There are countless powerful and iconic characters in Bleach, each with their own unique abilities. However, there is one particular ability that is far more exciting than the rest, the Bankai. In a nutshell, a Bankai is a level up version of a Shinigami’s power, sort of like the Super Saiyan version of the characters in Dragon Balls. And just like their own base powers, Bankai is also different from one character to the next.
There is Bankai that is so powerful it can literally burn the air within the radius of a city, but there’s also useless Bankai that is so big and cumbersome to use. Among all of those different kinds of Bankai, there is one particular Bankai that is often considered to be quite underwhelming. It’s not weak, but it’s not powerful either. This Bankai belongs to the captain of the 10th Division of the Gotei 13, Toshiro Hitsugaya, and it’s called Daiguren Hyorinmaru. What most people may not realize, however, is the fact that there is a secret to this Bankai that can actually turn it into one of the strongest Bankai in the series.
Hitsugaya’s Bankai: Daiguren Hyorinmaru
Hitsugaya’s katana, also known as Zanpakuto in Bleach, is called Hyorinmaru, and it has an ice-based power. As a matter of fact, Hyorinmaru is the strongest ice-based zanpakuto in Soul Society. It can create ice out of thin air, and freeze almost everything it touches, including the surrounding air. The Bankai version of Hyorinmaru is called Diaiguren Hyorinmaru, and it is basically the improved version of Hyorinmaru.
When Hitsugaya activates his bankai, his upper body will be covered by a thick layer of armor made out of ice. Not only that, a pair of ice wings will also appear on his back, alongside an ice tail from his hips. Furthermore, his right arm will also be covered by a sheath of ice that extends all the way to his zanpakuto. Not only that, his hands and feet will also be covered by ice in the shape of dragon claws. Last but not least, three big ice flowers will be hovering at the back of Hitsugaya. These flowers have four petals each, and as time goes by, these ice petals will be shattered one by one.
In terms of power, Daiguren Hyorinmaru is an enhanced version of Hyorinmaru. The thickness, the durability, and also the temperature of the ice will be greatly improved. The area that can be affected by the ice will be greatly increased as well. Other than that, the techniques that Hitsugaya uses during battle are basically the same as the one that he would use with the regular Hyorinmaru.
Misconception About Daiguren Hyorinmaru
Most people, be it the characters in the series or the viewers who watch the series, tend to view Daiguren Hyorinmaru as some kind of second-class Bankai, especially when compared to the Bankai from the other captains. There are two main reasons for this, the fact that the techniques are mostly similar to the base Hyorinmaru version with some notable cosmetic changes, and the aforementioned flower petals.
The lack of meaningful changes in techniques and abilities are definitely a legitimate concern. Even Hitsugaya himself is shown to be somewhat frustrated with his lack of power on several occasions. After all, it is apparent to see that there are not many things that Daiguren Hyorinmaru can do when facing powerful opponents. And that is precisely what happens during the Quincy invasion in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.
As to the flower petals, well, most people believe that those petals are an indication of how long Hitsugaya can use his Bankai. After all, the longer he uses Daiguren Hyorinmaru, more and more ice petals will disintegrate. This is considered as a major flaw by his allies and enemies alike. What they may not realize, however, is the fact that it is all a misconception on their part. Those petals are not a countdown to the end of Hitsugaya’s bankai. On the contrary, it is the countdown to the complete form of Daiguren Hyorinmaru.
The Complete Daiguren Hyorinmaru
At the start of the Thousand-Year Blood War, Hitsugaya’s Bankai is stolen by one of the Sternritter. Losing his greatest weapon, Hitsugaya is forced to reflect on his own ability. Because deep down, he knows that even if he gets to use his trusted Bankai again, he may not be able to defeat the top Sternritter on his own. And that is when he finally finds the way to access the complete form of Daiguren Hyorinmaru.
As mentioned before, Daiguren Hyorinmaru is truly the strongest ice-based Bankai in Soul Society. Unfortunately, despite holding the prestigious position as one of the captains of the Gotei 13, Hitsugaya himself is still a mere teenager. That means there’s a limit to how much power that his body can produce. And that is basically what has been limiting Daiguren Hyorinmaru all this time. Long story short, Hitsugaya’s body cannot wield the full might of his own Bankai. So what should he do? Well, he simply needs to be an adult.
That is basically what happens near the end of the Thousand-Year Blood War. After snatching Daiguren Hyorinmaru back from its captor, Hitsugaya immediately activates his Bankai and goes against one of the strongest Sterneritter, a towering man called Gerard Valkyrie. And when the last petals of his Bankai finally dissipate into thin air, Hitsugaya uses a secret technique to temporarily turn himself into an adult. At that point, the Daiguren Hyorinmaru is finally complete.
The power of the complete form of Daiguren Hyorinmaru cannot be compared to its regular version. After all, in this form, Hitsugaya is able to completely freeze anything within a couple of miles radius with just a simple gesture of his hand. Not only that, objects that have been frozen will lose any of its effects or abilities, basically turning it into a simple block of ice. His power is so great that it can easily hurt his allies if he is not careful with it, sort of like Captain Yamamoto’s Bankai.
That means the only reason why Hitsugaya’s Bankai looks so underwhelming is because this Bankai has been nerfed all this time. Because the truth is, Daiguren Hyorinmaru is easily one of the most powerful Bankai in Bleach.