BLEACH: Getsuga Jujisho, explained

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 the Getsuga Jūjishō in anime-only battles against powerful opponents, showcasing its destructive and defensive abilities.

During the first course of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood WarIchigo is forced to come to terms with the full truth of his identity and his soul's mixed heritage, culminating in the series' most pivotal episode, “The Blade Is Me”. Swordmaster Oetsu Nimaiya's forging of a brand-new Zanpakutō for Ichigo resulted in a pair of Zanpakutō; Each related to major aspects of his creation: Shinigami/Hollow and Quincy.

Naturally, Ichigo is now much stronger after training with Zero Squad, but he also has a more mature demeanor than in his earlier days, and as a result, his signature technique has been upgraded to reflect his dual Zanpakuto with Getsuga. Tenshō becomes a very destructive technique: Getsuga Jujishō. How does this improve Ichigo's signature attack?

What is Getsuga Tenshō?

Ichigo's projectile attack

Getsuga Tenshō (“Moon Fang Heaven-Piercing”) is a devastating technique that Ichigo first used in his first Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu (“Heaven Chain Killing Moon”) in which a build-up of reitsu is released from the blade as it is swung, creating a crescent-shaped arc of reitsu. When emitted from his Bankai, the Getsuga Tensho is composed of ominous, black reiatsu with a red or white backlight, but when used with his Shikai, the color of the energy matches Ichigo's standard blue (original series) and gold.A Thousand Years of Blood War).

Black Getsuga Tensho Hollow Ichigo (“Didn't I already tell you? I a.m Zangetsu!”), and also granted Ichigo the ability to manipulate his path. During the events of Hueco Mundo, Ichigo also learned how to coat Tensa Zangetsu in Getsuga Tensho, which amplifies every swing of the blade. Ichigo's version of Getsuga Tensho Belongs to the True Bankai, which is powerful enough to kill Yhwach if it weren't for its ability to undo his death.

Due to its connection to Zanpakutō, Isshin Kurosaki's Engetsu is also capable of Getsuga Tenshō. This ability is essentially carved into Ichigo's instincts, as he uses it many times before even knowing its name, and comes to master it during his Bankai training with Yoruichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara. This technique is used in a variety of ways, both offensively and defensively, making it one of Ichigo's most important abilities and a testament to his bond with Zangetsu.

After the events of “The Blade Is Me”, Ichigo's Zanpakutō now has two blades; A small knife similar to “Old Man Zangetsu” – his Quincy powers, and a large blade like a large Khyber knife sword that is a manifestation of his inner hollow and shinigami powers that he would wield throughout the series. This time, the larger blade has a small hollow section extending from the guard to the middle of the sword. Getsuga Jūjishō is an update of Getsuga Tenshō A technique that utilizes Ichigo's new Dual-Zanpakutō Shikai and creates an even more devastating projectile that is actually a combination of two slashes.

Cross-shaped heaven piercer

Explaining the mechanics of Getsuga Jujisho

Similar to the Getsuga Tenshō, the Getsuga Jūjishō is a projectile attack created from Ichigo's creation of reiatsu from Zangetsu's blade. However, now that his Zanpakutō's Sikai state has two blades, both contribute to the attack. Ichigo begins with a small, slow-moving horizontal swipe of his small blade at midhair before swinging his large blade downward, creating a cross-shaped wave of incredibly destructive energy.

The word “Jūjishō” comes from “Jūji”, which is a cross shape but also refers to the number 10, which is actually a shape formed by the attack when written in kanji, like 十. This makes “Getsuga Jūjishō” translate to “Cross-Shaped Heaven Piercer”, and serves as an upgrade to his signature attack that brings both blades together – thus signifying a new signature that combines the powers of his Shinigami/Hollow and Quincy aspects. . Interestingly, the cross is usually associated with Quincy, but theirs is a quincunx, while the four points of attack create a shape reminiscent of the soul king's quarter eye.

So far, we've only seen the Getsuga Jujisho twice, with Ichigo introducing it in later episodes. Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Part 2 After returning from training with the Zero Squad in an anime-only battle against the combined forces of Menias McAlone, Candice Catnip, Giselle Gavel, Lilto Lampard and the zombified Bambietta Basterbine. She used the Getsuga Jujisho to deflect Candice's powerful electrocution attack, and she lost her arm in the attack; While in Part 3, Ichigo attacked Yhwach shortly after throwing his new and improved Getsuga Tensho at the Quincy King. The attack was able to save Ichigo from a hail of arrows fired from Yowatch's Kirchenlied: Sanct Zwinger and even managed to knock him down.