One of the most divisive of popular Shonen Jump series may be Bleach. With a 15-year run that resulted in one of the biggest letdowns in terms of its ending, there are just as many who swear by it as those who swear to avoid it. One thing that can be agreed upon, though, is how unique the main powers of the series are. The Zanpakuto, a fragment of the wielder's soul fused with a sword that often resembles a katana.
They are created from a device called an Asauchi, which the Soul Reaper turns into a Zanpakuto over years of pouring their Reiatsu into it as a Soul Reaper trainee. Each sword reflects the power and personality of its wielder and results in some cool abilities for its owner, but some lackluster powers as well. So let's have a look at the 5 best and worst Zanpakuto abilities shown throughout the series.
10 Best: Benihime
Kisuke Urahara is a bit of a head case when it comes to his inventions, and the abilities of his sword reflect his tinkering nature. In its Shikai state, he is able to fire off blasts of blood-red energy Getsuga Tensho-style and create a shield of the same energy that rivals the power of Orihime's Shun Shun Rika. He has also shown to be able to use his sword to nullify energy attacks, as shown in his fight with Yammy.
The Bankai, Kannonbiraki Benehime Aratame, has a fairly simple power with huge potential. Within the effect radius of his Bankai, Kisuke can dismantle and rebuild anything he wants to change its properties, even using this power to rebuild his destroyed eyes from scratch. The aftereffect of using this power adds a stitching look to whatever Kisuke has tampered with, which gives them a Frankenstein's monster appearance.
9 Worst: Nozarashi
When Kenpachi Zaraki's Zanpakuto was finally revealed during the Thousand Year Blood War arc, it should have been a momentous occasion for readers everywhere, finally seeing the name and true form of Zaraki's sword. So what does this monster of a weapon do? It cuts things really, really well.
That's it. No Getsuga Tensho style attack, no Tensa Zangetsu stat buff, just a sharper edge and a larger blade. While this is perfect for a purist melee fighter like Zaraki, it isn't the most interesting sword shown. At least the unnamed Bankai form showed some promise, but it was only shown one time and it nearly killed Kenpachi to use it.
8 Best: Sanpo Kenju
From the Captain of Squad 11 to the Lieutenant, Yachiru Kusagishi's sword might be the strangest ever shown in the series run. Unlike similar the Zanpakuto wielded by Sajin Komomura, Yachiru's sword doesn't change shape when it's released.
Instead, it summons two creatures that follow her movements and fight by her side. The larger one, Boney, will copy her attack while the second creature, Lumpy, will precede her attack. Sanpo Kenju effectively turns any battle with Yachiru into a three versus one fight opponents are sure to lose.
7 Worst: Haineko
The Lieutenant of Squad 10 doesn't have the best win ratio in the series, and that most likely comes down to her Zanpakuto's rather lackluster ability. When released, the blade disappears and forms a cloud of ash she can use to envelop her opponents, and anywhere the ash touches can be cut.
From its most basic principles, it's almost identical Byakuya Kuchiki's Zanpakuto, Senbonzakura, but between her rank and lack of experience, she is unable to perform the more elaborate feats Squad 6's Captain is capable of.
6 Best: Katen Kyokotsu
Katen Kyokotsu may have the most elaborate release command throughout all of Bleach, reflecting the poetic nature of both Shunsui and his Zanpakuto. In its Shikai state, it brings children's games to life, which sounds fun until you realize their deadly natures. From Bushogoma, a deadly spinning top-like attack, to Irooni, a game of tag using colors and swords, Shunsui has something up his flowery sleeves for just about any opponent.
Then there's the Bankai release, Katen Kyokotsu: Karamatsu Shinju, which is essentially in instant win condition that plays out like a stage production that gets progressively darker the longer it goes. Though there is a high risk that Shunsui could also die from the effects.
5 Worst: Kazeshini
Despite Shuhei Hisagi being a fan-favorite character in Bleach, his Zanpakuto leaves little to be desired. While its release state is undeniably cool, changing from its standard katana form to two deadly kusarigama-like weapons, Kazeshini has no real abilities to speak of aside from being able to spin like a deadly pinwheel.
Shuhei has shown great proficiency in wielding his sword and is able to channel kido through the chains that connect the blades together. Like Rangiku and Haineko, his win rate using Kazeshini is fairly low.
4 Best: Kyoko Suigetsu
There's a reason the traitorous Captain, Sosuke Aizen, didn't use his Zanpakuto too much during his stint as the central antagonist. His sword is ridiculously overpowered. Described by Aizen himself as "perfect hypnosis," Kyoko Suigetsu's powers seem to be nearly limitless with its potential.
Anyone unfortunate enough to witness its release (which included all of the Gotei 13 Captains and Lieutenants at one point) can have their senses altered by Aizen to make them experience whatever hallucination he wants. He used this to great effect during the Soul Society Arc, where he used its power to fake his own death and go into hiding.
3 Worst: Hozukimaru
Ikkaku Madarame is an interesting character, unfortunately, the same can't be said for his Zanpakuto. To activate it's Shikai form, Ikkaku slams the hilt of his sword with the opening in the sheath to transform it into a long spear, which can separate into a three-section staff on command. While its sealed form has a compartment that holds an ointment Ikkaku can use to stem the bleeding of any wounds, it has no other abilities aside from changing forms.
The Bankai release is in the same boat as the Shikai form, which is essentially a change in shape to become an oversized three-section weapon, with a brittle edge that makes it almost not worth using. The first time Ikkaku released his Bankai, Ryumon Hozukimaru, he ended up breaking it to win the fight. As was later revealed, this was a terrible idea, as a Bankai cannot be repaired as easily as a Shikai can.
2 Best: Senbonzakura
The abilities of Byakuya Kuchiki's Zanpakuto, Senbonzakura, are some of the most dynamic in the entire series. When released, the blade disappears much like Haineko's, but scatters around the battlefield as a thousand tiny blades that look like falling cherry blossoms when they catch the light.
It's Bankai form, Senbonzakura Kageyoski, takes the initial 1000 blades and multiplies it by an unfathomable amount, turning the storm of cherry blossoms into a tidal wave capable of reducing any opponent to a puddle of goop. The blade can also be reformed into their sword states using a power called Senkei, which acts as a colosseum of sorts to trap Byakuya's enemies within and keep them from escaping.
1 Worst: Sogyo No Kotowori
Ukitake got the short end of the stick throughout most of the series, either being constantly sick or constantly losing his fights until it was revealed he held the power of a god within him. His sword has quite a niche power that was only used once during the Fake Karakura Town arc. With its release command almost as long as Katen Kyokotsu's, it splits into two blades connected by a rope adorned with ribbons. This can absorb-energy based attacks through one blade and fire them back at the sender with the second, increasing its power and speed as it passes through the ribbons.
While this seems like a cool power on paper, it's severely limited by Ukutake's illness removing him from the battle and a lack of energy-based attacks shown in the series. Aside from Cero and Kido, energy-based attacks aren't used all that often when Ukitake is around.