Bankai with the greatest weakness

Key Takeaways

• Byakuya's Bankai can leave him exposed due to its hidden safe areas that enemies can exploit.
• Kyoraku's Bankai has limited use due to the risk of harming allies due to its area of ​​effect.
• Kenpachi's Bankai tears at his body for incredible power and carries the risk of harming himself and others.

In the world bleachBankai is the Soul Reaper's ultimate trump card, only used when absolutely necessary. These special abilities tend to be ridiculously powerful and often successful in eliminating opponents, but because they are all unique in how they work, some have some key weaknesses and quirks that limit their overall usability.

Because of this, some captains decided to only use their Bankai once or twice throughout the series to avoid being exposed during battle. Looking at the most notable weaknesses that can severely limit the user's abilities in combat, these Bankai admit to having the biggest holes in their reliability.

8 Senbonzakura Kageoshi (Kuchiki Byakuya)

While in Bankai, Byakuya's safe area may be exposed to enemies.

• First appearance: Episode 58

Zenbonsakura Kageyoshi, the most popular bankai in the series, sees Byakuya surround his opponents with a swarm of razor-sharp petals and strike them down with an infinite number of blades. Considering how many times Byakuya has used this technique, the risk level isn't as high as other techniques, but it does have a pretty big flaw: its safe zone, which Tsukishima revealed during the Fullbring Arc.

It turns out that Byakuya's enemies can be attacked from any direction at any time, but Byakuya remains protected because he can stand within a small safe circle in the center of his bankai. If a fighter gets close to Byakuya and they too stay in the circle, this can be a huge problem for the captain as it essentially renders the ability useless.

7 Katen Kyokotsu Karamatsu Shinju (Kyoraku Shusui)

The area of ​​effect of this bankai can make it dangerous to use with nearby allies.

• First appearance: TYBW episode 35

Kyoraku's Bankai is comprised of four different acts, each of which involves dissecting bits of the opponent's strength and will while simultaneously cutting them into pieces. Kyoraku has only executed his Bankai once in the entire series because, as Ukitake said, while it is amazingly effective against a single target, it also puts Kyoraku's allies in danger.

Kyoraku's Bankai has an area of ​​effect. That said, if you run into the same fight while an ally is using it, things can get ugly very quickly and could easily lead to someone's death. After Kyoraku used Bankai against Lille Barro, he was shown to be seriously injured due to the strain placed on his body. This is another downside to this fancy technology.

6 Hozukimaru Ryumon (Ikkaku Madarame)

Bankai having a slow startup limits its overall usability.

• First appearance: Episode 118

The moment where Ikkaku unleashes his Bankai against the Arrancar is often cited by fans as one of the most epic and thrilling Bankai activation scenes in the entire show. Despite not being the captain, Ikkaku achieved a truly impressive Bankai that transformed his Zanpakuto into two massive cleavers large enough to tear through even the most durable of enemies.

However, as he previously admitted, Hozukimaru Ryūmon is a “slow starter” as the spirit of his Zanpakuto begins to awaken as the fight progresses. As explained in Fake Karakura Town later in the series, Ikaku's Bankai also becomes weaker whenever it is broken. So while it's still a very powerful and threatening sight, the time it takes for this Bankai to reach its full effect is something most Soul Reapers can't handle in the heat of battle.

5 Zanka no Tachi (Yamamoto Genryusai)

Yamamoto's devastating Bankai is available for a limited time only

• First appearance: TYBW Episode 6

None other than Captain Yamamoto's Bankai, Zanka no Tachi, is by far one of the most destructive and powerful figures in all of Soul Society. When Yamamoto unleashes the power of his Zanpakuto, he cycles through four different phases of the attack that burns his enemies to a crisp and annihilates them from existence, but such power comes at a pretty high price.

As Yamamoto makes clear during his battle with Yhwach, using Zanka no Tachi for too long will destroy not only your enemies, but yourself and even the entire Soul Society. Even when Yamamoto first revealed his Bankai, the air within Soul Society grew heavier almost immediately, and this seemed to get worse the longer the sword was in operation.

4 Suzumushi Tsuishiki Enma Korogi (Kaname Tosen)

If the opponent gets too close to the sword, Tosen's Bankai is immediately canceled.

• First appearance: Episode 51

Tosen only served as captain for a short period of time in the series, so fans only see him use his bankai against his fellow captains once. However, his battle with Kenpachi completely explains how Tosen's Bankai works, allowing him to completely block his opponent's senses, allowing Tosen to slash his opponent from multiple angles without them feeling, seeing or hearing anything.

Luckily, when Zaraki grabbed Tosen's blade, he discovered Bankai's one major weakness, completely disabling his power and leaving him completely exposed. Kenpachi was able to figure this out pretty quickly as he is a fighter who likes to get up close to his enemies, so Tosen's Bankai is probably better suited for ranged enemies, which limits its versatility.

3 Kokujo Tenwonmyo (Komamura photo)

Komamura will receive all damage done to his Bankai

• First appearance: Episode 51

This specifically focuses on Komamura's Bankai before he receives an upgraded version later in the story. Kokujo Tengen Myo is essentially a giant version of Komamura in every sense of the word. This means that Kokujo Tengen Myo follows each of his physical movements and attacks exactly as he does. However, this also means that any damage Kokujo Tengen Myo takes also applies to Komamura, as the two are intrinsically linked.

It also doesn't help that although this Bankai is fast for its size, it's still slow compared to many others, and can be easily exploited if it has an ability that makes the opponent too agile to see. Again, Komamura strengthens this bankai in the Thousand Year Blood War arc, but it has always had flaws that still make it a bit dangerous to use.

2 Nozarashi (Kenpachi Zaraki)

Zaraki's Bankai tears through his body to gain a massive power surge.

• First appearance: Episode 669

Kenpachi's incredibly powerful Bankai is a last resort that causes as much damage to the user as it does to the opponent. When liberating Nozarashi, Zaraki assumes an oni-like appearance with glowing red skin and black markings covering the skin. He also receives a massive increase in strength and becomes much more ruthless than before, but Kenpachi loses all sense of reasoning in this form.

This means he essentially becomes a one-man killing machine who will attack friend and foe alike once his mindless gaze settles on them. Additionally, Bankai has so much power that Kenpachi tears his body apart while using it and becomes paralyzed after using it. When using a Bankai, there is always the possibility that Kenpachi could kill himself or someone else, so other captains are advised to limit its use as much as possible.

1 Togame Hakano (Rukia Kuchiki)

One wrong move with this ice bankai and Rukia could lose a limb or even her life.

• First appearance: TYBW episode 19

First used against Sternritter As Nodt during the Thousand Year Blood War, Rukia's Bankai sees her freeze everything nearby, including herself. Rukia's enemies caught in the attack immediately collapse, but Rukia survives, but moving too fast can cause serious harm to her body, and moving too quickly can even kill her.

This also suggests that Rukia does not have too much experience with using her Bankai, and while it is not a weakness in itself, it can still be dangerous when paired with a Bankai that requires a lot of caution to use properly without injury. . Thankfully, Byakuya was there to remind Rukia that releasing the Bankai slowly during the As Nodt battle was very important for safe use.