Summary of Key Points
- Utilization of Hollow Reiatsu by Urahara has transformed stolen Bankai into a form that is detrimental to Quincies.
- The Visored, sharing characteristics similar to Arrancar, are presumed to also be harmful to Quincies.
- Hollowfication potentially minimized the Shinigami’s losses during the ongoing war.
- Central 46 may have imposed limitations on the Visored regarding the use of Hollow abilities within the Seireitei.
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War depicts a dire situation for the Shinigami as their Bankai were commandeered by the Sternritter. In the second installment, Kisuke Urahara’s innovative strategy harnessed a unique property of Hollow Reiatsu to replenish the stolen Bankai to their rightful Shinigami, rendering their abilities harmful to Quincies. By infusing Shinigami with Hollow Reiatsu, they begin to resemble Arrancar, thus making their Bankai ineffective against Quincies.
This leads to a compelling question: if Hollow Reiatsu was such an effective solution, why weren’t the Visored immediately recognized for this toxicity? Moreover, why did they delay using Hollowfication throughout most of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc?
The root of this challenge lies in ideological divides. It becomes increasingly difficult to harbor hatred towards entities that, by nature, possess no ideology or will. The underlying reason for such enmity often stems from an instinctual fear of forces that pose existential threats.
Recap: Fundamental Virulence?
How Hollow Reiatsu Was the Key to Restoring the Bankai
Within the BLEACH universe, various races exist apart yet interconnected, drawn from the essence of the Soul King, a figure embodying opposing forces. The Soul King’s enigmatic nature as a composite of contrasting existences play a crucial role in shaping the narrative. Throughout their cycle of reincarnation, human souls transition through different stages, each defined by their unique forms of existence.
Typically, a human soul initially exists as a Plus, which ideally seeks passage to the Soul Society through traditional means such as Konsō. Failure to transition leads to despair, subsequently turning the soul into a Hollow. These Hollows actively seek out the souls of the living, drawn to them in a desperate attempt to satiate the existential void within their fragmented beings.
Human beings with spiritual awareness evolved into Quincies, engaging in a battle against Hollows using methods of complete annihilation that bar souls from reincarnation. While Shinigami aim for the exorcism of Hollows, Quincies deploy a far more aggressive strategy, rooted in a dire impulse to eradicate a natural adversary, reflecting the existential threat Hollows pose.
The Exiled Redeemed Ones
The Visored Have the Prerequisite Composition
The Visored consist of a cadre of elite Shinigami exiled from the Soul Society due to their purportedly forbidden experiments merging Shinigami and Hollow traits. However, they were ultimately victims of Aizen’s nefarious schemes, which had significant repercussions across the series’ lore.
Hollows, consumed by despair, take on masks that embody their lost humanity. When these masks are shattered, they gain Shinigami-like powers, transforming into Arrancar. Their power enhances their human appearance, enabling them to reclaim their original forms and wield their “Zanpakutō.”Aizen’s manipulations aimed to blur the distinctions between these identities, further complicating the dichotomy of soul types.
The Visored, including noteworthy characters like 3rd Squad Captain Rōjūrō “Rose”Ōtoribashi and several other Captains and Lieutenants, were victims of Aizen’s machinations. Fortunately, Kisuke Urahara intervened, allowing these exiled Shinigami to regain their sanity, although this led to Urahara being wrongly implicated in the resultant chaos. After Aizen’s downfall, some were reinstated to previous ranks to help fill the gaps left by his supporters.
Reasons Not To Hollowfy, #1: The Burden
Hollowfication Can Only Be Maintained For a Relatively Short Time
A significant point supporting the theory that the Visored share a similar makeup with Arrancar is their encounters with Quincies. Notably, Visored Captain Rose faced Sternritter U – NaNaNa Najahkoop during the initial invasion when Bankai were compromised, and intriguingly, his Bankai remained intact through the encounter. However, details regarding the survival of both combatants remain unclear.
As the narrative progressed, Rose and Kensei faced Sternritter S – Mask De Masculine in the “Rages at Ringside”episode. Despite employing their Bankai, they were decisively defeated, accentuating one of the series’ memorable moments of narrative exposition when Rose elaborately described his Bankai only to be swiftly incapacitated. This highlights the inherent risks of Hollowfication for Visored, as the transformation places severe strain on the body, limiting each individual’s ability to maintain their Hollow alteration based on personal endurance.
For context, Ichigo could sustain his Hollowfication for roughly eleven seconds, while others, like Mashiro, managed to maintain it for several hours with relative ease, suggesting variance in individual capacity. This disparity only amplifies the quandary, as it raises questions about how Hollowfication could have alleviated the staggering losses endured by the Shinigami.
Reasons Not To Hollowfy, #2: The Law
It Is Possible They Were Restricted By The Central 46
A widely-supported theory suggests that the reestablished Visored were prohibited from utilizing their Hollow abilities within Seireitei, a possibility substantiated by events in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, where Muguruma trained Shūhei Hisagi at the outskirts. This observation allowed Mashiro to use her Hollowfication freely.
The Central 46, serving as Soul Society’s judiciary authority, wields influence surpassing even the Captains. They appointed Shunsui Kyōraku as Captain-Commander post-Yamamoto’s demise and sentenced Aizen to an extensive confinement. Historically, the Central 46’s control has restricted Shinigami behaviors, which may have included forbidding Hollowfication for the Visored.
Before the Ryōka Invasion, openly carrying weapons within Seireitei was atypical for the Shinigami. Therefore, the Central 46’s authority likely extended toward regulating even the most powerful Shinigami. Hypothetically, the terms of the Visored’s reinstatement might have included limitations on their Hollowfication abilities.
Moreover, there might be a “wartime clause”permitting exceptions for weapon use, as seen when Zanpakutō were authorized for open carry, suggesting that under certain conditions, Hollowfication could have been permitted during critical moments of battle, especially when it could significantly influence the war’s outcome. A potential timeline extension of the Hollowfication access may have only been feasible late into Part 3, coinciding with battles at the former Soul King’s Palace rather than within the bounds of Seireitei.
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War can be streamed on Hulu and Disney+.
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