Tensa Zangetsu

Appearance

Zangetsu's spirit appears as a tall middle-aged man (slightly taller than Kenpachi Zaraki),[1] with a thin and stoic build. He has pale skin, high cheekbones, a stubble beard, and long, shaggy black hair with brown highlights. His attire consists of a tattered white dress shirt with an upturned collar and cuffs, black pants, low-heeled boots, and a long, shapeless black coat with a burgundy highlight that flares out at tattered ends. He wears brown-tinted, semi-transparent wraparound sunglasses. Due to the spirit's appearance, Ichigo tends to call him "Elder Zangeltsu" (斬月のオッサン, Zangetsu no ossan) as a result. Zangetsu has also been called the "black-robed man" (黒衣の男, kokui no otoko). When Ichigo assumes Bankai form, Tensa Zangetsu transforms into a teenage version of himself, closer to Ichigo in height and age, with a noticeably slimmer build and slightly shorter hair. His attire is a more defined, robe-like version of his Shikai form's coat, minus the undershirt and sunglasses and with the addition of white lining and a hood. [2] As noted by Ōetsu Nimaiya, Zangetsu closely resembles Yhwach's appearance from 1000 years ago;[3] similarly, Tensa Zangetsu[4] resembles Yhwach as a teenager.[5]

Personality

Zangetsu is a calm and level-headed individual, a stark contrast to his hot-tempered master. He often acts as a mentor to Ichigo and always tries to push his master to become stronger. In his Bankai form, Zangetsu has the same calm and composed disposition as he would have when not in Bankai; however, he is much more aggressive. [6] While fused with Ichigo's Zanpakutō spirit, Zangetsu is the dominant personality, though he is prone to occasional outbursts like the Hollow once had. [7] During Ichigo's Dangai training, Zangetsu explains that what Ichigo wants to protect is not what he wants to protect. He later reveals that what he wanted to protect was Ichigo himself. [8] Zangetsu is a calm and level-headed individual, a stark contrast to his hot-tempered master. He often acts as a mentor to Ichigo and always tries to push his master to come back stronger. In his Bankai form, Zangetsu has the same calm, composed disposition as he would have when not in Bankai; however, he is much more aggressive. [6] While fused with Ichigo's Zanpakutō spirit, Zangetsu is the dominant personality, though he is prone to occasional outbursts like the Hollow once had. [7] During Ichigo's Dangai training, Zangetsu explains that what Ichigo wants to protect is not what he wants to protect. He later reveals that what he wanted to protect was Ichigo himself. [8]

Plot

While Ichigo was undergoing training to gain his own Shinigami powers, Kisuke Urahara put Ichigo's soul through a process called Encroachment where if Ichigo did not gain the power himself, he would become a Hollow. Tessai Tsukabishi then cuts Ichigo's Chain of Fate. Tessai uses a high-level Bakudō to prevent Ichigo from using his arms to scale the sides of the pit. After three days in the pit, Ichigo begins to transform into a Hollow. [12] Ichigo asks Urahara and his associates to stop him, but a hole opens in his chest and a mask begins to form over his face. As Jinta emerges from the pit, Urahara explains that the mask forming before his body reforms is a sign that Ichigo is resisting the transformation. Hearing a voice calling out to him, Ichigo awakens within his consciousness on the side of a tall building and sees a man standing on a flagpole. [13] Ep19IchigoZangetsuFalls Zangetsu falls with Ichigo. Ichigo asks the man who he is. Shocked by this, the man says his name, but Ichigo cannot hear it. He comments that it is sad and asks how many times he has to tell him his name before he can hear it, as he thought no one in this world knew him better than Ichigo. Ichigo denies knowing someone as "shady" as this man, but is shocked to see him standing next to the flagpole. As the man asks him how he can sit like he is, Ichigo falls off the building and screams. The man follows him and tells him that it is a good thing he can scream and that Shinigami control death, so he should not worry. As the two fall to the ground, Ichigo tells him that he is not currently a Shinigami. [14]

Plot

The man tells him that he can control the Reishi around him and that he must focus it beneath his feet in order to stand. The man urges Ichigo to try to remember a time when he was a Shinigami and stood still in midair. He tells Ichigo that Byakuya only destroyed the powers given to him by Rukia, but he didn't realize that Ichigo has his own Shinigami powers. Saying that his powers were hidden deep within his soul and awakened by Rukia's power, he orders Ichigo to find him as the world crumbles around them. With the buildings of his inner world dissolving into countless boxes, the man tells Ichigo that his powers are hidden within just one of them and if he can't find him before the world completely disappears, then he will become a Hollow. Ichigo falls through a fissure into the water where he wonders if he should. He thinks to himself that he has never been good at detecting Reiatsu, as Uryū had previously told him. [15]

Plot

He then remembers that Uryū had an easy way of sensing Reiatsu and soon realizes what it was. Ichigo finds the red Reiraku from his Shinigami powers and opens the box it came from, surprised to find the hilt of a Zanpakutō inside. The man tells him that he should listen to his name this time and urges him to take the hilt. [16] Ichigo struggles to pull out the Zanpakutō as the world crumbles around him. [17] In Shattered Shaft, the Kidō restricting Ichigo's arms begins to break apart. Tessai tells Urahara that he can no longer simply hold it and activates the next stage of the Kidō, Bankin, restricting his entire body. However, a blast of energy from the hole in Ichigo's chest shatters the Kidō and there is an explosion. As the smoke clears, Ichigo, wearing a Hollow mask and Shinigami clothing, emerges. As Jinta and Ururu prepare to fight him, Ichigo takes out his still-broken Zanpakutō and uses it to destroy the Hollow mask. Urahara congratulates him on his success and says that he is now a full Shinigami.

Plot

Later, while Ichigo is training with Urahara, the latter asks him if he can still win with only one hilt remaining, saying that he will kill him if he continues to fight with only one hilt. Ichigo runs away again, thinking that he is going to die. As Urahara continues to attack him, Ichigo thinks that it is embarrassing and wonders why he ran. As he is knocked to the ground, Ichigo sees the man from his inner world again. The man asks why Ichigo ran when he has not called out to him yet. He says that Ichigo should be able to hear him now and tells him to throw away his fear. He reveals that his name is Zangetsu [18] and Ichigo stops in his tracks, turns to Urahara and calls out to Zangetsu, activating his Shikai. Ichigo looks at the new form of his Zanpakutō as Urahara tells him that it is time to begin the third lesson for real.

Soul Society Arc

During Ichigo's fight with the 11th Division's captain Kenpachi Zaraki, he is stabbed in the chest by the vastly superior combatant. Seemingly dying, Ichigo is pulled into his inner world by Zangetsu, while there he encounters his inner Hollow for the first time. Zangetsu explains that now is the time for the test to see if Ichigo is worthy of using it. He then tells Ichigo that if he wants to wield it again, he must take it back with his hands, as his opponent will be himself. [19] Ichigo is forced to fight the inner Hollow with an unnamed katana, while his other self holds Zangetsu, the latter gaining an advantage when he releases his spiritual power and begins to spin Zangetsu by its flail-like web. As the two fight, the Hollow asks Ichigo if he thought it would be so simple to fully control his Zanpakutō. He then points out that Ichigo only thinks of himself and never considered drawing out Zangetsu's power. Ichigo's inner Hollow further explains that there is more to Zangetsu's power and that if he can open himself up and lend his power to it, he will become even stronger. He laments that Ichigo doesn't do so as he won't trust his Zanpakutō and only cares about getting stronger. Tired of toying with the Hollow, Ichigo decides to show Ichigo how to use Zangetsu the right way and moves in to attack. As they cross swords, the inner Hollow is shocked that he is now holding the nameless katana and Ichigo is now holding Zangetsu. Ichigo then awakens back in the real world. [20]

Soul Society Arc

After Ichigo fails to rescue Rukia from Byakuya, and is instead rescued by Yoruichi Shihōin, the latter takes him to complete Bankai training in order to give him the power to defeat Byakuya. Yoruichi presents Ichigo with a strange-looking doll. The doll's name is the Tenshintai, an instrument developed by the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, which is used to force a Zanpakutō spirit to materialize. All Ichigo needs to do is stab the Tenshintai with his Zanpakutō and the spirit will materialize, after which Yoruichi will keep it materialized with her power. She warns Ichigo that he only has one chance with him and that three days is the final deadline to force Zangetsu into submission. Yoruichi intends to warn Ichigo further, but stabs the instrument before she can continue, telling him that she does not want to know. There is only one way to end this and that is to give it everything he has, until the end. Seconds later, the Zanpakutō disappears from Ichigo's hand and a materialized Zangetsu stands behind him. He tells Ichigo that he has healed quickly. Yoruichi asks Zangetsu if he heard her conversation with Ichigo, he answers yes. Yoruichi tells her

Soul Society Arc

Zangetsu will decide the nature of the training method, then asks if he can begin immediately, Zangetsu agrees and crouches down to the ground, touching it with one hand. This causes hundreds of swords, each resembling Zangetsu, but none exactly identical, to rise to the surface. Zangetsu says that only one of the swords is the real Zangetsu, which is the only one that can defeat him. If Ichigo wants him to submit, he must find the real sword before Zangetsu kills him, then use it to defeat Zangetsu. Zangetsu and Ichigo each take a sword and attack. [21] Bankai for the first time during his fight with Byakuya Kuchiki.

Fake Karakura Town Arc

Following the battle at the fake Karakura Town, after Aizen leaves for the real Karakura Town in Soul Society, Isshin Kurosaki takes Ichigo to the Dangai to learn the "final" Getsuga Tenshō. Isshin tells him about Jinzen and notes that all the techniques he has obtained so far were likely obtained by forcing them with great power. [23] Some time later, Ichigo receives a cut on his shoulder, signaling to Isshin that he "did it". Isshin then warns him to be careful as Zangetsu will go berserk this time. [24] Ep302Tense Zangetsu appears Ichigo meets Tensa Zangetsu. Ichigo awakens in his inner world, but quickly realizes that he is submerged underwater. Ichigo struggles to breathe and upon seeing the surface, swims towards it, but is tackled by an unseen figure and thrown into a nearby building. The figure tells him to calm down. Ichigo stares at a hooded figure, who tells him that it is painful to look at, but that he should be able to breathe. Ichigo calms down and realizes that the mysterious stranger is right, as he can breathe. He then asks the person who they are, as only Elder Zangetsu is supposed to be there. The stranger criticizes Ichigo for talking to the one who taught him how to breathe in such a manner.

Tensa Zangetsu reveals himself.

He then brings out Tensa Zangetsu, much to Ichigo's surprise, and removes his hood, revealing himself to be a young man. He tells Ichigo that he is not surprised that he does not recognize this form, as this is the first time Ichigo has reached his inner world in Bankai. He then moves to attack Ichigo, who blocks the attack. Ichigo asks the stranger if he is Zangetsu. The stranger denies it and asks what his Bankai is called, identifying himself as Tensa Zangetsu as he continues his assault. [25] As they continue to fight, Ichigo puts some distance between them and tells Tensa Zangetsu to wait, as he did not come there to fight this time. Ichigo explains that he just wants to ask him a question. Ep302 Tensa Zangetsu Grabs Ichigo Tensa Zangetsu grabs Ichigo's arm. Tensa Zangetsu reveals that he already knows that Ichigo wishes to ask him about the Final Getsuga Tenshō. Ichigo is surprised that he knows what he was going to ask, and wonders if he heard the conversation he and his father had outside. Tensa Zangetsu moves to attack again, prompting Ichigo to yell at him and ask what he is doing. Tensa Zangetsu tells him that he cannot teach him such a thing. Ichigo simply states that without it he cannot protect Karakura Town. Tensa Zangetsu quickly moves in front of Ichigo and grabs his arm and asks why he should care about what happens to what Ichigo wants to protect, shocking Ichigo. He then throws Ichigo into the buildings below. Tensa Zangetsu then states that Ichigo should not misunderstand, and that what he wants to protect and what Ichigo wants to protect are not the same thing.

Tensa Zangetsu tears out the root of Ichigo's despair.

While fighting Tensa Zangetsu, Ichigo asks him what he means, stating that he believed Zangetsu would lend his strength to Ichigo. When Ichigo demands to know what his motives are, Tensa Zangetsu tells him to look at the inner world they are in. He states that Ichigo's inner world has changed from skyscrapers filled with hope to a replica of the small town of Karakura, and that although the constant rain has stopped, everything has been submerged under water. Tensa Zangetsu explains that all of this happened because Ichigo stopped walking forward and fell into despair. Tensa Zangetsu appears in front of Ichigo suddenly and stabs his arm through his chest. He tells him that he will not let Ichigo stay as he is and that he is going to pull out the source of his despair. Tensa Zangetsu proceeds to rip out the "source of despair" and throws it behind him.