Bleach is a Japanese animated series based on the manga series of the same name written by Tite Kubo. The series aired from October 2004 to March 2012 and was directed by the highly acclaimed director Noriyuki Abe.
The story follows the life of a person named Ichigo Kurosaki, who receives the powers of a grim reaper from another grim reaper. His main task after that is to guide deceased souls to the afterlife (Soul City) and protect humans from evil entities.
The series’ writer stated in an interview that he created the character of Ichigo Kurosaki (as a protagonist) because he felt Rukia (the previous reaper) was unsuitable for the role. The character and the plot received good praise from the audience, and his character is one of the most popular ones in the series.
Our protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki is a regular student at the school named Karakura High School, but he has an extraordinary ability: he can see ghosts. He met a grim reaper named Rukia Kuchiki one day, and around the same time, his family was attacked by a deceased and evil spirit known as a Hollow.
Rukia Kuchiki gives her abilities to Ichigo so that he can save his family, but she is later punished for that since it is not allowed to transfer abilities to humans. In the next few episodes, we see Ichigo using his powers to protect the town in place of Rukia.
The story follows the adventures of Ichigo as he tries to free Rukia from captivity. In between that time, his past and many other painful instances came to light, which helped build his character.
Shinigami are exceptional humans who train their bodies to such a level that they achieve extraordinary powers. Few of them, who are the most elite, join the various organization, one of them being Gotei 13. The main job of Shinigami is to defeat Hollows and guide their souls to redemption. They purify the souls who have lost their way in this world and hunt the evil ones. A Zanpakutō is Shinigami’s main weapon.
Asauchi is the name of the class of weapons owned by shinigami at some point. Those who are in training and have not connected with their own Zanpakutō are given this tool. The way it works is that each person who enters the training is given an Asauchi and must use it for a long period of time.
While they use it, some essence of their souls gets trapped in it, and that is how their personal Zanpakutō is formed. Those who cannot connect with their Zanpakutō all possess the general weapon. So, now the question is, why did the Asauchi bow to Ichigo?
As we see in one of the episodes, all the Asauchi bow to Ichigo, and everyone is as surprised and awed as we are, so if you are wondering why, we are here to answer all your questions in this article.
Also Read: Why Did Gin Ichimaru Betray Sosuke Aizen? Bleach Betrayal Explained
Who Are Asauchi And How Powerful Are They?
Asauchi is a type of Zanpakutō, and each member of Gotei 13 who has not yet recognized his Zanpakutō is assigned one. They are bland blades and act like animals. Each of them is attached to a certain member and, as time passes, inherits their traits to become their own personal Zanpakutō.
It is said that it is a Zanpakutō who chooses his own master, and it is important for their master to know their personality to wield them, but that is not confirmed. As each Asauchi on the way to becoming a Zanpakutō transforms his soul, it can also be said that a Shinigami subconsciously makes its own Zanpakutō.
Although Asauchi is considered weaker, many people think that they are more powerful as they can mold their shapes, sizes, and ideas according to the person. Up until now, the souls of many swords have been shown in the anime. After intense training, a Shinigami can hear his Zanpakutō and attain ultimate power.
Asauchi means “shallow hit” in Japanese, and it perfectly describes these spirits, who are faceless and shallow and can mold their ways to match the traits of their owners. Having said all that, there have been instances where many shinigami were not able to forge their Asauchi into Zanpakutō.
A Zanpakutō can vanish if his bearer Shinigami dies. Although they can easily be reforged, they cannot be the same replica, as no two people are the same. The new weapon forges a new relationship with his new master and has a different set of traits, and for the very same reason, it is difficult to use others’ Zanpakutō, as it does not work that effectively in that case.
Although very rare, there have been instances where a Shinigami could not obtain his Zanpakutō. The first and foremost example of this is Ichigo. His powers were transferred to him by Rukia, and hence the Zanpakutō used by him had powers from both him and his former master.
It took Ichigo some time to adjust to it and master the whole power of Zanpakutō. Once Ichigo realized his true powers, he became his true self and gained full control over his Zanpakutō.
Why Did The Asauchi Bow To Ichigo?
Once Ichigo accepted himself just as he was and realized his true potential, he could manifest his Zanpakutō into two swords. He belonged to both the Hollow Shinigami and the Quincy, and only by reaching the true essence of his soul would he be able to unleash his true powers.
Asauchis realized this and accepted him, thus bowing to him. Their bowing to him was quite significant in the series, as it meant they were giving Ichigo their acknowledgment and trust.
How to watch Bleach?
Fans of Bleach can stream the show for free on Hulu. The show can be easily streamed on Netflix in some countries. A Netflix subscription can be purchased for as little as $6.99. Fans can also watch the show on iTunes, Apple TV, and Crunchyroll.
