‘I can see him using this technique again’: Tite Kubo Can’t Forget Byakuya’s Best Ability in Bleach After Bringing Him Back From Certain Death

SUMMARY

• Kuchiki Byakuya is one of the most powerful characters in Bleach.
• His Bankai has a special attack called Shukei: Hakuteiken which he has only used once.
• There is a reason why Byakuya doesn't use this attack anymore but there is a chance that Tite Kubo might bring it back in the series.

Tite Kubo’s Bleach features a lot of strong and powerful characters, but very few of them can stand up to the might of Kuchiki Byakuya. He is not only the 28th head of the Kuchiki Clan but is also the captain of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13. He is a fan-favorite character who is known for his calm and egotistic personality that has helped in many ways.

Byakuya Kuchiki from Bleach | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Being the captain of a Gotei 13 Division, Byakuya is bound to have an insane amount of strength in the form of his Zanpakuto and his Bankai. His Bankai is called Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, and it is probably the only Bankai that was able to match the power level of Ichigo’s Zangetsu. And it was only possible because of his most dangerous attack called Shukei: Hakuteiken.

Shukei: Hakuteiken’s is one of the strongest attacks ever seen in Bleach, and it is Kuchiki Byakuya’s best ability. However, fans have only witnessed it once in the entire Bleach narrative. This explains the rarity of the attack, but there is a reason why Byakuya only saves it for special occasions in Bleach.

Kuchiki Byakuya’s most savage attack in Bleach

Byakuya’s Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, is one of the strongest powers in Bleach, and it was also one of the very first Bankai seen in the storyline. It creates a violent storm of countless tiny, sharp blades in the form of petals that can be manipulated to attack by Byakuya from all directions. It has many different forms that change according to the strength of the opponent.

Out of all the attacks that Byakuya used during his Bankai transformation, the most lethal one is Shukei: Hakuteiken. The ability brings all the different blades and petals of Senbonzakura together into one large sword that emits spiritual pressure and holds immense power. The spiritual pressure spreads like wings and takes the form of a bird, making it look even more powerful.

Byakuya’s Shukei: Hakuteiken | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Although Byakuya has only used it once, it has been one of the most talked-about abilities in Bleach. It only allows one single blow to Byakuya, but even that single blow is powerful enough to destroy half of the Soul Society. This is why Byakuya only uses it for special battles in Bleach.

Kuchiki Byakuya has not used Shukei: Hakuteiken again

Byakuya’s Shukei: Hakuteiken had a lot of potential in Bleach, but he only used it once. There are multiple reasons behind this and one of the biggest ones is that he never faced anyone as strong as Ichigo after their battle. And during the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, before Byakuya could use it again, his Bankai was stolen by Äs Nödt.

Byakuya in Bleach | Credit: Studio Pierrot

The rarity of Shukei: Hakuteiken points out its importance as an ability in Bleach.

The first and only time Byakuya used it, he was trying to defend the honor and integrity of the Kuchiki clan, one of the four great noble clans in Soul Society. For a character like Byakuya, the pride and honor of his clan are everything, and he would go to any extent to protect it.

Tite Kubo brought Byakuya back from the dead to serve as a supporting character in the battle against the Quincies. But in the future, if the honor of the Kuchiki clan is put in danger again, nothing will stop Byakuya from using Shukei: Hakuteiken in Bleach again.

Bleach is available to watch on Hulu.

Written by Tarun Kohli

Articles Published: 2049

Konichiwa! With a Master's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a 2-year experience in Digital media writing, I am on my way to becoming one of the biggest anime content writers in my country. My passion for writing and Anime has helped me connect with Fandomwire, and share my love and experience with the world.