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Bleach has a massive amount of characters, all of whom have unique and memorable personas. Especially the Soul Reapers, the Vice-Captains, and the Captains, all have their own development arcs and backstories.
Be it Byakuya, Hitsugaya, or even Aizen, they are all important characters that stand at the core of Bleach’s narrative. One such enigmatic and intriguing character has a particularly grand and shocking background.
As one of the lieutenants in the 13 Divisions, she wielded a massive amount of power and influence from the very beginning. Her zanpakuto can be said to have one of the most terrifying powers in all of the series. So why has Rangiku not been able to achieve Bankai or get highlighted? Let us delve in and understand.
Rangiku Matsumoto’s true power has been stolen
Rangiku Matsumoto has always been a somewhat background and underrated character inBleach. She has been seen on the screen many times, but after the Rukia Execution Arc, she seems to have been relegated to being a spectator.
Despite her status of being the lieutenant of the 10th Division and showing short but meaningful glimpses of impressive strength, she was never allowed to grow into a powerhouse and have her own substantial contributions, not in the way that characters like Renji did.
TheBleachlight novels later on revealed an extremely shocking reason for this – Aizen had stolen a part of Rangiku’s soul. While doing so, he took away a fragment of the Soul King.
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This revelation completely rectified the pothole with regard to the reason why Rangiku could not manage to get a Bankai and increase her combat prowess. Rangiku’s limited power was not in actuality her potential, with a broken soul, and after losing the powerful fragment of the Soul King, it is surprising that she managed to have the combat ability that she did.
Rangiku might have been ridiculously strong
If Rangiku had retained her full soul, she might have reached a level far beyond what was possible for the other Captains and Vice-Captains. Rangiku’sHainekoshikai allows her sword to transform into ash.
It isas unpredictable and inescapable as Aizen’s. However, without a Bankai, her power was heavily limited in the later parts of the series. She might have been a major player in the war against Aizen and even against Yhwach if not for her soul being incomplete.
This is the reason one of the smartest and themost cunning characters, Gin, played the long game.He wanted to get back what Aizen stole. If Rangiku had a full soul and Soul King’s power, she could have unlocked an unrivaled Bankai that has an AOE effect, making her a deadly combat force.
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Tite Kubo’s decision to nerf Rangiku is one of the most frustrating choices inBleach.With her personality and her zanpakuto’s power,it seemed like she was set up for something more than just being a background spectator. While it’s understandable that not every character in Bleach can be a powerhouse, she had all the makings of growing stronger.
You can streamBleachon Netflix and Crunchyroll.
Chandra Shekhar
Anime Writer
Articles Published :856
Chandra Shekhar is an Anime Writer at FandomWire with over 800 published articles under his belt. A law student by training but a storyteller at heart, he blends his sharp analysis with a deep love for all things anime. From the old-school Yu Yu Hakusho to the eldritch horrors of Lord of the Mysteries, his knowledge spans decades and genres. When he’s not writing, he’s likely buried in webnovels, silently hoping his favorite ones get the anime adaptation they deserve.
