Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Gives Byakuya's Bankai a Big Makeover

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War has been busy since it debuted in October, and of course, all eyes are on the Soul Society right now. The safe haven has become a familiar place for fans, but it is anything but secure these days. The Gotei 13 has been challenged by intruders, and the move gave fans the chance the watch Byakuya Kuchiki's Bankai after all these years.

As you can see below, Byakuya brought out his Bankai once more in this week's episode of Bleach. The move was done as the squad captain went against As Node, one of the Quincies brought along by Ywach. And of course, the ultimate move was as gorgeous as ever. Studio Pierrot leveled up its animation for Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, and fans are all the better for it.

Byakuya's Bankai, Explained

If you are new to Bleach or have forgotten all about Byakuya's ultimate move, you should know it is insanely powerful. Captain Kuchiki first debuted the movie to fans when he fought Ichigo in the Soul Society well over a decade ago. While our orange-haired hero fought to save Rukia, Byakuya pushed back against Ichigo for the sake of propriety, and he even used Bankai to teach the boy a lesson. But in the end, Ichigo pulled through a victory if not just barely.

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As for Byakuya's power, his Zanpakuto is responsible for its gorgeous form. The blade is named Senbonkazura, and the Zanpakuto reflects Byakuya's elegant nature. As such, its Shikai transforms the sword into countless cherry blossoms that cut as easily as steel. They are scattered in battle under Byakuya's control, and when his Bankai is released, those petals are multiplied exponentially. In either of the move's forms, the Bankai traps opponents in a world with hundreds of blades that turn into razor-sharp blossoms. Most anyone would fall to such an attack, but Ichigo managed to withstand the assault. And now, one of Ywach's soldiers has done the same. 

What do you think about Byakuya's Bankai nowadays? Where does it rank on your list of favorite finishers? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.