The very few dual Zanpakutō we see in Bleach are also some of the series' coolest swords - which is your favourite? How do you feel about the explanation behind the existence of each one? Let me know your thoughts!

Both Shunsui and Ukitake have a story of their childhood tied to their dual Zanpakuto. Making it even more unique like Ichigo’s case

It’s interesting how Shunsui and Ukitake both had things that kept them from reaching their full potential. Ukitake was always sick and Shunsui was too busy chasing booty to train hard. It’s pretty relatable to the average person tbh.

Honestly Katen Kyokotsu has got to be one of the coolest looking swords in and out of Bleach ever.

''All Waves Rise, and Become my Shield, Lightning, Strike now, and Become my Blade". This is one of those Bankai that I really wish we saw because that sounds like Ukitake can call upon the power of the ocean and the power of thunder simultaneously. My imagination is picturing a man who fights with the equivalent of Kakashi Hatake's chidori and Zabuza's water prison.

I think part of the explanation for why Kazeshini is not a dual zanpakuto is that its Shikai has no true hilt. Katen Kyototsu and Sogyo no Kotowari have full hilts on each blade. This is also true for Ichigo's two Zangetsus, they both have a full hilt, they just look a lil funky cause its Ichigo lol. I'm actually totally on board with Sogyo no Kotowari being two spirits because of Mimihagi's presence, yet not having any traits of Mimihagi himself. After all, Mimihagi is the arm of Stasis, not Evolution; he wasn't trying to make Ukitake better or stronger, just delay the inevitable. I'm not sure I can explain it, but it makes sense to me.

We need a Ukitake bankai reveal sometime in the cour. Such wasted potential.

I think the logic behind Kyoraku making 2 zanpaktou is similar to how Stark/Kenpachi were able to split their soul/sword into 2 beings. I think that is why the junxtaposition of Stark vs Kyoraku plays into each other. When Kyoraku uses his Bankai, its not like they are still two separate spirits, so his Bankai works similar to Stark's ressureccion, allowing Ohana to "absorb" Okyo to bring him back to his full strength. At least that has always been my head canon.

Ichigo's status as the one true duel wielder of the Soul Reapers, is fitting. His status as a hybrid, and thus the only one to obtain such a unique weapon, is a cool thematic element of the story.

Shunsui's is perfect for his status as Captain Commander even if they've been with him virtually his entire life. Also honestly liked the lighthearted comedy that involved both Spirits manifesting even if it's filler.

13:39 I'm imagining Mimihage playing with the zanpakuto spirits whenever Ukitake isn't paying attention

Ukitake's two blades represent the two times in his life he was close to being useful

So is the point of Ukitakes shikai is that it "breathes in and breathes out" attacks? Mimicking mimihagi being his lungs?

Would be cool if a character had a duel zankpakto because when their loved one died, it's sword refused to leave its partners lover or relative. Instead manifesting its power for the still alive partner in order to always stay close by.

I’ve been thinking lately about ichigo’s false shikai and it being „constantly in shikai form” and it actually might be the only zanpakuto to ever do that. While most zanpakutos relied on asauchis to manifest their shikai, ichigo just straight up materialized it using his powers, so he didn’t even have an asauchi form to go back to in the first place. I wonder though if that’s related in any way to how the zero division’s swords were formed (before oetsu nimaya created asauchis)

Watching MrTommo's Beach videos is like watching someone read their essay outloud for English class.

Considering that Mimihagi's whole schtick is preventing change, it makes sense that its influence would create a Zanpakuto that is exactly the same as Ukitaki's.

This does raise an important question: what about Renji's dual spirits? Why is he the only other one to have them?

One thing about the Zanpakuto that I would absolutely LOVE to see explained more either in the anime, hell arc, or Klub Outside is how and why Ichigo's and Aizen's hands fused to their zanpakuto. Aizen speculated it is the zanpakuto in its "truest" form, but then why don't any other characters, icluding Ichibei and Oetsu, have this form. And why did Ichigo lose it, even after obtaining his "true" zanpakuto?

The Zanpaktou Rebellion arc is one of my favorite arcs in all of anime. Such a great, fun, concept.

I think Shunsui was able to have Katen make a second sword/spirit because of their...close relationship. I imagine most other shinigami cannot do this, unless their relationship with their blade was as intimate.

My headcanon is that Mimihagi is the stagnation power of Ukitake's shikai. Its power absorbs the power of others while Ukitake's power allows him to redistribute that stagnated power

I know it's very unlikely but here's hoping we get to see Ukitake bankai in cour 3 before he kicks the bucket.

Personally, I dont think that Kazashini counts as a duel weapon. Yes, there are two pointy bits, but a kusarigama is not two weapons, it is one weapon in the same way that a halberd with a spike on the end isnt two weapons. I'm actually somewhat leery of considering Sogo no Katawari a duel Zanpakuto as well for the same reason. I actually created a Zanpakuto for a story I never finished that was going to manifest in Shikai as a pair of swords, specifically a set of butterfly swords, which are usually wielded as a pair. The idea was that it was a single weapon in two parts.

Kazeshini is obviously an overgrown version of Japanese chain weapons, most famously the kusarigama. And in that vein, I think the explanation of the chain being the core is more understandable. These sorts of weapons are always double ended, if often with two different whacking bits. A kusarigama isn't a flail and sickle dual wielded, it's a kusarigama. Hōzukimaru isn't a triple zanpakuto made of two staves and a spear, just because the sections are connected by chain right? No one looks at Tsunzakigarasu or Senbonzakura and tries to say they're dozens of zanpakuto. I really think this confusion comes solely from the fact that Sōgyo no Kotowari are connected by a rope. I'm certain that if it was a separate rope with seals hanging from each sword, 99% of the Bleach community would already have moved on from the idea.

Some thoughts: Ichigo indicated that he was the only one with 2 Bankais - a Hollow and a Quincy one. Or at least he hadn't yet figured out how to properly merge the two powers while in Bankai? Kazeshini is like Hozikumaru's 3-part-staff function. Both are just a single weapon with a single spirit, but a weapon that intrinsically is multiple connected part. If you cut the connecting chains, they would be largely useless as Shikais. Zabimaru meanwhile is canonically two personalities, but seemingly only one spirit and one weapon. A interesting part of the sword rebellion: - Zabimarus parts were connected by a chain, similar to how their canonical parts are one body - Sōgyo no Kotowari seemingly had to hold hands for their powers to work. And they were twins, probably the least diversified spirits. - Katen Kyōkotsu had 2 fully independent spirits Sōgyo no Kotowari is similar to all 3. It is a single connected weapon, where cutting the chain would break the power. A single sealed sword. And while it seems to have 2 manifested spirits, they are twins - so their difference is even less then with Zabimarus dual personality. I would guess the spirit having 2 bodies in a non-canon source is just a oddity. It seems to still be one spirit.

Nanao is probably old but probably have a kinda similar Toshiro sitaution where she did not really physically grew up in size

Another amazing video, so thankful for the work you put into these videos

Everybody's forgetting about renji having two Spirits in his sword but only has one blade

Findor vs hisagi is one of my very favorite bleach fights of all time

I never considered Hisagi to have a dual zanpakuto since I felt like we'd have to consider Ikkaku if we did. Besides Hōzukimaru having two parts also connected by a chain in shikai, his Bankai consists of three totally different blades connected by chains.

This video answers one of my questions in one your previous videos. I always wondered about all 3 of them and their dual status

I think it's a Reiatsu thing. Stark and Granz both manifested a second being due to being so unbelievably powerful. Maybe Ukitake and Kyoraku are the same

I loved the dual zapakutō as a concept. That they signified something different, unique, and stronger about Kyōraku and Ukitake. I also love the anime clip of Kyokatsu basically being Kyōraku's nagging wife and Ukitake having to appease his zapakutō as what felt like a single dad. I love the look of Zangetsu. That twist of Old Man Zangetsu being his Quincy powers still resonates with me and I remember everyone's reaction on fan sites. And I love the image of Ichigo standing there with both Zanpakutōs. I just wanted Kubo to do more with it. I wish we got to see more of the true Bankai. And maybe Ichigo's hollow mask had evolved past what we saw with the Horn of Salvation. It feels like there are holes in Ichigo's powerset. Can he use a Quincy's bow? I also always imagined the form it takes when regular katana(s) and the big one would be an ōdachi or a nodachi and then the little one would be a wakizashi.

Why are you tha best representation of a voiced avatar for which I need to further more indulge myself in bleach Good job... Keep me informed pimp'n

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the 2 captains also had 2 sealed zanpakuto, whereas Hisagi only had the one that split into 2. I feel like that distinction is an important one when determing dual zanpakuto or not

Just realised on top of ichigo having like every race and power, this man was on the very exclusive Duel blade list

Ukitake deserved a full fight and a bankai reveal

Soul reaper ages is a major plot hole.

Kyoraku achieving shikai while still in the academy is totally in character and makes perfect sense to me

You completely left out a Ikaku and his craziness

How old is Nanao? We see her as a kid 100 years ago right before the Visored incident. But if she was a kid while Shunsui was still in the academy (going of his clothes when her mom gave him the sword) that would mean she was still a child for hundreds of years and then started to age in the last 100 years. Something is of here.

I've always thought Katen Kyokotsu was something similar to Starrk and Lilynette, a being who split its soul into two. Starrk doing it to scape loneliness, for himself, in a selfish, egoistic manner, and Shunsui doing it to help someone else, like the other side of the coin. To me, Katen Kyokotsu feels more like two already existing parts of Shunsui's soul, but split apart after a time of need

Katen Kyokatsu's design was among my favorites from the Zanpaktou filler. There are very few I didn't like and I'm glad they kept it as the canon design.

Zabimaru... Not sure if you made a video on that one. It would be interesting to learn about the two spirits there.

It turned into a kid to cheer him up about being sick

Maybe Ukitake's zanpakuto is twins because he was given a second chance to live the life he would have

One small note. Kazeshini in shikai is best described as a kusari-fundo. Which is two sickle/blades joined by a length of rope or chain. A kusari-gama is a sickle/scythe with a weight on a chain.

Kensei also has a dual zanpakuto in bankai! It is also one of the few Zanpakuto that truly condensed its power through its stages, becoming smaller and more explosive each time.

I think that they fact that Kyoraku was able to manipulate the nature of his zanpakutou to that level shows why Yamaji considered him one of his finest students. It was never stated upfront... but when you look that many of the strongest characters in Bleach had the capacity to manipulate their blades from outside of their awakened states, and no other character that hadn't achieve an equal or approximate level could do that... it get pretty clear that such subtle thing is in actuality a showing of deep understanding of their power. Changing form, keeping them, altering interpretations... those are the true hallmarks of a powerful shinigami.

Somehow..... it never landed on me that Hisagi actually has dual blades despite it being rather obvious. I feel dumb now haha.

They should make a shinigami with a slit personality disorder who uses two very different Zanpakuto with very different spirits

I wish we had brought up Renji and the fact that he’s the only character to have two completely different forms to his Bankai

Well, it's interesting consider the factors that could have influenced them to create dual zanpakutos, meaning it's not something that happens naturally, but at the same time, those guys were something else. Anyway, without starting listing all the foreshadowing or insipirations of Kubo from the Zanpakuto Rebellion, yes, even in that filler arc was Kyokotsu the one who used Kageoni, during the little fight with Kyoraku in the cave, and another wink surely was the episode where Nanao tried to make friends with Kyokotsu. Love it! Sorry if I go a bit off-topic, but now that you mention it, is that a little mistake? The age of Nanao. I mean, she was a kid when her mother passed down the sword to Shunsui, which technically was a lot of time ago, in fact in the flashback he was very young (chapter 652), not a captain already. Kyoraku has been a captain for several hundred years, if we count SAFWY, at very least for more than 250 years. What I'm saying is that Nanao, from the part with her mother to TBTP (at least 150+ years) had a really slow growth, as she was still a kid even 100 years ago, while many other characters have grown fully in less than a century of time. But these are fussy details, I know.

I do like the sword/sheathe metaphor with Old Man Zangetsu being the sheathe because it means Ichigo was beating everybody with the sheathe of his sword up until Zangetsu is reforged

I wouldn't say Ukitate has a true dual zanpaktou. His is like Hisagi's whereas the main properties and abilities come from its rope and tags, the swords are just an entry and exit point for said ability and due to the ability it makes sense to use two swords connected together.

😭are we ignoring the fact that every week tommo has a klub outsude reveal video?

5:30 NOW THAT would be a very good night together 😂 Fr tho, 6:10 I thought that the spirits were different to accentuate the fact that Kyōraku actually uses 2 different katana types and that his zanpakuto is akin to a childish game. I like that he somehow made another spirit. And am interested in the process of how he did.

Cant wait to see and hear Shunsui releasing his bankai in the next cour. Lots of chills in the upcoming season.

Ukitake's Sogyo to me felt as if he was born the only survivor of a twin birth at witch the right arm had taken over the place of the dead twin. Since he would of absorbed him in the womb, his powers manifested in the form of his twin. Being taken over by the right arm only to be a placeholder for the twin. Actively changing the dynamic to a parasite being the right arm and keeping him sickly throughout the series.

Zangetsu is naturally occuring Dual-Zanpakutou. It just didn't occur naturally in a pure-blooded Shinigami. And it'd be interesting if Sword & Sheath is how Dual-Zanpakutou would manifest. There's only the one Asauchi. Would also love to see a either a Sealed version of 'True' Zangetsu, or see the Old Man's Blade take a more Sheath-functional Shape. (perhaps like Blake's sharpened sheath from RWBY?)

i love ukitake and his zanpakuto

Banger

Lmao that just made me laugh, could you imagine? Ukitake: Enters his inner world for the first time “What the?” Mimihagi: “Sup”

Kazheshini is not a dual blade zanpaktou because its true body is the chains not the blade itself. That is why when it becomes a bankai, the chain manifests as its main effect

I think in order to hide the Ise zanpakuto Kyoraku's single sprit "Katen Kyokotsu" Split into Katen and Kyokotsu, and the domaining traits remain present in Ohana, giving none of them has a complete face, but showcases the fraction the other covers, in that case Ohana split from herself the part who enjoy playing Hide and Seek, in order to hide the Ise zanpakuto.

Kyoraku probably doing something to Split his sword into 2, other Example is Kenpachi Zaraki when he Manifesting his Bankai to became Yachiru by simply Naming her and her body from His Enormous Reiatsu... What if Kyoraku also doing that? He have Sinken Hakyoken and then Calling this sword as Kyokotsu and Imbedding his Reiatsu? I think Katen full name also have Kyokotsu but she Split her name and Giving her Shadow Ability to Kyokotsu (New Sword that Using Hakyoken as Base) Because they both made this New Sword they call her their Child 😅

Kubo has the penchant to step on his own tail when he tries to recon stuff or expanse his universe.

I'm curious, why did you not discuss Renji? Taking into account the filler arc (same as you did here) and the cannon, Renji is the only person who has had "two to four" spirits combined into one and has had 2 different bankai just like Ichigo. It's a stretch but in the soul society invasion arc, Renji manifested his spirit as the hybrid or fused baboon/serpent spirit that both ends could act independently as they were two separate beings fused into one body. During the filler arc, his zanpakuto was instead manifested as 2 different people completely but tied together with an unbreakable chain (notably, they both used the SAME single sword, they didn't each have their own). Depending on which one you use, Renji has 2-4 different spirits that combine to 1 zanpakuto seemingly permanently vs Ichigo who's 2 spirits only combine during bankai. I wonder, if Renji chose it, could he use his two spirits separately like the Ichigo does?

Regarding Kazeshini and Sogyo no Katawari: Kazeshini's true essence lies in the chain rather than the blade, and I feel the same could be said of Sogyo no Kawatari, since both blades are connected by a rope with charms strung along it, and like Hisagi's chains protecting his life, Ukitake's conduit also control the velocity, strength and pressure of a returned energy blast.

Maybe Ukitake's Zanpakuto takes the form of 2 identical blades connected by a rope is because the Mimihage replaced his lungs. 2 Lungs that are mirror images of each other connected at the trachea

I think that Sogyo no Kotowari is a symbol for Jushiro`s lungs they look the same and they are bonded with each other.

popular opinion and absolutely related to the video-topic: *Bambietta didn't suffer enough*

Please do a "what if kisuke joined aizen" video i need know

I always believed that Kyokotsu is Shunsui shikai, who likes playing childrens games. And Katen is his Bankai, bringing a play about a married couple to life. Maybe it was one sword at the beginning, but split into two. One is a lighthearted and playful child and the other a mature woman whos flirtatious and more serious. Both are sides of Shunsui and were inherited by his sword, but they got split up and each got one half of his personality. Both are his swords and have thier own powers, making him the only true dual weilder until Ichigo, whos sword also has different powers though in a different way. Shunsui suggested that his swords have a mind of their own, sometimes forcing a game on him that he doesn't want. His relationship with his zanpakuto is different from most aside from Ichigo, who's sword spirit (one of them) tries to challenge him and take over. Unfortunately we don't know Ukitakes bankai and how different (if any) it is from his shikai. But his sword spirits seemed really similar in personality, beside being twins. While Shunsui spirits look and act differently.

Kazeshini is comically the most deceptive. You would think it is the blades but nope its the chain, just a chain: A REALLY STRONG CHAIN!

w vid keep up the good work

At first I thought Sunsui had 2 Zanpakutos because I read in the manga that he hide Nanaos Zanpakuto, and the hidden one were his second one 😂

I can see Mimihage making a twin for Ukitake's original sword spirit because Mimihage is against change the way Pernida is for it. He was moved to make a change in Ukitake but only the minimum he could get away with.

*This does raise more questions....* According to Kubo, if Ichigo so desired, he could separate the sheath from the blade and return to the dual swords if he wanted... so basically both the old form and the new form of Ichigo's Shikai are both Ichigo's Shikai and he chooses to use the old form.

11:38 it's implied that Shunsui in fact *DID* sleep with his blade. The extra sword would technically be his daughter, by the time he got Shikai it manifested this way. If he and his Zanpakuto had another child, it'd be 3 blades. It adds weight to Katen saying relationships between Zanpakuto and Shinigami are incompatible in one translation.

Ukitake became a captain just to do nothing. Mimihagi really was doing the most

I'm thinking Shunsui's wakizashi is the sealed state of Nanao's zanpakuto that he's using as an Asuachi.

@MrTommo2304 Yachiru is, I Believe, proof of the possibility of a zanpakuto splitting. It was done accidentally but she was cut from the main zanpakuto, a more skilled shinigami could, in theory, do it in purpose

I want to make two point: 1.- Shunsui and Ukitakes blades have composed names Katen/Kyokotsu Sogyou/Kotowari while Zangetsu only has one name. 2.- If Constant Shikai isnt a thing, then what is Zangetsu dual form? His base? If so, he has mastered his powers at the level to jump from base to Bankai? And maybe his "Old Zangetsu" was indeed, is shikai the whole time.

Technically ichigo’s quincy powers have been acting as a sheath since the beginning or at least since he awakened his true powers.

Dual Zanpakuto likely form because the Asauchi reflects the wielder's heart & inner world. Being able to merge perfectly isn't common, so while Ichigo's the only one with a "natural" Dual Zanpakuto, it doesn't reduce the other two's standing. Katen Kyokutsu's powers focus on games and plays - on fiction turning into reality. That's likely the means by which he split Kyokotsu off of Katen. The idea that she's specifically the part of Katen in charge of Kageoni is interesting - possibly allowing him to split her further into each individiual game/move, though that's hardly useful. If he could, and could make additional Zanpakuto through that method, he still only has two hands to wield them with. Conversely, if his Dual Wielding has more to do with the presence of Shinken Hakkyoken in his soul then the sub-spirit hiding it, he might revert to a single blade after the time skip (unless Ise gets him to hide it again). Ukitake's need to awaken Mimihagi via ritual suggests he was dormant until that point. Considering how Mimihagi initially appears via Ukitake's shadow, it's quite possible the Right Arm of the Soul King generally took on a form that mirrored his host. It's possible the Bankai version of the spirit was a singular figure with the Mimihagi portion taking on the role of the main body's shadow. Mimihagi's power is that of preservation and stagnation, tasked with keeping Ukitake alive & whole. Between that, his presumed dormant nature, and the fact that they were bonded for a long time, it's possible that elements from both potential blades (Ukitake alone + Mimihagi alone) were incorporated into each blade. I'm still hoping we get a Bankai reveal as part of his big Mimihagi reveal. Like all Soul King stuff there's a lot up in the air, but with any luck there'll be more Ukitake stuff in the TYBW or a Hell arc. As for Shuhei & Kazeshini, CFYOW uses a pinwheel or windmill to represent the cycle of life and death (haven't read it myself, just heard that second-hand, so I might be off-base) - which would have 4 arms typically. It could be as simple as the blades being the arms separated (which might be said outright in CFYOW, not sure).

13:13 Ukitake being the most good looking captain beating Kuchiki Byakuya

Id say thats what seperates them; kazeshini is a singular spirit when represented. Whereas both ukitake's and kyoraku's are represented as two being under one name. On another note- since I learned about the two captains and dual zanpakuto, I've ALWAYS wished ichigo got 2 blades 😅 childhood fandom dream Come true

never been here before a minute

Regarding Ukitake's zanpakuto, my thought is due to him being melded with that other soul for so long, even though it's a separate entity, it's been such a long time that it IS part of him. So, to me, that explains why the spirit of his zanpakuto are twins, he is 2 but 1; You need both carbon and steel together to make steel, but in the end they are 2 separate elements forged into 1 substance. (Yeah, bad example/explanation, but I think it gets my point across.) That is distinct and different from Ichigo's case, since Ukitake's situation was unnatural and happened AFTER he was born, whereas with Ichigo, it was always there from the time he was conceived, so the various parts are fully 100% a part of him; Ichigo is more like the protons, neutrons, and electrons that make up an element.

I think it's very fitting that there's really no such thing as a duo-Zanpakutou for a Shinigami, your soul makes 1 Spirit and that's it. Hisagi is kind of like Rose, just like how Rose's Bankai doesn't actually make fire or water but sound, Hisagi isn't the blades, but the chain. Kyoraku manufactured his Zanpakutou, basically a not-horrible version of what Mayuri did to his own. Ukitake I imagine the Mimihagi copied his soul and kept it in "stasis" as that's it's whole thing, stillness. And Spirits don't change shape so there's just 2 of them now. And Ichigo's duo of Spirits aren't a duo of Shinigami Spirits, one is a Quincy.

I'm fairly certain it was clarified that Hisagi doesn't actually have duel Zanpakto

And then there’s Renji with a spirit that similar has an entity separate enough to have a conversation with itself but not enough to a dual blade or tether between two weapons unless he’s the tether between his blade and his baboon arm guard

I also think that "soul stuff" just isn't ... science. Like, you know, things just HAPPEN. :D

Hold up! What about Zabimaru!!! Renji always gets robbed!!!!

The scythe type is technically one zanpakutō since they are connected by a chain, meant to be one weapon. You can think of it as a three sectioned staff. It’s one weapon connected by chains. The two that are pairs aren’t connected to be one weapon. The one connected by a sash is similar but weapons connected by cloth are considered separate weapons.

Personally I believe that the reason why Ukitake had 2 swords that look the same and not one more Mimihagi-esque one, is the nature of the pact that both have. Mimihagi basically became part of Ukitake, likely going dormant until the time came and it needed to act. This likely means that Ukitake was ''in charge'' of this conjoined existence. But also Mimihagi is a being of statis. It controls the concept of status quo. Its on its nature to not change things, and just mimicking Ukitake's existing power ( likely a single Sōgyo no Kotowari) instead of granting him a different power or overwriting it is exactly what its nature as the ''order'' hand of the Soul King would be.

The ongoing discourse on zanpakuto spirit roles really makes me want Ikkaku to get some spotlight in the future. I find it bizarre that it’s not been explained why his shikai solely involves the use of his sheath. Ichigo’s development seems to suggest sheath usage in a zanpakuto is indicative of unique soul properties and history. I’d love for ikkakus sheathe to critical to augmenting and transforming his bankai if it truly can’t be repaired to the same form.

What if... the asauchi sensed another pressense in Ukitake but since Mimihagi is a piece of the Soul King the asauchi just couldnt get a read on him. It knew there were 2 souls so it split but could only get a read on Ukitake, hence 2 identical swords unlike everyone else on the list. 🤷‍♂️?