Are Yachiru and Nozarashi the same in Bleach? The connection between Zaraki Kenpachi's lieutenant and his sword explained

The connection between Yachiru and Kenpachi Zaraki's sword has always been a fascinating topic of discussion in Bleach. Several hints indicate that Zaraki Kenpachi's lieutenant is related to his sword. The latest episode of Bleach TYBW has also teased Yachiru as being part of Nozarashi.

So, as a result, fans have been asking, "Are Yachiru and Nozarashi the same?". This is one of the long-standing questions in Bleach that has captivated the fans for years. However, it must be mentioned that the author Tite Kubo in his Fanclub, Klub Outside, has finally answered the pertinent question.

Although his answer has originated even more questions, fans now have a perfect solution regarding the connection between Zaraki Kenpachi's lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi, and his Zanpakuto, Nozarashi.

---

Zaraki Kenpachi's lieutenant Yachiru is the Bankai manifestation of his sword, Nozarashi, in Bleach

In the latest episode of Bleach TYBW, titled, I Am The Edge, when Zaraki Kenpachi released his Shikai, Nozarashi, a flashback took the audience back to the time when Zaraki met Yachiru Kusajishi for the first time.

When the Shinigami asked the baby Yachiru where she had come from, the girl touched Zaraki's blood-stained sword. Zaraki then asked her name but found no answer coming. This flashback scene reinforced the idea that Yachiru was perhaps connected to Nozarashi.

Yachiru as seen in the anime (Image via Pierrot)

So, the question remains: Are Yachiru and Nozarashi the same? As mentioned earlier, the author Tite Kubo has explicitly answered this long-standing question in his Fanclub Klub Outside. The author of Bleach was asked about the specifics of the Yachiru/Nozarashi relationship. He then answered:

"Yachiru represents a form of Kenpachi's Bankai that was separated from its main body, and which gained the power of a Shinigami upon receiving a name from Kenpachi. The true embodiment of Nozarashi is that of a grown woman. Just imagine Zangetsu and Tensa Zangetsu, that should make it easier to understand." - Said Tite Kubo in Klub Outside

Kubo's answer sums up Yachiru's relationship with Zaraki Kenpachi's Zanpakuto spirit, Nozarashi. To reiterate, Zarai Kenpachi's lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi, is the Bankai spirit of Zaraki Kenpachi's sword. In other words, she is part of Kenpachi's Zanpakuto Spirit, Nozarashi, which was separated from the main body for unknown reasons.

Moreover, Kubo explained that the actual embodiment of his Zanpakuto Spirit, Nozarashi, is that of a grown woman. In Bleach TYBW episode 10, when Zaraki defeated Unohana Retsu and unlocked his full powers as a Shinigami, he heard the voice of a mature woman coming from his sword.

On the other hand, Zaraki Kenpachi's lieutenant, Yachiru being the Bankai spirit of Nozarashi, makes sense because, in Chapter 668, Kenpachi received his Bankai powers from Yachiru. The pink-haired Shinigami/Zanpakuto Spirit also mentioned that if Kenpachi had 'used' her correctly, there would be nothing he couldn't cut down.

Yachiru, the Bankai manifestation of Nozarashi (Image via Pierrot)

Yachiru is part of Kenpachi's Bankai. However, the actual name of Zaraki's bankai is not revealed as of yet. Now the question is, how did Yachiru receive her Shinigami Powers?

Fans must remember that names have a huge part to play in Bleach. In the past, when Zaraki met the Pink-haired girl for the first time, he discovered that she had no name.

Yachiru Kusajishi as seen in the anime (Image via Pierrot)

Since Zaraki didn't know that the girl was a part of her Zanpakuto spirit, he named her Yachiru Kusajishi. So, upon receiving the name, Yachiru received the powers of a Shinigami. That's how she could wield her own Zanpakuto, Sanpo Keijun.

---

Be sure to keep up with more anime news and manga updates as 2023 progresses.