Updated December 10, 2022 by Ernie
After a long hiatus in the Bleach anime series, it finally returns to continue its next story arc which is the Thousand Year Blood War Arc. If you’re not updated on the manga then surely a lot of questions will be raised and will leave several people hanging especially if they can’t wait for the next episode.
Table of Contents
If you look closely at Yhwach’s design, then his look will definitely remind you of a certain character who often makes his appearance in the anime. The black clothing, long black hair, and the figure on his face will make you think if you’ve seen that person before. Well, you’re not wrong because that person you’re thinking of is Zangetsu—Kurosaki Ichigo’s Zanpakuto. And surely this is going to be one of the first things that anime watchers will be questioning. So to answer that, let’s get on to it right now! Oh, and SPOILER ALERT so proceed if you dare…
Others you may like: 43+ Best Vampire Manga!
IS ZANGETSU AND YHWACH THE SAME??
Thousand Year Blood War
Before we get started, let’s focus first on the new arc that the anime just released and that’s the Thousand Year Blood War. During the events of this arc, Ishida Uryu’s Quincy brethren take their first appearance on-screen to seek destruction towards not just the Soul Reapers but the whole Soul Society. Everything is led by none other than their mastermind, Yhwach. He is not just called the Father of all Quincy but also the leader of the organization, Wandenreich.
A thousand years ago, the Soul Reapers and Quincy had a great dispute between each other and engaged in a major war. The cause of this is due to the fact that the Quincy simply exterminates the Hollows which contradicts the Soul Reapers’ ideals. But after the Quincy lost the war, they finally return after a thousand years to seek revenge on their sworn enemy and this time, it now also involves the Substitute Soul Reaper, Kurosaki Ichigo.
Who is Zangetsu?
In the early series, Zangetsu was initially introduced to be Ichigo’s Zanpakuto taking the form of an old man with pure black clothing and a white collar. He also wears sunglasses for some reason or maybe just for fashion purposes. He’s also coined as Old Man Zangetsu by Ichigo for obvious reasons. Zangetsu is a cool-headed person, and he frequently serves as Ichigo’s mentor and never ceases to encourage him to get stronger just like the time when he trained Ichigo to unlock his Bankai in only 3 days thanks to Yoruichi (Bleach, Episode 37).
After Ichigo unlocked his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, it takes the form of a young man almost the same as his age and wears similar clothing as the old man but more slimmer than his previous form. Other than that, Tensa Zangetsu was also the reason for Ichigo to unlockhis final and strongest move against Aizen Sosuke, the Final Getsuga Tenshou wherein after this ability is used, Ichigo’s Soul Reaper abilities will immediately disappear (Bleach, Chapter 420).
Is Zangestu and Yhwach just one person?
I’m gonna have to be straight with y’all here and the answer is no. Zangetsu is not Yhwach and Yhwach is not Zangetsu. Their existence is completely unrelated to each other. The swordsmith, Oetsu Nimaiya, even explains this as he reforges Ichigo’s Zanpakuto. He stated it clearly that the old man Zangetsu we know is actually not the manifestation of Zangetsu itself, but is rather just pretending to be one.
To avoid confusion, Nimaiya followed it up by saying that Zangetsu is the representation of Ichigo’s Quincy abilities. Zangetsu himself even confirmed this as he reappears in Ichigo’s inner world which only confuses him even more. He also clarified that he’s not Ichigo’s enemy nor ally and he always stayed in Ichigo’s goal of mastering his Zanpakuto (Bleach, Chapter 541).
The old man also elaborated that he’s not the main reason why Ichigo mastered his Zanpakuto and he used Hollow powers while training him. If you remember Hollow Ichigo with a pure white appearance then that’s the manifestation of Zangetsu itself along with his Hollow Powers and it makes even more sense because he also wields the same greatsword that Ichigo uses.
He even added that he never wanted Ichigo to become a Soul Reaper because once he does, he will have to kill him as his duty as a Quincy manifestation. However, as he notices Ichigo’s determination as a Soul Reaper who wants to become stronger and protect his friends, he decides to step back and give him the training he needs (Bleach, Chapter 541).
Others you may like: 20 Easiest Cosplay Outfits for Fans!
Why Do They Look Like Each Other?
This may have already been answered but to clarify it even more, the only reason why Zangetsu and Yhwach look like each other is that he is the manifestation of the Quincy powers that Ichigo has. Zangetsu also takes the appearance of Yhwach’s look 1000 years ago while Tensa Zangetsu is a much younger face of Yhwach.
You’ll also notice that the old man does not wield Ichigo’s sword since Zanpakutos should automatically have one of their own because they are the sword themselves and the only one who uses it is Hollow Ichigo. If you’re wondering how Ichigo got his Quincy abilities… well, that’s because his mother is actually a Quincy herself. This makes Ichigo a Soul Reaper, Quincy and a Hollow at the same time and he even became a Fullbringer in the process!
Who is Yhwach?
During the Thousand Year Blood War Arc, Yhwach becomes the main antagonist of the Arc and is known as the Father of the Quincy with the title of Emperor of Wandenreich. Yhwach takes on the appearance of an old man wearing a black trench coat and has long hair with a mustache.
Yhwach proclaims himself as a person who yearns for peace but is against the concept of honor and justice. Even though he respects the Gotei 13’s ideals, he sees them as a weaker bunch than they were 1000 years ago. You can also see him as some sort of tyrant since he won’t hesitate to kill off some of his useless subordinates.
The leader of Wandenreich possesses tremendous powers and can easily fight off against the Gotei 13 with his wits. When the Wandenreich first invaded Soul Society, they managed to kill off several Soul Reapers, and heavily wounded some lieutenants and even Captains. The Captain of the 1st Division is no exception to this even though he is deemed as the strongest among everyone in Seireitei. By using a clone of himself, Yhwach managed to find an opening and killed off Genryusai by beheading him instantly (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Episode 6).
CONCLUSION
So, there you have it guys! Looks like we got it all cleared up when it comes to the differences between these two mysterious characters! If you’re new to Bleach then everything might get confusing at first but as you stay tuned to the series, eventually it will all be clear to you! That’s all and check out the other blogs we have on Bleach!
Want some more? Check this out: 19+ Best Bleach Waifus & Girls!
