One of My Hero Academia‘s biggest stars is Katsuki Bakugo, Izuki Midoriya’s childhood friend and an ace student at the U.A. school. Unlike the naturally Quirkless Izuku, Bakugo was born with incredible talent, meaning he was near the top of Class 1-A from the very start. He has a formidable Explosion Quirk, and most of his opponents quickly lose to its overwhelming firepower.
But can Bakugo take on the powers and abilities from other anime series, such as Tite Kubo’s Bleach? This is an entirely new challenge, and Bakugo will quickly realize that some zanpakuto, or soul-cutting swords, can effectively counter his fighting style and corner him in a fight. Other zanpakuto, though, will be helpless before Bakugo’s Quirk in a fight.
10 A ZANPAKUTO BAKUGO CAN HANDLE: Momo’s Tobiume Is Just A Weaker Version Of Explosion
Momo Hinamori is the Lieutenant of squad 5, and she bears a kido-type zanpakuto named Tobiume. This fire-based zanpakuto can release intense fireballs that explode when they strike their target, meaning Momo is more similar to Bakugo than first impressions would suggest.
However, while Tobiume’s power is impressive, it has no bankai, and Bakugo is quite familiar with explosions. He can negate Momo’s explosions with his own, and use his advanced moves to overwhelm Tobiume’s wielder.
9 A ZANPAKUTO THAT COUNTERS BAKUGO: Soi Fon’s Suzumebachi Can Easily Sting Bakugo To Death
Suzumebachi is a zanpakuto best used by trained assassins, and its wielder, Captain Soi Fon, is exactly that. Suzumebachi resembles a short sword in its sealed state, and once Soi Fon releases the shikai, Suzumebachi forms a metal stinger on its wielder’s right middle finger. It’s far deadlier than it looks.
If Suzumemachi stings a target once, a butterfly mark appears. A sting on any butterfly mark will kill the target dead, just like that. Bakugo has no real defense against that if Suzumebachi’s wielder gets close, especially since his hero costume bares his head and arms. He’s totally vulnerable.
8 A ZANPAKUTO BAKUGO CAN HANDLE: Ikkaku Madarame’s Hozukimaru Is Nothing Special
Ikkaku Madarame is a high-ranking officer in squad 11, and he has a brutish melee-type zanpakuto: Hozukimaru. When the wielder uses shikai, Hozukimaru forms a series of wooden rods with flexible joints, and a blade at the tip. That’s not terribly impressive, though.
Hozukimaru’s bankai forms three massive, heavy blades with chains linking them together, but Katsuki Bakugo can handle that, too. He can dodge those heavy blades or push them away with explosions, and strike back at Hozukimaru’s wielder with a precise AP shot attack.
7 A ZANPAKUTO THAT COUNTERS BAKUGO: Ryujin Jakka Beats Bakugo At His Own Game
Momo’s zanpakuto can’t beat Bakugo at his own game, but Yamamoto’s Ryujin Jakka can, simply because this zanpakuto is an order of magnitude stronger. In fact, Yamamoto considers himself a terrible flame demon who might someday bring the entire Soul Society to ruin. His is the strongest fire-based zanpakuto of all time.
Ryujin Jakka’s shikai unleashes hellish flames that could easily outclass any technique Bakugo can bring to bear and overwhelm him from all sides at once. Bakugo is experienced with fire, but not fire of this scale.
6 A ZANPAKUTO BAKUGO CAN HANDLE: Nnoitora’s Santa Teresa Has No Special Powers
Most melee-type zanpakuto are easy for Bakugo to handle, since bare blades and chains are unable to block his explosive powers. Some Arrancar have melee-type zanpakuto (as well as Soul Reapers), and that includes Nnoitora Gilga, the 5th Espada.
Nnoitora’s sealed zanpakuto, Santa Teresa, resembles two back-to-back crescents in its sealed state, and its released form is simply six scythes with tassels at the ends. It’s a fearsome weapon, but Bakugo could wipe out Santa Teresa’s wielder with sufficient firepower. Those blades can’t block fire.
5 A ZANPAKUTO THAT COUNTERS BAKUGO: Kaname’s Suzumushi Affects The Target’s Senses
Captain Kaname Tosen has a remarkable zanpakuto that can end a fight without shedding any blood: Suzumushi. Its shikai can create many blades to strike the opponent, but it can also emit a tone that overwhelms the opponent’s ears and cripples them in a matter of seconds. There are few ways to defend against such an attack.
Katsuki Bakugo would quickly fall if he faced Suzumushi in battle, since he’s not expecting a sonic attack. Even if he withstood it, Suzumushi’s bankai will rob him of all senses but touch, and he will stand no chance as his opponent stabs him with Suzumushi’s blade.
4 A ZANPAKUTO BAKUGO CAN HANDLE: Marechiyo’s Gegetsuburi Is Too Simple To Defeat Bakugo
Captain Soi Fon’s Lieutenant, Marechiyo Omaeda, has a rather unremarkable zanpakuto named Gegetsuburi. It’s a melee-type, but it’s also an odd fit for a trained assassin like him. Even if Marechiyo isn’t on Soi Fon’s level, he could do better than Gegetsuburi, and he couldn’t possibly defeat Bakugo with it.
Bakugo would have nothing to fear from Gegetsuburi in battle, since it’s just a series of spiked metal balls attached to long chains. Bakugo is mobile enough to avoid such an attack, and he could easily return fire and knock out Gegetsuburi’s wielder with an AP shot.
3 A ZANPAKUTO THAT COUNTERS BAKUGO: Gin’s Shinso Can Defeat Bakugo With Bankai
The shikai form of Shinso is insufficient to defeat Katsuki Bakugo, since it is simply an elongated blade that can strike the opponent and push them back with extreme force. Bakugo can handle melee attacks like that and launch a counter with ease, so Shinso’s wielder must start the fight with bankai, or else face defeat.
Shinso’s bankai is a much faster version of the shikai, being able to elongate and retract its blade with lightning speed. The speed is key: Shinso’s wielder can extend the blade and pierce Bakugo’s head before he has a chance to strike back, or even realize what’s happening. Bakugo is fast, but not that fast.
2 A ZANPAKUTO BAKUGO CAN HANDLE: Zommari’s Brujeria Can’t See Through The Smoke & Fire
Against most My Hero Academia characters, Zommari Rureaux‘s zanpakuto, Brujeria, has a serious advantage. In released mode, Brujeria’s wielder can activate their enchanted eyes to take control of their opponent’s body merely by looking at them, but Bakugo’s Quirk will interfere with such a strategy.
Bakugo’s constant explosions fill the battlefield with smoke and fire, obscuring Brujeria’s many eyes and negating its power. If Bakugo is quick, he can overwhelm Brujeria’s wielder with explosions before they get a chance to control his body. Sometimes, it pays to make a big mess on the battlefield.
1 A ZANPAKUTO THAT COUNTERS BAKUGO: Toshiro’s Hyorinmaru Can Freeze Bakugo’s Sweat Fuel
Bakugo can blast apart ice with ease, such as Shoto Todoroki’s ice attacks, but Hyorinmaru is another matter entirely. This zanpakuto can freeze anything around it, and its shikai mode can form an ice dragon to keep Bakugo busy while the wielder prepares a more specialized attack.
Hyorinmaru’s wielder can freeze Bakugo’s sweat next, and with no liquid sweat available, Bakugo cannot fuel his Quirk at all. In fact, Hyorinmarus’ bankai mode can trap Bakugo in a solid pillar of ice, rendering him helpless. His sweat will definitely be frozen if the battle reaches that point.
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