Zanpakuto are an important part Bleachcombat system. In fact, these slashing swords are emblematic of the entire series, and some of them BleachThe best fights in the game involve powerful, cool, and memorable zanpakuto abilities that can turn the tide of any fight. Zanpakuto are also treated as the Soul Reaper's battle partners, so naturally, many zanpakuto have forms and powers that suit their wielder's personality and fighting style. Even some Arrancar zanpakuto are like this.

In their sealed forms, zanpakuto are merely swords, but when a zanpakuto is released, it will show its true personality and potential, and it is up to the user to properly use these powers as part of who they are. Most of the most successful fighters in Bleach carry zanpakuto that suit them very well, with some zanpakuto seeming like an extension of their bodies. This was a good example for Soul Reapers who are still discovering the name and nature of their own blades.

10 Zangetsu represents Ichigo Kurosaki's simple and direct fighting style.

Protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki has many powers, most notably his own zanpakuto, Zangetsu. When Bleach When it began, Ichigo fought with a generic zanpakuto with no name or shikai, but this did not last long. After Ichigo trained with Kisuke Urahara and embraced his true powers, he obtained Zangetsu, which is always in shikai mode by default. As such, Zangetsu has no sealed form or command phrase.

So, Ichigo trained with Yoruichi Shihoin to obtain the bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, and he needed this power to face Byakuya Kuchiki in their final battle. As for thematic ties, Zangetsu may seem rather simple as a melee-type zanpakuto, but that's perfect for Ichigo Kurosaki, a practical punk fighter who doesn't like to make things too complicated or fancy.

9 Panther transforms Grimmjow into an Apex Predator

A variety of Arrancars had zanpakuto releases that gave them seemingly random powers that didn't entirely match their personalities, such as the calm and stoic Tier Harribel having a water- and shark-themed zanpakuto release. Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, meanwhile, wielded a zanpakuto called the Panther, which could be released to transform him into a lean, vicious predator with incredible agility.

This transformation suited Grimmjow's dog-eat-dog attitude, and also made him the perfect counterpart to the equally straightforward Ichigo Kurosaki, Grimmjow's bitter shonen-style rival. Grimmjow's release had a few offensive abilities, such as explosive missiles launched from his elbow and even massive energy claws.

8 Senbonzakura embodies the elegance and power of Byakuya's noble lineage.

Captain Byakuya Kuchiki is in command of not only Squad 6 of the Gotei 13, but also of the noble Kuchiki family, which means a lot is expected of him. He must act in a dignified manner at all times to set an example for all of Soul Society, so he is pompous, confident, and rule-abiding. He also has a zanpakuto, Senbonzakura, which matches his mix of high-class elegance and elite combat skills.

Senbonzakura's shikai is as beautiful and elegant as it is dangerous. Once released, Byakuya's zanpakuto will form a thousand mini-blades that resemble cherry blossom petals in the air due to the way they reflect light. It's a fearsome power that can destroy most enemies with ease, and this zanpakuto's bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, is an even larger version of the shikai.

7 Hozukimaru is a cruel instrument of war for Ikkaku

Several zanpakuto in Bleach are fairly straightforward as simple melee-types, but they often suit their users perfectly. One example is Hozukimaru, the zanpakuto belonging to Ikkaku Madarame, the third officer of Squad 11. Ikkaku considers Captain Zaraki to be a role model, and this includes the fact that they both have melee-type weapons.

Ikkaku first demonstrated Hozukimaru's power in the fondly remembered Soul Society arc, using his shikai to attack Ichigo from unexpected angles as a multi-part staff weapon. Ikkaku later revealed his bankai while fighting Edrad Leones, one of Grimmjow's followers. It was a brutal bankai with a massive blade and two more blades on the end of thick chains.

6 Nozarashi is emblematic of Kenpachi's brutal fighting style

Squad 11 favors swordsmanship and brutality over kido and trickery, and Captain Kenpachi Zaraki embodies this fact perfectly. For many years, he didn't even know the name or shikai of his zanpakuto, using it as a simple instrument of war to suit his bloodthirsty ways. Kenpachi liked to hold back so he could savor his fights, and his sealed zanpakuto reflected this fact.

Finally, in the Thousand-Year Blood War story arc, Kenpachi killed Captain Unohana to learn his shikai, Nozarashi. Kenpachi first used this shikai in a battle against Gremmy Thoumeaux, a Sternritter who used his limitless imagination to create and fight with anything he wanted. With his melee shikai in hand, Kenpachi delivered an incredible blow to destroy the meteor that Gremmy conjured during the fight.

5 Suzumushi matches Kaname Tosen's lack of vision well

In stark contrast to Captain Zaraki, Captain Kaname Tosen of Squad 9 prefers kido and tricks to disable his enemies without killing them. If necessary, Tosen can use his shikai's blade-conjuring ability to attack his enemy, but Tosen prefers to use his shikai's audio attack to knock out his enemies without bloodshed.

Suzumushi is therefore the ideal zanpakuto for a self-proclaimed hater of violence like Kaname Tosen, and that doesn't end with this weapon's shikai. Tosen's bankai deprives his enemy of their senses, mainly sight and hearing, forcing them to fight without sight as he does. Naturally, Tosen has the advantage, since he is the one who is used to fighting without sight.

4 Wasbisuke shows how the dark war is in Izuru Kira's eyes

Some of the Gotei 13 squads have a particular philosophy, and Squad 3 has the attitude that war is a dark and horrible thing that no one should enjoy. Lieutenant Izuru Kira also believes this, and has a memorable zanpakuto called Wabisuke to match. Its name means “apology,” and it effectively forces the enemy to mime an apology before being killed.

More specifically, Wabisuke will double the weight of anything he hits, and this can be done countless times. The prime example was when Kira attacked Abirama Redder, rendering that bird-themed Arrancar too heavy to fly, with its heavy head bowed in apology. Then, Kira decapitated the defenseless Abirama, proving just how horrible war really is.

Captain Soi Fon of Squad 2 was once a student of Yoruichi Shihoin, and thus learned a great deal about stealth, assassination, and martial arts. Soi Fon can defeat most enemies with just martial arts and her sealed zanpakuto, but if necessary, she can use her shikai, Suzumebachi, to become the ultimate assassin.

Suzumebachi is one of the smallest shikai ever shown in Bleach, taking the form of a metal stinger on Soi Fon's right middle finger. Any target that is stung twice in the same spot will die instantly due to a powerful toxin, which matches Soi Fon's precise and merciless fighting style. What's funny is that Suzumebachi's bankai is the complete opposite of a loud and powerful cannon, so Soi Fon avoids using it whenever possible.

2 Arrogant turns Baraggan into the Immortal Lord he thinks he is

The 2nd Espada, Baraggan Luisenbairn, is a highly vain and power-hungry being, and appropriately, his zanpakuto is named Arrogant. This zanpakuto has more than one name to fit Baraggan's theme - it also makes him the master of time and death, playing into his theme of being the supreme king of Hueco Mundo, the world of the dead.

Baraggan once ruled over all of Hueco Mundo as a Grim Reaper-style Hollow, and it once seemed as though he would rule that realm forever, untouched by death and decay. That's why his zanpakuto, Arrogant, creates an aura of senescence that rots anything or anyone that gets too close, a nearly infallible power that only a few childish tricks from Hachigen could overcome.

Much like his ally Izuru Kira, Lieutenant Shuhei Hisagi of Squad 9 believes that violence is something dark and repulsive that should be avoided whenever possible. This is something Shuhei learned from Kaname Tosen, internalizing the belief that power should be respected and feared as the monster it is.

Shuhei proved this ideology with his melee-type zanpakuto, Kazeshini, which means “wind of death.” Shuhei used it to great effect when fighting the Arrancar named Findorr Calius, who took the fight very lightly and almost treated it as a game. Shuhei both respected and feared the power of his own zanpakuto as a weapon designed to take lives, and this won him the fight.