Every Soul Reaper Captain in Bleach wields a Zanpakutō, and they can all use Bankai. A handful of Lieutenants have also achieved Bankai over the course of the series. The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc introduced several never-before-seen Bankai, and they were all highly effective in battle. Several notable Soul Reapers did not reveal their Bankai during the conflict.

Most of these Soul Reapers are former Captains, and several of them were members of Squad Zero, who were tasked with protecting the Soul King. Some of these Soul Reapers could not use Bankai because of a seal or other circumstances, and one Soul Reaper, in particular, died before they could reveal it. Some Soul Reapers simply decided never to use Bankai, because the situation was not ideal, or because they relied on other skills.

Former Lieutenant Of Squad 8, Squad’s Future Captain

Lisa and the other Visored were forced to abandon their ranks and move to the Human World after being subjected to the Hollowfication Process. Lisa came to the Soul Society’s aid during the Fake Karakura Town Arc, where she fought against Tier Harribel and Aizen. During the Thousand-Year Blood War, Lisa travels to the Soul King’s Palace with the other Soul Reapers and faces an empowered Gerard Valkyrie.

Lisa’s Shikai manifests as a large polearm which is easily twice her body length. She can twirl it around her body with impressive speed, and it has great cutting power. Lisa replaces Kyōraku as the Captain of Squad 8 after the war, meaning she achieved Bankai, but its name, shape, and abilities are all unknown. She could have realistically used it against Gerard, but in the manga, Gerard defeats the Visored with a single attack.

9

Shūhei Trained To Achieve Bankai But Never Revealed It

Current Co-Lieutenant Of Squad 9

Shūhei revealed his Shikai while fighting Findorr Calius above Fake Karakura Town. Kazeshini deserved to be used more often because its double-sided scythe blades made Shūhei look like a real reaper. Shūhei trained to achieve Bankai in between Sternsritter invasions, but he never used it during the conflict. He likely refrained from using it because he could not control it properly until a decade later.

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In the semi-canonical Can’t Fear Your Own World light novel series, Shūhei uses Bankai against a powerful foe. Kazeshini Fushi no Kojyo creates a mass of chains that surround and wrap around the necks of Shuhei and his opponent. These chains link them together and trap them in a cycle of death and rebirth until one of them runs out of Spiritual Pressure. This was the same light novel series that introduced Shinji’s Bankai, so Kazeshini Fushi no Kojyo might still appear in the Thousand-Year Blood War’s final season as a surprise.

8

Love Never Used Bankai Despite Fighting A Top-Ranked Espada & Sternritter

Former Captain Of Squad 7

Love was a Captain over a century ago, meaning he has had Bankai for quite some time. He accompanies the Thirteen Court Guard Squads on their mission to the Soul King’s Palace but is defeated, along with his fellow Visored, while fighting Gerard. Love also fought Coyote Starrk, the Primera Espada, but was briefly incapacitated by Starrk’s Resurrección.

Love’s Zanpakutō becomes a large war club when its Shikai is activated. It actually looks like a cactus because it is covered in blade-like protrusions. Tengumaru ignites itself in flames and shoots large fireball blasts downwards. Tengumaru’s Bankai likely produces intense flames in some explosive manner, so it is surprising that he never used it against some of the strong opponents he has faced.

7

Aizen Prevented Isshin From Using Bankai With a Sneak Attack

Former Captain Of Squad 10

Isshin is a member of the Shiba Clan and Ichigo’s father. Eighteen years before the Thousand-Year Blood War, he served as a Soul Reaper Captain, but gave up his rank and most of his spiritual energy to save Masaki Kurosaki, his future wife. Isshin planned to use Bankai against White, but Aizen prevented him from using it by striking him with a sneak attack.

According to Aizen, Isshin’s Bankai puts a lot of strain on his body, meaning he cannot use it if he is already gravely injured. Engestu is a fire-type Zanpakutō, and its blade is engulfed in flames when its Shikai is released. He can enhance Engetsu’s destructive power by adding his blood to the flames. Isshin did not use his Bankai against Aizen, but the argument can be made that he still lacked the power to use it effectively.

6

Yoruichi Relies On Her Speed And Melee Skills Rather Than Her Zanpakutō

Former Captain Of Squad 2, Previous Commander Of The Stealth Force

Over a century ago, Yoruichi served as a Captain but defected from the Soul Society after helping Kisuke Urahara and the Visored escape to the Human World. Yoruichi is known as the Flash Goddess because of her mastery of Shunpo, making her one of the fastest characters in Bleach, if not the fastest.

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Yoruichi has gone the entire series without using her Shikai or Bankai. In fact, Yoruichi has never used her Zanpakutō in actual combat. If Yoruichi fights a strong opponent, she prefers to rely on her Speed and Hakuda skills. Yoruichi can take on Captain-level opponents with Shunko, which combines Kido and Hakuda, so to her, Bankai probably seems unnecessary. Her Bankai likely does not compliment her speed, which would explain why she never used it against Aizen or Askin Nakk Le Vaar.

5

Ukitake Died Before He Could Reveal His Bankai

Former Captain Of Squad 13

Ukitake was a Captain for centuries, but he could not fight prolonged battles because of the lung disease that plagued him for most his life. Despite this disadvantage, Ukitake could still fight on par with other Captain-level opponents. Mimihagi, the Right Arm of the Soul King, saved Ukitake’s life and used him as a vessel. During the Thousand-Year Blood War, Ukitake sacrificed himself so Mimihagi could prolong the Soul King’s life.

Ukitake died before he could reveal his Bankai, which is a real shame because its ability likely had something to do with reflection. Sōgyo no Kotowari was one of the few dual Zanpakutō in Bleach, and its Shikai could absorb energy attacks and fire them back at an enemy at full force. Sōgyo no Kotowari’s Shikai countered Starrk’s Resurrección and Captain Commander Yamamoto’s flames, so its Bankai could have been broken.

4

Hikifune’s Bankai Was Sealed By The Blood Oath’s Seal

Former Captain Of Squad 12, Second Officer Of Squad Zero

Hikifune was promoted to Squad Zero because she invented Gikon, which are special souls that remove Soul Reapers from their Gigai. She also created The Cage of Life, a special tree that can block and consume spiritual energy. Every member of Squad Zero wields a Bankai so powerful that its release reverberates through reality itself, meaning Hikifune’s Bankai is overpowered.

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Hikifune’s Shikai ability was never revealed and neither was her Zanpakutō’s name, but the blade transforms into a large wok spoon. This would imply that her Zanpakutō’s primary ability has something to do with food. In reality, Hikifune should have used her Bankai against Yhwach’s elite guard, but she could not use it because of the Blood Oath’s Seal, which was directly linked to her fellow officers’ lives. Despite its immense power, Ōetsu deemed Hikifune’s Bankai unsuitable for dealing with Yhwach’s elite guard.

3

Tenjirō Could Not Access His Bankai Because of The Blood Oath’s Seal

Previous First Officer Of Squad Zero

Tenjirō was promoted to Squad Zero centuries ago after inventing Kaidō, which is more commonly known as healing Kidō. He is the one who taught Captain Unohana how to heal, and he created special hot springs that can heal almost any injury. Tenjirō specializes in healing but is also a master swordsman, and is fast enough to catch Captain Suì-Fēng, one of the fastest Soul Reapers alive, off guard.

Kinpika’s Shika takes the form of a single-edged blade head attached to a long wooden pole, and it temporarily blinds his enemies by emitting a bright light. It also seems to increase his striking power. Tenjirō could not use his Bankai because of the Blood Oath Seal, but chances are, it has some sort of light-based ability. There is a good chance Tenjirō’s Bankai works best against a single opponent, which would explain why it was not used against Yhwach’s elite guard.

2

Ōetsu Used A Special Sword Rather Than His Actual Zanpakutō

Previous Third Officer Of Squad Zero

Every single Soul Reaper owes Ōetsu a great deal of gratitude because he was the one who invented the Zanpakutō. This is the reason he was appointed to Squad Zero centuries ago. During the battle at the Soul King’s Palace, Ōetsu cut down Yhwach’s elite guards in seconds. Instead of using his Zanpakutō, he used another blade that he personally forged. This Zanpakutō was called Sayafushi, and it was the sharpest sword in the Soul Society.

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Sayafushi could cut through anything, including Lille’s rifle shots, which supposedly could not be blocked. Since Sayafushi was not Ōetsu’s real Zanpakutō, it did not have a Bankai or Shikai. The name and abilities of Ōetsu’s real Zanpakutō remain unknown, but there was a risk that its abilities were melee oriented, or they had something to do with forging. Either way, Ōetsu believed his Bankai could not defeat Yhwach’s elite guards all at once, so he did not use it. That said, he could not use it even if he wanted to because the Blood Oath Seal prevented him from releasing it.

1

Aizen’s Bankai Remains One Of Bleach’s Greatest Mysteries

Former Lieutenant And Captain Of Squad 5

Aizen was the primary villain for most Bleach‘s story, but he plays a key role in defeating Yhwach and saving the Human World, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo. Aizen possesses immeasurable Spiritual Pressure. It is so immense that weaker beings are torn apart by simply being in his presence. Aizen also gained immortality in the later stages of the Fake Karakura Town Arc by fusing with the Hōgyoku. For these reasons, Yhwach named him one of the Soul Society’s Five Special War Powers.

Aizen defated multiple Soul Reaper Captains in quick succession with his Spiritual Pressure, raw strength, and Shikai. He did not even bother to use Bankai during the final battle with Yhwach, who was bascially a god since he had the Soul King’s powers. Aizen’s Kyōka Suigetsu could control the five senses, which placed others under a form of complete hypnosis. This Shikai is as powerful as a Bankai because it could mess with Yhwach and The Almighty. Given his Shikai’s strength, Aizen’s Bankai must be completely broken, but it probably puts his life at risk because that is the only logical reason he would not use it.

Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War

Release Date

October 10, 2022

Network

TV Tokyo

Stream

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