20_souls

1.

There have been many theories about what precisely the Zanpakutō spirits are, where they come from and why only some shinigami can hear them speak. Every theory has been created solely my shinigami and mostly by nobles.

That said every theory is wrong.

2.

Zanpakutō are NOT simply a manifestation of a person’s soul. They are beings in their own right with their own unique power. That is why they all have their own names. If they were part of a human’s soul then they would have that human’s name.

3.

Zanpakutō come from Dedokoro – a dimension that exists alongside the human realm, Hueco Mundo and Soul Society. Nothing and no one but Zanpakutō have ever been there. They can look into any of the dimensions at any location whenever they wish, but many spend time socializing, fighting, sleeping and various other habits.

This is probably why Zanpakutō can take centuries to find a partner.

4.

Despite the fact that they can stay in Dedokoro indefinitely with no repercussions, each Zanpakutō is drawn to find a partner to work with. Once they find that partner (shortly before the soul is born – either in the Human World or Soul Society), they merge with the soul in a symbiotic relationship. The partner receives the abilities tied to the Zanpakutō, and the spirit is finally rid of that nagging compulsion to bond with someone.

5.

Even if asked (and to this day, not a single person has ever thought to ask) no Zanpakutō can properly explain WHY they chose a particular person to partner with. As Ruri’iro Kujaku 1 (“Don’t call me Fuji Kujaku!”) once put it, “there was a certain je ne sais quoi about him.”

6.

Not every shinigami actually HAS a shinigami spirit, although no one in Soul Society realizes it. That is why some shinigami never learn their swords names – they’re listening for something that simply isn’t there.

7.

Many more people fail to realize their potential simply because their Zanpakutō hasn’t awoken yet. It usually takes a visit to a soul’s inner world or some outside stimulus to awaken a Zanpakutō spirit.

Kurosaki Ichigo met Zangetsu when he was thrown into his inner world.

The spirit belonging to Kusajishi Yachiru awoke when she was two to save her from being killed. This spirit remains eternally grateful for the timely appearance of Zaraki Kenpachi.

8.

Conversely, not every person possessing a Zanpakutō is recognized as a shinigami. Orihime Inoue actually has a colony-type Zanpakutō, but the abilities of Shun Shun Rikka are so bizarre that no one (including Orihime) realizes what they really are.

9.

There seems to be a direct relation between how strong a Zanpakutō spirit is and the strength of the person they bond with. Contrary to popular belief, having strong reiatsu doesn’t mean you’ll have a strong Zanpakutō – case in point: the Quincy.

However, it still makes perfect sense since no self-respecting Zanpakutō wants to bond with someone who’ll never have the strength to utilize the spirit’s abilities to the fullest.

10.

It’s also been acknowledged among the Zanpakutō that a disproportionate number of their strongest are attracted to… unique personalities.

No one has quite decided what to think of that.

11.

Many millennia ago, some random Zanpakutō (currently unknown) started a giant debate over why spirits ended up bonded to souls with similar characteristics and personalities.

One side argued that Zanpakutō bonded with similar souls because they harmonized better.

Others thought that the Zanpakutō’s presence in early development actually influenced the person to adopt traits based on the spirit’s personality.

It’s one of the great mysteries on life, which will never be solved. Sort of like the chicken and the egg argument.

12.

While in Dedokoro, Zanpakutō essentially form a society. However, due to the nature of Zanpakutō, this society bears more of a resemblance to the nomadic denizens of Hueco Mundo than either Soul Society or the Human World. After all, Zanpakutō have no need to eat, they can’t kill each other, they don’t have leaders and the majority of them focus on the present rather than lingering in the past or obsessing over the future.

They can still feel pain though, and they all have different levels of strength. As a result, some Zanpakutō are respected more than others and given a wider berth when angry.

13.

The strongest Zanpakutō tend to have unique or eccentric personalities themselves. This is generally considered a bad thing by the weaker spirits if only because they’re harder to predict.

14.

There’s no set moral ideology among the Zanpakutō. Each spirit decides for themselves what characteristics they approve of and what actions they think are appropriate. Their personalities range from absolute saints to twisted psychopaths.

This explains the diversity among those who wield their power.

15.

There are a few standards in Dedokoro.

They don’t tell their partners the abilities of other Zanpakutō.

They don’t speak about the spirits of other Zanpakutō unless their respective wielders are already close to each other.

They don’t get caught visiting other spirits’ realms by the owner of that inner world.

16.

Zanpakutō typically visit each other inside their wielder’s inner worlds, but the range where they can stay in contact depends on the strength of the shinigami.

Senbonzakura 2 is well liked if simply because of the beautiful scenery in her home.

17.

Zanpakutō are as capable of liking and disliking each other as any human.

Katen Kyōkotsu 3 and Sōgyo no Kotowari 4 have been friends for as long as they’ve existed.

Ashisogi Jizō 5 has been a recluse for even longer.

18.

It’s a generally accepted theory that a Zanpakutō’s opinion for other Zanpakutō can influence their wielders despite not mentioning anything specific.

This is probably the reason behind the almost universal distaste for Kurotsuchi Mayuri.

And the fear for Yamamoto-Genryūsai Shigekuni.

19.

When a Shinigami dies, a Zanpakutō has two choices. They can either pass into the reincarnation cycle with their wielder to guarantee that they’ll have the same partner. Or they can return to Dedokoro and live until another soul catches their attention. Often their new partner will be the reincarnation of their last wielder but not always.

20.

A Zanpakutō chooses its name when it chooses a partner, and its physical appearance and abilities always change just slightly depending on that partner.

This is why the shinigami think that Zanpakutō only ever appear once and then they’re lost when the person dies.

No spirit has ever enlightened them.

1 Ruri'iro Kujaku / Fuji Kujaku = Ayasegawa Yumichika

2 Senbonzakura = Kuchiki Byakuya

3 Katen Kyōkotsu = Kyōraku Shunsui

4 Sōgyo no Kotowari = Ukitake Jūshirō

5 Ashisogi Jizō = Kurotsuchi Mayuri