A Bankai never seen in either the anime or the manga is finally revealed in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, episode 3.
Highlights
- The recent episodes of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 revealed the never-before-seen Bankai of Shinji Hirako, the leader of the Visored.
- Hirako’s Bankai, Sakashima Yokoshima Happōfusagari, is a dangerous ability that inverts the sense of direction and perception of friend and foe, leading to devastating effects.
- The name and symbolism behind Hirako’s Bankai describe a state of chaos, evil, and discord that blocks off the paths to liberation and resembles a kind of Hell.
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Warning: The following contains spoilers for BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, Episode 3, “The Fundamental Virulence” now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
A major development in recent episodes of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 – The Separation is the reveal of a never-before seen Bankai in the third episode, titled, “The Fundamental Virulence”. First introduced during the Hueco Mundo arc as the leader of the Visored, a group of formerly high-ranked officers forced to defect as a result of being subject to Sosuke Aizen’s Hollowfication experiments, the full extent of Shinji Hirako’s abilities was yet to be seen in either the manga or the original anime.
Hirako’s Bankai was referred to and illustrated by Kubo in the BLEACH: Can’t Fear Your Own World novels written by Durarara!! author Ryohgo Narita, but never seen in the original timeline of events. This exciting unseen factor was given the level of dramatic flair that it deserved. This Bankai is one that has been banned from use in Soul Society because it is so dangerous, but how does it work?
Initial Anarchy
Hirako Uses Sakanade on Bambietta Basterbine – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 3
In its unreleased form, Sakanade (“Counter Stroke”) looks like a normal katana. Its Shikai is activated with the command, “Collapse, Sakanade” (“Taotero“). The pommel becomes a large ring that Hirako can put his arm through and enables him to wield the sword without gripping the handle. The blade is long and slanted, with a razor-like edge and five holes along it that make it resemble a letter opener (or, more likely, the pin to a grenade – we’ll explain). The movement enabled by the Zanpakutо̄’s shape activates its special ability: “Sakasama no Sekai” (“Inverted World”). The sword releases a pink mist that causes those who smell its pleasant fragrance to experience an illusion that inverts all sense of direction – up, down, left, right and even the opponent’s experience of attacks inflicted upon them is reversed.
Hirako can also choose which aspect he wants to invert, further disorienting the opponent. The ability is effective on opponents of various power levels, as it is impossible to continue adapting one’s learned fighting style and instincts to the rules of what’s effectively a topsy-turvy world. When the effects of Sakanade are felt by Sternritter E – The Explode, Bambietta Basterbine, even Hirako’s speech sounds reversed, and her sense of direction is so severely distorted that her vision becomes spirally and incoherent.
Path of the Cornered
Shinji Hirako Surrounded – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 3
Hirako’s Bankai activation, Sakashima Yokoshima Happōfusagari (“Reversed Evil Eight Treasure Blockade”) is an extremely beautiful sequence, especially in its presentation in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, episode 3, “The Fundamental Virulence”. Upon activation, the sword’s form changes slightly with a sharp ring appearing at the tip of the blade, and Hirako is pedestaled on what appears to be a golden lotus flower that closes around him. The pink mist released by Sakanade’s Shikai is now pumped into the air from the flower enclosed around Hirako. Its effects are devastating, and he is grateful to the Quincy enemies who surrounded him at the time for eliminating the risk of friendly-fire.
Upon activation, Sakashima Yokoshima Happōfusagari has an indiscriminate effect, meaning that it targets allies and enemies alike and inverts their perception of friend and foe, causing them to slaughter allies with the same ferocity they would foes. In episode 3 of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, the group of Quincy Soldat cornering Hirako quickly help each other to a swift death as he explains that the Bankai could never be used in any other situation due to the murky delineations between enemy and ally within the Seireitei itself.
Upside-Down, Downside-Up
Shinji vs Bambietta Basterbine – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 3
The name “Sakanade” is written 逆撫, with the kanji for “reverse” and “stroke” or “caress”. The Bankai “Sakashima Yokoshima Happōfusagari” is written 逆様邪八宝塞, and this name is extremely complex with regard to its abilities and what it draws on in its concept. In Japanese, the word “sakasama” is often translated to “upside-down” and it is (less commonly) written 逆様, with the kanji for “reverse” and a character that refers to the “likeness”, “appearance” or “state” of something. However, in the context of the Bankai, “sakasama” is given the far graver connotation of “sakashima” – an island that is upside-down. However, “sakashima” would be written with the kanji 倒, which is relevant because of its use in Sakanade’s Shikai activation phrase: “Taorero“, written 倒れろ, which is translated to “Collapse” in English instead of simply “fall down”, because this kanji on its own translates to “overthrow”. Effectively, the activation phrase is less a command for Sakanade to fall, but rather, to bring about the collapse of another – to overthrow them.
In context, the kanji is pronounced “Sakashima”; however, the Bankai itself is simply written with the same kanji as “sakasama” – “upside-down”, meaning that the pronunciation is deliberate in the grand scheme because of its rhythmic connection with the following kanji, “yokoshima”, 邪, which normally prefaces words and is pronounced “ja-“. It translates to “evil”, or “wickedness” and is invoked in the term “jama” used to mean “hindrance” alongside the “ma-” kanji for “demon”. “Sakashima Yokoshima” also invokes the concept of “saka” (reverse) in relation to “yoko”, from “yokosama”, meaning “sideways”. Where the pairing “sakasama, yokosama” describes physical direction in relation to the observer, “-shima” creates a far wider reaching consequence, as it sounds like the word for “island”. “Sakashima” – the upside-downisland, “Yokoshima” – the island of evil and wickedness. Both conceive of a state of malign; a physical state of maligning an entire populace through turning their island upside-down (whether literally or metaphorically). Given the kanji used in the Shikai’s activation effect, this maligning is most likely an overthrowing, which refers to destruction of order and hierarchy – put simply, anarchy.
Confused Damnation
Sakashima Yokoshima Happofusagari Perspective – BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 Episode 3
The two rings on the Bankai form of Hirako’s Zanpakuto add a visual translation of the two-fold aspect of the disorientation brought on by its effects, however, the scale of its impact only sets in when considering the meaning of the last part, “Happōfusagari”. The “Happō” is written 八宝, and it refers to the Eight Treasures of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism; or Ashtamangala: the Endless Knot, Lotus, Victory Banner, Dharmachakra (or Fly-Whisk), Bumpa (ritual vase), Parasol, Golden Fish and Conch. They refer to the sacred treasures offered to Buddha by the gods after achieving samsara (enlightenment).
The treasures themselves vary depending on the tradition, and there are many variants or equivalents, like the Eight Treasures often depicted in Chinese art. They also coincide with the Noble Eightfold Paths, which are a summary of Buddhist practices that lead to liberation from samsara – the cycle of reincarnation, to Nirvana. “Fusagari”, written, 塞, refers to “blocking off” or “sealing”. When considering each of the parts together, the name “Sakashima Yokoshima Happōfusagari” describes a state of chaos and discord characterized by evil and wickedness capable of subverting the order and causing collapse; a state in which one is closed off from the eight paths that lead to a release from the cycle of suffering. It is essentially a description of a kind of Hell.
Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Anime
