Respect Kurosaki Ichigo
I made this thread for one simple reason. Some people were gettting the impression that Naruto characters were more powerful than Bleach ones, and I intend to prove here that this guy isn't going to get beaten by any ninja.
Ichigo wields a sword known as a zanpaku-to aka, the soul slayer. A zanpaku-to directly reflects the power of its wielder,and can be considered a shinigami's reiatsu given physical form. While they mostly look like any other katana an old-time samurai might carry around, zanpaku-to's are far from normal. The foremost difference is the zanpaku-to ability to harm shinigami. Since shinigami are spirits, normal blades and weapons can't touch them. In fact, "zanpaku-to" literally means "soul cutting sword."
The other major point that separates them from plain ol' swords is a zanpaku-to's ability to transform. Each blade has up to three distinct forms which its wielder can access according to their strength and skill. The first one that doesn't take any effort to attain, is the blade's normal form. With a few exceptions, a zanpaku-to's normal form is indistinguishable from that of a plain katana.
The second form is called "Shikai", or "first release". The key to Shikai is learning the zanpaku-to's name. Discovering it is not the easiest thing in the world; some Shinigami never do manage it (for example, Kenpachi). But for those that do, they gain a whole new level of power. Easily triggered by an incantation unique to each sword, a shikai zanpaku-to changes immensely, often becoming a weapon far removed from a sword. Also, shikai zanpaku-to usually has special powers a shinigami can use, such as poisons, illusions or power blasts.
"Bankai", the third form, means "full release". Only shinigami that are at a Captain's level, or highly powerful Vice-Captains can acquire bankai. Increasing the zanpaku-to's power by as much as a factor of ten, it takes many decades of intense training to learn bankai (or three days of cheating courtesy of Urahara and Yoruichi. ^^) Triggering a zanpaku-to's bankai needs only a one-word incantation: Bankai.
Bankai zanpaku-to get additions to their names, indicating it is New and Special, and it changes even more drastically, usually (presently with only 1 exception) becoming something far, far larger than the wielder.
SHIKAI:_Shikai Zangetsu looks more like an elegant cleaver than a formal "katana" (looks like a huge arabian sword). He has no crossguard and no proper hilt; what Ichigo holds is the cloth-wrapped tang. Zangetsu is as tall as Ichigo, but the blade is hand-width only at it's base. From there it tapers in one long arc into a sharp, pointed tip. The cloth wrapping on the tang seems to react to Ichigo's will, changing length at a thought or twining about the blade in an impromptu sheath. Instead of the heavy belt for Zangetsu's sheath, a red chain of interconnecting triangles (one that looks a lot like a spinal column if you look right) runs from Ichigo's right shoulder to left hip. There's no connection or anything, he just puts Zangetsu across his back and the blade sticks. Shikai Zangetsu's power is simple but deadly. He can translate Ichigo's spiritual pressure into tangible energy. The resulting crescent moon of light is called "Getsuga Tenshou" (Moonfang Skyshock) and it can slice cleanly through anything; rock, buildings, people.
Ichigo's Bankai:
The one exception to the "bankai is big" rule, Tensa Zangetsu is actually very small. In fact, this is the only form in which Zangetsu looks anything like a normal sword. He is still as long as he always was, but he now has a formal hilt, crossguard and blade. Instead of the cloth his Shikai form had, a short length of chain dangles from the base of the hilt. He finally gets a crossguard, though it isn't normal. Four prongs bend out to form the kanji for "ban", with the base of the blade at it's center. And every last square inch of him is dead black. Even his Getsuga Tenshou is pitch black. As for Tensa Zangetsu's ability, he takes everything that most bankai's put into being big and translates it into speed boosts for Ichigo. Like Renji, Ichigo himself also changes appearance, albeit very slightly. The top half of his shinigami blacks becomes a sort of suit topcoat instead of a kimono, pinned together at one spot, then left to flare out into ragged ends.
Vaizard: Vaizard is ichigo's most powerful current form and results from him harnessing the power of the hollow that grew within him due to an accident in his training. In vaizard form Ichigo's power, speed, durability, and strength increase at the same amount with the increase comparable to the difference between Shikai and Bankai.
