How Toshiro Hitsugaya Became a Zombie in Bleach

Toshiro Hitsugaya is one of the most popular and powerful characters in the anime and manga series Bleach. He is the captain of the 10th Division of the Gotei 13, the military organization of Soul Society. He is also the youngest captain in history, and has a unique ice-based zanpakuto called Hyorinmaru. However, during the final arc of the series, known as the Thousand-Year Blood War, Toshiro faced a shocking fate: he was turned into a zombie by one of the enemies, Giselle Gewelle. How did this happen, and what were the consequences? This article will explain the details of this event and its aftermath.

The Quincy Invasion

The Thousand-Year Blood War arc revolves around the conflict between the Soul Reapers (Shinigami) and the Quincies, a race of humans who can manipulate spiritual energy called reishi. The Quincies are led by Yhwach, the son of the Soul King and the founder of their empire, known as the Wandenreich. Yhwach seeks to destroy Soul Society and remake the world in his image.

The Wandenreich launches a surprise attack on Soul Society, catching the Shinigami off guard. They use a special device called a medallion to steal the bankai of several captains, including Toshiro. Bankai is the ultimate form of a zanpakuto, which grants immense power and abilities to its wielder. Without their bankai, the Shinigami are at a severe disadvantage against the Quincies.

Toshiro loses his bankai to Cang Du, a Quincy who can turn his skin into iron. He tries to fight back with his shikai (the first form of his zanpakuto), but he is overwhelmed by Cang Du’s strength. He manages to send a message to his fellow captains, warning them about the bankai theft. He then falls unconscious, hoping that someone will come to his rescue.

The Zombie Transformation

After the first invasion, Toshiro and other Shinigami train to improve their skills without their bankai. They also receive help from Kisuke Urahara, a former captain and a genius inventor. Urahara devises a way to restore the stolen bankai using a modified version of his own zanpakuto, Benihime.

During the second invasion, Toshiro confronts Cang Du again, this time with his bankai back. He unleashes his full power and defeats Cang Du with ease. However, he also exhausts himself in the process and collapses on the ground.

At this moment, he is approached by Giselle Gewelle, a Quincy who can turn anyone into a zombie by splashing her blood on them. She is also known as Sternritter Z, which stands for “The Zombie”. She covers Toshiro with her blood and turns him into her puppet.

Giselle reveals that she has been collecting corpses of Shinigami and Quincies alike to create her own army of zombies. She also explains that her power works differently depending on whether her target is alive or dead when she zombifies them. If they are alive, they retain their original strength and reflexes, but they lose their free will and personality. If they are dead, they become weaker and slower, but they gain some degree of autonomy and emotion.

Toshiro was alive when Giselle zombified him, so he became a mindless slave who obeyed her every command. He also wore a white cloak similar to the Quincies’ uniform, indicating his allegiance to Giselle.

The Rescue and Recovery

Giselle uses Toshiro as her weapon against the Shinigami, forcing him to fight against his former allies. She also enjoys torturing him and playing with him as if he was her toy. She even kisses him on several occasions, much to his disgust.

Toshiro’s friends are shocked and saddened by his condition, especially Rangiku Matsumoto, his lieutenant and childhood friend. They try to reason with him and bring him back to his senses, but to no avail.

The only one who can counter Giselle’s power is Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the captain of the 12th Division and an expert in science and medicine. He is also known for his twisted experiments and cruel personality.

Mayuri confronts Giselle and challenges her to a battle of zombies. He reveals that he has also created his own zombies using drugs and surgery. He even resurrects some of Giselle’s victims and turns them against her.

Mayuri manages to capture Toshiro and injects him with an antidote that frees him from Giselle’s control. He also heals his wounds and restores him to normal. However, he also modifies his body without his consent, adding some of his own inventions to enhance his abilities.

Toshiro is grateful to Mayuri for saving him, but he is also angry at him for tampering with him. He vows to get revenge on him someday. He also apologizes to his friends for the trouble he caused them and thanks them for their support.

The Conclusion

Toshiro Hitsugaya’s zombie transformation was one of the most shocking and tragic events in Bleach. It showed how vulnerable and helpless he was against the Quincies, and how much he suffered under Giselle’s control. It also showed how much he cared for his friends and how much they cared for him.

However, it also served as a catalyst for his growth and development. After being rescued and recovered, Toshiro became stronger and more determined than ever. He joined the final battle against Yhwach and his elite guards, and played a crucial role in defeating them.

He also achieved a new level of power by mastering his true bankai, which allowed him to control the temperature of anything he touched. He used this power to freeze and shatter Gerard Valkyrie, the Quincy who could grow infinitely in size and strength.

Toshiro Hitsugaya proved that he was not only a prodigy, but also a hero. He overcame his zombie ordeal and became one of the greatest captains in history. He also earned the respect and admiration of his friends and enemies alike. He was truly a legend in Bleach.

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