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In Bleach, it is stated that the size of Shinigami's zanpakuto (sword) is
based on their spiritual ability.

However, many strong Shinigami have smaller swords. Sui-Feng, for example, has
a zanpakuto that resembles a wakizashi, which is a relatively small sword. Why
does this happen?


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2012-12-24T20:16:48.023
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2014-04-15T22:25:44.180
2012-12-25T01:36:42.673
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bleach
Why do certain captain-level Shinigami wield small zanpakuto?


Because a shinigami's sword isn't based on their spiritual ability _alone_.

It also depends on the amount of control they have over their power. Ichigo's
sword was larger, but it was also brittle, out of focus if you may.

> Ichigo's father [stated](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eIAEe.jpg) that a huge
> zanpakuto means nothing, and that if they had no control, all captains would
> have skyscraper sized zanpakuto.


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2012-12-24T21:21:36.103
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2012-12-24T21:55:40.237
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Since Captains have immense spiritual power, their zanpakuto also have
potentially huge size and power. As mentioned in another answer, their ability
to control their power results in a small sealed zanpakuto.

However, their Shikai (initial release) and Bankai (final release) can cause
their zanpakuto size to increase, because they are no longer concealing its
power. See, for example:

  * Large Shikai ([Kyouraku Shunsui](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Shunsui_Ky%C5%8Draku#Zanpakut.C5.8D), [Ichimaru Gin](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Gin_Ichimaru#Zanpakut.C5.8D), [Kuchiki Byakuya](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Byakuya_Kuchiki#Zanpakut.C5.8D), [Unohana Retsu](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Retsu_Unohana#Zanpakut.C5.8D))
  * Large creatures as Bankai ([Kurotsuchi Mayuri](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Mayuri_Kurotsuchi#Zanpakut.C5.8D), [Komamura Sajin](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Sajin_Komamura#Zanpakut.C5.8D), [Abarai Renji](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Renji_Abarai#Zanpakut.C5.8D))
  * Other Bankai with great volume ([Kuchiki Byakuya](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Byakuya_Kuchiki#Zanpakut.C5.8D), [Tousen Kaname](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Kaname_T%C5%8Dsen#Zanpakut.C5.8D), [Suì-Fēng](http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Su%C3%AC-F%C4%93ng#Zanpakut.C5.8D))

At greater stages of release, the form of the zanpakuto depends greatly on its
specific abilities, but there is a potential for huge size.


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2012-12-25T02:46:02.793
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2012-12-25T02:46:02.793
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answer


Captain Class Shinigami and above have the ability to control the size of
their zanpakuto, they all make them far smaller than their spiritual energy
would make them to avoid carrying around a stupidly big sword.


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