The Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is one of the most highly anticipated parts of the legendary Big 3 shonen anime series, with a powerscaling game that goes off the charts. With more and more powerful characters being introduced, the hype for Part 4 is at an all-time high, especially after we got a taste of the amazing Bankai reveals in the series so far.

TITLEBleach: Thousand-Year Blood WarCREATORTite KuboRELEASE DATEOctober 11, 2022IMDb RATINGS (As of May 15, 2026)9/10WHERE TO WATCHHulu

With that being said, many of us are looking for a chronological listing of all the new Bankai revealed in the series so far, as we gear up for the final cour. Well, that’s why this list was created just for your convenience. Here are all the new Bankai introduced in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War so far, ranked chronologically from oldest to latest.

Spoiler Alert !!!This article contains potential spoilers from the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Saga.

10. Retsu Unohana – Minakuzi

Retsu Unohana from Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

During a brutal duel between two strong Kenpachi – Retsu Unohana and Kenpachi Zaraki – the former Kenpachi revealed her terrifying Bankai. Minazuki drenches the battlefield in a blood-like abyss and turns the fight into pure slaughter.

While it wasn’t that impactful in the original manga series, Studio Pierrot made sure it became one of the most memorable moments as the Thousand-Year Blood War saga began, amplifying the horror atmosphere.

9. Shinji Hirako – Sakashima Yokoshima Happofusagari

Shinji Hirako from Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Let’s be honest: if you are a Naruto fan and love the concept of Genjutsu, Shinji’s Bankai – Sakashima Yokoshima Happofusagari is your top pick in the Bleach anime series. What makes it so much anticipated is that this was an anime exclusive; Shinji Hirako’s Bankai was never shown in the original manga, making its anime debut especially important.

Its terrifying ability reverses the perception of friend and foe within its range, causing enemies to slaughter one another. It’s essentially a confusing Genjutsu technique that blurs the lines in large-scale battles, creating mass confusion without him raising a single finger.

8. Sajin Komamura – Kokujo Tengen Myo’o: Dangai Joe

Sajin Komamura from Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Sajin’s new Bankai, Kokujo Tengen Myo’o: Dangai Joe, is one of those moments that caught all of us off guard. While Sajin Komamura already had an established Bankai before Bleach: TYBW, Dangai Joe was an entirely new, transformed state never previously shown. Firstly, Sajin abandons his fox-humaoid forms and becomes completely human to activate this Bankai.

After sacrificing his heart through the Humanization Technique, Komamura gained an immortal humanized version of Kokujō Tengen Myō’ō capable of regenerating through devastating damage. The shape and size of his Bankai remain the same, but the power and strength are drastically different.

7. Kensei Muguruma – Tekken Tachikaze

Kensei Muguruma from Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Kensei Muguruma, the captain of the 9th Division in the Gotei 13 and a Visored, was the first to show us his Bankai in the Thousand-Year Blood War saga. His Zanpakuto – Tachikaze transforms from a single combat knife into a pair of large knuckle blades, which Kensei holds in each hand, upon the release of his Bankai, Tekken Tachikaze.

It’s one of the most straightforward Bankai in the series – pure close-range destruction. It’s basically an armor that grants him extra defensive and offensive powers, especially with the Bankai’s special ability; he focuses all of the Shikai form’s destructive power into its knuckle blades.

6. Rojuro Otoribashi (Rose) – Kinshara Butodan

Rojuro Otoribashi from Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

The second reveal in the arc came with Rojuro Otoribashi, the captain of the 3rd Division and a Visored. His Bankai was probably one of the most uniquely conceptualized ones in the series – Kinshara Butoda. Kinshara Butodan uses sound, illusion, and symphonic attacks to inflict psychological and physical damage on enemies.

What makes his Bankai even more powerful is that each “movement” of the performance creates a different deadly effect. However, call it sheer stupidity or not, Rose explained his Bankai word-for-word to Mask de Masculine, allowing the Quincy to counter it completely.

5. Renji Abarai – Soo Zabimaru

In the very same episode, we got to see Renji Abarai’s new Bankai, Soo Zabimaru. While previously we’ve seen a version of it in the anime and manga series, the Thousand-Year Blood War version is special. After Royal Guard training, Renji Abarai unlocked the true form of Zabimaru.

Unlike his incomplete previous Bankai, Soo Zabimaru combines overwhelming offense with versatility, granting new and powerful perks – massive skeletal snake attacks, Ape-arm cannon blasts, and the crushing finisher, Zaga Teppo.

4. Rukia Kuchiki – Hakka no Togame

Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Rukia’s Bankai, Hakka no Togame, is as beautiful and lethal a Bankai gets. Against her battle against As Nodt, the long-awaited Bankai reveal was finally done, and it was the ultimate deciding factor of the battle.

Hakka no Togame freezes everything around her to near-absolute zero temperatures, transforming Rukia into an elegant ice-like figure. While it was a beauty to read in the manga, the anime adaptation elevated this moment massively with cinematic direction, silence-heavy pacing, and some of the arc’s best visuals.

3. Senjumaru Sutara – Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji

Senjumaru Shutara from Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

The latest and most terrifying Bankai in the entire series, Senjumaru’s Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no Tsuji, engulfs the area around Senjumaru with darkness while a torii-like structure rises from the ground. The Bleach anime-original reveal creates a reality-warping woven domain that traps enemies within symbolic fates stitched into massive spiritual tapestries.

The six tanmono tapestries each have different environments and powers, and trap her enemies within them. This is by far the coolest and most powerful new addition to the anime series, further elevating the true power ranking of Squad 0.

2. Ichibe Hyosube – Shirafude Ichimonji

Ichibe Hyosube from Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Ichibe Hyosube’s Shirafude Ichimonji is technically not called a traditional Bankai – it predates the term itself, called as Shin’uchi, which is the original, ancient term for Bankai. It is one of the most broken releases in the entire series, using reality-bending offense.

His Zanpakuto, Ichimonji akes the form of a large calligraphy brush, which Ichibe’e uses to write calligraphic characters – characters that control reality itself. His Zanpakuto controls every Black in the world. He can manipulate names and concepts themselves; erasing names removes power, and renaming targets changes their nature.

1. Shunsui Kyoraku – Katen Kyokotsu: Karamatsu Shinju

Shunsui Kyoraku from Bleach | Credits: Studio Pierrot

One of the most highly anticipated Bankai reveals in the Bleach TYBW Saga was that of the new Captain of the 1st Division and Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 – Shunsui Kyoraku. His Bankai wasn’t just powerful, it was devastatingly strong; a last resort that he will only use if his allies are far enough away.

Karamatsu Shinjū forces everyone nearby into a horrifying four-act tragedy – sharing injuries, terminal despair, drowning darkness, and instant execution. Its atmosphere feels more like psychological horror than a normal anime power-up, making it the Saga’s most terrifying reveal.

RANKINGBANKAIUSERREVEAL EPISODE1Katen Kyokotsu: Karamatsu ShinjuShunsui KyorakuPart 3 Episode 92Shirafude IchimonjiIchibe HyosubePart 3 Episode 13Shatatsu Karagara Shigarami no TsujiSenjumaru SutaraPart 3 Episode 14Hakka no TogameRukia KuchikiPart 2 Episode 65Soo ZabimaruRenji AbaraiPart 2 Episode 56Kinshara ButodanRojuro Otoribashi (Rose)Part 2 Episode 57Tekken TachikazeKensei MugurumaPart 2 Episode 58Kokujo Tengen Myo’o: Dangai JoeSajin KomamuraPart 2 Episode 49Sakashima Yokoshima HappofusagariShinji HirakoPart 2 Episode 310MinazukiRetsu UnohanaPart 1 Episode 10

Here are some FAQs on this list:

Does Ichigo get a new Bankai in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War?

While he does get a new true Bankai in the TYBW series, the anime has yet to show it in Part 4.

What is Shunui Kyoraku’s Shikai’s special ability?

Shunsui Kyoraku’s Shikai, Katen Kyōkotsu, has the special ability to make children’s games real.

Who are the members of Squad 0 in Bleach TYBW?

The members are – Ichibe Hyosube (leader), Tenjiro Kirinji, Kirio Hikifune, Oetsu Nimaiya, and Senjumaru Shutara.

What are your thoughts on all the Bankai reveals in the Bleach: TYBW Arc so far? We’d love to hear your opinions in the comments below.

All Episodes of Bleach and Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War are available to stream on Hulu.
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