... You will see it during the essential confrontation of this technique Ichigo... If you use this technique you...". "If you use this technique you will lose all your shinigami powers... Goodbye Ichigo" "I am neither your enemy nor your ally, however my words and my heart never lied to you except when I told you my name." "Bankai is the ultimate decision you make to share the pain along with your sword." "I didn't want you to become a shinigami, that's why I tried to suppress the potential of your growth and yet I tried to be the source of your power." "Yet you ended up becoming a shinigami. You had a chance.. you trained hard and despite ending up injured and suffering.. you chose that path. When I saw you like that.. my heart wavered. There came a time when instead of stopping you from becoming a shinigami.. my heart began to want to help you on your way and now.. like this.. I am happy.. to take a step back. Ichigo You have become strong. I was able to watch you grow for

Zangetsu appears to be virtually identical to Ichigo Kurosaki, except that he is inverted in color. He is a rather tall and thin being who possesses white skin, black lips, a blue tongue, black nails, and white hair. His eyes consist of black pupils, white irises, and black sclera. [4] While Ichigo wears a standard black Shinigami shihakushō, Zangetsu wears a white shihakushō with a black cloth belt. [5][6]

When the other Zangetsu pulls it out of Ichigo, he wears a mask that closely resembles Ichigo's Hollowfied form from his battle against Ulquiorra Cifer, and has waist-length white hair along with a white version of Ichigo's shihakushō in his Bankai state. [7]

When Hollow Zangetsu fuses with Quincy Zangetsu, they both transform into a teenage version of Quincy Zangetsu, similar to Ichigo in height and age, with a noticeably slimmer build and slightly shorter hair. The resulting fusion gives Quincy Zangetsu Hollow Zangetsu's characteristics, including elements of their appearances. His attire becomes a more refined, robe-like version of Hollow Zangetsu's Shikai coat, with no shirt or sunglasses, but with a white lining and a hood. This version also incorporates elements of Hollow Zangetsu's white Bankai coat, the black remains of his horned mask, white hair, a Hollowified left eye, and a blue tongue, all of which blends perfectly with Ichigo's appearance and the black blade in his Bankai. [8] This fused form of both Zangetsus greatly resembles Yhwach as a teenager. [9]

When manifested outside of Ichigo's inner world from one of Ōetsu Nimaiya's Asauchi, Zangetsu's appearance is marginally the same, retaining Ichigo's physical build and hair. However, his face appears almost skull-like, similar to the Hollow mask Ichigo wears when calling upon his Hollow powers.[10]

Zangetsu's most distinctive features are his maniacal laugh and psychotic grin. He is very disrespectful, especially towards Ichigo, whom he constantly belittles for being weak and often tells him that he is not strong enough to fight. [11] [12] [13] He has a sarcastic nature, falsely apologizing to Ichigo Kurosaki when he expresses frustration at not being able to get rid of him, claiming that his inability to disappear brings tears to his eyes. [14] Zangetsu is also dismissive, telling Byakuya Kuchiki that he has no name when he first takes over Ichigo's body [15] [16] and refusing to answer when asked if he is a Hollow. [17] Zangetsu is domineering, invasive, and self-centered; he enjoys the thrill of battle and has possessed Ichigo several times to fight his opponents. He is cruel, brutal, murderous, ruthless and sadistic, attacking his enemies and severely injuring them without regard for their well-being. Unlike Ichigo, he fights like a berserker, ignoring injuries and overpowering his enemies with brute force.[18]

Zangetsu firmly believes that true power comes from a ruthless, primal drive towards destruction, not reason or strategy. He does not tolerate Ichigo's tendency to fight using his head and defeat enemies through logic, thinking that it will eventually kill them both. Instead, he prefers to fight with sheer brutality and bloodlust. He believes that only those with an insatiable hunger for battle, a "killer instinct", can truly dominate and lead. Zangetsu has a ruthless view of strength in which there is no room for mercy or hesitation in combat. His disregard for weakness and desire to be the "king" show his arrogance and pride, and he tries to push Ichigo into adopting a more brutal and destructive side in order to defeat him. He is also extremely arrogant, calling himself Ichigo's master[19] and believing himself to be invincible to him.[20][21] Zangetsu views Ichigo as the "king" of his inner world, and himself as the "horse", and refuses to back a king weaker than himself. He says that if Ichigo is not worthy, he will crush him and become the king himself. [22] This reveals Zangetsu's power-driven personality, as he values ​​strength and believes that those in control must be worthy of it, willing to take control if Ichigo is unfit to lead. On top of that, Zangetsu is an egotistical megalomaniac, as part of the reason he helps Ichigo unlock his abilities is so that he can take that power for himself. [23] He has a tough-love approach to training Ichigo, berating him for not trying to unleash his Zanpakutō's full potential while pushing him in combat. [24]

While fighting the Visored, Zangetsu remains silent for the most part, choosing not to engage in conversation, unlike his previous confrontation with Byakuya. In his fight with Ulquiorra Cifer, Zangetsu once again remains silent, ignoring Ulquiorra when he asks who he is. [25] He is also ruthless and animalistic, loudly roaring at Ulquiorra [26] and savagely mutilating his body. [27] [28] Ulquiorra describes Zangetsu's behavior as being very Hollow-like, [29] while Uryū Ishida characterizes him as completely inhuman. [30] While he knocks Orihime Inoue and Uryū to the ground, [31] he shows no interest in them and does not attack them directly. However, when Uryū attempts to reason with him and stop him from stabbing Ulquiorra's throat, he impales Uryū and prepares to annihilate him using Cero before being interrupted by Ulquiorra's Lightning Spear. [32] This shows that while he will not attack others as long as they do not interest him, he will not hesitate to kill them if they get in his way.

Despite his harsh exterior, Zangetsu is not completely devoid of positive traits. While he has a high opinion of his capabilities, he is still capable of admitting defeat; when Ichigo reforms his Zanpakutō after Zangetsu breaks it and stabs him, Zangetsu acknowledges that Ichigo has a "killer instinct" and accepts him as his "king", though warns him that he will throw him around and crush his skull if he deems him even slightly weak. [33] He is also willing to let himself be defeated when necessary, knowing that he needed Ichigo to win against him during their first encounter. [34] He shows concern for Ichigo, albeit pragmatically, telling him to stay alive if he is to master his abilities. [35] He also displays a protective attitude towards Ichigo, having repeatedly manifested masks around Ichigo's body to protect him from fatal injuries,[36][37] though this is possibly because he wants to avoid dying himself along with Ichigo, as Ichigo's death will result in his own. [38] Though known for his savagery and unpredictability, Zangetsu has a softer, gentler side that he only shows towards the other Zangetsu, the manifestation of Ichigo's Quincy powers. He is respectful towards the manifestation and seems to be content in its presence. [39] His respect for the manifestation extends to the point where he criticizes Ichigo for only learning his name and not trying to get to know him. [24] He is also cooperative with the manifestation, willing to help it in any way he can to help train Ichigo,[40] and to fuse with it to test Ichigo. [41]

When Zangetsu fuses with his Quincy counterpart, the resulting fusion combines elements of both Zangetsus' personalities. The fused spirit generally maintains a calm demeanor, as seen in the manifestation of the Quincy powers, but is occasionally prone to outbursts reminiscent of Zangetsu's fiery nature, as well as moments of harshness, such as when he forcefully throws Ichigo into a building. [42] In a moment of vulnerability, the spirit confesses to Ichigo that it wants to protect him and expresses pride in his growth, even shedding a tear. [43]

Shinigami Agent Arc

Ep19IchigoHollowfies Ichigo's Invasion. While Ichigo Kurosaki undergoes training to acquire his own Shinigami powers, Kisuke Urahara subjects Ichigo's soul to a process called invasion, which risks transforming Ichigo into a Hollow if he does not gain Shinigami powers. Tessai Tsukabishi cuts Ichigo's Chain of Fate[44] before using Bakudō #99, Part 1. Kin to prevent Ichigo from using his arms to scale the sides of the well.[45] After three days in the well, Ichigo begins to transform into a Hollow. As the Bakudō restricting Ichigo begins to break, Tessai uses Bakudō #99, Part 2. Bankin. When Jinta Hanakari states that he will kill Ichigo, Tessai states that he must restrain him before he completes the transformation into a Hollow. Before the final part of the spell reaches him, Ichigo escapes in the large explosion created by the awakening of his Shinigami and Hollow powers. Though he manages to gain his power, he emerges from the pit wearing Shinigami robes and a Hollow mask, the latter of which he later discards.[46]

During Ichigo's most difficult battles, the mask he thought he had discarded kept reappearing on his body in places where there would normally have been fatal wounds.

Ep41ZangetsuHollowMask Ichigo's Hollow mask after being used as a shield. As Ichigo fights Renji Abarai, Renji uses his Zanpakutō, Zabimaru to strike Ichigo near his heart, but the blade stops for some reason. After the fight, as Hanatarō Yamada heals Ichigo, he discovers that the Hollow mask Ichigo thought he threw away was what was blocking Zabimaru. [47] Thinking of the mask as a good luck charm, Ichigo wants to keep the mask, but Hanatarō, fearing, insists that Ichigo throw it into the sewers. [48]

Later, Ichigo encounters Eleventh Division captain Kenpachi Zaraki, who stabs him in the chest. [49] Seemingly dying, Ichigo is pulled into his inner world by the manifestation of his Quincy powers. [50] The manifestation throws Ichigo's Zanpakutō towards Zangetsu, the Zanpakutō Spirit, who, telling Ichigo to step aside, leaps into the air and catches it. Confused, Ichigo asks what Zangetsu is, prompting the Zanpakutō Spirit to ask him what he means while addressing him as "comrade". Explaining that he wants to see if Ichigo is worthy of wielding it, the manifestation tells Ichigo that if he wants to use Zangetsu again, he must retrieve it with his hands, as his opponent will be himself. [51] Ichigo is forced to fight the Zanpakutō Spirit, wielding an Asauchi while the spirit holds Zangetsu. The Zanpakutō Spirit mocks

Ichigo into taking Zangetsu from him and pressures Ichigo, who struggles to completely block the former's blade. The Zanpakutō Spirit exerts his Reiatsu, which burns the air around them, and begins to spin Zangetsu by its cloth, warning Ichigo that he should watch out or risk being killed. The spirit uses Deadly Darts and throws Zangetsu at Ichigo, but misses. Calling Ichigo pathetic, the spirit mocks him, saying that he wields a mighty sword but asks how he got it so bloody. The spirit then tells Ichigo that he believes he's become best friends with the manifestation simply by asking his name, always thinking of himself and never trying to bring out Zangetsu's true power or understand him. The spirit explains that there is more to the manifestation's power, and if Ichigo can open his heart and lend Zangetsu his power, he will become stronger. Stating that Ichigo does not care about his Zanpakutō and thinks he only has to train himself, Ichigo reflects on the spirit's words, realizing they are true and deciding he wants to understand Zangetsu more. Preparing to wrap this up, the spirit tells Ichigo he will show him what it means to make the most of Zangetsu and that he will never wield Zangetsu again. Moving to attack, Zangetsu is surprised to see himself wielding the Asauchi, while Ichigo wields Zangetsu. Seeing that the manifestation has deemed Ichigo worthy of using him, Ichigo awakens back in the real world.[52]