So where do Zanpakuto actually come from?

[Opinionated]

Forewarning: Forgive me if I'm missing dashes, accent marks, capitalization, anything of that nature.

The more I think about this, the more it confuses me. Where do the Zanpakuto actually come from? At first glance, it seems like they show up when a person gains their Soul Reaper powers... except Tosen took his from a dead comrade, Kenpachi had his long before he became a Captain, and we're shown lower-level and in training Soul Reapers with what I believe were even explicitly called "Training Zanpakutos."

So... I'm confused. Unless the answer is that they're magic swords that you either have or you don't.

[Gjallarhorn]

Plot hole.


Which Ichigo became a shinigami he got his zanpakutou. But this doesn't explain why other people who have died and gone to soul society do not have zanpakutou, and the shinigami do.
At the same time, the shinigami can't just be "special" and recieve zanpakutou when they die, because we know that anyone can go through the academy and become a shinigami.
During the flashbacks in which Rukia and Renji are children, they do not have zanpakutou in the Ryukon District, but later we see them at soul society with zanpakutou. From this we could assume that Soul Society gives them the zanpakutou, but if we look back at Ichigo's case, we can see this is not true.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

They're magical swords that you either have or don't.

[In0kz]

I think that u get ur zanpakutou when u develop shinigami powers. rukia and renji trained them self to get those powers while ichigo just stole rukias.

[Gjallarhorn]

I think that u get ur zanpakutou when u develop shinigami powers. rukia and renji trained them self to get those powers while ichigo just stole rukias.

But the "shinigami powers" is just their spiritual energy, which everyone in Soul Society has. The shinigami are just trained to know how to use it as a means of combat. By your theory, that would mean everyone in soul society would zanpakutou, which we know they do not.

[ichimoku_fanboy]

im guessing the Zanpaktou choose when they wish to manifest and show themselves to their masters, but i think that since Ichigo "stole" rukia's shinigami powers the zanpaktou was forced out...


but of course, as with many anime, it remains to be a plot hole that the creators failed to fill

[Virendar]

zanpaktous could just be a manifest of the person's spirit energy...if he has enough energy his sword will appear. kenpachi has always had a huge amount of energry..thats how he got it...and when ichigo got rukias energy his sword was released too

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

zanpaktous could just be a manifest of the person's spirit energy...if he has enough energy his sword will appear. kenpachi has always had a huge amount of energry..thats how he got it...and when ichigo got rukias energy his sword was released too

Counterpoint: Ganju (http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Ganju_Shiba), Kukaku (http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/K%C5%ABkaku_Shiba[/url), Jidanbo (http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Jidanb%C5%8D_Ikkanzaka), etcetera.

[tsujigiri15]

Bleh, it is a shame this has to be left as a plot hole. But then - it works, Id far rather have a few inexplicable magic swords than a lack of swordfights.

If I recall, in the anime (not seen the manga for this part of the story) when kenny and ichigo fight and ichigo gets a free strike which doesnt so much as scratch kenny, he says something to the effect of a zanpakto being the compression of a persons spiritual pressure into a blade. So maybe zanpaktos are formed somewhere in the shinigami training process - and you have to be able to channel your spiritual pressure into an edge to make them, and also devote a part of your soul to the sword you are forming - which then takes on its own persona or something. I guess ichigo, being the weird case he is did this instinctively when suddenly becoming a shinigami, and kenny got his intuitively too - his love of fighting and spirit pressure were so huge, they were given expression in a zanpakto

Or something

[Shedra]

So you can accept that they shoot magical beams of destructive light from their hands and swords, but you can't accept that they don't explain where these swords come from?
WTF.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

So you can accept that they shoot magical beams of destructive light from their hands and swords, but you can't accept that they don't explain where these swords come from?
WTF.

When the fictional universe has huge plot holes, or is just plain stupid willful suspension of disbelief (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_disbelief) is hard to keep up. That's why people generally prefer fictional universes that are at least somewhat internally constant.

[5thdivisionsoulreaper]

I dont think Zanpakuto are manifested forms of one's spritual powers because they are seperate entities themselves thats why that have names because they are spiritual beings. Hence why a shinigami must learn its name and subjectgate them to go Shikai and Bankai. Also, I know this isn't canon but in the Daimon Dust might of provided some insight on how 1 zanpakuto might have more then one owner since Hyorinmaru choose more then one Shinigami

[Memento Mori]

I have a feeling they'll explain where they come from sometime in Bleach.

...Or not.

But for right now, it's basically what MP2K said.

They're magical swords that you either have or don't.

[Aizen-sama]

<p>Forewarning: Forgive me if I'm missing dashes, accent marks, capitalization, anything of that nature. </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The more I think about this, the more it confuses me. Where do the Zanpakuto actually come from? At first glance, it seems like they show up when a person gains their Soul Reaper powers... except Tosen took his from a dead comrade, Kenpachi had his long before he became a Captain, and we're shown lower-level and in training Soul Reapers with what I believe were even explicitly called &quot;Training Zanpakutos.&quot; </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>So... I'm confused. Unless the answer is that they're magic swords that you either have or you don't.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
Ur right about the training zanpakutos hmm..i belive that somhow you receive a training zanpakuto from yourself that serves asa substitute , others hav gotten theirs from finding there red ribbons of a soul reaper

[Shion Sonozaki]

Zanpoku-to are swords that you train for at the Soul Reaper Academy. All except those whom are currently hollows, Quincy, and any other species that we all know will not wield someone's (or even their own) zanpoku-to and use it correctly, have somethign to awaken int hem. When enroleld into this "academy" it helps them awaken these pwoers and special abilities till finally they find their sword's spiriot deepw ithin their soul.

Now how si another spirit "deep within your soul"? Well your zanpoku-to is just an extention of your soul, pretty much becuase its powered by almost all of you. Energy, even has some of your personality. Now of cousre we see Ichigo hurt and Zangetsu fine telling him to get up... now this is where your in your "other souls's" world where if you get hurt yu get hurt alone.

problom probably partially solved now...

((EDITED))
And the red ribbons that your soul has are also--or I belive--they are just somethign you get when you awaken your soul reaper powers. When this happens the ribbon will change to red showing proof of this "awakening".

This si all i gots for now........ I don't belive I can give a good description... btu I tried my best and its sorta late so......

[Forgotten Show]

Storks. They come from storks.

Man, y'all overthink things...


Bad Memory

[Gjallarhorn]

Zanpoku-to are swords that you train for at the Soul Reaper Academy. All except those whom are currently hollows, Quincy, and any other species that we all know will not wield someone's (or even their own) zanpoku-to and use it correctly, have somethign to awaken int hem. When enroleld into this "academy" it helps them awaken these pwoers and special abilities till finally they find their sword's spiriot deepw ithin their soul.

This doesn't explain how Ichigo got his zanpakutou as soon as he assumed his shinigami powers. It also doesn't explain why people with no Shinigami Academy training such as Shiba Kukakku or Shiba Ganjyu have zanpakutou.

[IcePriestess]

As well as I remember in bleach movie 2 there was shown that Hitsugaya and his friend trained hard and then Hyourinmaru showed up and said: Boy, are you going to wield me? Something like that. Ichigo got his zanpakutou because he has very much spiritual energy and he was at the level of shinigami where the zanpakutou shows up. So I think you have to have certain power to gain zanpakutou. Ganju and kuukaku has zanpakutou because they are kaien's brother and sister so they have big spiritual energy. And by the way Kenpachi and Madarame had zanpakutou when they weren't shinigamis, but they couldn't release it (nobody exept shinigami can't and kenpachi can't too of course :D). Well this is very very complex :unsure:

[Shion Sonozaki]

This doesn't explain how Ichigo got his zanpakutou as soon as he assumed his shinigami powers. It also doesn't explain why people with no Shinigami Academy training such as Shiba Kukakku or Shiba Ganju have zanpakutou.


Now that I think about it... well it was latye when I posted that Iw as half asleep! Anywho~ Ichigo had "stolen" mroe than half of RUkia's powers pon accident and as said before Zangetsu was forcefully awaken into his sealed form. Then of course through the series he gets Tensa Zngetsu and well... Zangetsu (xD).

Kukkaku and Ganju on the other hand, like IcePrestess said, they are Kaien-dono's siblings therefore their zanpoku-to may have been given to them before but they may still not know how to use shikai and bankai yet. And another fact to point out is that you get raing zapoku-to while enroleld in the Soul Reaper academy until you fidn your own power.

So it is possible that they have ordinary training zanpoku-to (these type most likely have almost no power at all) and forced and/or (most likely or) focused/forced their spiritual energy into the sword making ti soem sort of fake zanpoku-to.

[Aizen-sama]

Now that I think about it... well it was latye when I posted that Iw as half asleep! Anywho~ Ichigo had "stolen" mroe than half of RUkia's powers pon accident and as said before Zangetsu was forcefully awaken into his sealed form. Then of course through the series he gets Tensa Zngetsu and well... Zangetsu (xD).

Kukkaku and Ganju on the other hand, like IcePrestess said, they are Kaien-dono's siblings therefore their zanpoku-to may have been given to them before but they may still not know how to use shikai and bankai yet. And another fact to point out is that you get raing zapoku-to while enroleld in the Soul Reaper academy until you fidn your own power.

So it is possible that they have ordinary training zanpoku-to (these type most likely have almost no power at all) and forced and/or (most likely or) focused/forced their spiritual energy into the sword making ti soem sort of fake zanpoku-to.
good point

[Shion Sonozaki]

Aw, why thank you. i love it when I have a good point about Bleach. xD

[Arata Fukuyama]

im guessing the Zanpaktou choose when they wish to manifest and show themselves to their masters, but i think that since Ichigo "stole" rukia's shinigami powers the zanpaktou was forced out...


but of course, as with many anime, it remains to be a plot hole that the creators failed to fill
^
your post is somehow similar to my answer.

In Bleach Movie 2, Mayuri said, "Zanpakutou are born directly from a Shinigami's soul".
Thus, they go to train to control these powers.
Just like Hitsugaya, he has this immense power inside him and can't control it. So he must train in the academy in order to learn to control it.

Now that I think about it... well it was latye when I posted that Iw as half asleep! Anywho~ Ichigo had "stolen" mroe than half of RUkia's powers pon accident and as said before Zangetsu was forcefully awaken into his sealed form. Then of course through the series he gets Tensa Zngetsu and well... Zangetsu (xD).

Kukkaku and Ganju on the other hand, like IcePrestess said, they are Kaien-dono's siblings therefore their zanpoku-to may have been given to them before but they may still not know how to use shikai and bankai yet. And another fact to point out is that you get raing zapoku-to while enroleld in the Soul Reaper academy until you fidn your own power.

So it is possible that they have ordinary training zanpoku-to (these type most likely have almost no power at all) and forced and/or (most likely or) focused/forced their spiritual energy into the sword making ti soem sort of fake zanpoku-to.

good point

Yup, I think so too.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

Now that I think about it... well it was latye when I posted that Iw as half asleep! Anywho~ Ichigo had "stolen" mroe than half of RUkia's powers pon accident and as said before Zangetsu was forcefully awaken into his sealed form. Then of course through the series he gets Tensa Zngetsu and well... Zangetsu (xD).

Kukkaku and Ganju on the other hand, like IcePrestess said, they are Kaien-dono's siblings therefore their zanpoku-to may have been given to them before but they may still not know how to use shikai and bankai yet. And another fact to point out is that you get raing zapoku-to while enroleld in the Soul Reaper academy until you fidn your own power.

So it is possible that they have ordinary training zanpoku-to (these type most likely have almost no power at all) and forced and/or (most likely or) focused/forced their spiritual energy into the sword making ti soem sort of fake zanpoku-to.
Pure and utter fanwank (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fanwank).

[ghosti5of6]

It seems as though it could be two ways in which to explain it. A zanpakutou is the sword residing in all; a soul blade or soul steal, manifested in physical form. At least, within those with the power to call forth and wield them. But being that it is a living being in and of itself, it can also be called upon, searched for and won. For instance. Yes, Ichigo is a special case, being that his father is an ex-shinigami, which makes perfect sense why Ichigo had one to manifest in the beginning. On the other hand, like Toshiro...he gained his sword by earning it, winning it, being CHOSEN BY IT.
And yes, other Shinigami have to train and train and train to bring about their own, but again, Ichigo is a special case. He has so much power, yet was unable to release it. That was until Rukia plunged her sword into him, in which action completely drained her of her power; she was the 'key' that unlocked him.

[Forgotten Show]

The author kinda muddied up a lot of explanations by that little Ichigo vs Hollow Ichigo fight when he was training with the Vizards, what with Hollow Ichigo merging with or consuming Zangetsu.


Bad Memory