The reason why Ichigo’s weapon has changed is simpler than many think.
During the last chapters of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki fights with his special weapon, the Zanpakuto. As shown at the beginning of the story, this “Soul Cutter Sword” can absorb the power of spirits in the confrontations in the protagonist’s missions and has a large and heavy appearance.
However, in the recent battles featured in the anime, this weapon is divided into two parts. This has made many Bleach fans wonder if this is a design flaw or a new style of the Zanpakuto. Luckily, the creator of Bleach has answered this question with several annotations that make the change of said weapon in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War make much more sense.
Why was Ichigo’s Zanpakuto incomplete in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War?
The Zanpakuto changes in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War
While Ichigo is considered one of the most powerful characters in Bleach, something that has made that possible is his spirit pressure and his Zanpakuto weapon. This sword of the protagonist has been kept in the same way for a long time and has witnessed the great breakthrough that Ichigo has had as a Shinigami. However, the reason the Zanpakuto has been split in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is simply because it isn’t sheathed.
This makes a lot of sense, as weapons change depending on their wielder and how they are used. Of course, the covers are a essential part of the equipment of the Shinigami, since here they store their weapon, but there are special cases that can change the appearance and operation of these. Because Ichigo has unlocked the bankai of the Zanpakuto (definitive movement of the weapon), now if it has reached its full form. Therefore, the previous design of this sword is considered incomplete because it had not yet revealed its full potential.
According to Fanverse, the creator of Bleach, Tite Kubo, has confirmed that everything revolves around the aforementioned sheath, since the correct form of a Shinigami’s weapon must be composed, in any case, of a main sword and its scabbard or pod. For this reason, in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Ichigo’s Zanpakuto features a long sword and a small blade that are used with both hands. Said small sword would represent the sheath of his Zanpakuto and would be made with the same material, thus obtaining his complete form.
Ichigo isn’t the only one with a scabbardless Zanpakuto in Bleach
The creator has also mentioned that Oetsu Nimaiya is another of the characters who masters his unsheathed Zanpakuto. Let’s remember that Nimaiya is known as the “God of Swords” because he is the only Shinigami of the Royal Guard who can create Zanpakutos. Probably, being someone specialized in the creation of weaponshe has this quirk of using his Sayafushi shikai with Zanpakuto without a scabbard.
Will Ichigo’s Zanpakuto return to its original state?
Another of the things that Kubo has said is that it is possible that Ichigo’s sword return to its previous form and it can be used as two swords instead of one without any problems in the future. Everything will depend on the situations and the changes that are generated in the plot.
Now we know why Ichigo’s weapon was incomplete, because it is a detail for the fans closest to the franchise who do not forget the beginnings of the franchise. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood continues to develop its story and there are already free and paid options where you can watch Bleach.