Essential Highlights
- Shunsui forges an alliance with Aizen, seeking critical assistance for the Gotei 13 in their confrontation against Yhwach.
- Following his fusion with the Hogyouku, Aizen stands as the second most formidable Shinigami, surpassed only by Ichigo, boasting extraordinary capabilities.
- Aizen’s immense might, supreme proficiency in Kidou, and his state of immortality render him nearly invulnerable.
In the most recent episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Shunsui Kyoraku, the freshly appointed Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, descends into the Muken, the underground prison of Squad 1. While his close ally Captain Ukitake is making a pact with a deity named Mimigahi to rescue the Soul Society, Shunsui opts to strike a deal with the notorious Sousuke Aizen. Kyoraku approaches Aizen just before dismantling his seal, imploring him to support the Gotei 13 in their struggle against Yhwach, recognizing that Aizen, rivaled only by Ichigo, is their best chance for victory.
Two years have passed since Aizen was sealed away after his spectacular clash with Dangai Ichigo, orchestrated by Kisuke Urahara. Nevertheless, he remains a being of unmatched caliber, standing apart from all others on the battlefield, save for Ichigo and Yhwach. Throughout his existence, Aizen has consistently surpassed the average Shinigami, but the fusion with the Hogyouku has bestowed upon him a level of power that transcends that of any other character in the Bleach universe.
Sousuke Aizen: The Transformation Through Hogyouku
A Unique Entity: Beyond Compare
From his birth, Sousuke Aizen emerged as a disturbance in the balance of souls, embodying a true anomaly. His existence was an aberration, even as an infant, he exhibited powers incomparable to other Shinigami. Skillfully concealing his true capabilities, he entered the Shinigami Academy and became a vice-captain of Squad 5 under Shinji Hirako. Following a series of Hollowfication experiments that devastated the Shinigami who would later become the Visored, Aizen ascended to captaincy of Squad 5, with Momo Hinamori as his vice-captain. Utilizing his Zanpakutou, Kyouka Suigetsu, he staged his own demise, betraying the Gotei 13 and eliminating the Central 46 before fleeing to Hueco Mundo with his accomplices, Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen.
“From the outset, no one has dared to claim dominion over the heavens. Not you, not I, nor even the gods. That intolerable void is now over. Henceforth… I shall rise above the heavens.”
In the Fake Karakura Town arc, Aizen singlehandedly defeated the entire Gotei 13, excluding the former Captain-Commander Yamamoto, without resorting to intricate Kidou techniques or even revealing his Bankai. The only opponent he regarded as a true challenge was Yamamoto, to whom he dispatched Wunderweiss Margera, an experimental Arrancar, as a countermeasure.
As Aizen underwent a transformative evolution, integrating with the Hogyouku, he easily vanquished Urahara, Isshin Kurosaki, and Yoruichi Shihouin while evolving. Upon reaching a higher form, his power became so overwhelming that it obliterated any human who ventured too close. Betrayed by Gin Ichimaru, Aizen evolved further, ultimately confronting a newly enhanced Ichigo during his final, terrifying transformation. Surviving Ichigo’s devastating Final Getsuga Tenshou: Mugetsu, he was later sealed away by Urahara and condemned to an 18,800-year sentence in Muken by the new Central 46.
In his confinement, Aizen remained joined with the Hogyouku, honing his abilities while entirely discarding his physical Zanpakutou form. Notably, during Yhwach’s visit prior to the First Quincy Invasion, Aizen displayed powers of his Zanpakutou simply by allowing Yhwach to gaze upon him, signifying his complete fusion with the Hogyouku and his zanpakutou.
Aizen’s Present Abilities
Unassailable and Awe-Inspiring
With his fusion with the Hogyouku and his transcendent evolution, Sousuke Aizen reigns as the most potent Shinigami ever, second only to Ichigo Kurosaki, who remains an anomaly in his own right. Aizen can wield his abilities effortlessly without needing to unveil his Shikai. His mastery of Kidou has enhanced dramatically, allowing him to execute powerful spells without incantation, including Hadou 99: Kurohitsugi (Black Box) and Hadou 99: Goryuutenmetsu (Five Swirling Dragons of Destruction), which are among the strongest techniques within the Bleach realm.
In addition to his tremendous power, Aizen possesses a form of immortality and is nearly indestructible. He can endure any injury as long as even a fraction of his immense spiritual pressure remains intact. Aizen would require an extraordinary force to inflict genuine harm or potentially threaten his life. Following his merger with the Hogyouku, Aizen’s already prodigious abilities have been significantly amplified. When the guards of Muken attempted to restrain him, their hands disintegrated in proximity to him, illustrating the lethal extent of his spiritual pressure; any soul venturing too close to him risks immediate death, as the sealing methods merely contain his immense spiritual energy.
“I must admit… You really are quite the entertaining individual. Do you inquire if I wish to inhale fresh air? Is that fresh air the scent of a Soul Society being ruthlessly crushed by Yhwach?”
Shunsui only released three of Aizen’s seals related to his mouth, left eye, and ankles, indicating that the majority of Aizen’s capabilities remain concealed. Aizen’s power is colossal, being identified as a Special War Threat by Yhwach due to the almost boundless strength and spiritual pressure he commands. He stands as an invincible entity, united with the Hogyouku and his Zanpakutou, reflecting the pinnacle of his transcendent evolution.
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