Is 'Bleach' About To Reveal Ichigo's True Bankai?

When it come to Bleach, there is one attack every fan seems to know. Ichigo Kurosaki has a thing [...]

By Megan Peters

When it come to Bleach, there is one attack every fan seems to know. Ichigo Kurosaki has a thing for swords, and his use of the Tensa Zangetsu is hard to overlook. Still, that isn't the hero's actual Bankai, and fans are wondering if Bleach is about to share a look at the character's real thing.

So, if you weren't planning on checking out Jump Force, then you probably want to rethink that stance.

For those unaware, BANDAI NAMCO is working on a brand-new anime title. The game publisher confirmed it's working on Jump Force, a title first announced at E3 over the summer. This week, Weekly Shonen Jump confirmed Ichigo Kurosaki will be a playable character in the game, but his appearance has got netizens speculating big.

As you can see above, the page confirming Ichigo's part in Jump Force shows the character in all his clothed glory. In fact, the Soul Reaper is seen wearing a uniform taken right from an arc that the anime was never able to adapt. Ichigo is rocking his uniform from the 'Thousand-Year Blood War' arc, and fans of the series know what that means.

Yes, Ichigo gets a brand-new Bankai in the final arc, and that technique could be coming to Jump Force.

While fans may be familiar with Tensa Zangetsu, that is not actually Ichigo's actual Bankai. The hero was led to think that his Tensa Zangetsu was a real Bankai, but that was actually a trick. When the character's real Zanpakuto made itself known, Ichigo was introduced to a new dual-bladed sword and an altered Bankai. Ichigo wanted to use the big attack on Yhwach in the 'Thousand-Year Blood War' arc, but the all-powerful baddie managed to prevent Ichigo from releasing the attack. So, fans have yet to see the actual move.

Now, you can see why Ichigo's inclusion in Jump Force is being so closely scrutinized. If the Soul Reaper appears in the game under his 'Thousand-Year Blood War' aesthetic, he should have access to this never-before-seen attack. Jump Force could be the thing that brings Ichigo's true Tensa Zangetsu to life, so Bleach fans will want to pay close attention to his gameplay trailer when it drops.

For those unfamiliar with Tite Kubo's Bleach, the series follows the young delinquent Ichigo Kurosaki, who had the ability to see spirits. He soon obtains the power of a Soul Reaper - one meant to usher lost souls to the afterlife - and now has the duty to defend the living world from monstrous dark spirits known as Hollows.

The manga was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from 2001 to 2016, and was collected into 74 volumes. It has been adapted into English thanks to VIZ Media, and has sold over 900 million copies in Japan. The series was adapted into an anime by Studio Pierrot from 2004 to 2012, and has four feature-length animations, rock musicals, video games, and a ton of other merchandise. The English language broadcast premiered on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in 2006, and you currently find the Japanese and English language versions now streaming on Hulu.

Will you be checking out Ichigo's technique roster in Jump Force? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

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