The creator of Bleach, Tite Kubo, has confirmed that he is open to the possibility of introducing new Bankai in the sequels of his globally successful series. Answering questions through his exclusive fan-club website, Klub Outside, Kubo sensei opened the way to the debut of new, spectacular Zanpakuto techniques in Bleach's future.
Bleach is considered one of the "big three" together with Naruto and One Piece, the three manga that picked up Dragon Ball's torch after Akira Toriyama's masterpiece ended and made manga and anime incredibly successful worldwide. Bleach tells the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a young boy who becomes a Shinigami, a warden of the spiritual world who has the duty of sending wayward spirits (Hollow) to their final rest. Shinigami fight using Zanpakuto, manifestations of their spiritual energy in weapon form (usually a sword). Each Zanpakuto has the potential to unleash its true form, called Bankai, giving the owner unique powers and abilities. Bankai were an important part of Bleach, thanks to their unique appearance and effects. Finding out about the Bankai of key characters was a big appeal for fans, especially in the case of the powerful Captains of the Gotei 13, the strongest Shinigami in all of Bleach's Soul Society.
For this reason, fans are understandably excited about Tite Kubo's update that he posted on Klub Outside. In a post on the website, Kubo responded to a fan who asked: "Is there any chance of you introducing yet-to-be-revealed Zanpakuto or Bankai in any shape or form in the future?" Kubo said that "If I can find a medium that is recognized by many readers and given an appropriate number of pages to work with then I would like to do that someday."
The artist's words may seem too vague, but they make a lot of sense in the context. Bleach has recently released a special new chapter to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series, introducing a new narrative arc and new characters. Kubo's mentions of a "medium" and "appropriate number of pages" could hint at the fact that the new Zanpakuto and Bankai will be introduced in a brand new series, which will give the author the proper platform to develop his ideas for new weapons and powers. Bleach's new arc is called "Howls From the Jaws of Hell", and it will likely see Ichigo's son, Kazui, have a very important role. Perhaps he will be the first one to debut a new Bankai, even if it seems unlikely given his young age.
The new chapter released for Bleach's 20th anniversary has revitalized the fandom and sparked new interest in the series, which is also getting a new anime season that will finally adapt Bleach's Thousand-Year Blood War. Tite Kubo was always very dedicated to keeping in touch with his fans after the series ended, including most recently through his Klub Outside website. The idea that new Zanpakuto and Bankai will be introduced is bound to make Bleach fans even more excited about the future return of their beloved series.
Source: Klub Outside
