What is Renji's true Bankai in Bleach? Explained

Modified Sep 10, 2024 19:30 GMT

Bleach and the answer to the question "What is Renji's true Bankai ?" (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Bleach fans often have the question "What is Renji's true Bankai?" because of the events of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc and how that has affected the character during that storyline. During this arc, it was revealed that Renji's Bankai didn't reach its true form, which is something that is strongly connected to his characterization and his own shortcomings as a person.

A true Bankai is a peculiar element when it comes to the lore of Bleach since it refers to a Shinigami's real potential and a complete relationship with his or her Zanpakuto. This was further emphasized by the protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki, and his own ordeals with his Zanpakuto, Zangetsu, although Renji Abarai's case with Zabimaru also deserves a lot more attention.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

Renji's true Bankai and its powers

An image of Renji after learning his true Bankai in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Sōō Zabimaru is Renji's true Bankai, and his right wrist has a gauntlet resembling the top portion of a snake’s skull as well as a long, bony tail composed of vertebra-like structures protruding from the back of the skull behind him. These elements serve as the key to his fighting style when in this form, as shown during his display of power against Mask de Masculine in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.

Hihio is one of the abilities of Renji's true Bankai and is a large skeletal arm that forms from its cowl and follows the moves of the Shinigami's left arm. Another technique is Orochio, in which the vertebrae structure unfurls from around his waist and extends like a tail, also altering the blade portion of the Bankai.

Perhaps the most powerful and visibly impressive ability of Sōō Zabimaru is Zaga Teppo, which he used against Mask de Masculine. Renji forms enormous jaws of spiritual energy and unleashes a massive blast that can turn an enemy to ashes, as shown during his fight with the aforementioned Sternritter in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.

How Renji unlocked his true Bankai in Bleach?

Mask de Masculine fighting Renji in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Many Bleach fans have wondered "What is Renji's true Bankai?" due to the events of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, where he trained with the Zero Division alongside Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki. During this arc, Ichibe Hyosube, the leader of this sacred division, revealed to Renji that his Bankai was fake.

Ichibe disclosed that his Bankai never reached its final form, to the point he was fighting for the vast majority of the series with an unfinished product. Renji, however, was capable of reaching his full potential and learning the name of his Bankai, gaining a level of power that allowed him to surpass a lot of Captains in the Gotei 13.

Why Renji had a "false" Bankai, explained

Renji Abarai as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Renji had a "false" Bankai for much of Bleach for the same reason as Ichigo Kurosaki: both tried to force their development to get instant results. They were both eager to save Rukia Kuchiki during the events of the Soul Society arc, which is why they crafted a half-baked Bankai. Hence why a lot of people wondered, "What is Renji's true Bankai?"

Furthermore, another issue that fans have speculated, though not entirely depicted in the series, is that Renji's insecurities didn't allow him to fully understand his Zanpakuto. Thus, he didn't reach his full potential for a while because of his inferiority complex, which was shown through his jealousy of Byakuya Kuchiki.

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Edited by Shubham Soni