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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.


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2019-05-20T15:31:51.493
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2021-04-19T17:40:27.603
2019-05-22T09:14:13.363
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bleach
Has a bankai ever been silently activated?


A _bankai_ has never been silently released before. That is to say, a Soul
Reaper has never silently achieved _bankai_ in the middle of a fight and
continued the battle.

Each _bankai_ does have a formal declaration, even if it is a bit more sly
than others (such as Kuchiki Byakuya throwing his sword down on some
occasions), but there is still the ceremony of declaring it as _bankai_ and
revealing its name.


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2019-05-23T04:35:27.970
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2019-05-23T04:35:27.970
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answer


# 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)


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2019-05-27T09:45:26.550
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2019-05-27T09:45:26.550
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