Understanding BLEACH’s Getsuga Jujisho: A Comprehensive Explanation

Key Insights

Ichigo’s latest dual-Zanpakutō enhances his iconic Getsuga Tenshō, transforming it into the formidable Getsuga Jūjishō.
The Getsuga Jūjishō merges Ichigo’s Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy abilities, represented by a striking cross-shaped energy wave.
Within battles exclusive to the anime, Ichigo showcases the Getsuga Jūjishō against fierce foes, highlighting its immense destructive and protective power.

In the initial part of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, Ichigo confronts the complexities of his identity and his unique heritage, leading to one of the series’ pivotal episodes, “The Blade is Me.” This episode marks the significant moment when the legendary swordsmith Ōetsu Nimaiya crafts a new Zanpakutō for Ichigo, resulting in a pair of blades that embody the core elements of his being: Shinigami/Hollow and Quincy.

Having undergone rigorous training with the Zero Squad, Ichigo emerges significantly more powerful and carries a matured presence compared to his earlier self. This evolution is reflected in his signature move, which upgrades the Getsuga Tenshō into the far more potent Getsuga Jūjishō. What enhancements does this new technique bring to Ichigo’s iconic attack?

Understanding the Getsuga Tenshō

Ichigo’s Advanced Projectile Move

The Getsuga Tenshō, also known as “Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer,” is a powerful technique first demonstrated when Ichigo employs his initial Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, where he releases a build-up of reiatsu from the blade during a swing, forming a crescent arc of energy. When executed from his Bankai, the Getsuga Tenshō manifests as a dark, ominous reiatsu, often highlighted with either red or white light, while its Shikai variant exhibits a blue (in the original series) and gold (during the Thousand-Year Blood War) hue.

This black version of the Getsuga Tenshō was brought forth by Hollow Ichigo, who famously proclaimed, “Didn’t I tell you already? I am Zangetsu!” Furthermore, it empowered Ichigo with the skill to manipulate its trajectory. Amid the events of Hueco Mundo, Ichigo refined the ability to envelop Tensa Zangetsu in the Getsuga Tenshō, amplifying each strike of his sword. The ultimate manifestation of this technique appears during his True Bankai, potent enough to have defeated Yhwach, were it not for his resurrection ability.

Isshin Kurosaki’s Engetsu, a related Zanpakutō, can also perform the Getsuga Tenshō, showing how embedded this technique is within Ichigo’s instincts; he often used it before even knowing its name. His mastery of the attack was honed during Bankai training with Yoruichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara. The versatility of the technique allows it to serve both offensive and defensive roles, cementing its significance in Ichigo’s arsenal and underscoring his connection to Zangetsu.

Following the events of “The Blade is Me,” Ichigo’s Zanpakutō evolved into two distinct blades: a smaller dagger with an enclosed grip representing “Old Man Zangetsu”, symbolizing his Quincy heritage, and a larger blade resembling the massive khyber knife sword he has wielded throughout the series, which embodies his Inner Hollow and Shinigami powers. Notably, this large blade now features a hollowed section between the guard and the middle of the sword. The introduction of the Getsuga Jūjishō builds upon the foundation of the Getsuga Tenshō, leveraging Ichigo’s dual-Zanpakutō Shikai to create a significantly more destructive attack produced through a combination of two swift slashes.

The Cross-Shaped Heaven Piercer

Analyzing the Mechanics of Getsuga Jūjishō

Similar to the Getsuga Tenshō, the Getsuga Jūjishō is a projectile technique that emerges from Ichigo’s built-up reiatsu released from his Zanpakutō’s blade. However, with Ichigo’s Shikai state now involving two blades, each contributes to the formation of the attack. Ichigo initiates the technique with a small, horizontal swipe of the smaller blade in mid-air before executing a downward swing with the larger blade, resulting in a cross-shaped energy wave of immense destructive capacity.

The term “Jūjishō”derives from “Jūji,” often referring to a cross shape while also indicating the number ten, which corresponds to the shape created by the attack when expressed in kanji (十). Interestingly, crosses are typically linked with the Quincy, their version resembling a quincunx, while the four points created mirror the divided eyes of the Soul King.

Thus far, the Getsuga Jūjishō has been witnessed on two occasions; Ichigo unveiled it in the later episodes of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 upon his return from Zero Squad training, utilizing it in an exclusive anime battle against the formidable combined forces of Menias McAllon, Candice Catnipp, Giselle Gewelle, Liltotto Lamperd, and the zombified Bambietta Basterbine. He utilized the Getsuga Jūjishō to nullify Candice’s potent Electrocution attack, resulting in her losing an arm. In Part 3, he unleashed the technique against Yhwach immediately after launching his upgraded Getsuga Tenshō at the Quincy King, successfully safeguarding himself from a barrage of arrows fired from Yhwach’s Kirchenlied: Sankt Zwinger, and even managed to knock Yhwach down.

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