Kenpachi Zaraki
Kenpachi Zaraki is a male anime and manga character who features in Bleach.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Kenpachi Zaraki (Japanese: 更木 剣八, Hepburn: Zaraki Kenpachi) was originally an unnamed male soul that came to reside in the Soul Society. The young child decided to adopt the name of his district which was Zaraki that was District 80 of the North Alley of Rukongai. The region had an infamous reputation for being the worst and most lawless that was full of thieves and murderers. Whilst wandering the area, he came upon the dead body of a Shinigami where he took his Asauchi and later imprinted his soul upon it to make his own Zanpakutō. Over time, he became proficient in swordsmanship and killed numerous opponents where he came to grow bored of slashing and defeating everyone in his path. This was until one day when he came upon Yachiru Unohana and fought with her which became the first time he felt fear and subsequently the first fight he ever enjoyed. To enjoy their fight, he subconsciously sealed his power to prolong their battle and consequently lost to her. Following their clash, Zaraki came to admire his opponent and wanted to fight just like her.
Whilst with Yachiru, they were approached by Ikkaku Madarame who was looking for strong opponents to fight where he was accompanied by Yumichika Ayasegawa. At first, Ikkaku planned to pick on Yachiru which drew Kenpachi's attention and he unleashed a spiritual pressure with this first intimidating Madarame but he became excited at fighting a strong foe. Kepachi then decided and struck with such force that he left a crater underneath Ikkaku from the blow of his sword. Madarame was forced on the defensive after facing repeated strong and relentless strikes from his opponents where Ikkaku attempted to perform an overwhelming counter attack but failing to connect to Zaraki. Kenpachi was noted to have had fun in their fight but decided to end it and perform a quick strike against Ikkaku who miraculously survived. Madarame then demanded that Kenpachi kill him as this was the fate of a warrior to die at the hands of a strong opponent but Zaraki said he had no interest in killing weaklings. In anger, Ikkaku demanded to be killed again but this made Kenpachi angry who asked him why he wanted to admit defeat and die when he should seek to die in defeat. He told the man that he was lucky to had survived and that this was not a true defeat and that he should think of survival until he found a more worthy fight by trying to kill the person who failed to kill him. He then smiled and said that Madarame was simply lucky to had escaped death on this occasion and was ready to depart. Ikkaku then asked for his name with the Shinigami stating that he was Kenpachi from Zaraki.
Soul Society
He later attended a meeting of the Shinigami Captains of the Gotei 13 over the decision to sentence Rukia Kuchiki to death. Kenpachi and Gin Ichimaru both came to tease fellow captain Byakuya Kuchiki over a member of his noble family being branded a criminal. This annoyed Byakuya who traded insults with Zaraki who was ready to fight Kuchiki until Gin intervened where he took Kenpachi away from the scene. After Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends arrive in Soul Society, Zaraki tells Ichimaru a captain should have no problem killing a Ryoka. When Zaraki asks Yamamoto where the Ryoka are heading, an invasion alarm goes off, and Zaraki runs out of the captains' meeting. He begins to hunt the strongest Ryoka, but his lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi, guides him in the wrong direction for some time. While he is lost, he, coming across the 4th Division's compound, finds and stops Mayuri from 'interrogating' his 3rd Seated Officer, Ikkaku Madarame. Once Mayuri leaves, Ikkaku tells Zaraki the Ryoka he fought is getting stronger, and is fully aware of the captain. Ikkaku tells an excited and curious Zaraki that the Ryoka's name is Ichigo and what he looks like. After a while, Zaraki, having figured out where Ichigo is heading, waits there for him to arrive. While Ichigo, Ganju Shiba, and Hanatarō Yamada run through the Seireitei, they feel Zaraki's tremendous Reiatsu. As he tries to discern who among the three is the strongest, he finally realizes it is Ichigo. Introducing himself, he tells Ichigo he has come to kill him. As the others, trying get away from his strong Reiatsu, cannot get far, Zaraki confronts Ichigo. Zaraki is determined to fight Ichigo no matter what the issue may be, showing himself to be unconcerned with his friends or Rukia's fate. Zaraki, seeing Ichigo's battle stance, compliments him on it, though noting it has openings, and admits he likes his spiritual pressure. Zaraki, acknowledging he understands why Ikkaku lost to him, notes Ichigo is still weaker than him, so he decides to give Ichigo a fighting chance. Zaraki, baring his chest, tells Ichigo to cut him anywhere and not hold back. When Ichigo refuses to attack an unarmed opponent, Zaraki, while commending him, states it is simply a handicap, and while he appreciates the thought, Ichigo should save his sympathy for someone else. Zaraki tells him to either kill or be killed.
Hueco Mundo
Captain-Commander Yamamoto gave Captain Zaraki and Byakuya the task of journeying to the human world in order to ensure the forcibly return of Shinigami that were there investigating the Arrancar threat. At the time, Orihime Inoe had willingly joined the Arrancar and travelled to their world of Heuco Mundo with this seeing her declared an enemy by the Soul Society. Thus, all Shinigami out in the field were ordered to return but Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai were planning to defy this command and try to recover her with Ichigo Kurosaki. The arrival of the two Captains was to ensure the two Shinigami to forcibly return to the Soul Society and prevent them from acting on their own. Thus, the two were returned whereupon Kenpachi returned back to his existing duties. However, afterwards, he was among three Captains sent into Hueco Mundo as part of an assignment against the Espada. This saw Captain Zaraki arrive just in time to save Ichigo from the Arrancar Nnoitra Gilga. The two then battled where Kenpachi enjoyed fighting an opponent that allowed him to unleash more of his strength.
Lost Substitute Shinigami
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Kenpachi Zaraki was a tall, muscular Shinigami with wild and aggressive features. His most distinctive feature was his hair that was styled into liberty spikes with bells on the ends.
The most distinctive quality of Zaraki was that he was a violent fighter defined as being a man of action. He was shown to live for battle where he enjoyed nothing more than a good fight. He was even known to hold back in an effort to prolong a fight and make it last longer. Kenpachi had said that injury or death was simply the price paid for a good fight. Though enjoying a fight, he was shown to stop if his opponent was too injured to fight back with him losing interest in fighting 'weaklings' unable to fight anymore. Some of his foes grew insulted at this predicament where they would ask him to kill them with Zaraki stating that he was not obligated to deal a death blow to anyone who could not fight any longer. Despite that, he showed no hesitation in killing an enemy that refused to end their fight.
Although he is known to be a violent man who fights for his own interest, Zaraki's actions tend to be for the best. Zaraki lives for battle, and enjoys a good fight more than anything. He even holds back in an effort to make any fight last longer. He claims injury and death are nothing but the price one pays for a good fight. Despite his tendency to be brutal, Zaraki usually stops a fight if his opponent is too injured to fight back, not interested in fighting "weaklings who can't fight anymore", and he does not feel obligated to deal a death blow to anyone who cannot fight any longer. However, he will unhesitatingly kill his opponent if they refuse to stop fighting, such as during his battles with Kaname Tōsen and Nnoitra Gilga. He also takes his title as Kenpachi seriously, telling Gremmy Thoumeaux that there is nothing the latter can create that he cannot cut because the power his title implies is not to be taken lightly.
He showed a great deal of respect to those who could defeat him in a fight and those who pushed him to his limit.
Powers and abilities
When fighting powerful opponents, Zaraki took some time to gradually improve his fighting skill. He accounted for this as being rusty with his muscles not being used to operating as full strength. Thus, the longer he fought a stronger opponent the more his fighting skill improved as he gradually remembered to use his strength to its full potential.
To contain his power, he wore an eyepatch that sealed his abilities with this having been created by the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. Once in place, it sealed the greater bulk of Reiryoku which Kenpachi did so because he liked fighting and did not wish to fight foes he would destroy easily at his full strength. Thus, he kept it in place and only released it if he found a challenger worthy of fighting him at his full strength.
He wielded a Zanpakutō (斬魄刀, Soul-Cutter Sword; Viz "Soul Slayer") named Nozarashi (野晒, Weather-Beaten One; Viz "Weather Beaten") where he managed to imprint on the sword when he was an untrained child. It was longer than a standard Zanpakutō's with it being roughly the size of a nodachi where the long guard extended inward from its center similar to a shinai. The hilt was shown to be white though most of it is wrapped in bandages as is his sword's sheath.
Notes
- Kenpachi Zaraki was created by Tite Kubo where he featured in the setting of the Bleach universe.
In other media
Television
- In Bleach, Kenpachi Zaraki appeared in the setting of the anime television series adaptation where he was voiced by Japanese actor Fumihiko Tachiki and English actor David Lodge.
Films
Video games
Appearances
- Bleach:
External Links
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