Unveiling the Secrets of BLEACH's Thousand-Year Blood War: A Deep Dive into Zanpakuto Ichimonji

Highlights

Hyōsube's Zanpakutō, Ichimonji, allows him to manipulate the true names of objects and entities, giving him dominion over them.

Ichimonji appears as a sizable calligraphy brush when sealed, with the ability to inscribe characters that materialize their definitions. It possesses the capability to obscure names, thereby severing the essence of an item, while Hyōsube can utilize it to overwrite the identities and abilities of individuals.

Warning: The following contains spoilers for BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, Episodes 25 and 26, titled "The Master" and "BLACK", which can be streamed on Hulu and Disney+.

Ichibē Hyōsube, the leader of the Zero Squad, also known as the Royal Guard, is an incredibly formidable Shinigami whose actions within BLEACH have significant and far-reaching consequences. Referred to as the "Monk Who Calls the True Name", Hyōsube's impact on Soul Society is immense; he holds the authority to name every element within Soul Society and possesses the ability to govern the very essence of names.

His Zanpakutō, Ichimonji, is an extremely unique weapon and enables him to manipulate the true names of objects and entities, but what is Ichimonji, really?

Write It Away, Write It Away

Hyōsube, also known as Ichibe Hyosube Ichimonji, was given the title Manako Oshō by the Soul King due to his incredible ability to discern the true names of objects and entities within Soul Society. This unique gift grants him control over the essence of those names, allowing him to rewrite and manipulate their powers.

His Zanpakutō, Ichimonji, written as 一文字 or "The Character for 'One'," takes the form of a large calligraphy brush when sealed. With it, he can write characters that bring forth their intended meanings. In addition to its writing abilities, the ink that flows from the tip of Ichimonji possesses the power to censor or conceal, essentially blacking out something from view.

Before the arrival of Yhwach at the Soul King's Palace, Hyōsube cleverly employed his Ichimonji to mark the palace itself with the character 隠, meaning "conceal." This effectively hid the true palace from sight and created a boundary that Yhwach, the Quincy King, would not dare to cross.

Blacken

Hyōsube's ability to obscure objects is first observed in the Soul Society arc, when Ichigo is training with Urahara to discover the name of his Zanpakutō. During an encounter with "Old Man Zangetsu," Ichigo fails to recognize him and cannot hear his name being spoken. In the manga, the panel is visibly obstructed by a black bar, as if the name has been censored. Kubo has confirmed that this was indeed caused by Hyōsube using Ichimonji to seal away the name "Yhwach". Instead of cutting flesh, Ichimonji cuts names, severing the very essence of an object. In the events of both "The Master" and "BLACK," Hyōsube employs Ichimonji to sever Yhwach's arms at the name, resulting in their abilities being diminished to half, as they are referred to as "ar"s instead of arms. When Shikai is activated with the command "Blacken," the tip of Ichimonji switches between the appearance of a brush in its sealed form and that of a short blade, transforming the entire Zanpakutō into a spear or naginata.

Each swing of Ichimonji in its Shikai state releases black ink that envelops the target, effectively obscuring its name. When Yhwach is "slashed," his name (hence his power) is halved until he is eventually consumed by black ink. Ichimonji derives its power from all things black, effectively utilizing the color black as its weapon. The technique known as Futen Taisatsuryō ("Slaughterous Mausoleum of Halted Reincarnation") is an immensely potent move. It begins with Hyōsube drinking black ink from a cup and proceeds to manifest a mausoleum composed of black gravestones. This technique extracts all darkness from the opponent, leaving nothing behind. The resulting destruction is so complete that those who undergo it are unable to reincarnate, as there is simply nothing remaining of their existence.

True Blade

Shinuchi Ichimonji Shirafude – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 13

Ichimonji is the first Zanpakutō in history to have evolved, even before the concept of "Bankai" existed. As a result, Hyōsube technically does not possess a Bankai, but rather a "Shin'uchi" - a "True Blade". The Shin'uchi Shirafude Ichimonji, also known as the "White Brush" Ichimonji, transforms the brush's tip into white instead of black. This grants Hyōsube the power to modify the names of objects and beings that come into contact with Ichimonji's ink. During his confrontation with Yhwach, Hyōsube uses this ability to overwrite Yhwach's identity and reduce him to the status of a mere black ant, to be trampled underfoot.

In the Can't Fear Your Own World novels penned by Durarara!! author Ryohgo Narita, Hyōsube once utilized Ichimonji Shirafude's abilities to seal away a primal Hollow that was so formidable, it attacked Soul Society and defeated the former Captain-Commander Genryusai Yamamoto, before targeting the Soul King for its next feast. Due to the vast number of souls this Hollow had devoured, traditional purification methods proved ineffective. In response, Hyōsube employed Ichimonji's powers to strip away the Hollow's name and confine it within a hidden Zanpakutō. Ichimonji is an immensely potent Zanpakutō capable of rewriting aspects of reality. However, as we will discover in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 - The Conflict, Hyōsube and Ichimonji possess their limitations. They are unable to employ their abilities on the Soul King himself or on individuals connected to him.