Powers & Abilities[]
Flight: Ikkaku, like most shinigami can fly or levitate.
Master Swordsman: Despite being ranked as the 3rd seat officer in his division, his rank does not reflect his fighting abilities, which are of near-captain level. According to Yumichika Ayasegawa, Ikkaku is the 2nd strongest man in the 11th Division. He uses a fighting style noted to be rough, but powerful, and complex movements which allow him to lunge with his sword from the left and defend with his sheath at the right, though he is ambidextrous and can switch between the two techniques. Ikkaku commonly fights with his sword held in a normal grip and the sheath held in reverse grip, showing his mastery of the two variations of sword-fighting. He uses misdirection in his attacks, and even though doing so allows for holes in his defense, he can make up for it with surprise attacks. His mastery of this skill is great enough for Renji Abarai to beg Ikkaku to train him.
- Naginatajutsu Master: Ikkaku's Zanpakutō is a naginata-type weapon while in Shikai. Ikkaku uses it perfectly against other sword-type weapons.
- Bōjutsu Master: Though Ikkaku's Zanpakutō is a naginata-type weapon while in Shikai, it can split apart into a three-sectioned staff and back into a naginata. While in its split form, he is highly proficient in the use of techniques similar in use to that of bo to take advantage of its versatility.
Shunpo Practitioner: Ikkaku uses Shunpo frequently, though he only uses it to keep up with stronger opponents so he can fight more.
High Spiritual Power: Though only a 3rd Seat, Ikkaku boasts a high spiritual power, and has the spiritual power level of a lieutenant of the Gotei 13 with Renji and Iba both stating if Ikkaku so desired he could become a Captain. His spiritual energy is red.
Enhanced Strength: Ikkaku possesses a high level of strength. He blocked a punch from the Arrancar Edrad Liones in his released state, even while severely injured. Ikkaku sent Hozukimaru flying several meters away and through solid rock with a single attack. Several of his opponents have commented on the strength of his blows. His muscle control is highly developed, for after having a shoulder dislocated, he reset it by flexing his muscles.
Enhanced Durability and Endurance: Ikkaku has an incredibly high level of endurance, able to ignore most injuries without noticeably affecting his performance. During his fight against Edrad, despite taking great injuries, he still fought on, used his Bankai, and ultimately defeated the Arrancar. During his fight against Moe Shishigawara, even after taking several critical hits to the point of coughing up blood, he still fought on and defeated Moe.
Hakuda Expert: Before he became a Shinigami, Ikkaku was always roaming around looking for fights. Most opponents did not have swords, so he frequently fought barehanded. He won against everyone he fought, and upon seeing his strength, most people fled from him. When Moe broke his Zanpakutō, Ikkaku resorted to fighting unarmed, and swiftly defeated the Fullbringer.
Zanpakutō[]
Hozukimaru (Japanese for "Demon Light"): Though Hōzukimaru resembles an ordinary katana, its hilt is hollow to store a small vial of healing ointment, which Ikkaku can access by removing the hilt's pummel. Its tsuba is an oval, with what look like three small teardrops in relief on both the top and bottom end. Rarely wearing it at his side like most Shinigami, Ikkaku usually carries Hōzukimaru's sealed form in his hand to enable him to quickly access it in battle, and wields its sheath in his other hand to serve as a secondary weapon.
- Shikai: Its Shikai command is "Grow". The Shikai of Hōzukimaru is unusual in that Ikkaku slams its hilt (and sometimes its pommel) into its sheath to activate it when saying the command phrase. Once released, Hōzukimaru takes on the form of what initially appears to be a Kikuchi Yari (spear) with a wax wood shaft. The pommel has a red horsehair tassel. While able to deliver powerful blows, it is not very durable, and tends to break against particularly strong strikes.
Ikkaku's ShiKai, Hōzukimaru.
Shikai Special Ability: Ikkaku uses the command "Split" (裂けろ, sakero; "Split apart" in the English dub) to separate his naginata into its true form, which is a Sansetsukon (三節棍, Three Sectional Staff), after which the sections can independently reconnect and separate again at will. This special ability surprises his opponents when they first attack. These chains can extend a fair length, allowing Ikkaku to swing his weapon like a flail for mid-range attacks.
- Bankai: Ryūmon Hōzukimaru (龍紋鬼灯丸, Dragon Crest Demon Light): To activate it during his battle with Edrad, Ikkaku slams the two broken pieces of his Shikai back into the spear-form and says Bankai. Its two main weapons are a Chinese Monk's spade and a standard guandao. Both have a traditional horsehair tassel at the hilt, and a long, cylindrical weight for a pommel. The pommels are connected by a heavy chain to the center section, which resembles an axe blade, with a parallel handle forged into the blunt end and a dragon crest on one side of the blade. Ikkaku usually holds one blade in each hand and lets the central portion float behind him, though he will occasionally spin the entire configuration about using the center handle as a pivot. According to Mayuri Kurotsuchi, it is considerably weaker after having been destroyed by Edrad.
Ikkaku's Bankai, Ryūmon Hōzukimaru.
- Bankai Special Ability: Ikkaku's Bankai, like his Shikai, is quite unusual. Aside from the increase in power, his Bankai does not offer any special abilities or special defensive properties, but releases some Reiatsu, which starts to grow in strength. Ikkaku treats Hōzukimaru different than other Bankai users treat their Zanpakutō, for they just let theirs slumber and use it when they want to do Bankai. If he forces it to awaken suddenly, cutting the enemy and not getting cut becomes a lot harder to handle than it should be, so his Bankai gets increasingly more powerful as the fight drags on. After he activates his Bankai, Ikkaku's Reiatsu rises as the dragon crest slowly fills with crimson dye. It fills faster when he spins Ryūmon Hōzukimaru with the center handle. Ikkaku states his Zanpakutō is very lazy in battle and needs to be woken up through causing or receiving injury. When the crest is completely filled, Ryūmon Hōzukimaru is at its full power. The force of unleashing so much power can leave his Zanpakutō's edge brittle under excessive stress.
Weaknesses[]
Kido: Typical for a member of Squad 11 Ikkaku has no skill in Kido leaving him with only direct combat methods in battle.
Zanpakuto
Structural Weakness (Shikai): While able to deliver powerful blows Hozukimaru is not particularly durable and tends to break if struck by a powerful blow.
Brittle edge (Bankai):The force of unleashing so much power leaves his Zanpakuto edge brittle under excessive stress which can lead to it easily breaking if not handled carefully.
Waning Power (Bankai): According to Mayuri Kurotsuchi Ryumon Hozukimaru is considerably weaker than it was originally after his battle with Edorad Liones even after Akon manged to restore its original appearance