BLEACH: Getsuga Jujisho, Explained

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Key Takeaways

  • Ichigo’s new dual-Zanpakutō upgrades his signature Getsuga Tenshō to the more powerful Getsuga Jūjishō.
  • Getsuga Jūjishō combines his Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy powers, symbolized by a cross-shaped wave of energy.
  • Ichigo uses Getsuga Jūjishō in anime-only fights against powerful opponents, showcasing its devastating and defensive capabilities.

As a gamer who’s been following Bleach since its early days, I can confidently say that Ichigo’s new Getsuga Jūjishō is a game-changer! The combination of his Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy powers in this signature attack not only makes for an impressive visual spectacle but also packs quite the punch.

In the initial arc of “BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War“, Ichigo is compelled to confront the complete reality of his identity and his soul’s complex lineage, leading up to one of the series’ pivotal episodes titled “The Blade is Me”. The climax of swordmaster Ōetsu Nimaiya’s creation of a new Zanpakutō for Ichigo resulted in two Zanpakutō; these weapons mirrored the significant elements of his makeup: Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy.

After undergoing rigorous training with the Zero Squad, Ichigo has significantly strengthened and displays a far more mature persona compared to his earlier self. Consequently, his iconic move, the Getsuga Tenshō, has been enhanced to align with his dual Zanpakutō, now known as Getsuga Jūjishō. This upgrade notably amplifies the destructive power of Ichigo’s signature attack.

What is the Getsuga Tenshō?

Ichigo’s Projectile Attack

The Getsuga Tenshō, also known as “Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer,” is a destructive move that Ichigo initially performs mainly with his first Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu (“Heaven Chain Slaying Moon”). This technique involves the accumulation of spiritual pressure in the blade, which is then unleashed as it’s swung, forming a crescent-shaped wave of spiritual energy. When discharged from his Bankai, Getsuga Tenshō exhibits a foreboding black spiritual energy with either a red or white afterglow; however, when used with his Shikai, the color of the energy corresponds to Ichigo’s standard blue (original series) and gold (Thousand-Year Blood War).

Through my previous explanation, you’ve learned that Hollow Ichigo developed the powerful technique known as Getsuga Tensho. This is noteworthy because he exclaimed, “Didn’t I tell you already? I am Zangetsu!” The Getsuga Tensho granted Ichigo control over its trajectory. In the course of Hueco Mundo’s events, Ichigo mastered the skill to encase his sword, Tensa Zangetsu, within the Getsuga Tensho, enhancing each stroke. The most potent manifestation of Getsuga Tensho is its True Bankai form, which possesses enough power to have potentially killed Yhwach, had it not been for his ability to reverse death.

Because Isshin Kurosaki’s Zanpakutō, Engetsu, is closely linked with others, it can perform the Getsuga Tenshō as well. This skill is deeply ingrained in Ichigo’s reflexes, as he uses it multiple times without knowing its name initially, and eventually masters it during his Bankai training with Yoruichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara. The technique has been utilized in various ways, serving both offense and defense, making it one of Ichigo’s key abilities that highlights his bond with Zangetsu.

Following the storyline of “The Blade is Me”, Ichigo’s sword now consists of two blades: a compact knife with a built-in handle, symbolizing his Quincy abilities (represented by “Old Man Zangetsu”), and a larger blade resembling the massive khyber knife sword he used throughout the series, representing his Inner Hollow and Shinigami powers. The big blade features a small hollowed-out section stretching from the hilt to the center of the sword. The Getsuga Jūjishō is an enhanced version of the Getsuga Tenshō technique, utilizing Ichigo’s dual-Zanpakutō Shikai to produce a more destructive projectile by combining two sword slashes.

The Cross-Shaped Heaven Piercer

Explaining the Mechanics of Getsuga Jūjishō

Similar to Getsuga Tenshō, Getsuga Jūjishō is a destructive projectile attack that originates from the release of built-up spiritual pressure (reiatsu) from the blades of Ichigo’s Zangetsu. Unlike before when his Zanpakutō had only one blade, now with its Shikai state being two blades, both swords participate in this attack. The assault begins with a small, gradually moving horizontal slash from his smaller sword mid-air, followed by swinging his larger sword downwards. This motion generates a cross-shaped wave of immense energy.

The “Jūjishō” originates from the word “Jūji”, which represents a cross shape and also signifies the number 10. In kanji, this number is written as 十. So, “Getsuga Jūjishо” can be roughly translated to “Cross-shaped Heaven Piercer”. This enhanced version of his signature move combines the weapons from both his Shinigami/Hollow and Quincy aspects. Notably, crosses are often linked with the Quincy, but in this case, it’s not a quincunx; instead, the four points resemble the eyes of the Soul King divided into quarters.

Up until now, we’ve witnessed the Getsuga Jūjishō on two occasions. In the later episodes of “BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2”, Ichigo introduced it following his training with the Zero Squad in a unique battle against the combined forces of Menias McAllon, Candice Catnipp, Giselle Gewelle, Liltotto Lamperd, and the reanimated Bambietta Basterbine. He utilized Getsuga Jūjishō to counter Candice’s potent Electrocution attack, resulting in her losing an arm; in Part 3, Ichigo deployed it against Yhwach shortly after hurling his enhanced Getsuga Tenshō at the Quincy King. The attack successfully shielded Ichigo from a barrage of arrows discharged from Yhwach’s Kirchenlied: Sankt Zwinger, and even sent him tumbling to the ground.

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2024-10-23 20:04