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Kenpachi Zaraki (更木 剣八, Zaraki Kenpachi) is the current captain of the 11th Division in the Gotei 13. He is the eleventh Kenpachi to hold the position.[1] His first lieutenant was Yachiru Kusajishi and his current lieutenant is Ikkaku Madarame.
Personality[]
Plot[]
Bleach: Spirits Are Forever With You[]
Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World[]
Six months after the final defeat of Yhwach, Zaraki, Yumichika Ayasegawa, and Ikkaku Madarame sense a large amount of Reiatsu emanating from the First District of the Seireitei. Thrilled, Zaraki says he relishes a fight since he was bored.[2]
Sometime later, Zaraki, Yumichika, and Ikkaku Madarame are summoned by Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyōraku to Kūkaku Shiba's residence, where they encounter a large group composed of Quincy, Arrancar, and Fullbringers.[3]
As Shunsui explains his reasoning for summoning all parties, both Zaraki and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez start to lose their patience and demand to know why they all have to tolerate each other, which causes both of them to gain an interest in fighting the other to gauge their power.[4]
After Mayuri Kurotsuchi has successfully transported the group from the Shiba residence to the Valley of Screams, they find themselves confronted by a large group of Hollows. Zaraki initially wants to ignore the Hollows and head straight for the stronger foes. As the Hollows try blocking his path by multiplying, Zaraki starts cutting them down and Candice Catnipp and Grimmjow join the fray. As more and more Hollows keep swarming them, Shinji assures the group he will handle them himself and releases Sakanade.[5]
Eventaully, Zaraki, Shunsui, and their allies arrive at the fake Soul King Palace constructed in the Valley of Screams. Sensing Tokinada Tsunayashiro's Reiatsu inside, Shunsui prepares to enter, though he orders Zaraki to stay behind for now; though reluctant to do so, Zaraki understands Shunsui's reasoning and begrudgingly accepts his duties as a captain. After a tense coversation with Tokinada, Shunsui initiates the battle by using Kageoni to attack him.[6]
Tokinada barely manages to draw his own Zanpakutō to block Shunsui's Kageoni attack. Zaraki complains that Shunsui finally initiated the fight without telling him, as he was bored from the conversation, and Ikkaku and Yumichika ask Shunsui to let the three of them to fight first. Before anyone can react, however, Tokinada yells Hikone Ubuginu's name, which immediately causes an immense Reiatsu to be sensed by everyone present. Eventually, Shunsui proceeds to fight against Tokinada, while the Arrancar initiate battle with the Hollow Ikomikidomoe, and the Quincy confront Hikone while Zaraki observes the fights.[7]
Zaraki prepares to fight Hikone Ubuginu.
When Hikone starts to overpower the Quincy, Zaraki exerts his monstrous Reiatsu and appears next to them. As Zaraki declares Hikone to be the strongest opponent present, Hikone responds by firing a Cero at the Shinigami, only for Zaraki to effortlessly dissipate it with his sword. As Zaraki effortlessly fights off Hikone's attacks, he responds by slashing through Hikone's Hierro, though Hikone uses Blut Vene to stop the bleeding. Zaraki recognizes the technique from his fight with Ichigo Kurosaki, and Hikone is elated to be compared to such a hero. Referring to Zaraki by name, Hikone says they heard about the Shinigami captain from Hisagi, alarming Ikkaku and Yumichika, and explains that Hisagi is unconscious in the throne room at the moment. As the two Shinigami try to leave to rescue their ally, Hikone intercepts them, but prevented from killing them by Zaraki.[8]
Zaraki reminds Hikone that the fight is between the two of them and orders Ikkaku and Yumichika to leave. In response, Hikone combines Shunpo, Sonído, Hirenkyaku, and the Fullbringers' high-speed movement technique to appear instantly in front of Zaraki before using Hierro and Blut Arterie to strike several powerful blows. However, Zaraki merely slashes through Hikone's defenses again and notes that he has figured out Hikone's strength. Removing his eyepatch, Zaraki declares that Hikone is entertaining.[8]
Equipment[]
Eyepatch Power Seal: While unneeded, Zaraki wears an eyepatch, created by the Shinigami Research and Development Institute just for him. In addition to reducing his depth perception and range of vision,[9] it also seals the bulk of his Reiryoku. He wears this because he loves fighting so much that he cannot fight most opponents at full strength and enjoy it, as he would defeat them too quickly, to which he is still at least on par with most opponents while wearing it.[10][11] After his fight with Sōya Azashiro and experiencing a substantial increase in power, Mayuri Kurotsuchi creates a new eyepatch for him, which is 10 times more effective than the last eyepatch.[12]
Powers & Abilities[]
Immeasurable Spiritual Power: Kenpachi Zaraki is repeatedly noted to have truly monstrous amounts of Reiryoku, even by captain standards. Even before Zaraki unlocked his true power and gained access to his Zanpakutō's release forms, Sōsuke Aizen considered him one of the two captains to be the biggest hindrances to his plans (the other being Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto), and admitted he wanted to avoid fighting Zaraki until after he had awakened the Hōgyoku and gained his immortal body. Even at this time, he matched Cien Granz, a powerful clone of Szayelaporro Granz in his prime, and overpowered several of his Resurrección's techniques.[13] Sōya Azashiro, a nearly untouchable opponent with his Bankai, opted to flee after sensing Zaraki's Reiatsu increase even further as his subconscious limits gradually faded.[14] By the Quincy Blood War's end, where he had unlocked his true strength, Kensei Muguruma expressed his belief that Ichigo Kurosaki and Aizen were the only known beings to rival or surpass Zaraki in raw power.[15] Indeed, Zaraki was entrusted by Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyōraku and Yoruichi Shihōin to fight Hikone Ubuginu because he was far more powerful than either of them, and could do so without releasing his Zanpakutō, despite the hybrid having released their own Bankai.[16] Later, Zaraki defeated an empowered Ikomikidomoe effortlessly with just his Shikai, and was disappointed by his increased power, even calling the Hollow a "wimp".[15]
Highly Perceptive Combatant: Despite his self-admitted brutishness, Zaraki is a very perceptive person when it comes to battle. During the fight in the Valley of Screams, Zaraki quickly figured out Hikone Ubuginu was the strongest out of his present opponents from merely observing them for a few minutes. He also instantly recognized the latter's use of Blut Vene from when Ichigo used it briefly in their fight.[8] When it seemed like Hikone had just killed Shūhei Hisagi, both Zaraki and Shunsui were the only ones present, among other Shinigami like Shinji Hirako, Kensei, and Yoruichi, who realized Hisagi had survived.[15]
Immense Strength: Zaraki possesses an extreme degree of physical strength, being able to disperse Hikone's Cero and slash through their Hierro/Blut Vene combined defense, with both feats done nearly effortlessly and without the use of his Shikai.[8]
Immense Endurance: Zaraki often ignores most of the injuries he sustains in battle, not suffering any debilitation despite having multiple slash wounds on his body and rarely any signs of pain much like a berserker. He was able to fight Cien and Azashiro back to back, and won against the latter despite the grave injuries suffered in each fight.[17] He endured the Hierro/Blut Arterie combined attacks of Hikone even before taking off his eyepatch.[8]
Immense Durability: Zaraki is a notoriously difficult opponent to damage. Cien's Teatro de Titere could not damage his organs with the doll he produced, due to them being just as hardened as his own body.[18] While fighting Azashiro, he was able to fully sustain a Hadō #96. Ittō Kasō without faltering.[14]
Immense Speed: Zaraki, despite having little practice in Hohō, can keep up with the likes of Hikone using a combination of Shunpo, Sonído, Hirenkyaku, and Bringer Light.[16] He completely blindsided Ikomikidomoe, a deceptively fast Hollow capable of outpacing Vasto Lorde-class Arrancar, before the latter could even react.[15]
Zanpakutō[]
Nozarashi redirects here. For the manifested spirit see Nozarashi (Zanpakutō spirit)
The sealed form of Zaraki's Zanpakutō.
Nozarashi (野晒, Weather-Beaten One; Viz "Weather Beaten"): The blade of Nozarashi is much longer than a standard Zanpakutō's, roughly the size of a nodachi, with a long guard which extends inward from its center, similar to a shinai. The hilt is white, though most of it is wrapped in bandages, as is his sword's sheath.[19]
Nozarashi in its Shikai form.
- Shikai: Its release command is Drink (呑め, nome).[20] Upon release, Nozarashi takes on the form of a great axe/war cleaver hybrid with a long, cloth-wrapped handle and a green tassel attached to the top.[21]
- Shikai Special Ability: In its released state, Nozarashi possesses tremendous attack power. Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyōraku believes Nozarashi is one of the few Zanpakutō capable of destroying a replica of the Soul King Palace within mere minutes.[15] With a single strike, Zaraki defeated Ikomikidomoe, who absorbed most of Hikone's Reiryoku and Soul King pieces,[15] despite the Hollow being durable enough to survive combined attacks from several Espada and Sternritter while in a weaker state.[8]
Weaknesses[]
Combat[]
Adaptive Reiatsu Adjustment (Formerly): As Aizen noted, Zaraki regularly held back in his fights to avoid ending them too soon, and subconsciously limited his Reiatsu as a result, even without his eyepatch, until the enemy proved strong enough and allowed Zaraki to adapt in return. This gradual adjustment is ultimately what allowed Zaraki to win against Azashiro, as Azashiro himself tried to win with as little effort as possible, and had he used his Bankai to its fullest or reverted to Shikai at the start, Aizen surmises Zaraki had a chance of losing.[12] Zaraki's subconscious limit was also the reason he lost his fight with Ichigo, as despite removing his eyepatch then, he could not adjust to Ichigo's increase in power in time.[14] By the end of his fight with Retsu Unohana, Zaraki's limits were fully removed, and he instead relies entirely on his eyepatch to suppress his power.
References[]
- ↑ Bleach Official Character Book 2: MASKED
- ↑ Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World Chapter 14
- ↑ Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World Chapter 16
- ↑ Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World Chapter 17
- ↑ Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World Chapter 18
- ↑ Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World Chapter 19
- ↑ Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World Chapter 20
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World Chapter 21
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 109, page 15
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 113, pages 3-7
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 309, page 4
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Bleach novel; Spirits Are Forever With You II, Chapter 20
- ↑ Bleach novel; Spirits Are Forever With You Part II, Chapter 16-17
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Bleach novel; Spirits Are Forever With You II, Chapter 18
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Bleach novel; Can't Fear Your Own World, Chapter 24
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Bleach novel; Can't Fear Your Own World, Chapter 21-24
- ↑ Bleach novel; Spirits Are Forever With You Part II, Chapter 16-20
- ↑ Bleach novel; Spirits Are Forever With You Part II, Chapter 17
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 120, page 9
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 577, page 11
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 577, pages 16-17
