Getsuga Tenshō

Getsuga Tenshō (月牙天衝, Moon-Fang Heaven Piercer) is a form of Zanpakutō technique that manifests in certain Shinigami's Zanpakutō. It is 's signature technique.

Description
At the instant of the slash, the Zanpakutō absorbs its owner's spiritual energy and releases highly condensed spiritual energy at the tip of the blade, magnifying the slash attack and then flies forward. This slash takes the form of a crescent moon or in the shape of a wave. Ichigo himself uses this ability without knowing its name several times but masters the technique later on during his Bankai training. As stated by Zangetsu, knowing the name of an attack heightens its power compared to its strength when the wielder does not know its name. The Getsuga Tenshō is a powerful technique with great force, capable of causing large-scale damage and destruction. The user can use this technique in several different manners, such as striking the ground to create an omnidirectional blast to knock away incoming attacks or slashing at the ground to upturn it and crush everything in its path. The power of Getsuga Tenshō varies between its users.

Getsuga Tenshō is unlike other Zanpakutō techniques shown thus far, in that it has more than one user. is the first known user of this technique, though his son, Ichigo, later uses the ability when he gains Shinigami powers of his own. Kūgo Ginjō gains the ability to use Getsuga Tenshō after stealing the powers of Ichigo's Fullbring. Dyan Arashi can use Getsuga Tenshō because he, mysteriously, also uses Zangetsu. Raian Getsueikirite's use of Getsuga Tenshō has not been fully explained, however, it is assumed that he gained it (upon regaining his Shinigami power) due to his former Soul Link with Ichigo.

Variation

 * Kuroi Getsuga Tenshō (黒月牙天衝, "Black Moon-Fang Heaven Piercer"): Ichigo and Dyan's Tensa Zangetsu has a variation of Getsuga Tenshō while in the Bankai state. It can be used in the same manners, but can be used in an enhanced form. When used in Bankai, these potent blasts are black with a red outline and their path can be controlled, with explosively augmented power and speed. During 's fight with Ichigo, he refers to this attack as a Black Getsuga, referring to the attack's darkened color. Ichigo has stated that the Black Getsuga was originally 's technique, and has been proven as Ichigo had no knowledge of it during his fight with Byakuya Kuchiki, and Hollow Ichigo stated that all Ichigo was doing when he used the technique was copying his inner Hollow. Ichigo and Dyan can also keep Getsuga Tenshō within Tensa Zangetsu to augment his sword swings.