Zangetsu • 斬月

This is the false Shikai form of Ichigo Kurosaki’s Zanpakutō, Zangetsu.

It’s release command is unknown. This Shikai form of Zangetsu resembles an oversized khyber knife instead of a formal katana. It has no tsuba and no proper hilt. What Ichigo holds is the cloth-wrapped tang. The sword is about as tall as Ichigo is and has a black blade with a silver edge. The cloth wrapping on the tang seems to react to Ichigo’s will, changing length at a thought or twining about the blade in an impromptu sheath. When in combat, the cloth falls away when necessary, shrinking back to a manageable size. The cloth can be used to swing the weapon like a flail and to toss it at opponents for mid-range combat, as well as bandage wounds, but these are done rarely. Ichigo has, on more than one occasion, used Zangetsu’s wide blade as a shield from incoming attacks and for deflecting energy attacks. Unlike most Zanpakutō, which can be sealed into their original form, Zangetsu is always in its Shikai form.