Key recommendations
- Byakuya's Bankai can leave him exposed due to a hidden safe zone that enemies can exploit.
- Kyoraku's Bankai risks hurting allies due to its area of effect, limiting its use.
- Kenpachi's Bankai rips through his body for immense power, risking harm to himself and others.
In his world Whiteninga Bankai is a Soul Reaper's ultimate asset that they will only use when absolutely necessary. While these special abilities tend to be absurdly powerful and often succeed in defeating their opponents because they are all unique in how they work, some have some major weaknesses and drawbacks that limit their general use.

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Because of this, some captains chose to only use their Bankai once or twice throughout the series, so as not to leave them exposed in the middle of a fight. When looking at the most glaring weaknesses that can severely limit the user's ability in battle, these Bankai take the cake for having the biggest holes in their reliability.
8 Senbonzakura Kageyoshi (Byakuya Kuchiki)
Byakuya's safe zone can be exposed by his enemy while in Bankai
- First appearance: Episode 58
Arguably the most popular Bankai in the series, Zenbonsakura Kageyoshi sees Byakuya surround his opponent in a swarm of razor-sharp petals before slashing them down with an infinite number of blades. Considering how many times Byakuya has used this technique, the risk level isn't as high as others, but it still has a pretty big flaw that Tsukishima reveals during the Fullbring Arc: the safe zone.
It seems that Byakuya's enemy can be attacked from any direction at any time, but Byakuya meanwhile remains protected as he is able to stand in a small safe circle in the center of the Bankai. If a fighter manages to get close to Byakuya so that they also stay in the circle, it can become a real problem for the captain as it essentially renders the ability useless.
7 Katen Kyokotsu Karamatsu Shinju (Kyoraku Shusui)
The area of effect with this Bankai can make it risky to use with surrounding companions
- First appearance: TYBW episode 35
Kyoraku's bankai is comprised of four different acts, each of which involves dissecting his opponent's strength and will bit by bit as you slice them to pieces as he passes. Kyoraku has only unleashed his Bankai once throughout the series, because while it works wonders on a single target, as Ukitake states, it also puts Kyoraku's allies in danger.

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Kyoraku's bankai has an area of effect, meaning if an ally were to jump into the same battle while using it, things could get very bad very quickly and could easily lead to someone's death. After Kyoraku uses Bankai against Lille Barro, he is shown to be seriously injured due to the strain he puts on his body, which is yet another downside to this brilliant technique.
6 Ryumon Hozukimaru (Ikkaku Madarame)
A Bankai with a slow start-up limits its overall utility
- First appearance: Episode 118
The moment when Ikkaku unleashes his Bankai against the Arrancar is often cited by fans as one of the most epic and thrilling Bankai activation scenes in the entire show. Despite not even being a captain, Ikkaku managed to pull off a truly impressive Bankai that turns his Zanpakuto into two giant scythes that are more than big enough to take down even the most durable opponents.
However, as he admits up front, Ryumon Hozukimaru is a “slow starter” as his Zanpakuto's spirit will only begin to awaken as the fight continues. As explained later in the series during Fake Karakura Town, Ikaku's Bankai becomes even weaker each time it breaks. Therefore, while it is still very powerful and certainly an intimidating sight, the time it takes for this Bankai to take effect is a time that most Soul Reapers cannot afford when in an intense battle.
5 Zanka No Tachi (Genryusai Yamamoto)
Yamamoto's devastating Bankai can only be used for a limited time
- First appearance: TYBW episode 6
Zanka no Tachi, the Bankai of none other than Chief Captain Yamamoto, is by far one of the most destructive and powerful in all of Soul Society. When Yamamoto unleashes the power of his Zanpakuto, he goes through four different phases of the attack, which involves burning his enemies to a crisp and annihilating them from existence, but such power comes at quite a price.
As shown by Yamamoto during his fight with Yhwach, using Zanka no Tachi for too long will destroy not only his enemy, but himself and even the entire Soul Society. Even when Yamamoto first revealed his Bankai, the air within the Soul Society became heavy almost immediately, which seems to get worse the more active the sword is.
4 Suzumushi Tsuishiki Enma Korogi (Kaname Tosen)
Tosen's Bankai is instantly canceled if the opponent gets too close to his sword
- First appearance: Episode 51
Since Tosen was only captain for a short time in the series, fans only get to see him use the Bankai once, against a fellow captain no less. However, in that fight with Kenpachi, it is fully explained how Tosen's Bankai works, being able to completely shut down the opponent's senses, allowing Tosen to hit them from multiple angles without them feeling, seeing or to hear something.

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Fortunately, Zaraki was able to find the only major weakness of the Bankai when he grabbed Tosen's blade, completely disabling his power and leaving him fully exposed. Since Kenpachi is a fighter who likes to get close to his enemies, he was able to figure it out pretty quickly, so Tosen's Bankai is probably better suited for ranged opponents, which limits his versatility.
3 Kokujo Tengen Myo (Komamura Sajin)
Komamura will take all damage dealt to his Bankai
- First appearance: Episode 51
This specifically focuses on Komamura's Bankai before getting the upgraded version later in the story. Kokujo Tengen Myo is essentially a giant version of Komamura in every sense, meaning it will track every move and physical attack exactly as he does. However, it also means that since the two are inherently linked, any damage received by Kokujo Tengen Myo will also be dealt to Komamura.
It also doesn't help that this Bankai, while fast for its size, is still on the slower side compared to many others and can easily be exploited if the opponent possesses abilities that make them too agile for the eye to see . Again, Komamura improves on this Bankai in the Thousand Year Blood War arc, but it has always had flaws that still make it a bit risky to use.
2 Nozarashi (Zaraki Kenpachi)
Zaraki's bankai rips through his body for the sake of gaining a huge surge
- First appearance: Chapter 669
Kenpachi's immensely powerful Bankai is a last resort that undoubtedly damages the user as much as its opponents. When he frees Nozarashi, Zaraki takes on an oni-like appearance, with glowing red skin and black spots covering his skin. He also receives a stunning power boost and is much more ruthless than before, though Kenpachi will also lose all sense of reason in this form.
This means he essentially becomes a one-man killing machine that will strike down friends and foes alike if his mindless gaze lands on them. Additionally, the Bankai has so much power that it also tears apart Kenpachi's body while using it, leaving him paralyzed after using it. There is always a chance that Kenpachi could kill himself or others when using Bankai, which is why limiting its use as much as possible is strongly advised by other captains.
1 Hakka No Togame (Rukia Kuchiki)
One wrong move with this frozen Bankai could result in the loss of a limb or even Rukia's life
- First appearance: TYBW episode 19
Rukia's Bankai, which she first uses against Sternritter As Nodt during the Thousand Year Blood War arc, sees her freeze everything nearby, including herself. While Rukia's opponents who are caught in the attack will immediately collapse, Rukia will survive, though moving her body too quickly will severely damage her body and could even lead to her own death if she rushes too much.
It's also assumed that Rukia doesn't have much experience using Bankai, and while it's not a weakness per se, it can still be risky when paired with a Bankai that requires such a large amount of care to be used correctly without being injured. . Fortunately, Byakuya is there during the As Nodt battle to remind Rukia that slowly deploying the Bankai is extremely important in order to use it safely.