Bleach: Best Shikai Designs, Ranked

Each Soul Reaper in the story of Bleach possesses their own Zanpakuto, and as explained early on the the series, all of these sacred blades possess their own unique abilities and design which sets them apart, including a release known as a Shikai.

However, while there have been an endless number of discussions concerning the most powerful Zanpakuto in the series, there hasn’t been as much attention granted to the actual look and aesthetic of these swords, which is a real shame considering just how eye-catching they can be.

Tite Kubo is well-known for his amazing artistry, having created some of the most memorable character designs in all of anime and manga, but he also poured a lot of time and effort into designing the weapons that these characters wield too. With that being said, it’s time to take a closer look at the Zanpakuto of Bleach, and what makes them so visually interesting and appealing to the fans. It should be noted that this list will only be focusing on the Zanpakuto in their Shikai forms, so the Bankai versions will not be included.

7 Sode no Shirayuki

Rukia’s Snowy Shikai Is Both Bright And Elegant In Its Design

Rukia unfortunately doesn’t get many opportunities to show off the abilities of her Zanpakuto throughout the series, but on the rare occasions that she does unleash her Shikai, it becomes immediately clear why so many Captains regard her Zanpakuto as being the most beautiful in all the Soul Society.

Rukia’s blade turns completely white when entering its Shikai form, with the tusba turning into a snowflake to feed into the icy aesthetic of her unique powers. There is also a long white ribbon that hangs off the edge of the blade which lends it a touch of elegance that really fits Rukia’s calm and calculated personality. Sode no Shirayuki is a blade that manages to be visually stunning, without needing to go over the top in its actual design.

6 Suzumebachi

Suzumebachi’s Shikai Takes The Form Of A Menacing Golden Gauntlet

Soi Fon’s Shikai is actually incredibly unique as, rather than extending the sword itself, it instead shrinks down to take the form of a gold and black gauntle with a large spike sticking out in the middle. Despite its miniature size, this design is incredibly menacing and alluring, with it being perfect for Soi Fon’s hit-and-run combat style as a member of the second division.

Considering how fast Soi Fon is able to move around the battlefield thanks to her Shunpo technique, it makes sense that her weapon of choice would be a lot smaller than those wielded by her allies, but the creative color palette and overall design ensure that it still isn’t overshadowed when it comes to style.

5 Shinso

The Extensive Length Of Shinso Alone Makes It Utterly Captivating To Look At

Gin undoubtedly has one of the most powerful Shikai abilities in the entire series, so it’s understandable that a sword with this amount of immense power would look a little different when changing forms, but Gin’s blade takes this to a whole new level. Upon activating his Shikai, Gin’s Zanpakuto will immediately extend into a gigantic bright-white beam which is capable of tearing any Hollows or Soul Reapers in half if it manages to make contact.

What’s more is, Shinso is actually capable of extending up to 100 times its original length, and while fans don’t ever get to see it reach its full potential, there are still a few scenes where Gin shows it off in all its glory. The blinding glowing light that emanates off the blade, mixed with its exaggerated size, make it incredibly memorable and a real feast for the eyes every time he uses it.

4 Benihime

Benihime Is Full Of Many Small And Quirky Personal Details That Help It Stand Out

In its sealed form, Benihime actually takes the form of a cane which Kisuke is able to disguise as a walking stick, but the design becomes much more unique and dangerous once the Shikai is activated. One of the most notable features of Benihime is the handle which is slightly curved at the end, and while this might be a small design choice, it goes a long way in making the sword look unorthodox and strange, just like Kisuke himself.

The red string hanging over the hilt is also a nice hint of the swords’ special abilities, including its Bankai, which all feature a lot of bright red in their attacks. Eagle-eyed fans might also have noticed the U-shaped guard that covers a few inches of the blade whenever Kisuke uses it, which is another eye-catching personalized touch from Mr Hat and Clogs himself.

3 Zabimaru

The Long, Wild, And Dangerous Design Of Zabimaru Allows It To Perform Some Pretty Creative Attacks

It’s clear just by looking at the blade itself that Kubo had a tremendous amount of fun when creating Zabimaru, which was actually one of the very first swords ever seen in the series. The sword is split up into six different sections, each one possessing a large spike that Renji will often use to grind down his opponents with, including Ichigo during their bout in the Soul Society arc.

Because the sword is held together by a stretchable thread, it allows the blade to bend and curve around, making it very hard to predict. This unusual design has allowed Renji to use Zabimaru in some pretty creative ways throughout the series. In fact, it’s even mentioned by Renji himself that, because the Shikai is both a sword and a whip, it makes it his Zanpakuto the hardest one to master out of all the Lieutenants, but there’s no denying how good it looks when used effectively in battle.

2 Ashisogi Jizo

Mayuri’s Twisted Personality Is Perfectly Represented In His Creepy Shikai Form

Mayuri Kurotsuchi is the maniacal, twisted, and extremely creepy captain of the Twelfth Division, and also the lead scientist in the Soul Society. For someone as weird and strange as Mayuri, he would need a weapon that would also be far from ordinary, and that would certainly be one way to describe his Zanpakuto, Ahisogi Jizo. The Shikai variant of this weapon actually looks nothing like a sword at all, and instead, is more reminiscent of a trident with each of the spikes being disfigured, giving it a very unnerving design that looks like something out of a horror series.

As if the blade couldn’t be any creepier, the handle also shows a baby holding their hands together in prayer, referencing his terrifying Bankai. Mayuri’s Zanpakuto looks drastically different when its Shikai is activated, with its unusual design perfectly encapsulating the personality of the wielder.

1 True Zangetsu

Ichigo’s Duel Shikai Blades Demonstrate Him Coming To Terms With His Internal Struggle

For the majority of the story, fans were led to assume that “Old Man Zangetsu was the core of Ichigo’s Soul Reaper powers, but it’s later revealed near the end of the story that this isn’t actually the case. Alongside this revelation, Ichigo also discovers that the sword he has been using all this time is not actually a Zanpakuto at all, and was instead forged by the combination of his Hollow and Shinigami powers all rolled into one.

Eventually, Ichigo manages to retrieve his true Zanpakuto, which is a real marvel to look at when its Shikai form is unlocked. Rather than being just one sword, Zangetsu actually splits into two, with one blade being much larger and replicating his old Shikai, while the other is a small pitch-black trench knife. It’s heavily implied that both these weapons are representations of Ichigo’s Shinigami and Quincy powers, which is a great bit of visual storytelling from Kubo to show that Ichigo has finally come to accept his heritage, and as a result, come to peace with his ongoing internal struggle.