Summary
A little more than a decade ago, the anime world was dominated by three series, andBleachwas one of them. At its core,Bleachfocuses on the conflict between three factions: the Soul Reapers, Hollows, and Quincy, and each group possesses distinct attributes and abilities. When it comes topowerful iconic Shonen protagonists, Ichigo Kurosaki ranks near the top, and like several other Soul Reapers, he is capable of using Bankai.
Every Soul Reaper has a katana called a Zanpakutō, and each one possesses a Shikai release. Bankai refers to a Zanpakutō’s second release, and it can usually only be achieved by Captain-level Soul Reapers. Fans have seen more than a dozen of these Bankai, and they are all extremely powerful, but some are far stronger than others.
Updated Jul 11, 2025 by George Voutiritsas:The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc has been a huge success thus far. It has already introduced some never-before-seen Bankai, and as the story continues, several more Bankai will make their debut. The Bankai release is the strongest weapon that a Soul Reaper can use, but only a handful of Soul Reapers can actually awaken their Zanpakutō’s Bankai. Every Bankai is different in terms of ability and appearance, and some can wipe out dozens of enemies at once.
Each Bankai may be powerful, but when it comes to overall power and effectiveness, they are not all equal. Most fans know whatthe strongest Bankaiis, but there are still a few that need to be mentioned, including some that are only present in fillers and supplementary novels. The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc even revealed a Bankai that was never shown in the manga.
Power-Type Zanpakuto
Bankai Debut
Episode 365, “Ichigo vs. Ginjo! The Secret of the Substitute Badge”
Strongest Technique
Getsuga Tensh
Kugo Ginjo served as the main antagonist ofthe Lost Substitute Shinigami Arc. He is a Fullbringer who gathered other members of his kind to form the Xcution organization. When he was younger, Soul Society took note of his immense power and made him the first Substitute Shinigami. When Ichigo fully awakens his Fullbring, Ginjo stabs him and absorbs all of his power.
This allows Ginjo to use his currently unnamed Bankai. It significantly enhances his spiritual energy to the point he can fight other Bankai, and it gives his body extra skeletal armor. He can use an enhanced Getsuga Tensho and fire energy from the tip of his blade. Ultimately, Ginjo’s Bankai is a cheap imitation of Ichigo’s Bankai. Ginjo makes a brief appearance in the manga version of the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc, but he does not use his Bankai against the Quincy. So far, Ichigo is the only known person who has ever faced this Bankai in actual combat.
Tsukuri Kaeru Noryoku
Kisuke Urahara is the former Captain of Squad 12, and he possesses a Bankai, which makes use of his scientific mind. His Bankai is called Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame, and it takes the form of a large woman with dark, braided hair. Her arms look like they belong on a mannequin, and she wears a surprisingly revealing red dress.
This Bankai is capable of restructuring anything it touches. Basically, it can cut anything around it as if it were dissecting something, and it can then restructure them by stitching them back together. Healing is just one of its applications, as Urahara used it to fix his blindness. It can enhance certain other body parts, too, and can create paths through obstacles and barriers. Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame does have offensive potential. But its defensive and supportive capabilities are more helpful.
Urahara will finally use Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame inThe Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3when he battles Askin Nakk Le Vaar in Yhwach’s new palace. Askin is one of Yhwach’s Royal Guards, and his body is susceptible to Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame’s abilities. This Bankai does not outright kill Askin, but it ultimately leads to his defeat.
Unnamed
Ikkaku has been a fan-favorite ever since he debuted duringthe Soul Society Arc. He loves to fight, and his Zanpakuto is perfect for melee fighting. His Shikai is a type of spear that can split into three pieces, but his Bankai is far larger, and it deals a lot more damage. Ryumon Hozukimaru takes the form of three different weapons that are all connected via a thick metal chain.
The main weapons are a monk spade and pole-like weapon, but there is also a large axe blade with a dragon crest above his head. The crest continues to turn red each time Ikkaku receives or deals damage, and when it is fully charged, he can utilize his Bankai’s true cutting power. Ryumon Hozukimaru can cut through things with minimal effort, but it takes too long to charge up.
Ikkaku has used his Bankai in a movie and filler arcs, but when it comes to actual canon, he has only used it once. Ryumon Hozukimaru saved Ikkaku from Edrad Liones, one of Grimmjow’s Fraccion. Edrad possessed especially hard skin, but Ryumon Hozukimaru was able to slice through him.
Punch Barrage
When Kensei Muguruma activates his Shikai, his Zanpakuto takes the form of a combat knife that can produce air blades. His Bankai, on the other hand, looks far different. Tekken Tachikaze takes the form of two knuckle blades with curved silver edges, and he gains segmented purple wraps that cover his arms like armor.
These knuckle blades can also take the form of brass knuckles and spiked gauntlets. The destructive force of Kensei’s Shikai is amplified and focused into his fists, which allows his punches to produce explosive force. This Bankai is great for melee combat, but it is far less effective against ranged opponents, and it can be countered if the enemy can enhance their body’s durability.
Tekken Tachikaze was first used during the Fake Karakura Town Arc when Kensei battled Wonderweiss Margela, the modified Arrancar who was created to counter Captain Commander Yamamoto’s Zanpakuto. Kensei uses Tekken Tachikaze again in the second season ofThe Thousand-Year Blood Warwhen he pummels Mask de Maculine during the second Quincy invasion. If it were not for Mask’s healing Schrift, Tekken Tachikaze would have defeated the Sternritter.
Episode 384: “Rages at Ringside”
Ein Heldenleben
Rojuro Otoribashi became a Captain again afterthe war with Aizen, but it wasn’t until the war with the Quincy that he revealed his Bankai. His Shikai is a golden whip that uses sound as a weapon, but his Bankai allows him to create physical illusions with music. It creates a large pair of hands, a conducting wand, and a group of colossal dancers.
The music is meant to deceive his opponents' hearts, and as long as they are deceived, the Illusions can inflict real physical damage. The illusions are produced by the dancers, and if Rojuro wishes, he can make them stop his opponent’s breathing. This Bankai is deadly, but it is useless if Rojuro’s opponent cannot hear the music.
Officially, Kinshara Butodan has only been used once, and it dealt a significant amount of damage to Mask de Maculine. This Bankai had the power to defeat Mask, but the Sternritter countered its effects by destroying his own eardrums.
Episode 52: “Renji, Oath of the Soul! Death Match with Byakuya”
Soo Zabimaru, Zaga Teppo
There was a great deal of emotionwhen Ichigo battled Renji, and what makes their fight even more interesting is the fact that neither had achieved Bankai yet. Renji achieved it shortly after his defeat, and it took the form of a long skeletal snake. This was not his Bankai’s true form, however. The true form is achieved during the Thousand Year Blood War Arc, and it is much smaller.
The iconic snake skull is now a gauntlet with a protruding blade, and snake vertebrae cover Renji’s body. Renji also gains a fur-covered pauldron over his left shoulder which looks like a monkey arm. This Pauldron can block Quincy arrows, large debris, and intense flames. Soo Zabimaru, Zaga Teppo is this Bankai’s strongest technique, and it requires Renji to impale someone. Once the blade is turned like a key Soo Zabimaru will produce a set of jaws made of spiritual energy that will latch onto Renji' opponent. As this happens, Renji blasts a hole through his opponent’s body. This combination attack is powerful enough to reduce his target to ash.
The manga only featured one Soo Zabimaru technique, but the third season of the Thousand-Year Blood War introduced several new techniques. Zazekka turns the blade of Renji’s Bankai blade into a segmented whip-like sword, much like his Shikai. Hihi Tensho causes his fur cowl to shed onto the floor, and skeletal hands then emerge from shed pieces to hold his opponent in place. Hikotsu Taiho allows Renji to fire a concentrated blast of spiritual energy from the skeletal arm left behind by the shed cowl. The blast is orange instead of red because Renji’s Spiritual Pressure has significantly increased since he first achieved Bankai.
The biggest issue with this Bankai is the fact that Renji needs to get very close to use its full power, which means that it can be overpowered by certain Kido and Elemental Bankai. Renji first used his Bankai against Byakuya, but it was easily overpowered due to Renji’s lack of training. He later used his incomplete Bankai to destroy Yylfordt Granz, one of Grimmjow’s Fraccion. He attempted to defeat Szayelaporro and Yammy with it, but they both proved to be too strong. He perfected Soo Zabimaru while training at the Soul King’s Palace and used it to obliterate Mask de Masculine’s body. In the anime, Renji also used Soo Zabimaru against Uryu Ishida in Wahrwelt. It stood up against Uryu’s Quincy: Vollstandig and overwhelmed him, but it was ultimately countered byFederzwinger, an advanced, energy-draining cage.
Goen Ryuga
Of all the filler characters thatBleachintroduced, only one became a Gotei 13 Captain.Shusuke Amagaitook command of the 3rd Division, and he wielded a Zanpakuto, which would heat up and unleash powerful fireballs and fissures of flames. His Bankai is called Raika Goen Kaku, and it takes the form of an enlarged crimson blade with a hook at the end.
Its hilt is covered by a large white shell which serves as a shield. Its special ability is quite simple, as it enhances his flames. This Bankai is basically an empowered flamethrower that can also create flaming spears from the ground. Raika Goen Kaku’s flames are intense, but many abilities can counter them. They can be snuffed out by stronger flames, and ice or water-type Zanpakuto can neutralize them. Energy-based attacks can also cut through them.
Raika Goen Kaku was only used in a filler arc when Captain Amagai attempted to kill Captain Commander Yamamoto with it. Fortunately, Ichigo saved Yamamoto and faced the Bankai himself. In the end, Raika Goen Kaku was unable to defeat anyone of significance.
Episode 371: “Wrath as a Lightning”
Lightning Infusion
Captain Commander Yamamoto was the strongest Soul Reaper for centuries, so it makes sense that his Lieutenant would be a powerful fighter as well. Chojiro Sasakibe wielded a Zanpakuto that transformed into an ornate rapier when he activated his Shikai.
His Bankai is called Koko Gonryo Rikyu, and when it is released, his Zanpakuto fires a bolt of lightning into the sky, which then creates a dome of lightning. Numerous lightning pillars extend toward the ground. Chojiro can direct the lightning bolts with his hands, or he can use them to turn his sword into a lightning spear. This Bankai was strong enough to permanently scar Captain Commander Yamamoto when he was in his prime.
Koko Gonryo Rikyu was used against Yamamoto 1,000 years later during the first Quincy invasion. Driscoll Berci of the Sternritter unleashed it, but Yamamoto claimed that it was weaker than Chojiro’s version. Chojiro attempted to use Koko Gonryo Rikyu when the Quincy declared war, but Driscoll stole it as soon as it was activated.
Sui-Feng’s Shikai creates a gauntlet with a stinger-shaped blade on one finger, and she can use it to kill an opponent in two hits. This ability complements her fighting style, which incorporates stealth and speed, but her Bankai is the complete opposite, which is why she hates using it.
Jakuho Raikoben is twice the size of Sui-Feng, and it is an armored missile launcher made of gold that is attached to her right arm. It is a heavy Bankai that requires Soifon to aim from far away. Once she locks onto her target, the missile tracks them down, and the resulting explosion causes large-scale destruction. The explosion can theoretically destroy the lower-ranked Espada, but it cannot outright kill someone like Baraggan or BG9 of the Sternritter.
Sui-Feng hit Baraggan with Jakuho Raikoben twice during the Fake Karakura Town Arc, but it could not get through the Espada’s aging ability. BG9 of the Sternritter takes a direct hit from Jakuho Raikoben during the second Quincy invasion. He survives because of his Quincy: Vollstandig, but Jakuho Raikoben damages his body heavily.
Kokujo Tengen Myo’o: Dangai Joe
Captain Sajin Komamura is built like a tank, and unlike other Captains, he has used his Bankai in every single fight. His Bankai is pretty straightforward, as it summons a giant that wears a full suit of armor. The giant mimics all of Komamura’s movements and wields a massive blade that can cleave a building in half.
This Bankai’s one downside is the fact that Komamura sustains any damage his giant receives. If Kokujo Tengen Myo’o loses an arm, Komamura will lose the same arm. When Komamura activated the Humanization Technique, he was able to unleash his Bankai’s strongest form, which saw the giant lose all of its armor. While in this form, the giant is immune to all forms of physical damage because Komamura is temporarily immortal.
Kokujo Tengen Myo’o was first used against Kenpachi Zaraki, but it was not a serious fight. This Bankai easily defeated Choe Neng Poww, the largest Fraccion that served Baraggan. It was then used against Tosen and Aizen, who both dealt major injuries to it and Komamura. Kokujo Tengen Myo’o’s final activation came during the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc, where it defeatedBambietta of the Sternritter. It had no armor at the time, and Bambietta was using her Quincy: Vollstandig.
