Okay, so I’ve been watching Bleach again recently, and that got me thinking – how ridiculously big is Ichigo’s sword, Zangetsu? I mean, it changes sizes throughout the series, but it’s always massive. So, I decided to do a little digging and figure this out.
My Deep Dive into Zangetsu’s Size
First, I started with the basics. I needed a reference point. Ichigo’s height! Thankfully, that’s pretty easy to find online. Most sources say he’s about 5’8″ (174 cm) at the beginning of the series, and he grows a bit later, reaching 5’11” (181 cm). I’m gonna stick with the 5’8″ measurement for the initial Shikai form since that’s what we see most.
Next, I scoured the internet for screenshots and manga panels – anything I could find that showed Ichigo standing next to his sword. The best ones were the full-body shots where you could clearly see both him and Zangetsu.
Then came the “scientific” part (and I use that term very loosely). I basically used a simple method, It’s all about comparing pixels:
- I opened the images in a basic image editor. Nothing fancy, just something that showed me pixel coordinates.
- I measured Ichigo’s height in pixels.
- Then I measured Zangetsu’s length in pixels.
- With those numbers, I could set up a simple proportion: (Zangetsu’s pixel length / Ichigo’s pixel height) Ichigo’s actual height.
I did this with several different images, just to try and get a range of measurements. It’s not super precise, obviously, because of things like perspective and the fact that the sword isn’t always perfectly straight. It’s anime, after all!
The Results (Give or Take)
My very rough, totally-not-scientific-but-fun calculations put the initial Shikai Zangetsu at around 5.5 to 6 feet long. Yeah, it’s practically as tall as Ichigo himself! No wonder he needs two hands to wield that thing.
Later on, when he gets his “true” Shikai and Bankai, things get even crazier. I didn’t even try to measure those forms precisely, but it’s clear they’re even bigger and more unwieldy.
So, there you have it. Ichigo’s sword is HUGE. It’s all a bit of fun estimation, but it gives you a good idea of the sheer scale of Zangetsu. Makes you appreciate how strong Ichigo must be to swing that thing around!