Forget Ikkaku, Tite Kubo Got Away With Giving 1 Character the Least Practical Bankai in Bleach History (2024)

Tite Kubo's decision to give the two worst Bankai to Ikkaku Madarame and Kensei Mugurama is probably his worst crime in Bleach's history.

Tite Kubo’s Bleach has been one of the most popular Shonen series that has been known for its ever-growing immersive world and out-of-the-box combat techniques. While other titles rely on the strongest character to win the battle, Kubo-Sensei’s magnum opus does not. Well, it showcases different strategies taken by each character to change the tide of the fight. Thus, making it unpredictable for the fans to foresee the winner.

While power does not play a major role, it adds to it, and what better way to have it than unleashing the Zanpakuto, the soul-cutting blades, to use its Bankai? The technique is the hidden ace, which allows its user to counter his opponent’s move or even kill them.

Despite the manga author having given strong Bankai abilities that hold the potential to grow stronger, he has also showcased some of the weakest abilities that have failed to impress its viewers. This was shown not only by Ikkaku Madarame but also by Kensei Muguruma, making them feel disappointed.

Tite Kubo’s Biggest Crime in Bleach: Giving Impractical Bankai to Ikkaku and Kensei

There’s no denying that Tite Kubo’s Bleach was one of the three series from the Big Three era that dominated the anime industry. Part of the series’ popularity was how he made Ichigo Kurosaki different from Monkey D. Luffy, but what made it all the more appealing was the introduction of Bankai by the Soul Reapers.

Many popular names, like Byakuya Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, and so many more, have showcased the true potential of their Zanpakuto. However, fans have also witnessed how Kubo-Sensei has given the most impractical Zanpakuto release to Ikkaku Madarame, where it featured oversized blades, narrowly defeating Edrad Leones.

Since then he has always been on the sidelines, where he can’t leave a strong impression in the minds of the viewers. However, he was not the only victim because Kensei Mugurama faced the same fate at the hands of the manga artist and was a major letdown in the eyes of the fans.

Even though, he was showcased as one of the coolest and probably the one with the most potential who also had a Hollow Mask. However, soon the fans learned that his punch-based Bankai seemed good to the ears only.

Well, it was evident that his aesthetically pleasing only because he could not lay a hand on Mask de Masculine during his battle. Additionally, his Bankai could not even shield him from his foe’s hard-hitting attacks, making him look nothing but desperate and miserable.

Nevertheless, fans do not see him as a poor addition to the Shonen series as they discuss on Reddit, where they share what they really think about the creativity that the manga author showcased through his Bankai.

Fans Give Their Take on Two Most Disappointing Banaki in All of Bleach

In the Bleach series, the fall of Kensei in the Thousand-Year Blood War was the most painful to watch. His character fell from the grace of heaven, and fans questioned him being the captain of the 9th Division of the Gotei 13. Though he is loved by the community members, they were surprised by how Kubo-Sensei designed his Bankai.

This was evident because a fan posted in r/Bleach asking the fandom, “Does Kensei possibly have the worst bankai that we’ve ever seen?” The users came forward and gave their opinion on how they liked it aesthetically, but tactically, its not very useful. The fans commented,

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Nevertheless, this is not the only flaw in the series because fans have pointed out four major red flags that have compelled the viewers to walk away from the show, like they did with the original series.

Bleach can be streamed on Hulu.