Literally translated as Soul-Cutter Sword, or in the English dub as Soul-Slayer, a Zanpakuto is the primary weapon of Shinigami and Arrancars. At first, the sword is empty, until they imprint their soul upon it; the unique power of each sword is generated from its owner’s soul and the sword has a living spirit within it that matches its master’s personality. In its sealed form the Zanpakuto has the appearance of a katana (or wakizashi, nodachi etc.), and it has two released states: Shikai and Bankai.
It works differently for Arrancars, since they used to be Hollows. For them, the blade is the quintessence of their true Hollow powers and they only have one release stage: Resurrección (Spanish for "Resurrection", Japanese for "Returning Blade") restores the spirit of an Arrancar's attacking Hollow capabilities to their humanoid bodies.
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10 Murciélago - Ulquiorra Cifer
Ulquiorra was the 4th Espada in Aizen’s army, until his death in combat by Ichigo. As stated before, an Arrancar’s true form is enclosed in their sword and their Resurrección, meaning their true Hollow form, is also the name of their sword. His Murciélago’s ("Black-Winged Great Demon") release command is "Enclose" (鎖せ, tozase).
In his reversed Hollow form, he grows Bat-resembling wings, horns, and has black oozing out of his Hollow hole. Ulquiorra has the exclusive skill to go in a second released mode, Resurrección: Segunda Etapa. When released, his strength, speed, durability, and Cero power increase tremendously. He can create “Luz de la Luna”, javelin-like weapons of Reiatsu (spiritual pressure).
9 Sode No Shirayuki – Rukia Kuchiki
Rukia is the current Captain of the 13th Squad, its former Lieutenant, and said to possess the most beautiful sword in Soul Society (at the closure of the manga it could also rival Toshiro’s sword as the strongest ice-type). Her Shikai command is "Dance" (舞え, mae); her sword has five different abilities in Shikai, the first three called Dances.
Her sword does not exactly create ice; it brings her body temperature to extreme frost and itself becomes an extension/tool for her to spread the frost around her. Her Bankai, Hakka no Togame, makes a very large area around Rukia reach absolute zero, upon which everything freezes and shatters immediately.
8 Gamuza - Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck
Or Nel, as her friends call her, is the former 3rd Espada before Nnoitora (5th Espada) betrayed her. Her Resurrección Gamuza’s (“Capricorn Knight") release command is "Declare" (謳え, utae). She becomes a Centaur-like creature, with her speed, physical strength, and Reiatsu increased significantly. Her special attack is Lanzador Verde ("Green Lancer").
Her katana becomes a heavy lance that she propels at her adversary with dangerous speed. As it journeys through the air, it starts to rotate and build up spiritual power. Upon reaching its mark, it behaves as a drill, exacting tremendous piercing injuries. Also, she has the unique ability of Cero Doble: she absorbs an inbound Cero and returns it double.
7 Ichimonji - Ichibe Hyosube
Who was that, again? Yes, unfortunately, the Zero Squad/Royal Guard was not the ultimate powered-up thrill the fans expected. What they definitely were was creative in their capabilities.
Ichibe’s Zanpakuto’s, Ichimonji, Shikai command is "Blacken" (黒めよ, Kuromeyo). Its special ability is power over names, releasing an ink that can make anything lose its name, hence its powers. He also is granted absolute command over the color black and everything black. He is the only Shinigami who has a special Bankai, whose release command is Shin'uchi. He grants new names on his opponents, thus granting them the level/properties of the name.
And he would have even taken down the Emperor himself, Yhwach, Father of the Quincy and ruler of the Wandenreich, designated "A - The Almighty" (Yhwach had the coolest title ever), if the latter had not activated his “Almighty” ability.
6 Tiburón - Tier Harribel
Harribel was the 3rd Espada and after Aizen’s defeat became the de facto leader of the Hollow Realm, Hueco Mundo, until she was personally beaten by Yhwach and her realm was conquered by the Quincy Empire. Her Zanpakuto Tiburón ("Shark Empress") is unusual in shape, being very wide and hollow in the middle.
Its release command is "Destroy" (討て, Ute); upon her Resurrección, her Hollow mask stops covering her face’s bottom half and instead scatters across her body like a half-armor. Her sword becomes huge, resembling a shark tooth. Her special ability is water creation and manipulation: she can create cascades, launch damaging water blasts, and make water’s temperature swiftly reach extreme boiling heat.
5 Katen Kyokotsu - Shunsui Kyoraku
Shunsui (current Captain-Commander) has a very impressive ability; his katana is a rare case of a double-sword Zanpakuto. He also has a poem as release command, instead of a single word (Ukitake is the only one like him in that). His Zanpakuto certainly has a mesmerizing name, translating into “Bones of Heavenly Blooming Madness”. According to him, his Shikai ability is making children’s games real, only the games in question are deadly; it has six distinct abilities, one of them being Bushōgoma, which creates tornado-like wind blades.
His Bankai, Karamatsu Shinjū, has four releasing stages called “Acts”, because he considers them part of a show/play. For example, Ichidanme: Tameraikizu no Wakachiai (Act the First: Hesitance and Apportionment of Wounds) makes Shunsui and his opponent(s) share each other’s wounds. His Bankai’s problem is its unselective effects: friend or foe, anyone in the vicinity will be affected – or killed.
4 Arrogante - Baraggan Louisenbairn
Baraggan was an extremely powerful Espada who had to be taken down by Sui-Feng (a formidable Captain) and Hachigen Ushoda (the former Lieutenant of the entire Kido Corps). His Zanpakuto, Arrogante (“Arrogant”), had the uncommon form of a double-bladed battle-ax.
Upon his Resurrección (release phrase: Rot/Decay [朽ちろ, kuchiro]) he transformed into a literal skeleton clothed in a black-purple cloak. His special abilities are Senescencia, making everything close to him wither and decay, and Respira ("Breath of Death"), a fog-alike vapor, which ages and decomposes anything it touches. Even if something is barely touched, the effect will inevitably spread, unless the affected area is severed. The Resurrección form of his ax is Gran Caída ("Great Fall"), with its blades shaped like huge bat wings.
3 Kyoka Suigetsu – Sosuke Aizen
Aizen is a man of horrifying power, beyond what other Shinigami could imagine. Even though his Bankai remains unknown (and will continue to be, unless Tite Kubo decides to have it revealed exclusively in the Thousand Year Blood War anime adaptation), his Shikai was enough to almost defeat the entire Gotei 13.
The release order is "Shatter" (砕けろ, kudakero), employed to both trigger and disable it. Its unique ability is Kanzen Saimin/ Complete Hypnosis: it can control all five senses completely and have others perceive only what Aizen wants them to. The one condition is the enemy must see Kyōka Suigetsu releasing. Afterward, this person will remain hypnotized until Aizen stops it, or until he is completely incapacitated.
2 Los Lobos - Coyote Starrk
The 1st and strongest Espada, Starrk was a formidable opponent for two of the oldest and strongest Captains, Ukitake and Shunsui, before the latter finished him. His Zanpakuto and Resurrección are completely unique; he uses a katana in his sealed state, but it does not have any special powers. His true form is sealed within another Arrancar that was created from his soul and now is always close.
His Resurrección, Los Lobos ("The Wolves", release command: Give Chase [蹴散らせ, kechirase]), makes that Arrancar into two pistols that fire powerful Cero. He can also summon Reiatsu swords for melee combat and also a pack of spiritual energy wolves to command.
1 Ryujin Jakka - Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto
The Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 for at least a thousand years, Yamamoto’s power was dangerously immense – and so rarely summoned in combat. His Ryūjin Jakka (Flowing Blade-like Flame) was the strongest fire-type Zanpakuto of history and possessed unparalleled offensive strength. Its Shikai command was "Reduce All Creation to Ash" (万象一切灰燼と為せ, banshō issai kaijin to nase) and had three distinct abilities, all relating to entrapment and destruction by flames.
His Bankai, Zanka no Tachi, has four powers, each named after one cardinal direction: East, West, North, and South. The coolest ability is certainly “South: Great Burial Ranks of the Ten Trillion Fire Dead”: he summons the dead and has them fight on his side, while extending to them his ability to incinerate opponents out of existence.
