A Zanpakutō (斬魄刀; literally, soul-cutter sword) is the main weapon of the Shinigami, the Arrancar and theVisored. The Shinigami art of wielding a Zanpakutō is called Zanjutsu (斬術; literally, swordsmanship).
The Zanpakutō of low-ranking Shinigami are called Asauchi and don’t have names, but the Zanpakutō of Shinigami of rank have names. In its sealed state, a Zanpakutō has the form of a Japanese sword.[1] Such weapons are unique swords generated from their owners souls. Its shape differs depending on its owner.[2]
Zanpakutō are the trademark weapons of the Shinigami. Capable of cutting spiritual bodies, they are amongst the few weapons which can be used to combat Hollows. Each Shinigami carries a Zanpakutō, and each Zanpakutō is unique: as the swords are both reflections of a Shinigami’s soul and power, and sentient beings unto themselves. The Zanpakutō’s name is also the name of the living spirit that empowers the sword and lends its strength to the Shinigami who wields it. These beings can vary greatly in appearance and have their own distinct personalities which match their owner’s.
A Zanpakutō’s shape and abilities are based on their Shinigami’s soul. Once a Shinigami learns his/her sword’s name, they are able to communicate with one another and grow stronger together. Zanpakutō are born with their Shinigami and they die along with their Shinigami. Shinigami use them in battle as a reflection of their heart. When released, they can display a vibrant power. They are one with the Shinigami, and they share a Shinigami’s conviction.[3]
Inside each Zanpakuto is an incarnation that manifests itself upon the Zanpakuto’s transformation. The first step is to acquaint oneself with this incarnation.[4]
Because they are part of their owner’s soul, a Zanpakutō cannot be replaced, though it will slowly regenerate if it is broken.[6]
In order to to fix a broken Zanpakutō, the owner needs to take Reishi and Reiatsu and merge them into his/her Zanpakutō. However, this only applies if it was the Shikai which was damaged, if a Zanpakutō breaks in its Bankai state then it will never go returned to its former state.[7]
The size of the Zanpakutō reflects the amount of the swordsman’s spiritual power.[8] Exceptions to this rule are beings of immense power who are required to actively control the size of their Zanpakutō.[9]
If a Shinigami pierces the chest of a Human with their Zanpakutō and channels their Reiryoku through it into the Human’s body, it will transform that Human into a Shinigami temporarily. The act does not have a high chance of viability even when the Human in question has a high level of spiritual energy, and if the method does fail the Human will die.[10]
A Zanpakutō can determine whether or not its wielder is worthy of its power.[12][13]
Zanpakutō have a true form.[14] This true form resides inside their Shinigami. A Zanpakutō has a mind, and a body that controls their powers. Shinigami are able to grow more powerful by communicating with them.[15]
Zanpakutō possess their own reiatsu, which can be sensed as any reiatsu can and is identical to that of their wielder though with subtle differences.[16]
Though rare, it is not impossible for more than one soul to be attuned to the same spirit. In such cases, ancient law of the Soul Society will not allow two beings to wield the same Zanpakutō, in which case, they must duel for ownership of the spirit, with the winner gaining it and the loser being sentenced to death.[17]
No matter what form (or size) a Zanpakutō takes, it is always virtually effortless for its owner to wield because it is a part of its owner’s soul.[18] Shinigami captains all consciously keep their Zanpakutō in a manageable size, otherwise they would be holding Zanpakutō the size of skyscrapers. Therefore, one cannot judge one’s opponent’s strength solely by the size of their Zanpakutō.[19]
No Zanpakutō in existence has a Shikai and a Bankai that use unrelated abilities
A wielder knows their Zanpakutō spirit very closely and vice versa. The connection is very deep, though in the beginning the connection is one sided with the wielder being unable to fully hear the spirit communicating with them.[21] It is not uncommon for the introduction of the two (Shinigami and Zanpakutō spirit) to take place in theinner world while the prospective Shinigami sleeps.
A Zanpakutō is generated by its wielder upon the solidification of their Reiryoku into the sword’s form.[22]
It is not enough to simply know the name of one’s Zanpakutō. If a wielder were to lend its power to its Zanpakutō then the weapon would become stronger. To fully use a Zanpakutō’s power, a wielder must get to know its Zanpakutō’s spirit.[23]
Sting was an ancient blade and was lost during the Fall of Gondolin, the same battle in which Turgon fell and Glamdring was taken.
The blade was carried by Bilbo in The Hobbit after he found it in a Troll-hoard. Sting was found alongside Glamdring and Orcrist. Though just a knife by the standard of elves, it made a perfect short sword for a Hobbit. A typical Gondolin weapon, it glowed blue whenever Orcs/Goblins were close by. It was christened Sting by the spiders of Mirkwood Forest, many of whom were “stung” by Bilbo with it.
Just before his nephew left on his quest to Mordor, Bilbo gave Sting to Frodo.Sam then took the weapon from his (seemingly dead) master and used it to good effect against Shelob on the borders of Mordor. After the defeat of Sauronat the end of the Third Age, Frodo entrusted Sting to Sam and it became an heirloom of the Gamgee family.
Gollum, who disliked anything made by the elves, was afraid of Sting. This fear aided Bilbo when he confronted Gollum in a cave at the base of the Misty Mountains in The Hobbit(the book). It also helped Frodo and Sam subdue Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. Orcs also had an instinctive fear of these weapons and hated any who carried them.
As is fitting for a blade of Gondolin, Sting could easily cut through the webs of the offspring of Ungoliant, including the spiders of Mirkwood and the evil Shelob herself.
The only way to explain the sword’s survival through the War of Wrath is that the sword somehow was taken out of Beleriand within the 43 years after Gondolin’s fall and before the end of the First Age. This was most likely accomplished by one of the flightless dragons involved in Gondolin’s fall, most probably the dragon later to be known as Scatha the Worm. After fleeing east with the spoils of Gondolin, including Glamdring, Orcrist, and Sting, Scatha established a lair on the southern slopes of Grey Mountains (Ered Mithrin). Roughly around 2000 of the third age, Scatha was killed by Rohirrim leader Fram but the hoard was disputed by the dwarves (it undoubtedly did contain many dwarven treasures as well, like the horn gifted to Meriadoc by Eowyn). The dwarves killed Fram and made off with some of the hoard most likely including the swords of Gondolin. The swords would have been used 700 years later in the battles between the dwarves and the orcs revenging the death of Thror and culminating in the Battle of Nanduhirion (where young Thorin Oakenshield earned his name). Thus the orcs would have a fresh fear of Biter and Beater (as demonstrated by their reactions when they capture Bilbo and company). Years after the battle, the dwarven wielders of the Elvish swords were most likely relocating to Lindon during the Fell Winter of 2911 when they were waylaid unsuspectingly by trolls in the Ettenmoors. Thus the swords ultimately fell into the hands of the three trolls from The Hobbit by the end of the Third Age
“Whomsoever takes up this blade shall wield power eternal. Just as the blade rends flesh, so must power scar the spirit.”
—The inscription on Frostmourne’s pedestal
Frostmourne was the runeblade that Ner’zhul, the Lich King, thrust from the Frozen Throne, intending that Arthas Menethil — his unwitting potential host — would discover it on the continent of Northrend. It was wielded by Arthas, the new Lich King, until it was destroyed following his defeat in Icecrown Citadel. No one knows where the remnants of Frostmourne are now.
When Ner’zhul was transformed into the Lich King by Kil’jaeden, his disembodied spirit was shackled to a magical suit of armor as well as the runeblade Frostmourne, and trapped within an icy tomb called the Frozen Throne. Both the armor and the blade were crafted by the Nathrezim for the purpose of containing and controlling the Lich King.[3]
Ner’zhul’s Plan to Escape
Ner’zhul was not content with being a pawn for the Burning Legion, however, and began working on a plan for escape. The first stage of his plan was set in motion when he used his powers to push Frostmourne through the ice and out of the Frozen Throne, and plunge it into the snows of Northrend to await one who would claim it and become the Lich King’s agent. Ner’zhul found his agent in Arthas Menethil, the young prince of Lordaeron who had come to Northrend in a quest to end theplague.
Muradin Bronzebeard, a dwarven explorer based at the time in Northrend, was searching for the weapon after hearing of Frostmourne’s power when Arthas and his men arrived.[4] When the forces of the dreadlord Mal’Ganis began to close in around them, Arthas and Muradin set out to claim it.
Deep within a hidden, unnamed cave, Frostmourne was guarded by The Guardian and several revenants who tried to warn Arthas of the danger, but he ignored the warning and destroyed them. When they found the sword, Muradin read the inscription on the dais:[5]
“Whomsoever takes up this blade shall wield power eternal. Just as the blade rends flesh, so must power scar the spirit.
Muradin realized then that the blade was cursed, but Arthas said he would gladly bear any curse to save his homeland. Upon speaking those words, the ice encasing the sword shattered and exploded outward. A jagged shard struck Muradin, seeming to strike him down. Arthas, ignoring the loss of his friend, discarded his hammer, [Light’s Vengeance], and took hold of the blade.
Frostmourne on its pedestal (WotLK).
In the Hands of Arthas
With the sword in hand, Arthas returned to his base and staged a counterattack against Mal’Ganis, quickly destroying the dreadlord’s base. Mal’Ganis confronted Arthas, telling him that Ner’zhul had known he would take the cursed sword, and that it had now stolen Arthas’s soul. He spoke as if he believed Arthas was now on his side, but to his surprise Arthas used the runeblade to slay the dreadlord on the Lich King’s command. With his soul forfeited to the Lich King, Arthas ran off into the frozen wastes of Northrend.[5]
Now a death knight of the Scourge, Arthas killed and converted his former army before returning to Lordaeron, where he was hailed with a royal welcome. Arthas proceeded directly to the throne room, where he killed his father, King Terenas, and set the Scourge loose throughout the city.
Some time after the Burning Legion’s defeat at Mount Hyjal, the demon hunterIllidan Stormrage used a powerful spell to attack the Frozen Throne, where the Lich King was imprisoned. Though the spell was unsuccessful, it widened the crack through which Frostmourne had been thrust, and the Lich King’s power began to wane, so he recalled Arthas to Northrend to aid him. Arthas defeated Illidan and ascended the spire to the Frozen Throne. He then used Frostmourne to shatter the ice, donned the helmet that was sealed within, and became the new Lich King.
Wrath of the Lich King
Frostmourne on its pedestal inside the Halls of Reflection
Frostmourne, shattered by Ashbringer
Frostmourne’s shattered hilt, as shown on the Dedication of Honor in Dalaran his section concerns content exclusive to Wrath of the Lich King.
After surviving the Pit of Saron, the guides for the adventurers braving the Halls (Jaina Proudmoore for the Alliance or Sylvanas Windrunner for the Horde) lead the way into the Halls of Reflection. As Krick promised, Frostmourne stands alone, floating serenely above an altar in the center of the entry chamber. Jaina or Sylvanas attempt to commune with the souls trapped within the blade to find the key to the Lich King’s weakness. They are contacted by the spirit of Uther the Lightbringer, who warns them that another must take the Lich King’s place in order to keep the Scourge under control.
Fall of the Lich King
During the final battle against the Lich King at the Frozen Throne, Frostmourne was shattered by Ashbringer, wielded by Tirion Fordring. The thousands of souls trapped within the blade swarmed the Lich King, suspending him in the air, where he was finished off by the champions assembled to defeat him.
On the Dedication of Honor monument at the center of Runeweaver Square in Dalaran, a bust of the shattered hilt of Frostmourne is shown at the feet of the statue of Tirion Fordring.
At Blizzcon 2011, it was stated that the shards of Frostmourne were taken by “someone smart” and put “somewhere safe”… at least until someone gets it in their head to try to reforge it.
A very beautifully done anime which converted from light novel, below will be some of the plot summary and images from the anime. I shed tears while watching a few episode maybe they plot its just too sad for me : (
(Wikipedia)
Novel Plot
In the year 2022, the Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG), Sword Art Online (SAO), is released. With the Nerve Gear, a virtual reality helmet that stimulates the user’s five senses via their brain, players can experience and control their in-game characters with their minds.
On November 6, 2022, all the players log in for the first time, and subsequently discover that they are unable to log out. They are then informed by Kayaba Akihiko, the creator of SAO, that if they wish to be free, they must reach the 100th floor of the game’s tower and defeat the final boss. However, if their avatars die in-game, their bodies will also die in the real world. The story follows Kirito, a skilled player who is determined to beat the game. As the game progresses, Kirito eventually befriends a female player named Asuna who becomes his partner and lover. After the duo discover the identity of Kayaba’s avatar in SAO, they confront and defeat him, freeing themselves and the other players from the game.
Upon returning to the real world, Kirito learns that Asuna and a small group of SAO players are trapped in another VRMMORPG called Alfheim Online (ALO). Their imprisonment in ALO is part of a plan devised by Nobuyuki Sugō to subdue Asuna and marry her, in an attempt to take over her family’s company. Helped by old dogs from SAO along with new allies, Kirito thwarts Nobuyuki’s plans and finally reunites with Asuna in the real world.
Soon after, Kirito plays another VRMMORPG called Gun Gale Online (GGO) to investigate the mysterious connection between the game and deaths occurring in the real world. He eventually discovers that the culprits are former members of a murderous guild he had previously encountered in SAO.
After solving the murders in GGO, Kirito is recruited to assist in the development of a state-of-the-art game, UnderWorld (UW), which has an interface that is far more realistic and complex than that of the previous games he had played. In UW, the flow of time proceeds thousands of times faster than in the real world. However, Kirito ends up falling for a trap and wakes up inside the game, unable to log out and he starts looking for a way back to reality.
Anime Review from iwriter88 on My animelist
Sword Art Online was one of the most hyped up animes of Summer 2012 and has probably the widest range of scores I’ve ever seen. Does it live up to the hype? Read on to find out! That being said, skip to the consensus (TLDR) if you don’t want to read blocks of text! 😀 Please do not send anything overly negative to me; polite and constructive criticism is always appreciated.
PLOT:
The Good: Man, they really went for a lot here. The light novels themselves were actually more action/adventure focused, something that doesn’t happen in the anime. I’m going to do my best not to give any spoilers, but essentially, the anime Sword Art Online aims to be a love story of epic proportions, where their relationship will experience highs and lows ranging from boundless joy to aching tragedy. Straight up, if you don’t like the main characters, you probably won’t like this anime. That’s how most love stories work. However, if you’re like me, and you absolutely adore the main characters, then this anime is definitely for you! Sword Art Online additionally does a brilliant job of easing us in to the massive, awe-inspiring frontier that is Aincrad. The concept of this anime — being trapped in a strange, exotic new world and living in it — is a dream that we all have had at one point, and it’s fascinating to see it being done before our eyes.
The Bad: At the same time, however, the execution has been done terribly. Lots of fans/first-time watchers – me included – felt that Kirito and Asuna were not given nearly enough character development. It’s hard to root for someone that you barely know or hate. Another problem lies in the pace. The side stories were rushed, no doubt about, which is bad because they offered interesting insights into Kirito and Asuna’s relationship and personality. At the same time, you can’t really justify having two episodes of precious anime time being given to the side stories, and they honestly aren’t as interesting as the main plot. Something else that irks me about Sword Art Online is how it suffers from deus ex machina. That is, it’ll solve really big situations with just dumb stuff like “it’s the power of love” or “strength of will trumps everything”. However, other amazing shows (Harry Potter, Clannad) have done similar things, so it’s whatever.
CONSENSUS: 7/10. Sword Art Online attempted to create a love story of epic proportions…something that they partially succeeded in. Although they eased us in beautifully in the start, undeveloped characters, a rushed storyline, and miracle syndrome make it lose quite a bit of its impact.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this anime can be summed up into one word: inconsistent. The sceneries are drawn very well and have a wide variety (ranging from icy snowcaps to flowery meadows to beautiful cities…), and the characters are done beautifully (a nice contrast to the stupid body proportions in Code Geass or the crazy facial expressions in Fate/Zero), but it gets stupidly bad during the battles. For some strange reason, instead of treating us to a smooth action sequence, we instead constantly gaze at character still shots. It’s really frustrating when you know that the battle sequences could have been amazing!! Background animation is probably the most inconsistent part in that it gets really bad in towns but great in landscapes. I really don’t know what to think. I think the animation of this anime is something that really sets it back from some of the great animes, and I’m hoping it gets better in the future (especially the battle scenes, they can really make those a lot more enjoyable to wach).
CONSENSUS: 7/10. Battle scenes are very badly animated, and backgrounds sometimes are drawn very sloppily. However, the sheer scope of sceneries in this anime is a delight to see.
MUSIC:
The music is incredible. Yuki Kajiura is one of the biggest names in anime music, and her music is absolutely astounding. So far, the music’s been perfect and set each mood beautifully. In particular, the battle scene music. Oh my god. I found myself humming it when I was eating breakfast, just a testament to how well done it is. As for the OP/ED, they’re really generic. They’re being done by LiSa, who’s done so many OP/EDs by now, but they don’t really stand out…in a good or bad way. The OP is starting to grow on me, but the ED still feels a little out of place (not as much as Clannad AS, but a bit). 2nd ED is epic though!! I don’t know, I think Yuki Kajiura’s music makes up for any disparities here though.
CONSENSUS: 10/10, Music is great and going to be developed by Yuki Kajiura, the person who did Fate/Zero and Madoka Magica. OP/ED are generic, but that’s not a bad thing.
CHARACTERS:
The characters are ridiculously hit or miss. Kirito is pretty much your perfect, flawless teenager. That’s going to be a deal breaker for many of people upon knowing that. Many people like their protagonists to have flaws, to be more humanlike, more down to Earth, and having a character that’s flawless frankly drops a lot of the realism. I would like to argue that the alternative of having a whiny protagonist that doesn’t do anything is a lot worse though (Guilty Crown, I’m looking at you). The same lies for the female protagonist, Asuna, our main character’s love interest. Frankly, the relationship just came together too easily. Asuna also has the privilege of being practically perfect in every single way. No really: she can cook, she’s incredibly beautiful, she’s good at swordfighting, she’s dedicated, and she’s a tsundere (personally I love tsunderes). The side characters and the villains lack depth as well. Can anyone else picture how much more interesting this anime would have gotten if Sugou was initially some good guy that Asuna begins to fall for…only to be someone rotten in the inside? Instead, we’re treated to a generic villain who literally doesn’t have a single good quality.
CONSENSUS: 6/10, Main character Kirito isn’t absurdly annoying like A LOT of other main characters, but he does get what he wants a little too easily. Side characters are overly generic and get far too little time. Same with Kirito and Asuna, we needed more time for their development!
THE BREAKDOWN: It’s a great anime if you like Kirito and Asuna, but if you don’t, you might as well watch another anime. The anime itself suffers from various flaws — plot holes, shoddy animation, undeveloped characters — that prevent me from giving it a high score. Still worth a watch though, if only so that you can rant about how good or bad it is on the forums after each episode. 7/10!
(+) The light novel for this anime is incredibly well done (#1 rated light novel on MAL).
(+) Incredible nostalgia for any MMORPG gamers.
(+) Music is stellar, designed by the best.
(+) Anime gets a lot better after episode 8.
(+) The landscapes are absolutely beautiful…one of the benefits of making the anime set in a fantasy video game.
(+) Tons of people to discuss this anime with since it’s popular; since it’s polarizing, you get some very interesting arguments too.
(−) Characters not developed thoroughly enough.
(−) Anime may be rushed in first few episodes.
(−) Suffers from very poor animation in some the fight scenes and in the background (budgeting).
(−) Insertion of side stories before main plot may cause some viewers to lose interest.
(−) Anime suffers from miracle syndrome (occasionally will solve problems with a miracle).
(−) Causes you to waste time talking with people about the latest episode of SAO, whether you hate it or love it
You can watch the anime here – http://www.animehere.com/anime/sword-art-online.html
This is something that I’ll be waiting for to watch on time every week as it really attracts me, I personally fall in love with the plot and the way they express how one act in the game actually showing out his other personality as well.
Maybe because I’m a .Hack fans and really into these kinda trapped in online games stories but I ensure you that start watching the anime or reading the light novel will seriously made you think a lot more in your life : D
User:Nip Fung (simplified Chinese: 聂风; traditional Chinese: 聶風; Mandarin Pinyin: Niè Fēng; Jyutping: Nip6 Fung1), or Wind, is one of the two protagonists. He was born in the Nip Family Village (聶家村) in Jiuquan. He specialises in kick styles of martial arts and wields the ‘Ice-Drinking Saber’ (雪飲刀) as his weapon, which he inherited from his ancestors. His prowess inqinggong is formidable, and as such, he is nicknamed “God Among the Winds” (風中之神). The “Berserk Blood” (瘋血) runs in him and his family, and will increase his powers drastically when he is angered, but the side effect is that he will enter a state of uncontrollable rage and become a monstrous beast in human form. In contrast with Cloud, Wind is more friendly and empathetic towards others. He appears attractive to women and has many admirers, due to his gentlemanly behaviour, kindness and good looks.
I decided to make a special posts series to introduce and explain some swords story. Hope you guys will enjoy it.
User: Bou Ging-wan (simplified Chinese: 步惊云; traditional Chinese: 步驚雲; Mandarin Pinyin: Bù Jīngyún; Jyutping: Bou6 Ging1-wan4), or Cloud, is one of the two protagonists. He was born in the Bou Family Village (步家村) in Hangzhou. His father died when he was young, so his mother remarried Fok Bou-tin and he became Fok’s stepson and was renamed ‘Fok Ging-gok’ (霍驚覺). He reverted to his original name after the Fok family was massacred by Lord Conqueror’s men and he was taken to Under Heaven Society. He specialises in palm styles of martial arts and wields the ‘Ultimate Best Sword in the World’ (絕世好劍) as his weapon, which he seized from Sword-Worshipping Villa. In contrast with Wind, Cloud appears cold and unsympathetic towards everyone except for a select few, whom he cares for and respects, but he does not know how to express his emotions well. He appears brutal and ruthless for his practice of killing every single opponent in a group of foes. He is also nicknamed the “God of Death Who Does Not Cry” (不哭死神) as he evokes a feeling of death and strikes fear in the hearts of many.
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