Has a bankai ever been silently activated?


To activate a Bankai or its ability, is the user required to perform some
verbal command activation?

For example, Ichigo often yells

> Bankai: Tensa Zangetsu

However, I'm pretty sure that I've read some silent activations, but I can't
remember for sure.

So has a Bankai ever been activated without a vocal command?

Note that this is not a duplicate of [Can a mute activate a
zanpakutou](https://anime.stackexchange.com/q/51328/1458), as that question
asks whether it is possible. And this question asks if a silent activation has
ever happened in the series.




# Yes, it has.

After re-reading the manga, this happens twice. Once when Ichigo fights
Ulquiorra for the first time in Las Noches

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2CsBi.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2CsBi.png)

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kzMoq.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kzMoq.png)

And again in his [fight](https://youtu.be/gr9qc_MNGJ4?t=147) against Grimmjow

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/EUnyF.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/EUnyF.jpg)

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/O2bvO.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/O2bvO.jpg)




# Yes, it has.

After re-reading the manga, this happens twice. Once when Ichigo fights
Ulquiorra for the first time in Las Noches

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2CsBi.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2CsBi.png)

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kzMoq.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kzMoq.png)

And again in his [fight](https://youtu.be/gr9qc_MNGJ4?t=147) against Grimmjow

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/EUnyF.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/EUnyF.jpg)

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/O2bvO.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/O2bvO.jpg)

