I N F O R M A T I O N

Looking for more info. on Sode no Shirayuki? Welcome to the right spot!! I must warn you that this section contains SPOILERS (some sections maybe more than others) so scroll down with caution.

F I R S T   A P P E A R A N C E

SODE NO SHIRAYUKI first appears on chapter 201 in the Bleach Manga, and episode 117 in the Bleach Anime. Rukia returns to Karakura Town along with Hitsugaya and his team created to help fight the arrancars that have appeared in the real world. Upon splitting paths, a second group of Arrancar appears who seem to have targeted humans with high reiatsu (spiritual pressure). Ichigo and Rukia realize that one of them is heading towards Sado, who is all alone and was recently injured in battle.

Sado faces the Arrancar number 16, known as D-Roy. Sado is attacked but is saved by Ichigo in time. Ichigo asks Sado to please step back and run away. Sado does as he says and bumps into Rukia who asks him if he is ok, but he just keeps running with no answer. Rukia asks Ichigo what he said to Sado, Ichigo tells her that he asked him to step back. Rukia then asks Ichigo to step back and tells him she will handle this battle herself. She takes out a gikon pill and transforms into her shinigami form. Ichigo is shocked too see Rukia back to normal, but Rukia explains that it was Urahara's gigai who had kept her from regaining her powers and she has finally regained them after spending time in Soul Society.

As they keep talking, Ichigo is attacked by Rukia's gigai, who apparently likes to talk cute and say the word pyon alot, and takes Ichigo away from the battle. Rukia is suddenly attacked by D-Roy, he introduces himself and as Rukia begins to tell him her name and division, he stops her and tells her he is not interested in the names of all of those who will die. Rukia then tells him that he should at least know the name of her zanpakutou, Sode no shirayuki. Rukia is able to defeat D-Roy using her attack, Tsukishiro, by freezing the space between heaven and earth.

N A M E & D E S C R I P T I O N

SODE NO SHIRAYUKI translates to "sleeve of white snow" or "White Snow's sleeve". As the name states, Sode no Shirayuki is a snow and ice Zanpakutou (like Hyorinmaru, Hitsugaya's zanpakutou). It is said that sode no shirayuki is one of the most beautiful swords in this category.

What makes this sword so remarkably unique is the way it looks upon being released. Sode no Shirayuki's shikai (release) is "mae . . .sode no shirayuki", meaning "dance (or swirl) sode no shirayuki". Upon being released,the blade is completely covered in white, and has a long white ribbon at the end. Everything is white, the hilt, the hand guard, and the blade. Its pure white, like snow.

A T T A C K S

SODE NO SHIRAYUKI has shown 3 attacks so far:

  1. the first dance : Tsukishiro (white moon) - Tsukishiro is the very first attack we see Rukia use after reappearing as a shinigami. To use this attack she says the words "some no mai . . . tsukishiro" which translates to "the first dance . . . white moon". This attack freezes the ground and the area around the enemy, but its not limited to the ground. As Rukia states, "Sode no shirayuki is not simply the sword which makes the land freeze, everything within its circle of influence, be it heaven or earth, will fall under its icy grasp." Basically everything thats under the circle of ice, be it in the ground or sky is frozen and disappears in this circle of ice.
  2. the second dance : Hakuren (white ripple) - Hakuren is the second attack for sode no shirayuki, obtained through Rukia's training with Orihime in Soul Society. Hakuren basically does what it says, it creates a ripple of ice which covers the enemy entirely. Rukia uses this technique against Grimmjow in chapter 235 of the Bleach Manga.
  3. the third dance : Shirafune (White Blade) - Shirafune is the third attack we see so far. We see this attack in chapter 268 and 269, after Rukia's zanpakutou is broken. Upon calling for Shirafune, the blade is restored, but only for Rukia to attack. After that, the blade goes back to being broken.