<p>I guess my comment seemed answery &amp; I used to have such fond memories of Bleach so here goes. Disclaimer: if you're willing to accept lazy filler writing as the answer, do not read anything below this statement because I don't have classes tomorrow so I thought I'd write &amp; reminisce.</p>

<p>Reasons why the personification of Zanpakuto do not directly reflect their shinigami</p>

<p><strong>Literary sense</strong> would dictate the following:</p>

<ul>
<li><strong>Character Overlap</strong> is unpopular &amp; otherwise bad. You don't want to give every character of focus a clone. It's just bad writing to introduce partners as complete doppelgangers. It's different when that clone-character is referential to someone else (everyone in Naruto who was <em>like Naruto</em>) or substituting (also in Naruto, when Sai was a <em>new Sasuke</em>). Those are typically OK (but should not abused, Naruto). </li>
<li><strong>Lack of material</strong> is the biggest reason for every problem Bleach has ever faced -- this is fact. Otherwise, it'd still be a beloved powerhouse than a retiring flagship of entertainment. With identical plots, new characters or focusing on B characters seem like an OK idea to seem fresh.</li>
<li><strong>Filler arcs</strong> demaaaand disposable conflict, that is, sometimes you get ones knowing they're just buying time so they don't even attempt to seem exciting and other times you get game-changers and you cry knowing the cute girl who isn't useless will die or leave. In this case, everything would wrap up with a smirk by the sunset for "even though we had our differences, we'll move forward". Keep in mind, delivering this can be cheesy so it often gets rushed.</li>
<li><strong>Thought-provoking</strong> topics or questions like yours is a subplot waiting to boil but all too often it's just left to fizzle without details. Which leads me to my next speculated point,
<ul>
<li><strong>Self-reflection/acceptance</strong> implies dealing with the parts of yourself that you know you need and how to achieve them. Like, Ichigo's inner world reacts to the good (hometown, maybe more) and bad (raining on all of that, drowning in it) in his life. But his frustrations with himself turned into a seasoned old guy and animal instinct-man who create a demand that Ichigo needs to be stronger to overcome the odds. Rukia, the cute tomboy/soldier focused a lot on being militant, but has inner fascination with beauty only seen in her inspiration from Shiba Miyako (Kaien's wife), Byakuya's art &amp; strength, and it can be argued that this is represented in her zanpakuto's embodiment. Also Sode no Shirayuki in this arc is bothered that Rukia's primary personality makes her just a military tool. Even though Muramasa's powers promotes the feelings of being oppressed to persuade the spirits to fight their Shinigami, the underlying ideas are still there in most of them -- or just secretly made up reasons to move plot because filler rarely has decent direction.</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

<p>It's just a lot of open-ended conjecture that has good intentions of making fans expand on the characters they enjoy, hence those two examples up top and this following final piece.</p>

<p><strong>[Speculation]</strong> </p>

<p>Kazeshini's personality is one that Hisagi detests not solely because of <em>how</em> he is but instead <em>who</em> he is -- the extension of his very soul. He doesn't emphasize with Kazeshini which makes it a part of himself he cannot identify. Kazeshini reflects this confusion which is why they agree to disagree. Alternatively, if they meet halfway, neither would be stifled by fear (to kill) or frustration (that seems weak). Achieving Bankai is probably about releasing insecurities &amp; inhibitions to become whole or enlightened -- you know, growing with your sword instead of against/away from it -- or that was the original idea.</p>

<p><strong>[/Speculation]</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-25T06:11:04.803Z
2014-04-25T06:11:04.803Z
Daz C
<p>Through all of the episodes containing Muramasa when the Shinigami's Zanpakuto materialize, some of them are very different from each other. Mainly Hisagi and his Zanpakuto Kazeshini. Even after he is released from Muramasa's spell, Kazeshini tries to kill Hisagi and says that he only wants to kill people. But according to the Bleach intro the Zanpakuto are born with the abilities based on
their Shinigami. </p>

<p>So why are they so often different?</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/C5QBR.png" alt="enter image description here">
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/9Tsqs.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-25T00:32:29.523Z
I'm a little confused. Are you asking why some zanpakuto don't fit their owner's personalities?
kuwaly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-25T00:39:35.060Z
Yes, according to the intro song thing (what i posted pictures of) they should pretty much have the same personality.
Jordan.J.D
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-25T04:25:02.640Z
Man, I could get all kinds of philosophical with this answer, which is why an answer just gets complicating. Not a bad question at all, but it leads into several answers concerning self-reflection, acceptance, foreshadowing, emotional fanservice, and duality of the soul when some zanpakuto seem polar opposite or disliked by their Shinigami.
Daz C
<bleach>
Why are Shinigami and their Zanpakuto so different?
# Why are Shinigami and their Zanpakuto so different?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-04-25
Through all of the episodes containing Muramasa when the Shinigami's Zanpakuto materialize, some of them are very different from each other. Mainly Hisagi and his Zanpakuto Kazeshini. Even after he is released from Muramasa's spell, Kazeshini tries to kill Hisagi and says that he only wants to kill people. But according to the Bleach intro the Zanpakuto are born with the abilities based on
their Shinigami.

So why are they so often different?

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/C5QBR.png)
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/9Tsqs.png)
**Tags:** bleach
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'm a little confused. Are you asking why some zanpakuto don't fit their owner's personalities?  
> **username_0**: Yes, according to the intro song thing (what i posted pictures of) they should pretty much have the same personality.  
> **username_2**: Man, I could get all kinds of philosophical with this answer, which is why an answer just gets complicating. Not a bad question at all, but it leads into several answers concerning self-reflection, acceptance, foreshadowing, emotional fanservice, and duality of the soul when some zanpakuto seem polar opposite or disliked by their Shinigami.  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_2 on 2014-04-25. Score: 2
I guess my comment seemed answery & I used to have such fond memories of Bleach so here goes. Disclaimer: if you're willing to accept lazy filler writing as the answer, do not read anything below this statement because I don't have classes tomorrow so I thought I'd write & reminisce.

Reasons why the personification of Zanpakuto do not directly reflect their shinigami

**Literary sense** would dictate the following:

* **Character Overlap** is unpopular & otherwise bad. You don't want to give every character of focus a clone. It's just bad writing to introduce partners as complete doppelgangers. It's different when that clone-character is referential to someone else (everyone in Naruto who was *like Naruto*) or substituting (also in Naruto, when Sai was a *new Sasuke*). Those are typically OK (but should not abused, Naruto).
* **Lack of material** is the biggest reason for every problem Bleach has ever faced -- this is fact. Otherwise, it'd still be a beloved powerhouse than a retiring flagship of entertainment. With identical plots, new characters or focusing on B characters seem like an OK idea to seem fresh.
* **Filler arcs** demaaaand disposable conflict, that is, sometimes you get ones knowing they're just buying time so they don't even attempt to seem exciting and other times you get game-changers and you cry knowing the cute girl who isn't useless will die or leave. In this case, everything would wrap up with a smirk by the sunset for "even though we had our differences, we'll move forward". Keep in mind, delivering this can be cheesy so it often gets rushed.
* **Thought-provoking** topics or questions like yours is a subplot waiting to boil but all too often it's just left to fizzle without details. Which leads me to my next speculated point,
  + **Self-reflection/acceptance** implies dealing with the parts of yourself that you know you need and how to achieve them. Like, Ichigo's inner world reacts to the good (hometown, maybe more) and bad (raining on all of that, drowning in it) in his life. But his frustrations with himself turned into a seasoned old guy and animal instinct-man who create a demand that Ichigo needs to be stronger to overcome the odds. Rukia, the cute tomboy/soldier focused a lot on being militant, but has inner fascination with beauty only seen in her inspiration from Shiba Miyako (Kaien's wife), Byakuya's art & strength, and it can be argued that this is represented in her zanpakuto's embodiment. Also Sode no Shirayuki in this arc is bothered that Rukia's primary personality makes her just a military tool. Even though Muramasa's powers promotes the feelings of being oppressed to persuade the spirits to fight their Shinigami, the underlying ideas are still there in most of them -- or just secretly made up reasons to move plot because filler rarely has decent direction.

It's just a lot of open-ended conjecture that has good intentions of making fans expand on the characters they enjoy, hence those two examples up top and this following final piece.

**[Speculation]**

Kazeshini's personality is one that Hisagi detests not solely because of *how* he is but instead *who* he is -- the extension of his very soul. He doesn't emphasize with Kazeshini which makes it a part of himself he cannot identify. Kazeshini reflects this confusion which is why they agree to disagree. Alternatively, if they meet halfway, neither would be stifled by fear (to kill) or frustration (that seems weak). Achieving Bankai is probably about releasing insecurities & inhibitions to become whole or enlightened -- you know, growing with your sword instead of against/away from it -- or that was the original idea.

**[/Speculation]**
---
