What is YOUR Zanpaktou?

[Deathslayer7]

same principle though.

and as for 1) he can make his own sword anytime he wants. I believe that counts as being reable to form his sword =P

[streakster]

Heh, I watch Bleach after thinky classes. Great way to relax.

Anyway...

Sealed: An enourmous zweihander, though it looks very poorly maintained. The blade seems to wobble and shift a bit when struck. It's a bit too heavy to use effectively, and so I often have to run at an enemy with the tip of the blade trailing on the ground behind me.

Has amorphous red enamel insets on the blade.


Shikai: "Revel, Prince of Madness!"

I (barely) manage to wave the zweihander blade aloft, the decorations glowing a brilliant red, and it falls completely off the hilt - and then stops before it hits the ground. As it's connected to the hilt solely by a trail of red sparks and lightning bolts, I can now use the enormous blade as a sort of morningstar. The connection to the hilt is elastic, so I can also whip it forward and back like it was on a bungee cord, send it lashing like a whip, or spinning like a yo-yo.

In addition, the red sparks seem to randomly snap off me, as well - they distort physics around me ever so faintly. Nothing I can really control, just an occasional shot that should have hit veering away, or being able to stand comfortably on a ninety degree wall.

I also seem to laugh a lot more, and the zweihander's weight no longer seems to slow me down.


Bankai: "Bankai! Magnificently Amused Prince of Madness!"

There's an explosion of red lightning in every direction, and the blade grows more massive - not much larger, it simply seems ridiculously heavy and solid. The trail of sparks is also thicker, and crackles ominously. The red sparks now completely surround me in a sort of Tesla coil aura, and I've changed as well. Now my eyes are glowing red and spitting sparks, while Dilandau seems to have been put in charge of my face: I'm either laughing like a madman, or sporting a nice wide slasher smile. Also, I seem to be faster now: not shunpo speed, here, just a very noticeable increase from the speed I lugged the sealed blade around at. I leave a trail of sparks as I run.

While in Bankai, the blade orbits around me at extremely high speeds, almost appearing to be a solid ring. The bungee effect is much more elastic and erratic now as well, so I can send the blade darting out as far as I can see or whirling out like a rain of hammerblows. The blade's plane of orbit is constantly shifting as well, making me hard to hit.

All that's hardly Bankai-level yet, though. Finally, the red aura of sparks I'm surrounded by twists spacetime around me. Perspective around me swims - am I standing on top of that hill, or on the bottom? For that matter, is that a hill at all, or a valley? Gravity just gives up - I can run cheerfully along walls and ceilings, or simply fall upwards. Anything that gets near me veers away in a random direction, and I randomly skip around in time and space - teleporting around, or vanishing and appearing a few seconds ago, or from now. Even better, the effect spreads around me, and while I'm perfectly at ease with it, no one else is - so I can trip someone and make them fall up a flight of stairs, or watch as someone who got too near me manages to shunpo face first into a wall.


Resurreccion: "Laugh! Tyrant!"

I become no larger, but gain a ring of large bone orbs that float around my head. They can all orbit me at high speed and slam into my foes. In addition, each one can open an eye to project a ray of red sparks, allowing me to swing whatever the ray hits around just like my old zweihander. In this form, my legs are longer, and I gain a sort of imitation noble armor made from bone. Hole is smack dab in the middle of my forehead.


Spirit:

The spirit of my sword is an elegant young nobleman in red robes, draped across a throne and yawning.

[Ravens_cry]

Basic form: My shadow.
Shikai: Penumbra "No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first. . ."
The shadows seem heightened, obscuring my face and body. Blows and attacks seem to not find their target, just barely missing each time.
Bankai:Umbra ". . .and is waiting for it."
The shadows deepen, and not only do the attacks not land, but each time they swipe past, the attacker feels weaker, drained, and the shadows loom larger.In my hand coalesces a blade of darkest midnight, of the darkness between stars. The size and shape of a dagger, when it leaves my hand, another takes it's place. When the shadow is strong, I can step from shadow to shadow, melting from one shade to another.

[H. Zee]

I'd be down for a versus thread; the character I had in mind for Sanguinus (as myself myself would end up with something much more chaotic and/or insane) wouldn't be a Captain, but because of overwhelming problems with personal responsibility rather than any martial incompetence.

Ohh, come on. We're talking about a system which has quite happily made Zaraki Kenpachi a Captain. Nuff said.

[Hectonkhyres]

Who is in turn positively well adjusted compared to Mayuri Kurotsuchi... the self mutilating, innocent bystander vivisecting bastard who turns his own subordinates into unwilling suicide bombers because it sounded fun. If he gets to be captain, its proof that power is the only requirement.

[Collin152]

Who is in turn positively well adjusted compared to Mayuri Kurotsuchi... the self mutilating, innocent bystander vivisecting bastard who turns his own subordinates into unwilling suicide bombers because it sounded fun. If he gets to be captain, its proof that power is the only requirement.

To be fair, Mayuri only got the position by dint of Urahara and Hiyori getting kicked out of Soul Society.

[Nevrmore]

Who is in turn positively well adjusted compared to Mayuri Kurotsuchi... the self mutilating, innocent bystander vivisecting bastard who turns his own subordinates into unwilling suicide bombers because it sounded fun. If he gets to be captain, its proof that power is the only requirement.

I know! He's my favorite character.

[Hectonkhyres]

And the Soul Society is currently missing a full three captains right now so they should be even more desperate right now. Of those present two (Mayuri and Kenpachi) are insane to the point of being useless for any official business, one (Ukitake) is half dead of tuberculosis, and another (Shunsui) is a lazy womanizing drunkard.

So old man Yamamoto ends up with, of his original twelve inferiors, counting on a healamancer with a manta ray (Unohana), Captain Cuisinart (Byakuya), a giant dog (Saijin), the underage captain who needs to file a restraining order against his lieutenant (Toshiro), and the lethal fangirl (Soifon). Five out of twelve. Six maybe since you can sort of count Shunsui to get off his worthless ass once enough of the city is burning. Not good at all. And how many subordinate mooks have been taken out in the last couple of seasons. A few, I would think.

Seriously... the old man needs to start sliding pardons around like they are going out of fashion to, well, just about everybody. If something is moderately powerful and isn't currently trying to eat people or end the universe, in the name of god recruit them.

[Zarah]

To be fair, Mayuri only got the position by dint of Urahara and Hiyori getting kicked out of Soul Society.

That's what I thought at first too, but on second though, it's not quite true. He would still have had to either get recommended by six other captains or pass the captain proficiency test. That's most likely the reason why Kira and Hisagi haven't been promoted in the current story.

[Kyeudo]

Ukitake may be half dead, but the other half the time he can fight Captain Yamamoto. Shunsui practices Obfusticating Stupidity with his womanizing drunkard routine. Toshiro is several hundred years old and only looks underage. Unohana's giant manta ray is only her Shikai ability, so her Bankai is going to dwarf that thing.

They aren't as screwed as they look.

[Shadowbane]

Apparently Uohana's pretty scary, y'know. She's probably a crouching tiger hidden badass.

As for Mayuri, yep, he's evil.

Kenpachi? Yep, maladjusted. But really, really powerful.

Ukitake? Are you kidding? This guy is AWESOME. Sure, he coughs at bad times (riiiiicola) but the other half of the time can stand up to Yamamoto.

Shunsui is also very powerful once he gets out of his obfuscating stupidity mode. He and Ukitake are really a force to deal with.

Hitsugaya I'm not touching with a ten foot pole. The Worf Effect!

Byakuya is pure badass, ok? I don't think I could make pink look cool like that.

Soifon is really strong. 'Nuff said, really.

Sajin Komamura is really, really good actually. "I am but a worm of a man." Yeah, right.

[OverWilliam]

So the general consensus at this point is "We need more, just like that."

[Callos_DeTerran]

I know! He's my favorite character.

See? I knew I wasn't the only one!

Heck, Soi Fon hasn't even shown HER bankai yet. If the Shikai can instant kill what can the bankai do? For that matter, what can Unohana's do?

[Collin152]

Hitsugaya I'm not touching with a ten foot pole.

Keep your ten foot pole away from him. (Is Collin's favorite Shinigami)


The problem with recruiting more Captains is that the only other Shinigami who can pull Bankai don't really want to do it.

[Shadowbane]

Isshin Kurosaki

[Kyeudo]

Don't forget Urahara and the Vizard. Most of the Vizard are ex-Captains.

Then there's Ishida's dad. He may not be a Shinigami, but he's Captain-class power. If you're scrounging for muscle, don't complain when its not the way you want it.

[Collin152]

Don't forget Urahara and the Vizard. Most of the Vizard are ex-Captains.

Then there's Ishida's dad. He may not be a Shinigami, but he's Captain-class power. If you're scrounging for muscle, don't complain when its not the way you want it.

Soul Society seems to have arbitrary issues with those people that can only be resolved by Plot.

[Hectonkhyres]

Next step would be improved management of the lower ranks. Beat some of the stupid out of your new soulreaper recruits: The first two weeks of basic training should involve ducking plus escape and evasion. It is ridiculous the stupid ways to die these poor bastards keep getting into.

The poor bastards who can neither bring out their zanpakto's released state or do anything else of real merit but have completed basic training should be in charge of policing the area outside the seireitei but still in the city. They certainly aren't any help on the inside (getting blown to hell every time they try) and they might do some good out there. One or two seated soldiers plus a lieutenant should be on call for anything the mooks can't handle.

Invent the Batsignal. Seriously, put Hell Butterflies to good use and rig it so captains and lieutenants converge on the site of any non-curbstomp battle.

In the higher ranks, Captains must use the buddy system if the alarms ever sound. Thats right: if they go into anything expected to be anything other than a total curbstomp battle, another allied being of captain level should be there to at least watch. The same should hold true for battles anywhere, including the realm of the living.

Kenpachi is of only accidental use in the soul society... and is an equally large danger. Make him happy and get some use out of him at the same time by sending the bastard on crusade to, well, wherever. Hueco Mundo to purify a few million hollows sounds good to me. He can take any of his men strong enough to survive being in immediate proximity to one of his battles. Make sure one of these can read a map and has a natural sense of direction.

[Kyeudo]

Kenpachi is of only accidental use in the soul society... and is an equally large danger. Make him happy and get some use out of him at the same time by sending the bastard on crusade to, well, wherever. Hueco Mundo to purify a few million hollows sounds good to me. He can take any of his men strong enough to survive being in immediate proximity to one of his battles. Make sure one of these can read a map and has a natural sense of direction.

He's not really that dangerous. Kenpachi knows his own strength too well to bother fighting most of the other Shinigami and he obeys Yamamoto for whatever reason, so he isn't a danger to the other captains.

Sure, the cannon fodder might die if they are too close to one of his fights, but the same goes for one of Ichigo's fights as well.

[Shadowbane]

That even goes for Yamamoto.

[Enlong]

Soul Society seems to have arbitrary issues with those people that can only be resolved by Plot.

Well, the Vizard get half their powers from Hollow masks, and the Society has issues with Hollows.

Also, can someone enlighten me as to what battles Toshiro lost, such that he earned the nickname "Captain Jobber"? I'm quite behind and missing a bunch of chapters in places, but here's the Toshiro record as I've seen it:


Toshiro vs. Gin: Inconclusive, but he definitely had the upper hand on Gin before he attacked Momo and Rangiku got involved.

Toshiro vs... espada with "Earwig" (can't remember his name): Got totally owned... while he was still under the Restriction. Once that was lifted, he smoked the espada in all of 3 seconds.

Toshiro vs Luppi: Looked bad, but ended in a victory for him... well, a draw insamuch as he didn't kill her, but I count totally incapacitating your opponent, followed by them getting pulled off the battlefild, as a victory.

So... I'm not seeing a whole lot of losing there.

[Kyeudo]

That even goes for Yamamoto.

Actually, it goes triple for Yamamoto. First, his Shikai lights everything nearby on fire. Second, his Bankai is bound to be worse. Third, his default solution to a problem is "kill them all." Quincy, Vizard, and (if you want to count them) the Bounto are all dead and/or exiled because of his orders.

[Zarah]

Also, can someone enlighten me as to what battles Toshiro lost, such that he earned the nickname "Captain Jobber"? I'm quite behind and missing a bunch of chapters in places, but here's the Toshiro record as I've seen it:

*Snip*

So... I'm not seeing a whole lot of losing there.

You forgot Toshiro vs. Aizen. In which he had his ass handed to him quite promptly. It's a stretch to even call it a battle.

No others really stick out in my mind at the moment, however.

[Kyeudo]

Everyone jobs to Aizen. He's Captain Superman.

[Enlong]

Yeah, I was gonna say. There's no real shame in losing to Aizen, everyone does. I mean, the man can kill a theme song with one finger!

[Lord_Gareth]

Ohh, come on. We're talking about a system which has quite happily made Zaraki Kenpachi a Captain. Nuff said.

Yeah, but Kenpachi at least shows some kind of ability to give orders and a vague sense of responsibility towards his subordinates. Sanguinus' weilder has issues dealing with the fact that other people exist, let alone actually being in charge of them. The man snaps out of his fugue just long enough to obliterate whatever disturbed him - which, given the way he's handled, is generally a Hollow - and then goes right back into total introspection.

[OverWilliam]

So should we make a rule in the new VS thread (that somebody really should make, still...) that once you show your Bankai for the first time it will make you unstoppably awesome for a single episode (or in rare circumstances a single fight), after which it merely replaces your Shikai as your primary form of attack and provides no meaningful long-term boost to your abilities thereby retaining the status quo of the power balance already established in the series?

[Shadowbane]

Actually, it goes triple for Yamamoto. First, his Shikai lights everything nearby on fire. Second, his Bankai is bound to be worse. Third, his default solution to a problem is "kill them all." Quincy, Vizard, and (if you want to count them) the Bounto are all dead and/or exiled because of his orders.

Well said. I wish that he would just get everyone out of the way, set off his bankai and end the stupid story arc so we can get back to Ichigo. Please and thanks.

Also, Yamamoto is what, Lawful Neutral? (Just to clarify for me.) He doesn't seem particularly Lawful Good to me.

[Hectonkhyres]

Well said. I wish that he would just get everyone out of the way, set off his bankai and end the stupid story arc so we can get back to Ichigo. Please and thanks.

Also, Yamamoto is what, Lawful Neutral? (Just to clarify for me.) He doesn't seem particularly Lawful Good to me.

Lawful Neutral seems like a fair assumption... though he seems to be leaning towards Lawful Evil at times when you consider how self destructive his legalist philosophy gets. A stagnant, unambitious evil.

In any case, I would be happy enough for Ichigo and the main cast to go off and have a full and uneventful summer break some time where we don't have to see them for a while. Ichigo... is rather bland after a while.

The series would actually be more entertaining for me if the mask won, tore a gateway to Hueco Mundo, and erected a gleaming white ziggurat topped with an obsidian throne upon which to sit and be worshiped by those hollows he chooses not to eat. From there he can wage an unholy crusade against Aizen and Los Noches. The seireitei and the remainder of the main cast have to do something but can't take both sides and are damn sure it wouldn't be a good idea if either side wins.

Of course I like that idea mostly because I am insane... but still.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Toshiro vs. Gin: Inconclusive, but he definitely had the upper hand on Gin before he attacked Momo and Rangiku got involved.

Not truly an upperhand. Gin is presumed (like Aizen and Tousen) to have hollow powers (at least after the big reveal) and was a genius who murdered his way into the 13 Court Guard squads and was trained under Aizen. Gin hadn't even shown his Shikai until he attacked Momo unlike Toshiro.

Toshiro vs... espada with "Earwig" (can't remember his name): Got totally owned... while he was still under the Restriction. Once that was lifted, he smoked the espada in all of 3 seconds.

Wasn't an Espada. He was essentially a subordinate and the oldest non-Espada arrcanarr and age doesn't necessarily mean power among them. The fact that Toshiro was losing at 30% power to a lieutenant-equivalent makes that battle shameful. He was even using Bankai. Strike that, barring the Higher Numbered Espada's fraccion, the fraccion on the whole have been pathetic powerwise.

Toshiro vs Luppi: Looked bad, but ended in a victory for him... well, a draw insamuch as he didn't kill her, but I count totally incapacitating your opponent, followed by them getting pulled off the battlefild, as a victory.

Being frozen doesn't even mean death. Grimmjaw, the one Luppi replaced, was completely frozen and none the worse for it. And that was also some of the most powerful Toshiro has been seen.

Heck, he's now fighting the Third Espada and is already using Bankai at full power and STILL being pushed back by an opponent not even going full out.

THAT is why he is Captain Jobber. *Has a dislike for the runt who gives Captains a bad name*