Complete listed story — includes the ending
Bleach, Volume 1
001. Death & Strawberry [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki is a teenager who can see ghosts, but lives an otherwise normal life. However, when he encounters the Shinigami Rukia Kuchiki and is attacked by a Hollow, his life changes forever.
At 2:23 a.m. on a Friday morning, Rukia Kuchiki stands atop a telephone pole and notes that she senses enormous Reiryoku nearby before leaping into the air.
At 7:30 p.m. that same Friday, Ichigo Kurosaki confronts a group of skateboarders, several of whom he effortlessly beats up while pointing out a broken vase of flowers lying on its side nearby. When the skateboarders admit that it is an offering for a dead child that they knocked over with their skateboards, Ichigo demands that they apologize to the Dead Girl as she appears behind them. Terrified, the skateboarders flee while promising to never do it again as Ichigo apologizes to the Dead Girl for using her. When the Dead Girl notes that it is fine because she asked him to help, Ichigo promises to bring fresh flowers soon before leaving.
As he notes that he can see and talk to ghosts, Ichigo returns to the Kurosaki Clinic, where Isshin Kurosaki berates him for missing dinner. While Ichigo and Isshin argue over the rules of the house, Yuzu Kurosaki pleads with them to stop before dinner gets cold, only for Karin Kurosaki to tell her to leave them be so they can have more for themselves. Yuzu notices that Ichigo has another spirit haunting him, much to his chagrin, while Karin muses that Ichigo's ability to see, talk to, touch, and channel spirits puts him in high demand before revealing her plan to monetize his powers for public events. Angered by this, Ichigo goes to his room and, while his sisters and father discuss the increased number of spirits haunting him as of late, notes that because he has always been able to see the souls of the dead, he has never even thought of those who would reap them as Rukia Kuchiki suddenly appears in his room.
While Rukia notes that "it" is close, Ichigo kicks her down and demands to know what she is talking about, prompting Rukia to express disbelief that Ichigo can both see and touch her. When Isshin confronts him over causing a ruckus, Ichigo claims he is merely subduing an intruder and demands to know where their home security is, only for Isshin to wonder whom he is referring to as Rukia reveals he cannot see her because she is a Shinigami. While Fishbone D devours the Dead Girl elsewhere and notes that there is much Reiryoku nearby, Ichigo recounts Rukia's explanation of coming to the Human World from Soul Society to vanquish an "evil spirit" before dismissing her story as completely ridiculous and, under the assumption she is simply another soul playing make-believe, attempting to make her leave; however, Rukia binds Ichigo in place with Bakudō #1. Sai for his rude tone and to back up her claims. Rukia explains how she is actually ten times older than Ichigo and is only restrained from killing him for his insolence by spiritual law before performing Konsō on the spirit that had been haunting Ichigo. Rukia proceeds to explain to Ichigo the difference between Souls and Hollows and the duties of the Shinigami regarding them before admitting that despite having come here to purify a Hollow, she has been unable to sense it for some time.
Suddenly, Ichigo hears a blood-curdling howl and demands to know what that was, only for Rukia to hear it as well a few seconds later and wonder why she seems to be hearing it through some sort of filter and why Ichigo heard it before she did. Rushing off to confront the Hollow, Rukia tells Ichigo to stay where he is, but is taken aback by the Reiatsu she senses upon opening the door. Karin appears, bleeding from a wound on her head, and tells Ichigo that she and Isshin were attacked by something before warning him to get away while he can. Enraged by this, Ichigo breaks out of the binding spell, which a shocked Rukia notes should be impossible, before grabbing a baseball bat and heading downstairs, where he finds Fishbone D. Trembling in fear at Fishbone D's monstrous visage, Ichigo sees that he is holding a wounded Yuzu and attacks him in fury, only for Fishbone D to effortlessly bat him aside, destroying the baseball bat in the process. As Fishbone D rears back to attack Ichigo, Rukia appears and cuts into his arm, causing him to drop Yuzu, whom Ichigo catches. After reassuring Ichigo that his none of his family have had their souls devoured yet, Rukia reveals that Fishbone D most likely came to the house in search of Ichigo due to his high levels of Reiryoku.
Stunned by this, Ichigo states that his father is dying and his sisters were injured because of him; when Rukia tries to correct him, Fishbone D sends her flying into a wall while Ichigo says he has had enough of him. Criticizing herself for not guarding her flank, Rukia is surprised to see Ichigo confronting Fishbone D head-on and demanding that the latter fight him alone. Fishbone D moves in to attack Ichigo, but Rukia intervenes by blocking the bite with her body, sustaining grievous injuries in the process. As she collapses, Rukia criticizes Ichigo for thinking this would end if he lost his soul and admits that she is too weak to fight before asking Ichigo if he truly wishes to save his family. When Ichigo confirms this, Rukia explains that if she drives her Zanpakutō into his heart and transfers half of her powers to him, he will temporarily become a Shinigami, as well as how this technique has a high rate of failure and may simply kill him instead. Noticing Yuzu tell him to run away, Ichigo realizes that his family is still worrying about him even while in danger themselves and agrees to go through with Rukia's plan. After introducing themselves to each other, Ichigo and Rukia push the Zanpakutō through Ichigo's chest, creating a blinding flash of Reiatsu. As Fishbone D moves to attack, Ichigo, now armed with an oversized Zanpakutō, cuts off his arm while a stunned Rukia realizes she has transferred all of her powers to Ichigo, whom she recognizes as the source of the power that was confusing her senses earlier. Cutting off Fishbone D's leg, Ichigo slashes through his mask, purifying him.
002. Starter [ ]
Upon learning that Rukia Kuchiki has lost her Shinigami powers, Ichigo Kurosaki comes to terms with taking over her duties of saving Souls and purifying Hollows.
Ichigo Kurosaki sees his family standing before him, covered in blood and berating him for not saving them with his power. As Rukia Kuchiki tells him that he was too late, Ichigo is woken from his nightmare by his father, Isshin Kurosaki, greeting him with a dropkick. After subduing his father, Ichigo asks him where his wounds are, only to be surprised when Isshin asks him in turn if he was hurt. Shortly afterward, Ichigo learns that his father and sisters have had their injuries healed and believe the damage to their house was caused by a truck crashing into it. While his family bickers about the repair bills this will leave them with, Ichigo wonders if the Shinigami are behind this and if Rukia went back to Soul Society.
At Karakura High School, Orihime Inoue sits daydreaming, only to be interrupted by Tatsuki Arisawa, who teases her for thinking about Ichigo all the time before claiming that Orihime could go after someone much better than him. When Mizuiro Kojima reveals that Ichigo may not be coming because a truck plowed into his house the night before, a worried Tatsuki demands to know if he was hurt or killed, only for Ichigo to rap her in the back of the head with his bag and announce that he is still alive. Taking his seat while catching up on the day's schedule with Mizuiro, Ichigo is suddenly confronted by Rukia in a student uniform, who Mizuiro introduces as having started attending the school yesterday due to her family moving. Rukia asks Ichigo if she can borrow his textbooks and holds out her hand, which has a message telling Ichigo to stay calm or suffer the consequences written on it, to Ichigo's shock.
Later, Ichigo and Rukia walk to a more secluded part of the school, where Ichigo demands to know why Rukia is still here and attending his school instead of going back to Soul Society. Rukia reveals that she cannot return to Soul Society because she lost all of her Shinigami powers when transferring them to Ichigo, which has left her unable to perform more than a few Kidō spells and forced to live in a Gigai, allowing normal Humans to see her. When Ichigo asks her what she wants with him, Rukia proclaims that he must perform her Shinigami duties until she regains her powers, only for Ichigo to abjectly refuse because he does not want to fight Hollows on behalf of strangers instead of for his family, as he did the previous night. Hearing this, Rukia puts on her Gokon Tekkō and pushes Ichigo's Soul out of his body, to his shock, before telling him to follow her.
As they wait at a park, Ichigo asks Rukia why they have been there for twenty minutes, only for Rukia to ask him in turn if any Souls come to this park. Ichigo notes that one young boy does, but admits that he has only seen him a couple times and not spoken to him before asking why this is important. Rukia hands Ichigo her Denreishinki and reveals that the text on the screen details a Hollow appearing in the park fifteen minutes before or after 12:00 p.m. before noting that it will most likely attack the young boy. Suddenly, Ichigo and Rukia see the young boy running away from Hexapodus while screaming in terror. When Ichigo attempts to help him, Rukia stops him and points out that the young boy is a stranger before reminding Ichigo that he will be devoured sooner or later regardless of whether Ichigo saves him unless Ichigo performs her Shinigami duties. As Rukia tells him to not save the young boy unless he can commit to helping all Souls in need of help and even risking his life for them, Ichigo cuts off one of Hexapodus's legs and rebukes Rukia for speaking of self-sacrifice so casually before reminding her of how she risked her own life last night for him despite her Shinigami duties. Slashing through Hexapodus's head, Ichigo admits that he may not be able to save every soul before promising to repay his debt to Rukia as best he can, to Rukia's relief.
003. Headhittin' [ ]
As Ichigo Kurosaki begins training with Rukia Kuchiki, Orihime Inoue is involved in a strange accident.
At night, as Orihime Inoue walks down a street while singing to herself, she is shocked to see a car barreling toward her.
The next day, Rukia Kuchiki tensely reads a horror comic, only to be surprised by Ichigo popping up behind her and demanding to know what she is doing. Rukia claims that she is studying the modern language of the Human World, but Ichigo sees through this and reveals that he finished Rukia's training of hitting 100 pepper-filled balls; however, Rukia berates him for hitting all of the balls, as he was only supposed to hit the balls with heads drawn on them and avoid the wrong balls filled with pepper, which Ichigo claims was impossible due to Rukia's drawings for both looking so alike. Meanwhile, Orihime walks on the elevated path nearby while singing to herself, only to stop upon seeing Ichigo.
When Rukia explains how Ichigo is supposed to defeat Hollows with a single strike to their head because that is their weak spot, Ichigo asks why he needs to change up his fighting style when it has worked fine so far, prompting Rukia to criticize him for not defeating Hollows in one blow before claiming that Ichigo should be approaching them from behind and finishing them off quickly, regardless of how unfair it may seem to him. Suddenly, Orihime pops up behind Ichigo and greets him, to his surprise. As she talks to Ichigo about getting ingredients for dinner, Orihime notices Rukia and they formally greet each other. Noticing Orihime's bandaged arm, Ichigo asks if she fell again, only for Orihime to reveal she was run over by a car, shocking Ichigo. Upon being told that Orihime manages to get hurt almost every day, Rukia notices a large bruise on her leg and inspects it, prompting Orihime to note that her leg hurts much more than her arm does before realizing that she is going to be late for Shōten. After declining to have Ichigo walk her home, Orihime leaves while noting she actually did want him to accompany her but could not say so out loud.
As Ichigo notes that he gets tired just watching Orihime, Rukia inquires about her, prompting Ichigo to explain how he has known her for a while before revealing that she had an older brother who died three years ago at his family's clinic. Denying being worried about Orihime, Rukia declares that she is going home and refuses to tell Ichigo where that is, to his irritation. Later, at the Kurosaki Clinic, Yuzu Kurosaki asks Ichigo if he knows where her dress and pajamas are, confusing him, while Rukia lies in a makeshift bed in his closet. Suddenly, she receives an order on her Denreishinki and is shocked by the details. Noticing the beeping coming from the closet, Ichigo is shocked when Rukia slams the door open and points out that she is wearing Yuzu's pajamas, but Rukia proclaims that there is no time to address this because a Hollow is about to appear in the room as she pushes Ichigo's soul out of his body with her Gokon Tekkō, just as an enormous claw bursts out of the air above his bed. As Acidwire pulls himself into the bedroom, Ichigo slashes at his head on Rukia's command, only to land a shallow blow that slices off part of Acidwire's mask, shocking him with what it reveals. When Acidwire howls in pain and retreats, Ichigo stops Rukia from pursuing him and demands to know what is going on because he recognized Acidwire as being Orihime's brother, Sora Inoue, prompting Rukia to reveal that the method of purifying Hollows with a single strike from behind exists so that Shinigami do not learn their Human identities, as all Hollows are originally Humans.
Meanwhile, at Orihime's house, while she and Tatsuki Arisawa eat and talk with each other, the face of Orihime's stuffed bear Enraku suddenly tears open as stuffing spills out.
004. WHY DO YOU EAT IT? [ ]
Acidwire attacks Orihime Inoue and Tatsuki Arisawa.
When Rukia Kuchiki tells him that all Hollows were once Humans, an incredulous Ichigo Kurosaki reminds Rukia that he was told they were monsters he had to kill, only for Rukia to confirm that they are monsters now and Ichigo must kill them before proclaiming that Orihime Inoue will die if they do not hurry.
Meanwhile, at Orihime's apartment, Tatsuki Arisawa demands to know if she is stupid for losing such a chance to be alone with Ichigo before detailing how Orihime should have lured Ichigo to a secluded spot on the way to her apartment and thrown him to the ground, to Orihime's shock. Tatsuki notes that Ichigo has gotten pretty close to Rukia, prompting Orihime to reveal she saw them in the park earlier before daydreaming about going to the park with Ichigo, which quickly turns into her racing him and another person before she beats them both to become a boxing champion. As Orihime and Tatsuki react to the former's daydream, they are startled by Enraku falling on the floor behind them. Rushing to check on her stuffed bear, Orihime sees that there is a large rip in his fabric before noticing blood pooling on her hand. Suddenly, Acidwire 's hand bursts out of Orihime's back, causing her to fall over with a blank expression on her face as Tatsuki frantically asks her what is wrong.
Elsewhere, Ichigo carries Rukia while hopping between rooftops and learning that Hollows devour the souls of their family before they go after other Souls and Humans. Rukia further clarifies that Hollows devour souls in order to ease their own pain, as they are themselves souls who were not sent to Soul Society by a Shinigami and who were not saved from other Hollows, and stalk those they loved in life in order to fill the emptiness inside of themselves. Revealing that she saw a large bruise on Orihime's leg earlier in the day, Rukia tells Ichigo that Acidwire will surely go after her if they are each other's only family.
Back at Orihime's apartment, Tatsuki is badly wounded by Acidwire while Orihime watches from the corner with a chain attached to her chest. Wondering what is going on and why she can see her own body lying nearby, Orihime tries to pull off the chain because it makes her uncomfortable, only to be alerted by Acidwire pinning down Tatsuki. As she realizes she cannot be daydreaming and must save Tatsuki, Orihime runs at Acidwire and pushes his arm off of Tatsuki, whom she tells to run away. When Tatsuki does not acknowledge Orihime's words or presence, Acidwire calls Orihime by her name and reveals that she cannot see or hear them, prompting Orihime to ask how he knows her name. This angers Acidwire, who attacks her while proclaiming he is wounded by her not knowing who he is, only for his attack to be blocked by Ichigo, who proclaims that Acidwire will have to go through him in order to get to Orihime.
005. Binda•blinda [ ]
As Ichigo Kurosaki fights Acidwire, the latter reveals his identity to Orihime Inoue.
With Acidwire having paused his assault, Ichigo Kurosaki wonders if the cut he left on the Hollow's hand scared him before noticing Tatsuki Arisawa on the ground nearby and noting she was in the wrong place at the wrong place. Suddenly, Ichigo notices Orihime Inoue lying on the floor as well and realizes she is also sitting behind him as she happily says that she knew it was him. Recalling Rukia's explanation that only spiritual beings can see him while he is working as a Shinigami, Ichigo asks Orihime how she can see him, only for Acidwire to proclaim that Orihime is a spirit and already dead before slamming his tail into Ichigo, who is unable to cut through the scales and is sent crashing out of the house into the air.
Stopping himself in midair, Ichigo grunts in pain as his forehead begins bleeding, prompting Acidwire to note he is slow despite talking tough before demanding to know if this situation is really so shocking as he uses Vitriol Shot, burning Ichigo's hand and forcing to drop his Zanpakutō. After slamming Ichigo into the ground below with his tail, Acidwire grabs Orihime and asks her if she has really forgotten him before lifting up his hair to reveal his exposed human eye, causing Orihime to recognize him as her brother Sora. On the ground below, Rukia berates Ichigo for being so easily taken down, prompting Ichigo to admit that he hesitated because Sora is different from the other Hollows. Accepting this, Rukia reminds Ichigo that Acidwire will eat Orihime's soul if Ichigo loses.
Back in Orihime's house, Orihime asks Acidwire why he hurt Tatsuki and Ichigo, prompting Acidwire to proclaim that they tried to tear him and Orihime apart before detailing how Orihime has stopped praying for him after befriending Tatsuki and Ichigo, the latter of whom she would talk about all the time, and how this made him feel like he was fading from her heart. Declaring that it made him want to kill, Acidwire sees Ichigo entering the house behind him and pushes him aside with his tail before asking Orihime to come with him so they can live together again. However, Orihime tearfully asks why Acidwire did not simply tell her he was lonely and declares that the brother she knew would never do this, prompting an enraged Acidwire to begin crushing her in his hands while declaring that he will kill her for turning him into a Hollow. Suddenly, Ichigo cuts off Acidwire's hands and most of his tail and claims that big brothers are born first to protect their younger siblings before angrily proclaiming that no brother should say they would kill their sister. Howling in pain, Acidwire demands to know why Ichigo keeps getting in his way.
006. microcrack. [ ]
Acidwire realizes the error of his actions after Orihime Inoue apologizes to him.
Acidwire recalls how, as the Human Sora Inoue, he had to protect Orihime Inoue after she came into the world when he was 15 because their parents were true monsters who would beat children to silence their cries, and eventually ran away with his sister when he was 18. In the present, Acidwire tells Ichigo Kurosaki that it was them against the world from that point on and that he raised Orihime by himself before declaring that Ichigo will never have her as he lunges at him. Blocking Acidwire's bite with his Zanpakutō, Ichigo tells him that Orihime belongs to no one, but Acidwire decides that Orihime will have to die for him if she will not live for him before lunging at her and biting down.
However, Acidwire is stunned to find Orihime hugging him, even as he bites into her body. Orihime explains that she only ever wanted to make Sora happy by sharing the things that made her happy and hiding her sadness from him before apologizing for not realizing how lonely it would make him feel as she collapses. While Ichigo and Acidwire call out to her, Rukia reveals that it is not too late to save Orihime and that she can use her Kidō to put her soul back in her body. As Rukia tends to Orihime, Acidwire admits that he knew Orihime was simply trying to hide her sadness from him, but he did not want her to stop praying to him because her heart was all his while she did so. Asking Acidwire what he is looking at, Ichigo points out the hairpins Orihime is wearing and explains how Orihime wears them every day because they are the first gift Sora ever gave to her before declaring that everyone feels alone when someone dies and that Acidwire forgot about Orihime's loneliness because he was so caught up in his own.
As he notes that he thought Orihime threw the hairpins away, Acidwire grabs the blade of Ichigo's Zanpakutō and uses it to cut off the rest of his Hollow mask, to Ichigo's shock. When Sora explains that he wants to use this moment of sanity to pass on, Rukia agrees with his decision because Hollows cannot go back to what they once were and explains that the Zanpakutō merely cleanses Hollows of sin instead of killing them outright so they can enter Soul Society. While Sora leans over Orihime to bid her farewell, Orihime recalls how she did not like the hairpins he gave her at first and had a fight with him before he left for work and died the next day without saying anything to him before taking the opportunity to finally tell him to have a nice day as Sora dissipates into the sky. Watching this with Rukia and Ichigo, Orihime declares that she has many questions to ask them, only for Rukia to use a Kikanshinki on her and explain to Ichigo that Orihime will have the events of tonight wiped from her memory and replaced with random memories. The next day at school, Orihime tells her friends that a Yakuza gunman blasted a huge hole in her wall, to their great disbelief, only to have Tatsuki back up her story while Ichigo watches and realizes that this is what Rukia did to his family as well.
007. The Pink Cheeked Parakeet [ ]
Yasutora Sado comes into possession of a strange talking parakeet and begins to experience paranormal events.
At night, as Yasutora Sado and his friends sit next to a construction site with a parakeet in a cage, Harutoki Ide explains how the parakeet is rumored to bring bad luck to his owners, all of whom have died so far. When Gitano Shigeo refuses to take the parakeet off his hands, Ide offers him to Sado, who takes interest due to liking cute things. Suddenly, an I-beam falls onto the group from the building under construction overhead, prompting Sado to stand up and catch the beam with his arms and back, much to his friends' amazement. While Sado claims he is fine despite bleeding, the parakeet thanks Sado for saving him and introduces himself as Yūichi Shibata, leading a stunned Ide to note that he is speaking like a regular person as Sado introduces himself in turn.
The next day, on the roof of Karakura High School, Ichigo Kurosaki notes that all traces of the burns from Acidwire 's Vitriol Shot are gone, prompting Rukia to brag about his wounds being easy to heal because she had the best grades in her Kidō class before asking Ichigo how she is supposed to drink from a juice box, prompting a bewildered Ichigo to tell her that she needs to stick the straw into it. When Mizuiro Kojima appears and notes how much time Ichigo and Rukia are spending together, Ichigo denies them being in love and notes that he would have dyed his hair black a long time ago if he cared what people thought about him. While Rukia continues to struggle with the juice box, she returns Mizuiro's greeting and calls him by name, to his pleasant surprise as he notes they were never even introduced. When Mizuiro introduces himself, Ichigo interrupts him to warn Rukia to stay away because Mizuiro is very popular with women despite his appearances; Mizuiro claims to only go after older women, but this only makes Ichigo continue to warn Rukia.
Keigo Asano walks up and asks to join them before noting Sado is not here. Spotting Rukia, Keigo congratulates Ichigo on befriending her and enthusiastically introduces himself while Rukia continues to focus on the juice box. Suddenly, Reiichi Ōshima knees Keigo in the back and confronts Ichigo for trying to copy his appearance instead of dying his hair black, prompting Ichigo to remind him that this is his natural hair color before calling him a drag queen and telling him to leave. Seeing Ōshima enraged by this, Keigo attempts to defuse the situation by claiming no one can beat Ōshima anyway, only for Ichigo to proclaim that he will beat Ōshima down himself. As Ōshima reveals a pair of brass knuckles and prepares to go one-on-one with Ichigo, Sado appears and flings him across the roof into the stairwell entrance nearby, to Keisuke Sorimachi 's shock.
While Keigo thanks Sado for saving them despite using more force than necessary, Ichigo asks how Sado got hurt, prompting him to reveal that he had an I-beam fall on him last night and ran into a motorcycle this morning while shopping for groceries, which hurt the driver badly enough that Sado had to carry him to the hospital, unnerving Ichigo and Keigo with his durability. When Sado sets down his cage, Yūichi introduces himself to the group, prompting Ichigo to look at him in shock. With Keigo testing how much Yūichi can say, Ichigo asks Sado where he got Yūichi, only for Sado to give a short summary instead of the full story, prompting Keigo to criticize him for being lazy and demanding the full story. Privately, Rukia confirms to Ichigo that there is something inside the parakeet, but it is harmless and likely nothing more than a lonely Soul which they will have to perform Konsō on tonight. While Ichigo complains about having another night without sleep, Rukia notes that he was worried for the safety of others as soon as he sensed the Soul's presence and that he may be understanding what it means to be a Shinigami.
Later, at the Kurosaki Clinic, Yuzu Kurosaki rushes past Ichigo with two boxes of medical supplies while telling him to move out of the way, prompting Ichigo to ask her where the fire is before narrowly avoiding Karin Kurosaki wheeling an injured man past him on a gurney. As Yuzu reveals there was a big car accident at the nearby intersection, Isshin Kurosaki yells at someone at the Karakura Hospital over the phone and demands that he tell his boss that Isshin is in need of free beds there for the patients he cannot fit at his own clinic before hanging up in anger. While Ichigo stays out of the way at his father's behest, Isshin calls him over to help with a larger patient, only for Ichigo to stop upon seeing that it is Sado while Karin freezes upon seeing Yūichi. Taking Sado's shirt off of him, Yuzu cringes in horror upon seeing the large wound on his back, which Isshin identifies as a burn that is still bleeding. Sado claims he is fine and tries to leave, but collapses at the doorway, prompting Isshin to tell Karin and Yuzu to get a bed ready for him.
That night, while Sado lies in bed with Yūichi on the table next to him, Rukia confirms to Ichigo that the wound on his back was definitely inflicted by a Hollow as Sado escapes with Yūichi through the window.
Bleach, Volume 2
008. Chase Chad Around [ ]
Yasutora Sado hides from the Hollow hunting him and the parakeet, as well as his friends.
In the Kurosaki Clinic, while a television broadcast details the previous day's five car collision in the third district of Karakura Town with zero casualties, Yuzu Kurosaki calls her brother Ichigo Kurosaki down for breakfast. Entering the dining room, Ichigo asks where Karin Kurosaki is, prompting Yuzu to explain that she does not want to eat because she is not feeling well, which surprises Ichigo. Suddenly, Isshin Kurosaki bursts through the door and frantically informs Ichigo that Yasutora Sado is no longer in his room. Soon afterward, at Karakura High School, Ichigo runs through the halls to his classroom and is greeted by Mizuiro Kojima, whom he asks about Sado's location. Mizuiro confirms that Sado has not shown up at school yet, and Keigo Asano notes this is strange because he is usually here ten minutes early and is not the type to miss school over something like being sick. As Keigo asks him if he wants to play with Sado's parakeet Yūichi, Ichigo rushes out of the classroom just as the bell rings, to Keigo's shock. Walking in, Misato Ochi tells the class to get ready to study contemporary literature before noticing Ichigo running down the hall, and after failing to call him back and learning that he is looking for Sado, Misato brushes his absence off and prepares to take attendance, leaving Keigo bewildered.
At Karakura South Elementary School, in the women's bathroom, Karin vomits and groans loudly inside a stall while a concerned Yuzu stands outside and asks if she is okay. While Karin tells her to go away and get to class before continuing to vomit, Midoriko Tōno walks up and asks how Karin is doing, only to comment that it does not sound good as she hears what is happening. As Yuzu and Midoriko notice Karin has finally stopped, Karin slams open the stall door and bluntly orders Yuzu to get her bag from the classroom because she is going home. Midoriko tries to assure Karin that it seems like the worst is behind her, but Karin angrily tells her to get lost, prompting an intimidated Midoriko to do so while noting that Karin is scary when she is sick.
Meanwhile, as he runs through the streets, Ichigo is met by Rukia Kuchiki, who leaps down off a wall as she asks if he has found any clues. When Ichigo denies this, Rukia admits that she has not either and explains how Soul Society cannot detect Hollows until they show up in the Human World to pursue Souls, as until that time they hide in a space between the two worlds, which is why they wait for orders from Soul Society to hunt them. Noting with frustration that Sado is in serious danger and they cannot wait for the Hollow to attack him, Ichigo asks if they can use Sado's parakeet to detect the Hollow's presence, which Rukia claims is impossible. However, Ichigo begins to concentrate and focus his spiritual perception, leading a shocked Rukia to realize Ichigo is actually homing in on Yūichi's soul despite it being weak, far away, and partially eclipsed by the parakeet's soul as dozens of Reiraku suddenly appear around them. Grabbing onto one of the ribbons, Ichigo declares that he has found Yūichi and runs off, with Rukia following as she notes that technique is usually reserved for veteran Shinigami and wonders if Ichigo is really developing this quickly.
Elsewhere, in an abandoned warehouse, Sado sits under a tarp with Yūichi as he notes that they managed to ditch " him ". When Yūichi tells him that he is in danger, Sado assures him that he is very sturdy before quickly leaping away with Yūichi as a rafter suddenly crashes into where he was sitting. Realizing that they have been found, Sado tells Yūichi that they will make it and promises to save his mother. As he runs onto the street, Sado is seen by Ichigo and Rukia, who run toward him as he swiftly changes direction and begins fleeing them. Ichigo tells Sado to stop running because he needs Ichigo's help, only to stop when a fatigued Karin calls out to him while leaning on a nearby telephone pole. Expressing concern over Karin's appearance, Ichigo is shocked when she collapses, which prompts Rukia to order him to take her home while she keeps pursuing Sado. When Ichigo protests, Rukia points out that Ichigo will be worrying about her when fighting the Hollow if they leave her here, which will get both of them eaten, and Ichigo acknowledges this before reminding Rukia that she cannot take any chances because she does not have the strength to fight a Hollow by herself at the moment. Promising that a veteran Shinigami never takes risks, Rukia runs off as Ichigo picks up Karin and begins taking her home. However, as Ichigo runs with her in his arms, a distraught Karin explains that Yūichi's strongest memory flowed into her mind yesterday because they are the closest in age and reveals that Yūichi saw his mother get murdered right in front of him before begging a stunned Ichigo to help him. Behind them, as Rukia catches up to Sado, a shadowy presence appears behind her.
009. Monster and a Transfer [Struck Down] [ ]
Yasutora Sado and Rukia team up to fight the Hollow, Shrieker.
Karin Kurosaki begs Ichigo Kurosaki to tell Yūichi Shibata that he can be with his mother again if he goes to the other side and to make sure he does not have to be alone anymore. Elsewhere, as she runs after Yasutora Sado and Yūichi, an out-of-breath Rukia Kuchiki angrily curses the weakness of her Gigai for lacking the muscle and flight capabilities needed to catch up to Sado while making a mental note to confront Research and Development over this. Suddenly, Shrieker appears behind her and declares that Rukia smells like lunch before deciding to eat her soul, prompting Rukia to realize she forgot to watch her back in the midst of her pursuit as Shrieker attacks. Meanwhile, having put Karin to bed at the Kurosaki Clinic, Ichigo runs down the street while noting that he has not seen Karin cry in years and that she and Yuzu stepped up to take care of themselves and the family after their mom died. Recalling how Karin did not cry when she was beat up by a sixth grader while in first grade, when she was berated for throwing a ball through the principal's window when she was seven, or when she broke her leg during a third grade field trip, a solemn Ichigo promises to reunite Yūichi with his mother.
Back at Sado's location, Rukia is sent flying away by Shrieker's attack, but quickly recovers and gets back on her feet, prompting a surprised Shrieker to note that she is tougher than she looks and can see him before asking what she is. Rukia responds by kneeing Shrieker in the jaw, flipping onto his back, and reciting the incantation for Hadō #33. Sōkatsui before firing it point-blank at the back of his head, which leads her to believe that her powers have finally returned. However, Shrieker withstands the explosion unscathed, shocking Rukia as she barely dodges a bite from him and sustains a scratch on her arm. Shrieker reveals that he recognizes that spell and identifies Rukia as a Shinigami before mocking her as being weak. While Rukia notes that she can use spells but not put any strength into them, Shrieker reveals that he has already consumed two Shinigami who tried to send Yūichi to Soul Society, prompting a surprised Rukia to ask why he is pursuing Yūichi so relentlessly. Shrieker promises to tell her if she lets him have a bite, to her disgust.
Elsewhere, Sado hears the ongoing battle and wonders what is happening, prompting Yūichi to inform him that Shrieker is attacking Rukia and will hurt her as well. Placing Yūichi's cage on the ground, Sado tells him to wait here and prepares to go help Rukia. When Yūichi tries to warn him against going, Sado moves his cage to the top of a nearby fence and runs off as a concerned Yūichi reminds him that he cannot even see Shrieker. Meanwhile, as he pins Rukia against a wall, Shrieker mocks her low fighting capability and asks why she does not exit her Gigai to fight effectively, only for Sado to suddenly run up and punch him in the face, freeing Rukia from his grasp. As Sado notes that he got him, a surprised Rukia wonders if he can see Shrieker, only to realize he cannot upon seeing Sado punching the empty air nearby. Shrieker admits that he was briefly scared by Sado's attack and scoffs at him for being unable to see Hollows, only for Sado to punch him solidly in the face once more, sending Shrieker flying back. Watching this, a stunned Rukia notes that normal Humans cannot touch, see, or even hear Shinigami and Hollows before wondering if Sado has any fear in attacking a deadly enemy that he cannot even perceive. Angered by this, Shrieker spreads his wings and takes to the sky while daring Sado to hit him now, and Rukia frantically tells Sado to run because of this, prompting him to ask in surprise if she can see ghosts. Rukia claims that this is not the time to talk, but Sado merely asks her where Shrieker is in the air, confusing Rukia, who wonders why this matters. While Shrieker gloatingly wonders how he should strike next, Sado walks over to a nearby telephone pole and, with effort, breaks it off at the base with his arms, to the shock of both Shrieker and Rukia. As Rukia confirms that Shrieker is directly in front of him, Sado slams the telephone pole down into Shrieker, sending him crashing into the ground.
010. Monster and a Transfer pt.2 [The Deathberry] [ ]
Shrieker turns the tables on Yasutora Sado and Rukia Kuchiki.
As Shrieker hits the ground after being slammed with a telephone pole by Yasutora Sado, Rukia Kuchiki tells him to give up and wait for another Shinigami to arrive and purify him. However, Shrieker merely chuckles in response, and when Rukia wonders what is so funny, Shrieker asks if she is not curious how he managed to eat two Shinigami before declaring that this is why he is able to do so as dozens of Targets suddenly surround Rukia and Sado. The Targets quickly latch onto Rukia and Sado and force them to the ground as Shrieker declares this to be a reversal of fortune while pointing out how they never suspected he might have allies. As Shrieker ponders who to eat first and decides Rukia will be dessert, a yelling Sado shoves all the Targets off his body with a flex of his muscles, prompting a shocked Shrieker to call him crazy for believing he can win with muscle alone before narrowly dodging a punch from Sado. With an unnerved Shrieker commenting on Sado's luck, Rukia tells Sado to kick above her, prompting Sado to kick off the Targets pinning her down. After giving some instructions to his Targets, Shrieker takes to the air once again while Rukia informs Sado, who is punching at the air again, of this development.
Revealing that she has an idea, Rukia has Sado pick her up and prepare to throw her like a projectile. When Sado asks if she is sure about this, Rukia claims that they need to combine his strength and her senses, prompting Sado to note that this does not seem very mature. Rukia sarcastically takes note of this and gives Sado the position of Shrieker, who mocks them as being unable to hit him with anymore telephone poles, before giving the order to launch her as Sado throws Rukia directly at Shrieker, who is surprised by this course of attack and claims that he gives up. However, Shrieker quickly drops this act and reveals a Target sitting on his shoulder that launches dozens of leeches at Rukia, who is knocked out of the sky. Catching Rukia, Sado asks her what happened while Rukia, admitting she was caught off-guard, tries to pull the leeches off her body. Shrieker lands before them and states that the leeches do not come off easily before declaring that they have other talents as his tongue vibrates, causing the leeches on Rukia's head to explode. As a stunned Rukia bleeds from her head, Shrieker explains that the leeches are bombs triggered by the sound his tongue makes and mocks them for thinking his ability to fly was his greatest asset.
Shrieker moves aside to reveal one of his Targets holding Yūichi's cage with him in it, prompting Rukia to realize he sent the Target away to retrieve it. As Sado asks why Yūichi is here, Yūichi apologizes and tells Sado that Shrieker caught him, shocking Sado, while a laughing Shrieker says Sado is not as dumb as he looks. While Shrieker tells her to run so he can have the pleasure of chasing her down, the Target leans over Yūichi's cage and readies itself to drop a leech onto it, prompting Rukia to order Sado to not move in order to avoid Shrieker blowing up Yūichi. Promising to defeat Shrieker, Rukia begins running and avoids streams of leeches from two Targets running alongside her before being hit by a third stream from a Target sitting on a fence next to her. As Rukia lands with leeches on her arm, Shrieker detonates them with his tongue, which ruptures her arm. With Rukia continuing to run from him, Shrieker proclaims that watching her do so while dripping blood gets him off before throwing a Target at her that splatters against a telephone pole near her head. When Shrieker points out that she could attack instead of run, Rukia stops in her tracks, prompting a confused Shrieker to ask if she is giving up. However, Rukia simply says that there is no longer a reason for her to run and points out how Shrieker said she could attack before declaring that she will do so as Ichigo Kurosaki arrives and lands on Shrieker's head. Ichigo berates Rukia for being a bloody mess despite promising not to take unnecessary risks, prompting Rukia to claim that she had to say this and that they were not unnecessary, and leaps off of an annoyed Shrieker's head before introducing himself and challenging Shrieker, who curses him.
011. Back. [Leachbomb or Mom] [ ]
As Ichigo Kurosaki fights Shrieker, the Hollow reveals details of his life and how he is connected to Yūichi Shibata.
Noting Ichigo Kurosaki 's identification of himself as a Substitute Shinigami, Shrieker claims his soul smells good and realizes that he should have gone after Ichigo first when he and Rukia Kuchiki split up. As she puts on her Gokon Tekkō, Rukia pushes Ichigo out of his body while Shrieker's Targets fire streams of leeches at them. However, Ichigo swiftly evades them and lands on top of Shrieker with Rukia and his body in tow before slashing Shrieker's shoulder with his Zanpakutō. While Ichigo and Rukia land further away, a chuckling Shrieker notes Ichigo is a real Shinigami while Ichigo details to Rukia how he got rid of the Targets on Yūichi Shibata 's birdcage on the way over here since he figured they belonged to Shrieker. When Rukia reveals that the leeches spit out by the Targets are bombs, Ichigo realizes that this is why Yasutora Sado would not move and why Rukia was by herself before declaring Shrieker is a piece of garbage for his actions against his friends, which Shrieker takes as a compliment.
Running up with Yūichi's birdcage in hand, Sado sees Ichigo's body lying on the ground and asks Rukia what happened, Rukia tells him to hide Yūichi somewhere safe and assures him that Ichigo is fighting the monster. Meanwhile, Ichigo cuts apart three Targets, causing them to spill out the leeches in their bodies, and Shrieker commends the logic of this action before pointing out that the leeches are still bombs regardless of whether they are fired. As Shrieker vibrates his tongue once more, the leeches erupt in a sizable explosion, leading him to declare victory before being taken aback when Ichigo emerges from the smoke only lightly damaged and swings his Zanpakutō at him. However, Ichigo stops his swing at Shrieker's neck and asks him if he killed Yūichi's parents. As Yūichi claims Rukia and Ichigo got hurt because he wanted to bring his mother back to life and apologizes, an unnerved Rukia demands to know who told him that his mother could be brought back to life, and Shrieker confirms that he did kill Yūichi's mother.
Shrieker reveals that five years ago, as a Human, he was a serial killer who murdered eight people and was talked about on television, and his last victim was Yūichi's mother, whom he stabbed a dozen times yet continued to protect her son. Shrieker goes on to detail how after he chased her onto the balcony and killed her, Yūichi grabbed his shoelaces, which caused him to lose his balance and fall through the nearby railing to his death. Declaring that this spoiled the moment for him because Yūichi killed him instead of the other way around, Shrieker explains how he decided to make Yūichi suffer by ripping out his soul, putting it in a parakeet, and promising to bring his mother back to life if Yūichi could evade him for three months. When Ichigo asks if it is possible for him to revive Yūichi's mother, Shrieker gleefully asserts that it is not and that he only told Yūichi this so he would go along with it before recounting how he killed everyone who tried to help Yūichi and repeatedly convinced him to keep going by claiming that his mother was counting on him. Seeing Ichigo seemingly waver, Shrieker pushes his Zanpakutō away and declares that Ichigo's defense is pitiful before throwing two of his Targets at Ichigo. As Ichigo blocks one with his hand, causing the leeches within to spill out, Shrieker sticks out his tongue and attempts to detonate them, but Ichigo shoves the leeches through his teeth and back inside his mouth, to Shrieker's surprise. Asking Shrieker if he is not going to use his tongue now, Ichigo angrily declares that it is now his and rips Shrieker's tongue out of his mouth.
012. The Gate of The End [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki discovers not all Souls go to Soul Society as Shrieker is defeated and sucked into Hell.
Crashing into the ground as Ichigo Kurosaki holds his severed tongue, Shrieker curses him for ripping out his tongue as Ichigo leaps forward and drives his Zanpakutō into Shrieker's leg. As Shrieker screams in pain, Ichigo notes that he is now helpless before declaring that this is what his victims felt. When Shrieker severs his injured leg and begins to fly away, Ichigo asserts that fear is a terrible thing that drives people to go to such lengths and leaps into the air after him. Telling Shrieker to drive this fear deep into his brain and disappear, Ichigo slashes him across his mask, only to be surprised when Shrieker does not disappear and energy begins crackling out of his wound. As Shrieker begs for his life, two large gates with skeletons on the doors appear behind him, and Rukia Kuchiki identifies these as the Gates of Hell. Rukia elaborates that a Zanpakutō cleanses a Hollow of its crimes so it can enter Soul Society, but it does not cleanse them of crimes they committed while alive, and Hollows who committed atrocities in life are handed over to Hell. As the Gates of Hell swing open, Shrieker screams in agony before being impaled on an enormous blade, which is wielded by a tattooed monster that laughs ominously as it pulls Shrieker inside. The Gates of Hell close and shatter into small pieces as Ichigo and Rukia watch.
That night, Ichigo, Rukia, and Yasutora Sado stand around Yūichi Shibata as Rukia confirms that Yūichi's Chain of Fate is completely gone and it is too late to return Yūichi's soul to his body. When Yūichi expresses sadness at this, Rukia assures him that Soul Society is a place better than the Human World where he will be happy and never go hungry, which Ichigo notes sounds like a sales pitch. Ichigo promises Yūichi that he can see his mother if he goes to Soul Society and that she really is waiting for him this time, which cheers Yūichi up. As Ichigo prepares to perform Konsō, Yūichi thanks Sado for saving him from Shrieker, only for Sado to claim it was nothing. However, as a somewhat disappointed Yūichi prepares to go, Sado asks if he can carry Yūichi around one more time when he dies and goes to Soul Society, which Yūichi happily agrees to. Seeing this, a smiling Ichigo performs Konsō on Yūichi. Back at the Kurosaki Clinic, as she dreams in bed, Karin Kurosaki realizes Yūichi has crossed over and thanks Ichigo.
013. BAD STANDARD [ ]
Rukia Kuchiki goes shopping for items from Soul Society at Kisuke Urahara 's Shop.
At nighttime, as she holds up her Kikanshinki, Rukia Kuchiki notes that she is running low and sees the left side of her Gigai has weakened, which makes her decide to go shopping. The following morning, Ichigo Kurosaki knocks on his closet door while telling Rukia that he brought her breakfast, and when he does not receive a reply, Ichigo angrily slams open the door, only to see no one is inside. Looking around his room, Ichigo wonders where Rukia went, only to be startled when Yuzu Kurosaki berates him for walking around with food instead of eating at the table.
Meanwhile, outside the Urahara Shop, Jinta Hanakari pretends to play baseball with a broom while Ururu Tsumugiya sweeps nearby and reminds him that Tessai Tsukabishi will be mad if they do not clean the front of the store. Jinta angrily declares that he will not clean because he is scared of Tessai, and when Ururu states that he will clean precisely because he is scared of Tessai, Jinta claims he is not scared of anybody and begins pushing the end of the broom into Ururu. As Ururu tearfully says she can boss Jinta around because she is three years older than him, which Jinta refutes by claiming he is stronger and smarter than her, Rukia grabs the other end of the broom and asks if the manager is in. Inside the shop, Tessai carries around a load of boxes and, upon hearing the door open, tells Jinta it is not yet time to open, only for Jinta to bring in Rukia while claiming she made him do it. Tessai greets Rukia and promises to get the manager, but Kisuke Urahara states that it is too late because he is already awake. Walking into the room, Urahara reveals that he received a shipment from Soul Society yesterday and asks how he can help Rukia.
Rukia buys one cheap-grade power cell for her Kikanshinki and sixty Soma Fixers, which Urahara notes can be bad for her if too much is taken because leaving the Gigai will be hard if she stays in it for too long. Rukia acknowledges this, but reveals that her Gigai is starting to slow down and respond sluggishly, prompting Urahara to offer a full-body checkup for a discount, which Rukia declines. When Urahara asks if this is going on her card, Rukia holds out her Denreishinki to use the bonus money from the Hollows that Ichigo has purified. After stating that Fishbone D, Hexapodus, and Acidwire were not worth any bonus money due to being small fry, Urahara sees that Shrieker was worth 5000 kan and is somewhat surprised to learn he devoured two Shinigami. When Rukia asks if her order arrived, Urahara confirms this and has Ururu fetch it. In the storeroom, Ururu sees a box labeled "Soul" and grabs a wrapped item from it, which she gives to Rukia. Looking at the item, Rukia notes that it is not the one she ordered, but Urahara says it was out of stock and the second-most popular one they did get was not easy to come by, so Rukia agrees to take it.
Later, at Karakura High School, Keigo Asano has Yasutora Sado 's parakeet try and say that he and Ewan McGregor are twins, only for the parakeet to instead call him Asano Tadanobu, to Keigo's bewilderment. When Mizuiro Kojima asks him why the parakeet's vocabulary has been so drastically reduced, Sado admits that he does not know and it was like this when he woke up that morning, prompting Ichigo to think to himself that this is the aftereffects of the Kikanshinki at work. Entering the classroom, Rukia greets everyone and dismisses her lateness as being due to family affairs before asking to have a word with Ichigo, who tells her to just say what she needs to there. However, Rukia swiftly hits Ichigo, incapacitating him, and drags him out of the classroom while pretending that he is ill and needs to go to the nurse's office as those watching are not fooled by her act.
Outside, Rukia tosses Ichigo a container with a duck head on the end and explains that it contains a Gikongan, a pill which forces the Soul out of the body that Shinigami use to evict corpses. When Ichigo if this is why Rukia was not home this morning, Rukia confirms this and details how the Gikongan will force Ichigo's Soul out of his body and replace it with a temporary Soul to look after his body, allowing him to fight Hollows when she is not around. Ichigo notes that the container says "Soul Candy", which Rukia admits is due to the Shinigami Women's Association 's having the name changed from the more clinical-sounding Gikongan, and when he asks why it has a duck's head, a flustered Rukia tells him to not worry about it and claims that she tried to get the rabbit-themed Chappy. When Ichigo flatly notes that she wanted the bunny, an embarrassed Rukia defensively states that she likes bunnies and angrily tells him to just take one, prompting Ichigo to put the Gikongan into his mouth, which causes his Soul to leave his body. As a surprised Ichigo notes that it worked, Rukia smugly declares that now his body will be animated and no one will know he was gone. Turning around, Kon, now in control of Ichigo's body, introduces himself as Ichigo and claims his motto is "early to bed, early to rise", which Rukia claims is the ideal personality designed by one hundred and eight of Soul Society's best scientists. A bewildered Ichigo proclaims that this personality will utterly ruin his image, but Rukia receives a Hollow alert on her Denreishinki and states that Kon will take Ichigo's place while they deal with this Hollow before dragging Ichigo away as he tells Kon to get to class and lay low. However, as Ichigo and Rukia leave his sight, Kon drops the act and tells them to take their time as Urahara discovers that the box he was pulled from was actually labelled "Defective Soul".
014. School Daze!!! [ ]
The defective Gikon sold to Rukia Kuchiki wreaks havoc with Ichigo Kurosaki 's body.
Jinta Hanakari has Ururu Tsumugiya read the side of the box that she pulled Kon from and berates her for selling Rukia Kuchiki a damaged Gikongan. While Jinta tugs on Ururu's hair, Kisuke Urahara tells them to stop because it is his fault for not disposing of it. When Tessai Tsukabishi notes that Soul Society will not be happy if they find out and this could be bad for business too, Urahara states that they will have to find and neutralize Kon before he causes any trouble while in a Human body.
At Karakura High School, Kon stretches his legs and arms before kicking a section of the nearby fence, which is left heavily damaged and almost broken in half. As Kon revels in finally being in a Human body after being imprisoned for so long, a groundskeeper approaches him while mistaking him for Ichigo Kurosaki and asking if he broke the fence. Kon approaches the groundskeeper with a flat look on his face, which makes the groundskeeper panic and ask that they simply talk this over, before leaping over his head and landing on a section of the roof several meters away. With the groundskeeper looking on in disbelief, Kon mocks him before leaping away. Meanwhile, in the school, Orihime Inoue excitedly announces that it is lunch time, prompting Tatsuki Arisawa to remind her that it is a fairly mundane occasion, which leads Orihime to claim that girls only come to school to eat lunch. When Orihime reveals that she brought sweet bean paste and bread, Tatsuki states that she simply brought normal food while Michiru Ogawa wonders how Orihime can eat such food and not get fat. Chizuru Honshō asks if she can eat with Orihime, who agrees, and is enraptured by Orihime not caring about the food on her face before telling Orihime that she is hungry for more than food, prompting an irritated Tatsuki to tell her to back off and not corrupt Orihime. Chizuru criticizes Tatsuki as being too masculine for her tastes, which enrages Tatsuki further, and claims that she would open Tatsuki's love horizons if she were a bit more feminine, leading Tatsuki to angrily attack her.
However, the two are interrupted when Orihime suddenly stands up and goes to sniff the windowsill. When Orihime claims that she can smell Ichigo, a confused Tatsuki reminds her that this is the third floor and Ichigo could not reach the window even if he were near, only for Kon to leap onto the windowsill while asking if this is class 1-3. As the girls scream in surprise, Tatsuki demands to know how Kon got up here, prompting Kon to nonchalantly state that he jumped and bask in the attention of the girls, who discuss his sudden appearance among themselves. Looking over the girls in the room, Kon notes they are all attractive before zeroing in on Orihime and her chest, which he is overjoyed to see. Kon leaps over to Orihime and asks for her name while kissing her hand, which shocks Chizuru and Michiru. When Tatsuki puts him in a headlock and claims Ichigo has lost his mind, Kon notes she is pretty cute as well and gives her a kiss, which completely stuns Chizuru and Michiru.
Outside, Ichigo and Rukia Kuchiki run back to the school as Ichigo claims he has damage control to do. Rukia asserts that everything is probably fine, but Ichigo notes that he has a bad feeling as a window suddenly breaks above them. Watching the glass fall, Ichigo realizes that is his classroom as Rukia states they should hurry. Inside the classroom, Tatsuki throws a desk at Kon, who chastises her for getting so mad over a small kiss, before smashing the desk he is crouching on. Watching the chaos unfold, Michiru tells Chizuru to do something, but a shaken Chizuru reminds her that she is not Bruce Willis. When Rukia appears in the doorway and tells him to freeze, Kon frantically runs toward the window, only for Ichigo to appear there with the intention of cutting him off. However, Kon leaps past Ichigo and falls to the ground below, to Ichigo's horror, before landing safely and running away at high speed, prompting Rukia to realize he is a Modified Soul.
015. Jumpin' Jack' Jolted [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki learns about Mod-Souls as he chases the Modified Soul inhabiting his body.
As he, Mizuiro Kojima, and Yasutora Sado walk through the hall, Keigo Asano wonders why Ichigo Kurosaki did not show up and theorizes that he is alone with Rukia Kuchiki when Mizuiro suggest that he went out to eat. Mizuiro points out that Keigo already has a crush on Orihime Inoue, which he confirms, and notes that his heart belongs to the nearest cute person, prompting a flustered Keigo to claim that he is a respectable young man with natural feelings while pointing out that Mizuiro also gets with a lot of girls. When Keigo berates him for always getting the attractive girls because he is rich and popular, Mizuiro apologizes and cries to Sado about Keigo picking on him, which Keigo dismisses. Opening the door to their classroom, Keigo is startled by all the desks on the ground and sees an enraged Tatsuki Arisawa standing in the wreckage, which intimidates him and Mizuiro. A teacher enters the classroom and demands that Tatsuki tell him what happened, but is similarly intimidated when she turns around to face him. As Michiru Ogawa tells him that a stranger came through the window and Tatsuki was simply protecting them, the teacher does not believe her because they are on the third floor, but Ryō Kunieda backs up her story, prompting the teacher to acquiesce before ordering the students to clean up the mess as he leaves to alert the staff of the intruder. As Ryō notes that Ichigo was acting weird, the other girls agree, but Orihime asserts that it was not Ichigo, to the confusion of those present.
Meanwhile, a frantic Ichigo realizes that they lost Kon and stresses over him apparently having kissed Orihime in front of their classmates. Rukia brushes this off under the assumption that modern teenagers do much more than kissing normally according to what she has read, but Ichigo declares that it is in fact a big deal and wonders how he is going to go to school tomorrow after having the image he spent years building in people's minds shattered, leading Rukia to realize he looks and acts so rough on purpose. Calming down, Ichigo asks Rukia what exactly a Modified Soul is, prompting Rukia to explain how there was once something called Project Spearhead that aimed to inject fighting spirits into corpses for use as soldiers against Hollows, which would supercharge part of the host's body for combat purposes. Noting that the enhanced leg strength Kon displayed makes him an Underpod type, Rukia notes that Project Spearhead was scrapped because some thought it was morally wrong to use dead bodies as soldiers, which meant all the Modified Soul that had been created were supposed to have been destroyed, and admits she is not sure how Kon survived, prompting Ichigo to ask if Kon is really being condemned just for being what Soul Society designed him to be. Rukia confirms this, and when Ichigo asks if this seems right to her, states that it is not for her to judge before reminding Ichigo that the laws condemning Kon exist to protect Humans and Souls. As he departs with Rukia, Ichigo wonders how Kon feels now that he has a body after surviving a destruction that he did nothing to deserve.
Elsewhere, Kon bounds down a street in front of several pedestrians and basks in the attention while proclaiming that he feels great and noting that he must have personal magnetism in addition to his special powers. At Karakura Elementary School, Yuzu Kurosaki sees Kon and calls out to him as Ichigo, prompting Karin Kurosaki to ask what she is doing. Learning that Yuzu saw Ichigo jump over the wall, Karin dismisses this as daydreaming because the wall is eight feet high, only to watch in shock as Kon leaps fifteen fight into the air above the wall. As Yuzu tries to wave to Kon, Karin pulls her back and declares that is not Ichigo before telling Yuzu to not tell anyone about this because Ichigo may be in trouble again. Upon seeing that Midoriko Tōno saw Kon leaping about, Karin grabs her by the collar and threateningly proclaims that neither of them saw anything. At another part of the schoolyard, Kon comes across Ino, Hashigami, and Kaneda sitting behind a shed and playing video games on their handheld consoles. As Kon sits on top of the gate nearby, Hashigami complains about P.E. while Ino states that Karin gets mad at him whenever he misses the ball, prompting Kaneda to claim Karin annoys him. When Hashigami loses a battle in his game, he expresses annoyance at the character who lost, and when Kaneda suggests he delete the character, Hashigami agrees while declaring that characters who will not obey their masters should die. While Kon looks on with a stunned expression, Hashigami deletes the character and states he will just make a better one while laughing.
At the Urahara Shop, Kisuke Urahara finishes preparations for capturing Kon as Ururu Tsumugiya apologizes to him for causing this situation before asking if he is mad. However, Urahara pats her head and reassures her that accidents happen and they are friends before hugging her as he promises to take care of everything. When Tessai Tsukabishi informs him that everything is ready, Urahara tells his employees to move out and commence "Operation Recall".
016. Wasted but Wanted [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki and the Mod-Soul team up to defeat a Hollow.
At a marketplace, an old vendor tells Rukia Kuchiki that he has not seen a high-jumping high schooler but might have his memory refreshed if she buys something. Rukia naively agrees to do so, but Ichigo Kurosaki drags her away while telling her to ask someone else, as that is the vendor's favorite scam. When Rukia's Denreishinki beeps, Ichigo asks her to tell him it is not an order, but Rukia confirms that it is and a Hollow has appeared five minutes away.
Meanwhile, at Karakura Elementary School, the P.E. teacher and students on the schoolyard gather around Hashigami, Kaneda, and Ino. When the teacher asks them why they are hiding again, the three boys tell her that a high-school boy with orange hair came in and broke their game consoles, only for the teacher to dismiss this as them probably breaking it while fighting among themselves. As the teacher tells the other students to get back to class and the boys to clean up their mess, Yuzu Kurosaki notes the mention of orange hair while Karin Kurosaki points out that this was definitely an impostor because Ichigo would not pick on kids. Elsewhere, as he runs along a roof, Kon recalls the boys casually deleting their characters and wonders how they could be so cruel before suddenly sensing a Hollow nearby, which he realizes will likely attack the boys. Back at the middle school, Hashigami, Kaneda, and Ino begin sweeping up the pieces of their consoles while complaining about their teacher's treatment of them. Looming over the boys, a millipede-like Hollow dives at them with its mouth open, only for Kon to grab the boys and pull them out of the way at the last second.
As the boys wonder why he has come back, Kon frantically tells them to run before they get killed. Since they cannot see the Hollow, the boys start to make fun of him, but the Hollow lashes out at Kon with a tentacle that cuts his shoulder, terrifying the boy into running away. Some distance away, Ichigo and Rukia see the Hollow atop a building and approach it, only to realize Kon is already fighting it, to Ichigo's chagrin. On the roof of the building, Kon stares down the Hollow, who notes he must believe he is pretty tough to interrupt his lunch before sending another tentacle at him. However, Ichigo arrives and cuts through the tentacle before it hits Kon, to his surprise. While the Hollow screams in pain, Ichigo grabs Kon by the collar and reminds him that it is his body and clothes he is getting damaged before telling him to not fight if he cannot do so without getting hurt. As Kon points out that he only had to fight because Ichigo was late and that he saved kids in doing so, the Hollow rushes at them while declaring that he will eat them both, but Ichigo slashes its mask while Kon kicks it in the face, defeating it. However, as the Hollow flies back, Kon notices something and runs ahead to kick it higher into the air. Seeing the Hollow disintegrate, Kon sighs in relief, only to begin falling off the roof as a result of his jump.
Ichigo manages to grab Kon's shirt and hauls him back up while demanding to know why he did this since the Hollow was already defeated. Noting that it is like Kon did not want it to fall there, Ichigo sees a line of ants on the ground, prompting him to realize Kon wanted to prevent the Hollow from crushing the ants. Kon confirms this and explains how it was decided he would die the day after he was born before revealing that he only survived by accidentally being shipped out with a load of regular Gikongan by mistake. As he states that he was given a lot of time to think and decided that no one has the right to take a life, Kon declares that he exists and has the right to live and die freely just like any Human or bug before refusing to ever take a life. Suddenly, Kisuke Urahara appears on the roof and notes that they brought equipment for nothing because Kon is already incapacitated before pushing his pill out of Ichigo's head with the end of his cane. As Ichigo's body falls to the ground, Urahara declares that the mission is complete and decides to leave, to the chagrin of Jinta Hanakari, but a confused Ichigo asks what he plans to do with him, prompting Urahara to flatly state that he will destroy Kon as there is no other option. When Ichigo realizes Urahara can see him and asks him what he is, Urahara admits that he is not sure how to answer that while Rukia grabs Kon's pill out of his hand and calls him a greedy merchant.
A surprised Urahara tells Rukia she cannot have that, but Rukia asks if it is his policy to confiscate goods that his customers have paid for, and when Urahara offers to give her a refund, Rukia declines because she is satisfied with her purchase before pointing out that it is not Urahara's job to recall Kon, since they are operating outside the law. Urahara notes that this is serious and he will not take the fall for Rukia, who claims that this is fine because she lives in trouble. Giving Kon's pill to Ichigo, who thanks her for saving Kon, Rukia claims she has already been thanked, to Ichigo's confusion. Later, as he and Rukia watch the news reporting on a flying boy being seen in Karakura Town, Ichigo wonders what they should do about this.
Bleach, Volume 3
017. 6/17 [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki prepares for the anniversary of his mother 's death.
Dreaming about the night his mother died, Ichigo Kurosaki notes that it is why he decided that he would protect his friends and family until the day he died. Suddenly, he is woken by Kon, now in a stuffed lion plushie, pounding on his chest and telling him to wake up because it is morning. When Kon threatens to sneak into Ichigo's book bag and go to school with him so the girls there will mock him for carrying around a stuffed animal if he does not get out of bed, Ichigo angrily throws him against the wall and reminds Kon that he has to act like a stuffed animal now. Ichigo recalls how he and Rukia Kuchiki decided to find a body for Kon after the events of the previous day, but had no intention of putting him into a Human body and did not want to force a Soul out of its living body with his pill, in addition to being unable to find a fresh animal corpse lying around, so eventually they put him in a plushie that they found lying in the street, which ended up functioning as a proper body. While Kon yells at him for not treating him more gently, Ichigo notes that they are calling him Kon because he is a Modified Soul and "Kai" is too cool of a name for him. Opening the closet door behind Kon, Rukia steps out in her school uniform and berates Ichigo and Kon for being so loud, only to be alerted to Kon staring up her skirt from underneath her foot and subsequently kicking him in irritation, causing Kon to protest about his stuffing coming out.
Startled by his sister Yuzu Kurosaki knocking on his door, Ichigo has Rukia and Kon hide in his closet and lets Yuzu come in as he closes the door, prompting her to ask him what he is doing in confusion. When Ichigo asks her what she wants at such an early time, Yuzu states that it is not that early and reveals Mizuiro Kojima is waiting for Ichigo, who notices the time on his bedside clock and is shocked at how late he woke up as Yuzu tells him to get ready and apologize to Mizuiro for making him wait. As he apologizes to Mizuiro and invites him inside the Kurosaki Clinic, Ichigo notes that the memories of Kon's antics were erased from the minds of his classmates and that Kisuke Urahara apparently told him his name, which he managed to forget and is not concerned about, before recalling how Rukia said Urahara would get in considerable trouble if word got out that he had let Kon go. Realizing that he has become lost in thought, a flustered Ichigo resumes getting ready for school. As she prepares to exit Ichigo's room through his window, Rukia bids farewell to Ichigo, who wonders why his father did not wake him up early with his usual antics before suddenly freezing upon seeing the date on his watch. Perturbed by this, Rukia asks Ichigo what is wrong, only for him to claim it is nothing before noting that " it " is tomorrow, to Rukia's further confusion.
At Karakura High School, Michiru Ogawa asks Tatsuki Arisawa if she did the " My Future " assignment for their art class, and when Tatsuki confirms this, Michiru asks to see it because hers is not very good. Tatsuki pulls out her artwork, depicting her standing over a defeated fighter in a martial arts ring with a championship belt in hand, and declares that she is going to become a female vale tudo champion as Michiru praises her piece while claiming that her own is too bad to be shown and wondering if Tatsuki does not want to be an artist instead with her drawing talent. When Michiru turns to her for her artwork, Orihime Inoue proclaims that she is glad Michiru asked before pulling out a drawing of herself as a robot in a futuristic city with tank treads for legs, a large minigun on her hip, and missiles replacing her breasts as she details how she would have a maximum velocity of 240 mph, be able to shoot 20,000 °C flames from her mouth, and unleash destruction beams from her eyes, to the great shock of both Michiru and Tatsuki, who try to explain that this is not what the assignment meant and that Orihime could get detention or even jail time for turning this in.
Upon noticing Ichigo walking into the classroom, Orihime calls out to him, only to be surprised when a smiling Ichigo asks her how she is doing. While Michiru comments on Ichigo apparently being friendly for once, Orihime wonders what is wrong with him as Tatsuki asks a confused Michiru what the date is. When Michiru tells her that it is June 16th, Tatsuki commends Orihime for being perceptive enough to pick up on something it took three years for her to notice before stating that Orihime should take care of any urgent business she has with Ichigo today because he will not be at school tomorrow, to Orihime and Rukia's puzzlement. That night, at the Kurosaki Clinic, which has had a notice attached to the front door stating it will be closed tomorrow, Isshin Kurosaki announces to his children that they will be having a meeting to go over their jobs for tomorrow and declares that he holds all decision-making power as the chairman. When Karin Kurosaki protests, Isshin tells her to raise her hand if she wishes to speak as the chief of staff, leading Karin to be pleased despite herself at being appointed this title. Isshin proceeds to assign Yuzu to preparing lunch and Karin to loading their packs before revealing that he got a haircut for the occasion and asking how he looks, only for his daughters to declare that he looks exactly the same as Ichigo looks on with a smile.
Later, as Karin and Yuzu sleep together in Karin's bed, Rukia tells Ichigo that his family meeting looked fun before guessing that he is skipping school tomorrow to go on a picnic, only to be shocked when Ichigo asks her if he could take tomorrow off from carrying out her Shinigami duties. Refusing to allow this and demanding to know why Ichigo has been acting strange all day, Rukia is shocked when Ichigo reveals that tomorrow is the anniversary of the day his mother was killed.
018. 6/17 op.2 "Can't Smile Don't Blame" [ ]
Tatsuki Arisawa recounts her history with Ichigo Kurosaki to Orihime Inoue. Meanwhile, Ichigo tells Rukia Kuchiki that he is responsible for his mother 's death.
On June 17th, as she sits on her bed with Orihime Inoue, Tatsuki Arisawa recounts how she first met Ichigo Kurosaki at the local dojo when they were both four years old and describes him as being scrawny and smiling all the time while he held his mother 's hand, which made her consider him a wimp. Noting that Ichigo was also very weak and would start crying whenever he lost, Tatsuki states with pride that she was the first person in the dojo to make him cry by beating him in ten seconds with a single high kick. However, Tatsuki reveals that Ichigo would stop crying and start grinning from ear to ear as soon as his mother came to pick him up, which she hated because she could not understand why a boy would smile when he lost, and admits that she thought of Ichigo as a baby for clinging to his mother before concluding with sadness that he was happy and had a sweet smile in the beginning.
Elsewhere, as the Kurosaki Family walks up a hill to the local cemetery, Yuzu Kurosaki complains that the hill is too steep while Karin Kurosaki disagrees. Overhearing this, Isshin Kurosaki tries to encourage Yuzu by walking up the hill on his hands, prompting Karin to tell her sister to not make eye contact with their father because attention will only encourage him. However, Isshin proclaims that he does not need attention because he is self-motivated and begins rapidly running toward his daughters on his hands before tripping and sliding under Yuzu, whom he notes is wearing polka dotted underwear. Irritated by this, Karin kicks Isshin away as she tells him to vanish, and Isshin tumbles to the bottom of the hill as he declares that this will lead to great volatility in the Tokyo stock market, leading Karin to claim that he should stick to listed stocks as Ichigo watches in embarrassment.
As Ichigo notes how hot it is and how different this June 17th is from the rainy day that his mother died, his sisters notice another visitor standing nearby and wonder if she is here to see their mother as well as a shocked Ichigo realizes it is Rukia, who waves at him. When Yuzu asks him if Rukia is a friend of his, Ichigo claims to have never seen her before in his life, but when Karin begins to recognize her, Ichigo frantically reverses course and tells his sisters that he and Rukia were best friends in junior high before declaring that he will take a minute to set her straight alone as he runs off. Seeing this, a chuckling Karin rubs her chin and asserts that they should should give Ichigo some space because he is reaching " that age ", prompting a confused Yuzu to protest this assumption.
Elsewhere, Ichigo demands to know what Rukia is doing here, prompting her to state that he will need her help if a Hollow shows up. Ichigo points out that Rukia could have done so with more stealth, but when she brushes this off as her not thinking things through, a surprised Ichigo asks her if she is mad at him. Clarifying that she is just curious, Rukia brings up how Ichigo said his mother was killed, and as Ichigo denies having said this, she notes that he also said that he has been able to see spiritual beings since he was very young before asking him if his mother was killed by a Hollow. With Ichigo remaining silent at this, Rukia asserts that Ichigo having that much power as a child could have led to him being targeted by a Hollow, but Ichigo loudly and aggressively denies this, stunning Rukia, and asks why everything needs to be about Hollows with her as he claims that there was no Hollow involved in his mother's death. However, Ichigo suddenly stops upon seeing a young girl standing at the top of the stairs behind Rukia and nervously wonders what she is doing here before running off, to Rukia's confusion. Wondering who Ichigo was talking about, Rukia looks at the top of the stairs, but does not see anyone, prompting her to wonder if the girl ran away or if something else happened as she runs after Ichigo.
At her house, Tatsuki reveals to Orihime that Ichigo's mother died when he was nine years old and admits that she did not understand what that meant at the time because she was only nine years old as she details how he was still clinging to her like a baby even at that age. Noting that she went looking for Ichigo after this because he did not show up at school for a while, Tatsuki recalls finding Ichigo searching the riverbank where his mother died from morning until night, only taking breaks when he got tired, and states that she could not bear to see Ichigo like this.
Back at the cemetery, Rukia catches up to Ichigo and grabs the back of his shirt, which causes him to trip and fall, before demanding to know why he ran, only to be shocked when Ichigo informs her that he is the one who killed his mother as the girl from before watches from the top of the stairs.
019. 6/17 op.3 "memories in the rain" [ ]
The Kurosaki Family visits Masaki Kurosaki 's grave in remembrance of the day of her death.
Praying in front of her mother 's grave, Karin Kurosaki asks her mother how she is doing and notes that her being dead probably mitigates this before assuring her that she, Yuzu Kurosaki, and Ichigo Kurosaki are all doing fine. However, Karin also notes with a pained expression that her father is doing too well and annoying her as Isshin Kurosaki enthusiastically announces the annual " Kurosaki Family Tombstone Dominoes Tournament", with the first match being between himself and Ichigo and where the losers must serve the winners for the week, as Yuzu begs him to stop while Ichigo watches in embarrassment. As Isshin prepares to begin, Yuzu warns him that he will not get dinner tonight if he actually proceeds with this tournament, shocking Isshin.
Meanwhile, as she sits on the wall above, Rukia Kuchiki recalls Ichigo's claim of having killed his mother and notes that it was likely a random homicide or an accident because Ichigo could not have intentionally hurt his mother before berating herself for bringing up the possibility of a Hollow killing her. When Kon emerges from her backpack, Rukia states that she did not say he could come out, prompting Kon to complain about how hot and stuffy it is inside the backpack as he asks her to take pity on him. Kon points out that they may as well go home because Ichigo wants to be left alone today, but Rukia reminds him that she needs to stay nearby in case a Hollow shows up, only for Kon to complain about how she is always focused on Hollows and never on actually enjoying her time in the Human World. Hearing this, Rukia decides Kon may be right and pulls her hat down. Down at Masaki's grave, Ichigo burns incense in front of it and recalls the day of his mother's death.
In the past, a young Tatsuki Arisawa asks Ichigo if he can really see ghosts, and when he denies this, she admits that this is what she thought and details how one of the girls at their school was claiming Ichigo talks to things that no one else can see, which Ichigo laughs off. Ichigo recalls how he has always been able to see spiritual beings so clearly and for so long that he could not distinguish them from living beings when he was a child, which he did not think was a problem because he could laugh off questions from others about it until the day of his mother's death. On that June 17th, during a heavy downpour of rain, Ichigo walks along the side of the road with Masaki and is splashed with water by a passing truck, prompting Masaki to ask him if he is okay and offer to switch places with him as she wipes his face. However, Ichigo declares that he is fine because his raincoat keeps him dry and promises that he will protect his mother from such things, which leads Masaki to call him brave before teasing him for making such a claim despite being unable to beat Tatsuki. As Ichigo protests that he won against her the other day, Masaki finishes cleaning his face and invites him to keep going, which Ichigo does while holding her hand. Remembering how much he loved his mother, Ichigo recounts how she never once cried or got mad around him because she knew that a parent's moods heavily influence their children and how it felt like he would always be okay regardless of what happened when he was with her.
As he details how his sisters and father loved Masaki as much as he did because she was the center of their universe, Ichigo recalls how how Isshin once told him that his name means " one who protects ", which made Ichigo want to protect his mother because she always protected him. As he walks with his mother, Ichigo sees the young girl he would later encounter at the cemetery and notes that she caught his eye because she was standing in the rain with no umbrella like she was planning to jump despite the river being engorged due to three straight days of heavy rain before reasserting that he still could not tell the difference between living and dead beings at the time. Telling his confused mother to wait there, Ichigo leaps over the railing and runs toward the girl as he details how he wanted to protect more and more people besides his mother as time went on. Masaki screams out to Ichigo and tells him to stop as she takes off her shoes and runs after him just as Ichigo reaches the girl. In a blur of motion, Ichigo wakes to find himself lying underneath his mother's bloody and dead body with the girl gone, and he begins to cry as he realizes what has happened. In the present, Ichigo admits that he did not know what cut her and states that she died trying to protect him before asserting that he tore the heart out of his family's universe.
Elsewhere, as Yuzu cries on a set of steps, Karin sits next to her and claims that they are too old to be crying every time they visit their mother's grave, only for Yuzu to resume crying after a brief attempt to stop herself. Upon hearing Isshin blowing a whistle to get his children's attention, Karin tells Yuzu that this means that they need to go and tries to get her sister to her feet, only to stop upon seeing the mysterious girl standing on the edge of a nearby cliff. Karin wonders what the girl is doing there, and when Yuzu asks her whom she is referring to, Karin realizes that the girl must be a spirit if Yuzu cannot see her and tells her sister to stay there as she approaches the girl. Asking the girl why she is staring over the edge of the cliff, Karin informs her that there is a priest living at the bottom of the hill if she is troubled by something. When the girl expresses surprise at Karin being able to see her, Karin confirms that she is spiritually aware and asks the girl to keep it to herself since it is embarrassing. However, after confirming that Karin can also hear her, the girl declares that she looks tasty as a large Hollow begins to appear behind her, to Karin's shock.
020. 6/17 op.4 "face again" [ ]
Yuzu Kurosaki and Karin Kurosaki are attacked by a Hollow, leading Ichigo Kurosaki to come to their aid.
As Isshin Kurosaki blows aggressively into a rooster-shaped whistle, Ichigo Kurosaki descends the stairs nearby with his hands over his ears and angrily asserts that Isshin does not have to use that to call his children. When Ichigo notices that Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki are not here yet, Isshin declares that this is why he is using his whistle and claims that he simply would have left without Ichigo otherwise before ordering his son to go look for Karin and Yuzu. Ichigo tells his father to look for them himself, but Isshin berates him for not loving his sisters enough, prompting Ichigo to point out that they are probably off using the bathroom and will turn up soon enough. Deciding that they should split up to look for the girls, Isshin tells Ichigo to go into the forest while he searches the cemetery, only for an irritated Ichigo to knock him down with a kick to the chin while declaring that he should lie down and look. While Isshin remarks that the new split in his chin will make him look like John Travolta, Ichigo senses something that unnerves him and takes off up the stairs as his confused father demands to know if he will actually be looking for them before wondering what has gotten into Ichigo.
Meanwhile, Yuzu asks Karin what is wrong and reminds her that Isshin is blowing his whistle, but a scared Karin tells her to not come over before asking the girl what she is and what the thing behind her is, only for the girl to claim that Karin is especially gifted if she can see the Hollow. Elsewhere, Rukia Kuchiki senses the Hollow and is confused as to why she has not received an order from Soul Society about it, only for her Denreishinki to beep as it receives one, prompting Rukia to realize it came late as she leaps down onto the stairs nearby. As he runs up the stairs, Ichigo prays that the Hollow is not attacking his sisters before suddenly crossing paths with Rukia, whom he immediately begins running down the intersecting path with as they greet each other. Noting that they must be going in the right direction if Rukia is here, Ichigo asks her if she is going to ask him anything, only for Rukia to state that she will not bring up the death of Ichigo's mother on her own because it is a deep and jagged wound that will only cause Ichigo more pain if she does so before promising to simply wait until Ichigo himself is ready to talk about it, which Ichigo thanks her for.
Suddenly, Kon bursts out of Rukia's backpack and complains about being forced to sit in there while Ichigo and Rukia are busy making sweet memories, surprising Ichigo, who did not know he had come along. When Kon claims that he is Rukia's pupil, Ichigo expresses his disbelief at this and asks when it came to be, prompting Kon to assert that it has been true since the day she saved him, which Rukia states is news to her. Ichigo claims to see Orihime Inoue in the forest nearby, and when Kon shifts his attention and begins calling out for her, Ichigo reveals he was lying and mocks Kon's hollow claim of being loyal to Rukia as an embarrassed Kon expresses anger at his deception. As Rukia tells them to be quiet, Ichigo notes the Hollow is close.
Elsewhere, Karin is sent flying by the Hollow and warns Yuzu to not come near before being pinned down by the Hollow, causing her to scream in pain. When she tries to help Karin, Yuzu is able to touch the Hollow's arm and wonders what it is as she demands that it release her sister, only for the Hollow to release a tentacle from one of the holes in its mask that wraps around Yuzu's throat and lifts her into the air. The girl declares that Yuzu is too noisy and does not have the spiritual prowess required to stop her before deciding to eat her anyway as an appetizer to devouring Karin. However, as the Hollow draws Yuzu toward its mouth, Ichigo appears in his Shinigami form and cuts through the tentacle, to the shock of those present, and grabs Yuzu out of midair as he lands and severs the Hollow's hand, freeing Karin. Recognizing the girl as the one he saw by the river six years ago, Ichigo demands to know what she is doing here and why she is with a Hollow. When the girl admits that she does not remember the events of six years ago and notes that Ichigo has seen her before, Ichigo confirms this and asks if she is the slave of the Hollow or if it is controlling her, only for the girl to reveal that neither is true, to Ichigo's shock.
021. 6/17 op.5 戦う少年 [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki confronts Grand Fisher, the Hollow who lured him to the riverside six years ago and killed his mother.
As she runs through the forest with Ichigo Kurosaki 's body on her back, which Kon complains is too heavy, Rukia Kuchiki comes across Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki lying unconscious against a rock and wonders what happened to them before having her attention drawn by Kon to a stunned Ichigo, who asks the girl what she is. Expressing amazement at Ichigo having actually seen her and lived, the girl states that he is lucky as half of her face sloughs off to reveal a sphere with a hole underneath, to Ichigo's shock. A tentacle-like limb emerges from the hole, causing the rest of the girl's skin to crumple up and fall away, and attaches itself to another hole on top of the Hollow's head as the Hollow itself addresses Ichigo, whom it declares it must devour because he has seen him twice.
As Ichigo wonders what this is and asks the Hollow if the girl is part of him, Rukia identifies the Hollow as Grand Fisher and explains how the lure on his head disguises itself as a person, which he uses to choose his victims by going after those who see it and absorbing their power. While her Denreishinki prints out a list, Rukia details how Grand Fisher has managed to outwit or defeat Shinigami for the past 54 years and hands the paper detailing his record from Soul Society 's database to Ichigo before declaring that he is a true scumbag, prompting Grand Fisher to claim that she is hurting his feelings. With Grand Fisher chuckling over having met so many people that can see him and wondering if they will all fit in his stomach, Ichigo realizes that he tried to save Grand Fisher's decoy and that his mother was killed by Grand Fisher, prompting him to leap into the air above Grand Fisher before attacking him while screaming in anger.
However, Ichigo's Zanpakutō slams into the ground, prompting Ichigo to look up to see that Grand Fisher has evaded by jumping into the air as well. As Rukia criticizes Ichigo for making a reckless move, Grand Fisher restores his severed arm and mocks Ichigo for his inexperience as he extends his arm toward Ichigo, who narrowly blocks it and is pushed back before jumping off the arm onto a nearby cliff. Looking up, Ichigo is surprised to see Grand Fisher's fur extending out from him and is swiftly engulfed by it, prompting a concerned Rukia to begin chanting an incantation for a Kidō spell. Suddenly, Ichigo demands that Rukia stop and cuts himself out of the hair before asking her to take care of Karin and Yuzu while staying out of the fight. Rukia points out that Grand Fisher is too strong for Ichigo and has been beating the Shinigami for over fifty years, but Ichigo asserts that this fight is personal.
022. 6/17 op.6 "BATTLE ON GRAVEYARD" [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki continues his fight against Grand Fisher.
While Kon protests, Rukia Kuchiki threatens to burn him if he keeps complaining and resisting as she tries to get his Gikon pill into Ichigo Kurosaki 's lifeless body, prompting Kon to claim he would rather be burned because he does not wanna kiss Ichigo. Rukia clarifies that he just needs to get close to Ichigo's mouth, but Kon declares that he does not want to do this either because Ichigo's breath smells terrible, only for Rukia to force them to make contact, which breaks Kon's spirit. After Rukia knocks Kon's pill out of the lion plushie and down Ichigo's throat, Kon awakens in Ichigo's body and begins screaming in horror at what just transpired while Rukia reminds him that they need to move Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki. Recalling Ichigo asking her to not interfere because this is personal, Rukia promises to take care of his sisters and asks him to not die.
Meanwhile, in the cemetery, Grand Fisher destroys one of the tombstones with his fur as it pursues Ichigo, who has his left hand ensnared by it. Yelling, Ichigo cuts through the fur with his Zanpakutō in his other hand, only to be caught off-guard when Grand Fisher appears behind him and declares he is too slow as he attacks with his fur, which grazes Ichigo's temple. Landing, Ichigo begins running parallel to Grand Fisher, who declares that Ichigo will never beat him by simply running away or wildly flailing his sword as he continues to attack Ichigo with his fur. While Grand Fisher mocks him for trying to protect his friends with such mediocre skills, Ichigo continues to block his attacks while mentally noting that Grand Fisher is much faster than his appearance would suggest and that he cannot close the gap or properly evade his attacks before almost resigning himself to defeat, only to pull back from this upon remembering the suffering that he, Yuzu, and Karin have endured due to Grand Fisher killing their mother. Ichigo reaffirms his vow to protect his family and swears that he will kill Grand Fisher as he rushes in.
However, Grand Fisher rushes to meet Ichigo and warns him to never recklessly throw himself at a foe as he moves to attack. Ichigo raises his Zanpakutō to block, but Grand Fisher merely grabs it and declares that Ichigo has no discipline as talons emerge from the tips of his fingers before impaling Ichigo and extracting something from him. Elsewhere, Karin wakes up in a shrine to see Kon in Ichigo's body and believes he is her brother as Kon explains to her that she and Yuzu fell asleep on the mountain after being worn out by the walk up it. Exiting the shrine while promising to get their father, Kon asks Rukia how he did, and after she praises his performance, drops Ichigo's stoic demeanor while gasping and wondering how he maintains such an exhausting frown for so long. As she sits inside next to the sleeping Yuzu, Karin recalls being saved by Ichigo and wonders if that was a dream.
Meanwhile, as he pulls his talons out of Ichigo, who collapses, Grand Fisher criticizes him for sending away his allies and throwing himself at the Hollow in a fit of blind rage, which resulted in him playing right into Grand Fisher's hands, and declares that Ichigo will die without even having wounded him. Slashing at Grand Fisher, who evades, Ichigo proclaims that he will kill Grand Fisher even if he has his arms severed and his legs blown off, but Grand Fisher reforms the girl around his Lure and details how Ichigo's youth and impetuousness makes him quick to anger and dulls his sword before reforming his Lure to look like Masaki Kurosaki as he declares that Ichigo is far too inexperienced to challenge him while Ichigo watches in shock.
023. 6/17 op.7 "意志は鋭し、刃は鈍し" [ ]
While Grand Fisher uses Masaki Kurosaki 's likeness to prevent Ichigo Kurosaki from effectively fighting him, Rukia Kuchiki struggles over whether or not she should intervene.
Noting that Ichigo Kurosaki is surprised by his recreation of Masaki Kurosaki, Grand Fisher admits that he really does not remember what happened six years ago and states that he was able to recreate Ichigo's mother anyway before mocking the upset expression on his face. Grand Fisher explains how he attacked Ichigo with his left hand so the talons on it could search Ichigo's memory for the one person he cannot bear to hurt, as that is something even the most cold-hearted Shinigami has and is how he has beaten every Shinigami sent to purify him, and declares that this person is Ichigo's mother as the fake Masaki asks Ichigo if this is not the case, further stunning him.
Elsewhere, Rukia Kuchiki runs through the forest and recalls Kon asking her if she is not going to go back to help Ichigo. In the past, Rukia reminds him that Ichigo asked her to stay out of it, but Kon points out how Rukia said Grand Fisher is a powerful Hollow, which Rukia does not respond to. After Rukia admits that she does not know if Ichigo will be killed, Kon begs Rukia to go help Ichigo, to her surprise, and admits that it is hard for him to beg before explaining that he could not bear to keep living with Ichigo's family while pretending to be him. As Kon melodramatically declares that doing so would kill him and resumes begging, an exasperated Rukia agrees to go help Ichigo so Kon will stop begging and orders him to protect Ichigo's sisters as she leaves, which Kon agrees to do. In the present, Rukia wonders if coming to Ichigo's aid is the right thing to do because he is being driven by guilt and vengeance and, consequently, fighting for himself for the first time.
As she wonders if Ichigo would ever forgive her if she intervened during such a fight, Rukia arrives at the site of the battle and sees Ichigo facing down Grand Fisher with multiple holes in his torso. Holding herself back, a visibly concerned Rukia tells herself that Ichigo will never move on if she helps him win and recalls a man telling her that helping "him" will save his life but permanently damage his honor before explaining that every fight one engages in is either a fight to preserve life or a fight to preserve one's honor. Realizing that Ichigo's honor is at stake and that she has to let him fight alone, Rukia physically restrains herself and repeatedly tells herself to not get involved before demanding that Ichigo not die.
Meanwhile, as Ichigo continues to stare at the fake Masaki, Grand Fisher asks if the sight of his mother has paralyzed him, only for Ichigo to declare that he will not allow Grand Fisher to defile her memory like this as he prepares to attack. However, the fake Masaki moves in front of Ichigo and begs him to not cut her, causing Ichigo to hesitate long enough for Grand Fisher to impale him through the fake Masaki. Reminding Ichigo that his anger dulls his blade, Grand Fisher proclaims that Ichigo was the youngest, most reckless, and weakest Shinigami he ever faced. Suddenly, Grand Fisher finds Ichigo's Zanpakutō lodged in his shoulder as Ichigo, having grabbed onto the limb impales him, admits that Grand Fisher may be right about anger before declaring that a dull blade is all he needs to kill scum like Grand Fisher. As he declares that Grand Fisher was the oldest slimiest, and most annoying Hollow he ever faced, Ichigo slashes through Grand Fisher's side.
024. 6/17 op.8 "All One Way Sympathies" [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki concludes his fight with Grand Fisher.
In Karakura Town, it begins to rain heavily, which Orihime Inoue comments on, prompting Tatsuki Arisawa to express surprise because it had been sunny all day. When Orihime asks her if she can borrow an umbrella, Tatsuki agrees but notes that Orihime should stay over tonight since her house gets cold with all the holes it has, only for Orihime to casually reveal that she got evicted. Shocked by this, Tatsuki asks Orihime where she is living now, and is further stunned when Orihime pulls out a reversible sleeping bag, leading Tatsuki to believe she is camping out on the streets and warning her that this is dangerous regardless of how comfortable the sleeping bag is. However, Orihime reveals that she is actually staying at a hotel until she finds a new place to live, and when Tatsuki asks her if she has really been carrying around that sleeping bag for a joke, Orihime confirms this while admitting that she was not sure that it would be worth it after the first week of carrying it around and noting that Tatsuki's reaction was not as good as she expected, leading Tatsuki to assure her that it was funny after all. After getting Orihime an umbrella, Tatsuki asks her if she is sure she wants to go since her family is out for the night, but Orihime reminds Tatsuki that her school uniform is not here and states that she feels like walking tonight, prompting Tatsuki to bid her farewell. As she walks through the street, Orihime reflects on learning that Ichigo Kurosaki 's mother died when she was nine and recalls her brother as she notes that she knows what it feels like to realize that nothing is certain in life. Wondering what she feels for Ichigo now, Orihime settles on feeling like she knows him a little better.
Meanwhile, as his blood splashes on the nearby trees, a badly wounded Grand Fisher screams in agony over his arm nearly being cut off by Ichigo's attack as Ichigo props himself up on his Zanpakutō. As Ichigo's scabbard falls to the ground after its damaged clasp finally breaks, Grand Fisher lies on the ground and breathes heavily. Rukia Kuchiki calls out to Ichigo as she arrives, prompting Ichigo to ask her what took so long for her to arrive since he already beat Grand Fisher. When a smiling Rukia reminds him that he told her to stay out of it, Ichigo asks her if she thought he was serious. Suddenly, Grand Fisher's remaining tentacles shoot out of his mask at Ichigo, who narrowly dodges them while getting cut on his cheek, and attaches to his Lure before shifting his body into it. As Ichigo and Rukia look on in shock, Grand Fisher brings up Ichigo's earlier question of whether his Lure was a part of him or an appendage before revealing that it is actually a separate body as he faces them with Masaki's face and his limbs on the same body. Detailing how he can slip into another body if one gets hurt, Grand Fisher declares that he is now in one that Ichigo cannot cut.
Elsewhere, Kon sits outside the shrine while in Ichigo's body before standing up as he notices something. Inside the shrine, Isshin Kurosaki notices the rain and notes that he should probably let him inside as he opens the doors, only to see no one is outside. Meanwhile, Ichigo is enraged by Grand Fisher further exploiting Masaki's likeness, but Rukia warns him to stop moving and aggravating his wounds. Grand Fisher declares that beasts with acute vision are slaves to their eyes and points out how Ichigo cannot cut him down because he looks like his mother before leaping away as he proclaims that Ichigo is also too badly injured to catch him. As Ichigo demands that Grand Fisher come back here and attempts to pursue him, Rukia restrains him and asserts that the battle is over, but Ichigo declares that he can still fight, only to suddenly collapse in Rukia's arms, to her surprise.
As Kon reaches the clearing where the fight took place, he sees Ichigo lying on the ground in front of Rukia, who states that a Shinigami's life force is equivalent to their Reiryoku and assures Kon that Ichigo's powers are greater than she thought if these wounds have not killed him before thanking Ichigo for not dying.
025. 6/17 op.9 "戦う少年2 [The Cigar Blues Mix]" [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki and his father discuss Masaki Kurosaki 's death.
Upon returning to his body, Ichigo Kurosaki screams in pain, prompting Rukia Kuchiki to berate him for not remembering that the wounds he sustains as a Soul stay with him when he returns to his Human body. When Ichigo points out how she has always healed them before he returned to his body, Rukia apologizes and states that she could not heal Ichigo's minor wounds because she used up most of her power repairing the hole in his chest. Realizing this, Ichigo thanks Rukia, who explains how any pain he does not feel in battle will be felt more acutely when he returns to his body and tosses him some bandages to patch up his face with. As he bandages his remaining wounds, Ichigo notes that he lost, but Rukia disputes this because they took no casualties even though Grand Fisher got away. However, Ichigo states that Grand Fisher is not dead and gets to his feet before walking away, and Rukia watches in silence as Kon complains about being too wet to stand up.
Shortly afterward, Ichigo stands in front of his mother 's grave and apologizes for not being able to avenge her death. Suddenly, Isshin Kurosaki walks up with two umbrellas in hand and states that he was wondering where Ichigo went. When Isshin offers him an umbrella, Ichigo asserts that it does not matter if he has one because he has already been drenched by the rain, only for Isshin to repeatedly poke him in the head with it, causing Ichigo to grab the umbrella and smack his father with it. As Ichigo opens his umbrella, Isshin notes that Masaki has been gone for ten years, and when Ichigo corrects this to six years, Isshin merely states that he was close, prompting an incredulous Ichigo to point out that four years is the difference between grade school and high school, which merely leads Isshin to commend him for his intelligence as Ichigo berates him for not knowing how long it has been since his wife died.
Isshin says that Masaki will feel good on the other side if she sees how well Ichigo is doing, but Ichigo mentally notes that Isshin does not know that Masaki's soul was devoured and does not comment. When Isshin begins smoking a cigarette, a surprised Ichigo asks him when he started smoking, prompting Isshin to detail how Masaki told him when Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki were born that she thought he looked cool when he smoked during the time they first started dating. Admitting that this was the only time Masaki ever told him that he looked cool, Isshin states that this is why he decided to have a smoke on this day every year in front of her. When Ichigo continues to somberly look at Masaki's grave, Isshin slaps him on the back and tells him to cheer up. However, Ichigo asks Isshin how he can not hold Masaki's death against him and points out how he failed to protect and save his mother before tearfully demanding to know why everybody does not blame and hate him as he wishes they would, as he believes it is his fault.
Hearing this, Isshin merely asks Ichigo why he should blame him and states that Masaki would be mad at him if he did before assuring Ichigo that it is not his fault that she died. Asserting that he is proud of Masaki for giving her life to save her child, Isshin reminds Ichigo that he is the child she saved, and as his son calms down, Isshin knees him in the back while declaring that he is lucky. Isshin tells Ichigo to live a long life, go bald, die after he does, and die laughing if possible because he will not be able to face Masaki otherwise, and asserts that he should stop sulking because he is not old enough to shoulder the burden of sadness. As Isshin leaves and promises to be waiting at the bottom of the hill, Ichigo calls out to Rukia, who is hiding behind a nearby tree, and asks if her Shinigami powers are returning before asking her to let him be a Shinigami for a little longer regardless because he wants to become incredibly strong and kill Grand Fisher, as he will not be able to face Masaki if he does not, to Rukia's relief.
Meanwhile, in another realm, a masked man repairs and reconstructs Grand Fisher's body, causing the latter to scream in pain as the masked man berates him for playing with Ichigo too much and running away from his fight without using all his powers. Watching from above, another man reminds Grand Fisher that they are supposed to go right for a Shinigami's head when fighting them, which Grand Fisher apologizes for. As the man states that he does not like to clean up Grand Fisher's messes, the masked man notes that they managed to get Grand Fisher's mask off and asserts that this situation will not be repeated, which Grand Fisher confirms. Standing in a new, more humanoid body, Grand Fisher promises to never toy with a Shinigami again and swears revenge on Ichigo.
Bleach, Volume 4
026. Paradise is Nowhere [ ]
Angered by Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki 's treatment of him, Kon decides to leave the Kurosaki Clinic and find more suitable company.
As he hangs upside-down, Kon narrates to himself that his name stands for King of New York, which he quickly admits is not true, and details how his day-to-day life consists of taking care of Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki, whom he describes as a brainless violent teenager and a raven-haired savior goddess respectively, before noting that he is currently in dire straits as Yuzu Kurosaki holds him aloft by his foot with a vacuum cleaner in her other hand and observes that he is a very dirty plushie. While Yuzu wonders if he belongs to Karin Kurosaki, Kon recalls how he ended up in this situation.
That Sunday morning, at 10:05 AM in his bedroom, Ichigo repeatedly slams Kon against the wall outside his window and explains that he is knocking the dirt out of him when Kon demands to know what he is doing. Though Kon points out that this is not an ordinary situation for him and that there are other ways of cleaning him, Ichigo continues to smack him into the side of the house, prompting Kon to insult him and call for help. Telling Ichigo to stop, Rukia reveals that she has brought the proper equipment to clean Kon, who expresses relief before staring in shock alongside Ichigo when Rukia brings out a push broom. As Rukia pins Kon to the ground and begins scrubbing his face with the broom despite his pain and protests, Ichigo realizes that she is using Karakura High School 's bathroom broom and asks her where she got it before telling her to take it back when Rukia admits that she took it from the school. Rukia dismisses this as Ichigo being lame, but Ichigo asserts that this is just common sense as he tries to keep her from putting the broom on his floor. Lying on the ground nearby, an irritated Kon wonders why they treat him like this even though he is their equal before deciding to leave in search of someone who will love him and provide a place where he truly belongs.
Some time later, Kon walks down the road and notes that this seemed like a good idea when he was worked up earlier before observing that he will not get very far like this without any money or transportation. Upon seeing Orihime Inoue standing in the baseball field nearby and encouraging Tatsuki Arisawa to pass the ball to her, Kon excitedly runs toward her while planning to trick Orihime into picking him up and holding him against her breasts by pretending to be a lifeless stuffed animal, only for Tatsuki to suddenly kick a soccer ball directly into him with her Dragon Bazooka shot. As a screaming Kon hurtles toward her on the soccer ball, Orihime assumes a batting stance with a baseball bat and unleashes a powerful swing, sending Kon flying away as the soccer ball flies out of Tatsuki's reach. Celebrating her victory, Orihime prepares to open a bottle of champagne, but Tatsuki points out that the defending team is at a huge disadvantage in this baseball-soccer combination game that Orihime devised and tells her to not celebrate just yet.
After landing, a battered Kon trudges along the sidewalk while noting that he forgot to account for Orihime's brain and expressing disbelief at having been toppled by such a bizarre game. However, upon seeing Ryō Kunieda, Michiru Ogawa, and Chizuru Honshō walking nearby, Kon perks up and recognizes them as girls from Ichigo's class whose names he cannot remember due to their smaller breast sizes. Chizuru tells Michiru that she is her type and proposes that they get a hotel room together, but Michiru declines and claims that this is the most pathetic pick-up line that Chizuru has used all day as an annoyed Ryō mentally notes that she would prefer to walk alone. While Ryō stops in her tracks upon seeing him lying on the ground in front of her, Kon mentally encourages them to pick him up and take him home so they can take a bath together, only for Ryō to step on him while decrying him as a filthy stuffed animal, causing Kon to cry out in pain. With the surprised girls staring at him, Kon realizes that he just made a sound in front of them and wonders if they suspect something. When Chizuru declares that they should capture this talking stuffed animal and sell it to a TV station, Kon begins frantically fleeing, prompting Chizuru to attempt to chase after him alongside Michiru. However, Ryō tells her friends to leave this to her and reminds them that she can run 100 meters in 12 seconds as she dashes after a terrified Kon, who wonders why all of Ichigo's friends are out of their minds. Upon crossing paths with Yasutora Sado, Kon finds himself fleeing from Sado as well because the latter likes cute things and begins praying to just get home safely. Eventually, Kon shakes off his pursuers and returns to the Kurosaki Clinic, but cannot bring himself to enter Ichigo's room, so he sneaks into a different room before collapsing and losing consciousness.
Back in the present, Kon concludes that this is how he ended up in Yuzu's clutches and mentally resigns himself to whatever fate Yuzu has planned for him, only to be surprised when Yuzu declares that they should take a bath together. As Yuzu washes, cleans, and dries him, a blissful Kon asserts that Yuzu was the savior he had been waiting for all along and wishes that she was a little older and curvier, only to be snapped out of his reverie when Yuzu dresses him in frilly clothes she had made for a doll she just bought. Placing Kon alongside a large gorilla plushie and alien plushie on her bed, Yuzu happily compliments his appearance and notes that he looks happy alongside his mother and father while Kon mentally disagrees with her and wonders how the two plushies can be his parents as he observes that he is dressed while they are not. As Yuzu refers to the two plushies as Melon and Cookie, whom she tells Kon to follow the orders of, and names Kon himself as Bostov, a bewildered Kon wonders why he is getting stuck with the ugly name before nervously inquiring what Yuzu is doing as she glues a small flower to his ear, causing him to scream silently. Soon afterward, Ichigo walks to his room after taking a shower, only to be shocked when Kon tearfully runs up to him in his new garments and apologizes for leaving before declaring that he likes Ichigo's room the best. While Ichigo wonders why Kon is wearing such a strange outfit, Rukia opens his bedroom door and asks him what the commotion is as Kon expresses his belief that Ichigo and Rukia just have a hard time expressing their love for him, only to begin screaming in pain as Ichigo tries to pull the flower off his ear.
027. Spirits Ain't Always WITH US [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki learns that a spirit medium show called Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip led by Don Kanonji, which he hates, is coming to Karakura Town.
Reading the astrology section of a magazine, Ichigo Kurosaki expresses his dislike of astrology and all psychic-oriented practices that make money by exploiting the hopes of the gullible before declaring that he is not worried about the magazine's prediction that those with the sign of Cancer will have abysmal luck this week, even though he has tripped on nothing three times, had his shoelaces snap twice, and lost his wallet this week, because he does not believe it. As Isshin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki watch the television, an announcer introduces Don Kanonji, who declares that spirits are always with the viewers while performing his signature crossed-arm pose, which Isshin and Yuzu imitate as they copy his laugh as well. Ichigo notes that he refuses to believe this spiritual nonsense even if his family has become obsessed with a TV psychic he cannot stand and asks Yuzu what she is doing, prompting Yuzu to explain that this is the highly popular spirit medium Don Kanonji, who leads a show called Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip. While Ichigo states that he knows who Don Kanonji is and clarifies that he is referring to the pose and laugh his sister and father just performed, Don Kanonji tells his audience that he is going to let them hear the whispers of the spirits again this week and performs his signature laugh once more as Isshin and Yuzu follow suit.
Ichigo details how they have been watching Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip, a spirit medium show that airs on Wednesday nights at 8 PM and has become enormously popular despite seeming phony to him, with 25% of Japan's population watching every week. As Ichigo observes that the star is Misaomaru Kanonji, aka Don Kanonji, who has become even more popular with teenage girls than any rock star, Don Kanonji inspects a vase and declares that it " smells like bad spirits ", which Ichigo notes is his catchphrase. Declaring that Don Kanonji is cool, Yuzu asks Ichigo if he also thinks Don Kanonji is amazing for always getting it right, and when Ichigo does not give a definitive answer, Yuzu presses him, leading Ichigo to cave and claim that Don Kanonji probably can see spirits if he claims to be able to. While Yuzu expresses her adoration of Don Kanonji and wishes that she could also see spirits like this, Ichigo sees Karin Kurosaki staring at him from across the table and points out that his juice is gone if she is looking for some, only for Karin to nervously look away and deny this. When Ichigo asks her if she is not going to watch the television with Isshin and Yuzu, Karin points out that they are only invested because they cannot see spirits and asserts that Don Kanonji does not do much for her even if she cannot see spirits as well as Ichigo can. Noting that Karin saw Fishbone D when it came after his family, Ichigo wonders if she can also see Shinigami before being startled by Yuzu drawing their attention to the television, which announces that Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip is coming to Karakura Town next week in order to visit an abandoned hospital there, to Ichigo's shock.
The following day, at Karakura High School, Orihime Inoue performs Don Kanonji's pose and laugh in front of Ichigo, only to express confusion when Ichigo does not respond in kind and ask him if he knows what it is. After Ichigo identifies it as stemming from Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip, Orihime confirms this and tries to get him to perform it with her, but Tatsuki Arisawa intervenes and pulls Orihime away while promising to perform it with her instead. As he watches this, Ichigo notes that 25% of Japan watching every airing of the show means that 1 out of every 4 Japanese people watches it and that middle-aged people not being interested must mean most of Japan's young population is tuning in. Keigo Asano and Mizuiro Kojima perform the gesture and laugh in front of Ichigo, and Yasutora Sado silently poses as well, to Ichigo's disbelief. Shortly afterward, Keigo is astonished by Ichigo's refusal to attend the recording of Japan's top show in their town and asserts that he may as well be dead if he does not do so, only for Ichigo to brush this off and point out that Keigo lives in Naruki City, which would mean Karakura Town is not his town. Stunned by this, Keigo tearfully declares that he went to the trouble of asking Rukia Kuchiki to go too as Rukia greets Ichigo, who mentally identifies her as an imposter. While Rukia politely declines to perform the pose and laugh with Keigo, leading Ichigo to note that she is expanding her repertoire, Orihime asks Tatsuki what she is going to do if Ichigo does not attend as a teacher tells them to get to class.
The following Wednesday at 7:31 PM, Ichigo's friends assemble outside of the abandoned hospital and see a visibly annoyed Ichigo arrive with his family, prompting Keigo and Mizuiro to declare that he came after all. While Ichigo threatens to mangle them, Orihime approaches and apologizes for her behavior the other day because Tatsuki told her that Ichigo hates Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip afterward, only for Ichigo to assure her that it is alright because Keigo and Mizuiro continue to tease him about it even though they know of his dislike for it. When Orihime asks him why he came anyway, Ichigo notes that Yuzu and Isshin are big fans and clarifies that he could not let them come alone when a surprised Orihime wonders if this is why he came even though he hates the show. Orihime tells Ichigo that he is very kind, but when he asserts that it is nothing, Orihime changes her mind and agrees with him. As Ichigo observes the crowd of people that have gathered for this show and notes that the people running the show will be wondering if they have any social lives at all, Rukia tells him to cheer up and performs Don Kanonji's pose and laugh, to Ichigo's chagrin. Asserting that Ichigo should try to enjoy himself now that he is here, Rukia states that he must be tired from his school and Shinigami work before telling him to take the opportunity to unwind, leading a surprised Ichigo to note that she has a surprisingly nice side. However, Ichigo is shocked to learn that Rukia does not actually know what this is all about and explains that it is a TV show, which she still does not understand.
Wondering if there is really a Soul here, Ichigo notes that it sounds like a horror movie cliché and asks Rukia if the Shinigami would not have taken care of any Souls here, leading Rukia to explain that locations like this hospital are usually haunted by fixed-location Jibakurei that blend in with their environment so Soul Society 's sensors cannot detect them. As Rukia begins to reveal the only thing that will make a Jibakurei reveal itself, an assistant runs past them with a lighting prop and sets foot on the property, leading to an unearthly scream being heard as Rukia finishes her explanation by noting that a Jibakurei can only be drawn out by someone invading its territory.
028. Symptom of Synesthesia [ ]
Rukia Kuchiki explains the circumstances surrounding the creation of a Jibakurei as Don Kanonji begins his exorcism of the hospital.
As Keigo Asano performs Don Kanonji 's pose and laugh, Mizuiro berates him for doing so while no one is around before revealing that the others have left to find better vantage points and that Ichigo Kurosaki not being around to irritate means there is no point in doing the pose and laugh. Bemoaning the fact that they got together for nothing, Keigo tries to force Mizuiro to do the pose and laugh with him, despite Mizuiro's protests. Suddenly, the two of them notice two attractive women looking their way, leading Keigo to adopt a suave persona as he tries to coax Mizuiro into doing the pose with him, which catches the women's attention. When Mizuiro responds by feigning innocence and claiming that he does not know how to do it, the women are overwhelmed by his cute demeanor and pull Mizuiro away to do the pose with them as they promise to take him in hand and teach him how to do it, leaving Keigo behind to agonize over being defeated by Mizuiro. However, Keigo is quieted when Yasutora Sado walks up to him and asks him if he hears a weird scream, leading a nervous Keigo to assert that he does not hear anything and chide Sado for bringing up such a thing here of all places as Sado apologizes.
As they listen to the scream, Ichigo asks Rukia Kuchiki who is screaming, prompting her to state that it is the cry of a Jibakurei and that there really is one here. When Ichigo notes that it sounds like a Hollow to him, Rukia explains that it is a Plus in the process of becoming a Hollow, making it a Demi-Hollow, and draws Ichigo's attention to the Jibakurei, who is bound by chains to the hospital. The Jibakurei resumes his screaming, leading an unnerved Karin Kurosaki to say that she should not have come here, to Isshin Kurosaki 's concern, as she mentally admits that she did not think there would really be a nasty spirit here and wonders if Don Kanonji can really do something about it. Noting that it is making her feel sick, Karin wonders where Ichigo is as Tatsuki Arisawa expresses confusion at the sound she is hearing. Orihime Inoue grabs Tatsuki's sleeve and nervously asks her if she can hear it too.
Admitting that it does feel a lot like a Hollow, Ichigo observes that the Jibakurei is not wearing a Hollow's white mask and the hole in his chest has not completely opened up yet, leading Rukia to explain that the hole in the center of a Hollow's chest represents its lost center that makes it a raging mass of instinct and that its mask shields its naked instincts from the outside world, neither of which are necessary if one has a center. Rukia details how dying causes one's Chain of Fate to be severed and notes that Souls with no strong attachments simply wait for a Shinigami to help them cross over before revealing that Souls with regrets are anchored to them by their chains. As she clarifies that Souls attached to people are called Tsukirei and Souls attached to places are called Jibakurei, Rukia notes that this means the Jibakurei here is attached to the hospital because of the building itself or something that happened there. The Jibakurei declares that he will not let anyone take the hospital from him and details how he had planned on making himself extremely wealthy off of it by inheriting it from his father before angrily cursing his younger brother for inheriting it instead, leading an unimpressed Ichigo to comment on his self-centered nature.
Suddenly, an announcer tells the crowd to be quiet and begins to count down to the beginning of the recording as those present react with excitement. As the countdown finishes, the announcer informs the audience that tonight's episode is an emergency broadcast that has brought the team of Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip to an abandoned hospital in the the Karakura district of Tokyo. Asserting that local residents are tormented by the cries of an evil spirit at night and will not come near this place, the announcer introduces Don Kanonji, who proceeds to drop out of a helicopter flying above the area while greeting the crowd below as Ichigo watches in exasperation. As Don Kanonji deploys a large parachute to land safely, Rukia performs his pose and laugh before praising his entrance. Bewildered by this, Ichigo asks Rukia if they should not perform Konsō on the Jibakurei, but Rukia asserts that it is fine because it will likely take months or even years for him to become a Hollow before noting that they should perform it after this is over because it would be a mess if a Hollow ran wild in a crowd like this. While Ichigo protests, Don Kanonji declares that this area smells like bad spirits as the crowd follows along, to Ichigo's chagrin. Rukia assures Ichigo that it is alright because Souls are in much more pain right before they become a Hollow and the Jibakurei does not appear to be in pain right now, which Ichigo grudgingly acknowledges. As Don Kanonji inspects the Jibakurei, who demands to know who he is, Rukia states that it will take at least six more months for the Jibakurei to become a Hollow as long as no one irritates the hole in his chest. Suddenly, Don Kanonji declares that he will have to use his Super Spirits Stick to finish him off quickly and jams the end of it into the hole of the Jibakurei, shocking Ichigo and Rukia.
029. Stop that stupid!! [ ]
While Don Kanonji unwittingly speeds up the transformation of the Jibakurei into a Hollow, Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki are prevented from intervening by the show's security team.
As he twists his Super Spirits Stick in the hole of the Jibakurei, Don Kanonji promises him that it will only hurt for a minute and that he will pass the spirit on quickly while Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki express disbelief at what he is doing. While the crowd cheers, the announcer details that Don Kanonji drawing his Super Spirits Stick so early is unprecedented and wonders if this means the mission is that dangerous. Noting that Kanonji is only going to hollow out the center of the Jibakurei faster if he does this and wondering if he really has the power to do so, Rukia asserts that this is going to wind up changing the Jibakurei into a Hollow right now. Don Kanonji tells the Jibakurei that it is time to free him from the nightmare chains binding him and begins chanting a lyric, which the crowd recognizes as the cleansing lyric, as the Jibakurei begins to scream in agony. Clutching her head in pain and doubling over, Karin Kurosaki wonders what Don Kanonji is doing while Rukia observes that this is not good.
Someone else in the crowd prepares to grab onto the rope barricade, but retracts his hand as Ichigo vaults over and runs toward Don Kanonji while demanding that he stop. Upon seeing this, one of the staff members orders security to stop him, leading to Ichigo being tackled by five uniformed men. As the announcer informs the audience that an overexcited young man has rushed into the battle zone and been restrained by security, Yuzu Kurosaki expresses embarrassment at Ichigo's actions before reprimanding Isshin Kurosaki for attempting to follow suit upon catching him beginning to step over the barricade. While Yasutora Sado, Mizuiro Kojima, Keigo Asano, Tatsuki Arisawa, and Orihime Inoue express their confusion at the situation, Ichigo tells the security team to let him go before something terrible happens, and the staff decide to cut to a commercial break. Donning her Gokon Tekkō, Rukia tells Ichigo to come over so she can push him out of his body, only to be quickly tackled by more security guards.
As Reiichi Ōshima, Sorimachi, Ryō Kunieda, Chizuru Honshō, and Misato Ochi watch the commercial for a toy replica of Don Kanonji's Super Spirits Stick at their homes and express shock at Ichigo's involvement, Ichigo tells Rukia to shake off the guards and get over here, prompting her to tell him to do the same since he is a man. Ichigo points out that Rukia only has two men restraining her while he has several as one of the guards punches him in the face and demands that he be quiet. While Mizuiro notes that Rukia sounds different somehow, Sado begins waking forward to help Ichigo, which leads Keigo to beg him to not intervene because it will only make things worse and Ichigo started it. As the Chain of Fate of the screaming Jibakurei begins breaking in several different places, Karin, Sado, Orihime, and Tatsuki express shock as Rukia cries out to Ichigo, who continues struggling with the guards. Suddenly, Kisuke Urahara pushes Ichigo's Soul out of his body with his cane, sending Ichigo tumbling away as the security team is left holding his limp body in shock.
Upon seeing Urahara standing with Tessai Tsukabishi behind him, Ichigo asks him why he is here, but Urahara merely tells him to go after Don Kanonji, which Ichigo does. When Rukia asks him if he is up to something crooked here, Urahara denies this and claims that he grudgingly came here because Jinta Hanakari and Ururu Tsumugiya are big fans of the show. As Urahara describes how he heard Rukia's scream from afar, which she asserts did not happen, one of the guards asks him if he knows Ichigo and Rukia before stating that he would like to have a word with Urahara. Fumbling for a response, Urahara uses a Kikanshinki on the entire security team, who collapse, and has Tessai grab Ichigo's body before running away as Rukia berates him for casually using Soul Society equipment like that, which Urahara claims was necessary so he did not get involved in this mess and end up in jail, leading Rukia to point out that he chose to get involved.
Meanwhile, as the Jibakurei continues to scream, Ichigo tells Don Kanonji to stop and tackles him, sending the two of them flying several feet back. As the announcer observes that Don Kanonji appears to have been thrown back with tremendous force, Don Kanonji demands to know why Ichigo is interfering when he is just a Soul. With Ichigo surprised that he can see him, Don Kanonji asserts that he is the new century's premiere spirit medium before voicing his belief that Ichigo is one of his deceased fans, prompting an irritated Ichigo to grab him by the throat while asking Don Kanonji if he wants to die. Suddenly, the Jibakurei begins cracking and turning white, and as Ichigo realizes that it may be too late, the Jibakurei shatters with great force, leading Ichigo to express confusion at him not turning into a Hollow while Urahara watches from afar.
030. Second Contact[it was outside the scope of our understanding] [ ]
The Jibakurei reforms into The Demi-Hollow and begins its assault on Ichigo Kurosaki and Don Kanonji.
In a household in Karakura Town, while two boys play with action figures behind her and argue over who won an imaginary battle between them, a girl watches the chaos at the hospital unfold on her television and angrily tells them to be quiet because she cannot hear what is happening, only to be startled along with the boys by the sound of the Jibakurei shattering.
At the hospital, as Ichigo Kurosaki express confusion at the Jibakurei not turning into a Hollow, the announcer wonders what just happened and if Don Kanonji is alright after the large explosion, prompting Don Kanonji to declare that he has accomplished his mission. While the crowd cheers and the announcer notes that this means Don Kanonji has completed his exorcism, Ichigo wonders if that actually worked, only for Rukia Kuchiki to mentally deny this as she pulls out her Denreishinki and notes that a Plus vaporizes and recomposes in a new location the instant it becomes a Hollow. Detailing how the Plus could recompose anywhere if it is not tied down to anything, Rukia scans the area on her Denreishinki and works out how the Plus would recompose nearby if it were tied down to an area before looking up in shock as Reishi begin to converge above. With the crowd cheering for him, Don Kanonji praises them as having a sweet vibe. When Ichigo asks him if he is sure that he purified the Jibakurei, Don Kanonji reminds him that he is the new century's premium spirit medium and asserts that those whom he purifies stay purified. While Don Kanonji promises to purify Ichigo free of charge later under the assumption that he is another spirit, Rukia frantically tells Ichigo to look up, leading Ichigo and Don Kanonji to stare in shock at the roof of the hospital, where The Demi-Hollow begins forming from the limbs up. When the body completely forms, the screaming head of the Jibakurei pops out of the neck and is covered in a white substance that bursts from its eyes and mouth to form a large mask, completing its transformation into a Hollow.
Ichigo realizes that it turned into a Hollow as a stunned Don Kanonji wonders what it is. When Ichigo asks him if he really does not know what a Hollow is, Don Kanonji claims that he has and reiterates that he is the new century's premium spirit medium before asserting that monster extermination is outside his area of expertise. As Ichigo begins explaining what a Hollow is, Don Kanonji declares that he can smell the powerful stench of a dangerous spirit and wonders if it is a demon that has come to avenge the other spirit, leading an exasperated Ichigo to criticize him for not listening when someone is explaining. Demanding that someone feed him a Soul, the Demi-Hollow leaps down the side of the hospital toward Ichigo and Don Kanonji, prompting Ichigo to prepare to battle it. However, as Ichigo tells him to run, Don Kanonji pushes Ichigo back and tells him to run away so he can handle this, to Ichigo's surprise. Don Kanonji declares that he will be the Demi-Hollow's opponent, but as the Demi-Hollow closes in with its mouth open, Ichigo berates Don Kanonji and draws his Zanpakutō before intercepting the Demi-Hollow's bite with it and pushing it back.
When Don Kanonji asks him why he did not run, Ichigo asserts that he is the one who needs to run, but Don Kanonji proclaims that he cannot run away, to Ichigo's confusion. Rearing up behind Ichigo, the Demi-Hollow attacks him, leading Ichigo to block its strike with his Zanpakutō. As she watches the commotion, Karin Kurosaki clearly sees Ichigo clashing with the Demi-Hollow and expresses shock while Yasutora Sado, Tatsuki Arisawa, and Orihime Inoue see only a blurry shape which they begin to recognize. In the midst of this, Kisuke Urahara notes that it is both impressive and terrible before asking Ichigo what he will do now.
031. HEROES CAN SAVE YOU [ ]
As the fight with The Demi-Hollow moves into the abandoned hospital, Don Kanonji explains his motivations for never running away to Ichigo Kurosaki.
Don Kanonji, Ichigo Kurosaki, and The Demi-Hollow yell as they run toward each other, only for Ichigo to grab Don Kanonji by the throat and push him out of the way as the Demi-Hollow crashes into the front of the hospital. With the Demi-Hollow struggling to pull itself out of the hole it has embedded itself in, Don Kanonji declares that this is a golden opportunity, but Ichigo grabs him by the collar and drags him away to retreat as the Demi-Hollow frees itself and chases after them. When the glass doors of the hospital entrance are shattered by the combatants, the audience recoils in fright while the announcer observes that Don Kanonji appears to have been dragged off by a powerful force while battling an invisible enemy prior to the glass shattering before concluding that he has been captured by the enemy. Asking Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki if they are okay and if the glass cut them, Isshin Kurosaki stands over them with his arms outstretched and declares that he can die happy if he can give his life for his daughters before collapsing unharmed, only for Yuzu to sidestep him as she wonders if Ichigo is alright. With Karin Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado expressing concern for Ichigo, Kisuke Urahara notes that confirms his theory of how Ichigo fights.
Inside the hospital, Ichigo continues to drag Don Kanonji along a hallway and reminds him that he told Ichigo to run. When Don Kanonji clarifies that he meant for Ichigo to run away alone and reiterates that he himself cannot run away, Ichigo angrily throws him against a wall and demands to know what he means by not being able to run away. Don Kanonji attempts to ask Ichigo the same question, but Ichigo asserts that he is asking the questions right now, which Don Kanonji acquiesces to. Upon Ichigo inquiring what his reason for saying that he cannot run away is, Don Kanonji claims that he does so because he is a hero and cannot show his back to any enemy even though he abhors conflict while an irritated Ichigo notes that Don Kanonji is asking to be smacked. Asking Ichigo if he knows what the ratings for his show are, Don Kanonji declares that 1 out of every 4 Japanese citizens watches before revealing that many of those viewers are children. Don Kanonji describes how these children are glued to the television when watching his show every week with their families and how he is a hero to them, which leads to them learning what courage is and being inspired by his heroism as he stands up to evil spirits. As Don Kanonji asserts that he cannot run from the enemy while those children are watching, Ichigo is left surprised and impressed.
When Don Kanonji attempts to go back outside to fight the Demi-Hollow, Ichigo grabs his cape and declares that they cannot do this, prompting Don Kanonji to assert that he cannot fight here where there are no cameras. However, Ichigo reminds Don Kanonji that people could get hurt if they fight near the crowd outside and that heroes should protect their fans before explaining that the Demi-Hollow is drawn to beings with high Reiryoku like himself and Don Kanonji, which means that it will follow them into the hospital and no one besides them will get hurt in here. As Don Kanonji expresses amazement at Ichigo thinking of all this while fighting, the ground underneath Ichigo suddenly swells up as the Demi-Hollow bursts out from below, leading Ichigo to leap away as he draws his Zanpakutō. However, upon attempting to attack the Demi-Hollow, Ichigo finds his Zanpakutō stuck in the ceiling above and realizes with shock that the hallway is too small for him to fight properly. The Demi-Hollow uses Sticker Phlegm, binding Ichigo's hands to his Zanpakutō and leading him to decide to kick the Demi-Hollow to death. Suddenly, as the Demi-Hollow rushes forward, Don Kanonji intercepts it by propping open its mouth with his Super Spirits Stick and asks Ichigo if he is hurt, prompting a surprised Ichigo to tell him to run because he cannot defeat a Hollow. Affirming this, Don Kanonji states that he has been deeply moved by Ichigo's selfless act and asserts that Ichigo constantly fighting with the safety of the public in mind despite no one ever knowing of it is truly worthy of being called heroic. After asking to be allowed to call Ichigo comrade, which Ichigo declines, Don Kanonji proclaims that he will fall like a leaf in the autumn wind to protect Ichigo as his final act.
032. Hero is Always With Me? [ ]
Don Kanonji frees Ichigo Kurosaki 's Zanpakutō, allowing him to defeat The Demi-Hollow.
As he continues to hold back The Demi-Hollow, Don Kanonji 's Reiatsu flares up, prompting a surprised Ichigo Kurosaki to ask him what he is going to do. Holding his hand up, Don Kanonji uses Kanonji-Style Final Super Attack: Kanonball, creating a small blue sphere of energy. While Ichigo wonders if he really thinks he can kill a Hollow with this, Don Kanonji aims the sphere at him and orders it to destroy as the sphere slowly ascends to the end of Ichigo's Zanpakutō stuck in the ceiling, where it explodes with considerable force, freeing the blade. Ichigo admits that the attack was not bad and commends Don Kanonji as he rushes forward, prompting the Demi-Hollow to shove an exhausted Don Kanonji aside. Mentally declaring that it is now in Ichigo's hands, Don Kanonji proclaims that Ichigo will forever be his friend and wishes him luck as he collapses.
As he and the Demi-Hollow collide, Ichigo stabs his Zanpakutō through the Demi-Hollow's shoulder and mentally notes that he cannot deal a decisive blow to its head with his hands glued together. With Don Kanonji encouraging him to finish the Demi-Hollow off in one blow and affirming his belief in Ichigo, to his chagrin, the angered Demi-Hollow roars and crashes through the wall to the outside of the hospital, taking Ichigo with it. While Ichigo freaks out at how high above the neighboring houses he is, the Demi-Hollow runs up to the roof with him in tow. In the hospital, Don Kanonji begs Ichigo to not leave him before noticing the show's helicopter, which begins filming the hole in the wall as the announcer on board identifies Don Kanonji and notes that he appears to be shouting something. Forcing himself to his feet, Don Kanonji declares that the evil spirit has fled to the roof and will not escape him before telling the crew to cut to a commercial as he runs behind the wall, where he collapses once more and begins crawling as fast as possible to the roof while the helicopter begins ascending.
On the roof, Ichigo is thrown off of the Demi-Hollow, who stares him down before moving to bite him. Jumping over the Demi-Hollow, Ichigo asserts that he is tougher than it may think and details how he could not fight properly before due to the cramped area and presence of Don Kanonji. However, as Ichigo declares that the Demi-Hollow is finished now that this is no longer the case, Don Kanonji bursts through a nearby door on the roof and announces his arrival, to Ichigo's disbelief. When the Demi-Hollow begins growling at Don Kanonji, Ichigo tells him to run, but Don Kanonji reveals that he can barely stand at the moment, prompting a stunned Ichigo to demand to know why he came up here in such condition. With the Demi-Hollow rushing toward Don Kanonji, Ichigo leaps beside it and repels it with a slash, causing the Demi-Hollow to crash into a railing. As the Demi-Hollow looks up with a cracked mask, Ichigo asserts that it is over and slashes through its mask, prompting Don Kanonji to declare that he has done it. However, as Don Kanonji celebrates his victory, Ichigo tells him to not get too excited, and while a confused Don Kanonji questions why, the Demi-Hollow's body and mask crumble to reveal the Jibakurei lying underneath.
Watching the Jibakurei crumble away as well, a stunned Don Kanonji asserts that this is not possible because he purified the man's Soul and asks Ichigo what is going on, prompting Ichigo to explain how Souls that have a Chain of Fate attached to them are transformed into Hollows when they tear free of them. As he recalls tearing open the hole of the Jibakurei, Don Kanonji states that he thought opening the holes and breaking the chains of the spirits he encountered was freeing them before falling to his knees as he realizes what he has been doing all along. Ichigo points out that the other spirits whom Don Kanonji has exorcised did not become Hollows and that this time was different for some reason as he affirms that Don Kanonji did not know anything about Hollows and cannot help the situation by feeling bad about it. As a weeping Don Kanonji asserts that he was foolish, Ichigo points out that his public is waving to him, and while Don Kanonji looks at the cheering crowd below, Ichigo encourages him to wave back because this is what a hero does, prompting Don Kanonji to perform his signature pose and laugh. With the crowd copying him, Don Kanonji praises the fight and Ichigo's courage, quick thinking, and strength before asking that Ichigo keep lending him his help. Wondering if Don Kanonji considers him to be his partner, Ichigo agrees to do so on occasion and shakes his hand, only to be mortified when Don Kanonji proclaims that Ichigo will be his number one disciple.
033. ROCKIN' FUTURE 7 [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki deal with the aftermath of the incident at Don Kanonji 's show.
In the principal's office at Karakura High School the day after the incident at the abandoned hospital, Kagine demands to know if those assembled know what they have done as Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, Orihime Inoue, Tatsuki Arisawa, Yasutora Sado, Keigo Asano, and Mizuiro Kojima stand before him. Displaying a still frame of Ichigo struggling with the security team at Don Kanonji 's show, Kagine reveals that this was broadcast live to the entire nation on a show recorded in their town as Misato Ochi expresses amazement. When Kagine asks him what he has to say for himself, Ichigo nervously states that it looks a lot like him, prompting Kagine to angrily assert that it is Ichigo beyond a doubt. Ichigo sarcastically asserts that it was actually his long-lost twin brother whom he never thought he would see again, further irritating Kagine as he declares that Ichigo has brought great shame upon Karakura High School with his actions. Upon Tatsuki asking him why she and Orihime are here, Kagine points out that they were present with Ichigo and Rukia, but Tatsuki claims that this was pure coincidence because they happened to encounter Rukia on the way there, which Keigo denies on the grounds that he invited them there.
While Ichigo wryly notes that Tatsuki is just trying to protect herself, Tatsuki taunts him and asserts that they are going back to class now before leaving with Orihime. When Keigo attempts to leave as well, Kagine grabs him by the collar and claims that Keigo is in trouble because he was with Ichigo and should have tried harder to stop him, prompting Keigo to demand humane treatment for students in the school. However, Rukia interrupts and somberly states that this is her fault for not being strong enough to stop Ichigo. As Rukia tearfully describes how Ichigo would not stop even though she humiliated herself by screaming, Kagine frantically tells her to not cry and assures her that she did nothing wrong, only to suddenly whirl around in surprise to see the other students climbing out of the window and running away. Threatening to suspend the students for running away, Kagine sees that Rukia has disappeared as well and demands to know why Misato did not stop them, only for Misato to note that it is not fair to condemn the students for simply appearing on television. Kagine turns to the principal, who asks him if he can make a copy of the tape so he can show his grandchildren that his students were on television, and angrily slams the door as he leaves the office, prompting the principal to declare that he will take the cost to repair the door out of Kagine's paycheck.
Outside, the students walk down the stairs as Keigo declares that they can live happily ever after now that they have escaped. When Keigo specifically praises Rukia, who modestly brushes this off, Ichigo points out how she tried to sell him out, leading Tatsuki to note that it was her performance that allowed Ichigo to escape as Rukia claims that she would never sell out her friend, to Ichigo's irritation. Tatsuki asserts that she would have tried to get on television if she knew that she was going to be yelled at regardless and fantasizes about being discovered for her beautiful singing voice, but Keigo states that she likely would have been drowned out by the announcer and reminds Ichigo that the same happened to him when he was shouting as Ichigo mentally thanks the announcer for preventing people from hearing him shout Rukia's name. Looking at Ichigo walking next to Rukia, Orihime quietly looks away.
Later, Ichigo responds to the doorbell ringing at the Kurosaki Clinic and opens the door as he asserts that they are closed during the afternoon on Thursdays, only to find it is Don Kanonji, who proclaims that he has Ichigo for a ride while referring to him as his number one disciple. Staring at Don Kanonji, Ichigo closes the door, prompting Don Kanonji to begin trying to open it and wondering why Ichigo is locking it as Ichigo demands to know how Don Kanonji found out where he lives. Don Kanonji asks Ichigo why he is being so mean and claims that he made a secret trip here because he thought Ichigo would be happy, but Ichigo points out how he is dressed like a colorblind king, leading Don Kanonji to bashfully state that these are his shabbiest clothes, to Ichigo's amazement. When Rukia pops up holding several packages and excitedly reveals that Don Kanonji bought her lots of gourmet rice dumplings, Ichigo angrily realizes that she is the one who told Don Kanonji where he lives. While Ichigo rebuffs Don Kanonji's request to go on a ride together by asserting that he just got bored on his day off, Yuzu Kurosaki opens the door and tells Ichigo to stop yelling, only to be stunned upon seeing Don Kanonji before screaming and running toward him.
As Yuzu tells Don Kanonji that she is a big fan and hugs him, Rukia informs Ichigo that she has received a Hollow alert and pushes him out of his body before running off with him while Don Kanonji wonders where Ichigo is going. Wondering what the commotion is, Karin looks out her window and is shocked to see Ichigo running off in his Shinigami attire. While he runs down the street with Rukia, Ichigo admits that he is actually relieved to have a Hollow show up, and when Rukia claims that he could make a mistake if he is too relaxed, Ichigo mocks her for saying this after showing off her rice dumpling collection, to her irritation. Behind them, Uryū Ishida looks intently at Ichigo as he runs off.
034. QUINCY ARCHER HATES YOU [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki discover someone is defeating Hollows before they can.
Yelling in frustration as the Fat Ghost cowers in an alleyway in the evening, Ichigo Kurosaki notes that there is no Hollow here yet again and asks Rukia Kuchiki if her Denreishinki is broken, prompting her to state that it should not be as she stares at it. Ichigo reminds Rukia that he is taking finals right now, which she asserts that she is also doing, and claims that this is her fault because of her busted Denreishinki before asking if there could be another Shinigami in Karakura Town who keeps purifying Hollows before they can show up, but Rukia denies this on the grounds that Shinigami have clearly defined territories to patrol. When the Fat Ghost flings himself forward while thanking them, Ichigo stomps him to the ground while telling him to go thank whoever saved him, and Rukia questions the Fat Ghost on who saved him from a Hollow earlier. However, the Fat Ghost admits that he did not see anything because he had his eyes closed in fright, and upon seeing Ichigo and Rukia staring at him in anger, he apologizes profusely and offers them his Magical Girl Megalon figurine as repayment, only to scream in terror when Ichigo and Rukia simultaneously smash the figurine with their fists. While Ichigo performs Konsō on the frightened Fat Ghost, who asks him if he is going to stab him with his Zanpakutō, Uryū Ishida watches from a roof nearby.
Later, Keigo Asano finishes his test and immediately tearfully declares that he is dead, prompting Mizuiro Kojima to observe that he must not have done well before admitting that he did not either. When Ichigo asserts that a single bad score is not a guarantee for a cashier lifestyle, Keigo thanks him and declares that they can wallow in misery together, only for Mizuiro to state that he should wait to see the test results before saying this. While Keigo wonders what he means, Mizuiro holds up the midterm rankings and notes that it has Ichigo's ranking on it, leading Keigo to take it while asking why Ichigo would be on it when only the top 50 students in the class are listed. However, Keigo is shocked to see Ichigo in eighteenth place, which he notes is out of all 322 students in the entire school, and Ichigo asserts that he just goes home and studies every night because he is not in any clubs at school. Realizing that this is why Ichigo kept turning down his invitations to hang out, Keigo decries him for wasting his time learning while his friends have been out having fun before offering a pair of nerd glasses he is wearing to Ichigo, who declines while jabbing Keigo in the face, breaking the glasses.
When Mizuiro notes that he studies hard, Ichigo explains that having orange hair makes his life rough because the older guys want to fight him even when he tells them that it is not dyed and the teachers always have their eyes on him before detailing how his bad temper leads him to get in fights and mouth off to the faculty frequently, which leads to them claiming that he has a behavior problem and the situation snowballing. As Ichigo concludes by asserting that he studies because the faculty is not as hard on him if he has good grades, a surprised Mizuiro admits that this must be rough even for Ichigo, who brushes this off. Noting that Ichigo referred to the teachers as " the faculty " to make them sound like institutional torture machines, Keigo realizes that Ichigo must have faced all sorts of discrimination which they cannot even imagine because of how he looks and tries to give him a nerd headband out of sympathy, only for Ichigo to cut it apart on Keigo's forehead while denying wanting this either.
Upon Mizuiro asking him where Rukia is, Ichigo flatly states that he does not know and elaborates that he has been avoiding her completely at school since the television incident because everyone has been giving them creepy looks when Mizuiro points out that they are usually together. As Ichigo bemoans how there are now all sorts of rumors about the true nature of their relationship, Mizuiro, who is the source of these rumors, expresses his sympathy while Keigo, who knows of this as well, watches with embarrassment. Outside, Rukia curses Kisuke Urahara for never being around when she needs him but always being present when he is not wanted before noting that she needs to get her Denreishinki looked at because she cannot tell if it is broken. Upon receiving another Hollow alert, Rukia runs into the school and grabs Ichigo by the shirt while claiming that they need to talk, which leads a flustered Ichigo to asks her if she is aware of the rumors flying around about them. Rukia states that she does not and asserts that a Hollow has appeared as Ichigo declares that there had better actually be one this time. As he is pulled past Uryū, who brushes off his shoulder, Ichigo promises that Rukia will witness some serious consternation if there is no Hollow once again.
Soon afterward, Ichigo berates the lack of a Hollow for the second time that day while Rukia tells him to get back into his body. As he does so, Ichigo tells Rukia that he is fed up with these false alarms, and when she claims to only be relaying what the Denreishinki tells her, Ichigo demands that she get it fixed. Suddenly, Uryū asks them if they are squabbling as he walks up and greets them by name. While Ichigo asks him who he is and makes fun of his attire, Uryū asserts that Ichigo can see spiritual beings, which he immediately tries to deny, before noting that a Hollow is coming as Rukia's Denreishinki suddenly alerts her. Berating Ichigo for calling himself a Shinigami while being unable to sense this Hollow, Uryū flourishes his Quincy Cross, which begins emitting Reishi that Uryū draws out to form a large Heilig Bogen, Kojaku, before firing a large Heilig Pfeil that hurtles across Karakura Town and smashes right into the head of a flying Hollow, which is destroyed. As a stunned Rukia notes that the Hollow's order has disappeared, Ichigo demands to know who Uryū is, leading him to introduce himself as a Quincy who hates Shinigami.
Bleach, Volume 5
035. Can You Be My Enemy? [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki looks into the identity of Uryū Ishida, the Quincy who hates him.
Standing before Ichigo Kurosaki in the street on a moonlit night, Uryū Ishida reveals that he is a Quincy who hates Shinigami, to Ichigo's shock, before clarifying that this means he hates Ichigo himself as Rukia Kuchiki watches in surprise.
The next day, at Karakura High School, Tatsuki Arisawa and Orihime Inoue look at the list of top scores for the freshmen's final exam of the first semester, with Tatsuki praising Orihime for placing third out of the entire class as the latter giggles. When Michiru Ogawa admits that she did not think Orihime was that smart, Tatsuki notes that she has always been intelligent despite her personality and appearance. Upon Michiru noticing that Ryō Kunieda placed second, Chizuru Honshō chimes in and observes that Ryō excels in both literary and martial arts before revealing that she was also the freshmen class representative, leading Michiru to note that this must be why the teachers do not bother her. As Chizuru informs Michiru that Ryō went to Nationals for track as well, Tatsuki casually notes that she is also going to Nationals this year, to Chizuru and Michiru's shock, and details how she won the city karate tournament in May before boasting of the high caliber of the school's karate teams this year, as the boys' team is going to Nationals as well and the girl who won three Nationals has joined their team.
A few feet away, after looking through the top 50 scores to determine if any of their friends did well, Keigo Asano confidently declares that there are no " traitors " among them and that no one in his circle of friends has made the top 50 as Mizuiro Kojima cheers on this assertion. However, as Ichigo watches from behind, Keigo and Mizuiro notice that he placed 23rd, leading Keigo to shield Mizuiro's eyes with his hand while proclaiming that the brutish and ugly nature of reality will only pollute their pure hearts, which Mizuiro agrees with. After telling Ichigo that they will never hang out with him again, which Mizuiro considers an extreme reaction, Keigo tells Yasutora Sado that he can hang out with them because he is not on the list, only for Sado to silently point out that he placed 11th. Shocked by this revelation alongside Mizuiro, Keigo demands that Ichigo and Sado stay away from them because they must be possessed by evil and intelligent spirits before running away in tears as he vows to never hang out with them again. As they watch this, Tatsuki notes that Keigo and Mizuiro are still not as annoying as they used to be, which Orihime agrees with.
While Orihime notices that he is remaining silent, Ichigo reflects on his confrontation with Uryū the previous night and wonders who he was as he regrets not beating up the latter for introducing himself so rudely. Mentally pointing out that they were performing Shinigami work and that Uryū had no right getting involved and then insulting them, Ichigo realizes that he cannot remember Uryū's first name, only Ishida. As he misremembers Uryū's name as being Ernie and Ari, Orihime asks him if he mentioned the name Ishida, and when a surprised Ichigo asks her if she knows Uryū, Orihime reveals that he is in their class and points to the final exam scores, where Ichigo is stunned to see that Uryū placed 1st. Seeing this, Tatsuki tells Orihime to give up on getting Ichigo to recall Uryū because he is terrible at remembering names and faces before mocking Ichigo as still not knowing half the class, leading Ichigo to tell her to shut up. Orihime notes that Ichigo may not be able to remember Uryū because he does not talk very much unlike his usual circle of friends, and when Ichigo asks her if she knows all this because she is friends with Uryū, Orihime cheerfully denies this and reveals that they are simply in the same crafts club, to Ichigo's shock.
Shortly afterward, Orihime brings Ichigo to their homeroom, where they see Uryū sitting as the other students begin leaving. As Ichigo notes with astonishment that he really is in their class, Uryū begins to leave as well, only for Michiru to run up to him with her torn doll. Seeing this, Uryū takes out a rectangular box, which Orihime identifies to Ichigo as a sewing kit, and opens it to reveal multiple spools of thread, one of which he threads through a needle before holding up the torn doll and masterfully sealing up the tear on the side in only a few seconds. With her repaired doll falling into her hands, Michiru happily thanks Uryū, only for him to coldly declare that it was no big deal, to Michiru's embarrassment. Watching this with Ichigo, Orihime notes that Uryū would be a nice guy if it were not for his cold demeanor and asks Ichigo if something happened between the two of them, but when Ichigo brushes it off as not being a big deal, Orihime pauses before accepting that she will not be getting the full story.
Some time later, as Uryū walks down the street, he asks Ichigo if the latter is going to follow him all the way home. Standing on the steps behind Uryū, Ichigo admits that he has been busted and asks Uryū how long he has noticed his presence, leading Uryū to assert that he has known Ichigo was there since he and Orihime were observing him in the classroom earlier. Though Ichigo sarcastically congratulates him for this, Uryū observes that Ichigo allows his Reiatsu to radiate with reckless abandon and claims that a psychic monkey would notice him, to Ichigo's consternation, before pointing out that Ichigo cannot even sense the Reiatsu of others right next to him and did not notice Uryū himself until today. Though Ichigo tries to explain that he is terrible at remembering names and faces, Uryū clarifies that this is not what he is referring to and explains that he sensed Ichigo's unusual Reiatsu the moment he arrived at Karakura High school, as well as how he became a Shinigami in the middle of May, before revealing that he even knows Rukia's secret identity. As dozens of Reiraku suddenly manifest around Uryū, Ichigo recognizes them from his prior usage of the technique while Uryū explains that they are manifestations of Reiatsu which a good Shinigami can notice right away and a skilled Shinigami can even touch. Deriding Ichigo's skill for not even noticing Uryū's before, Uryū reaches out and grabs Ichigo's Reiraku, which is red, as he notes that a Shinigami's Reiraku is colored different from that of normal Souls. After letting go of Ichigo's Reiraku, Uryū states that he is a Quincy with the power to kill Hollows and asks Ichigo if he would like to play a game to see which of them is superior as he promises to demonstrate how worthless Shinigami are.
Meanwhile, Rukia arrives at the Urahara Shop.
036. 我ら、報復の為に死に至りて [ ]
While Kisuke Urahara explains the history of the Quincy to Rukia Kuchiki, Uryū Ishida kicks off his duel with Ichigo Kurosaki.
On a street in Karakura Town, when a confused Ichigo Kurosaki questions his desire for a game between them, Uryū Ishida confirms his terminology and explains that this will help Ichigo understand how the world can survive without Shinigami.
Meanwhile, outside the Urahara Shop, Jinta Hanakari and Ururu Tsumugiya play janken, and when he hits rock while Ururu hits scissors, Jinta points to the side and tells Ururu to look over there, only for Ururu to keep staring down. Admitting that Ururu is more tenacious than he thought she would be, Jinta repeats the process with her, and when she hits paper while Jinta hits rock, Ururu points upward and tells Jinta to look up there, prompting him to instinctively look up and lose the game. When Ururu cheerfully tells him that he has to clean today because of this, Jinta angrily declares that it is not over because they are playing best-of-three, only for a confused Ururu to point out that he already lost fourteen times in a row. Grinding his fists against Ururu's temples, Jinta claims that everyone knows it is the fifteenth time that counts and demands that they play one more time despite Ururu's protests that she does not want to play anymore. Suddenly, Tessai Tsukabishi grabs Jinta by the collar of his shirt and lifts him high into the air before calmly asking him what he is doing, prompting Jinta to frantically claim that he is not doing anything.
Walking up behind them, Rukia Kuchiki kicks Tessai's bottom and demands that they move aside, only to quickly move back and clutch her foot in pain as an unfazed Tessai turns around and asks her what they can do for her. After Rukia asks him where Kisuke Urahara is, Tessai lets her into the shop, where Urahara greets her before being hit in the face by Rukia's thrown Denreishinki. When Rukia points out how she called him a hundred times and never got a response, which she considers a failure of his customer service, Urahara rubs his chin while apologizing and noting that she must have called while they were out of the store because they have been very busy lately. Wondering where Ichigo is and assuming that he is Rukia's boyfriend, Jinta proclaims that he hoped Rukia dumped him for his attitude, leading Urahara to caution him. However, Rukia merely notes that Ichigo is likely in great trouble even as they speak, which is why she is here, and reveals that there is something she needs to ask Urahara, piquing his interest.
Elsewhere, Ichigo refuses Uryū's invitation to play a game, to the latter's slight surprise, and points out that he has no reason to fight Uryū while claiming that whatever issues Uryū has with Shinigami are between him and his psychiatrist. When Uryū asks him if he is afraid, Ichigo refuses to fall into that trap and asserts that there is simply no contest between the two of them. Hearing this, Uryū agrees and reminds Ichigo that he received his powers from Rukia, which makes him only a Substitute Shinigami, before mocking Ichigo as being unable to even wipe his nose without Rukia's guidance, visibly angering Ichigo.
Meanwhile, inside the Urahara Shop, Urahara admits that he has not heard the term Quincy in a long time, and when Rukia asks him if he knows what it means, Tessai steps forward and notes that it has been 200 years since he last heard that word. Surprised by this span of time, Rukia asks Urahara what a Quincy is, prompting him to explain that the Quincy were a clan dedicated to fighting Hollows and were scattered all over the world at one time before all perishing 200 years ago. With Rukia shocked by this revelation, Urahara details how the Quincy came about when people with spiritual powers like Ichigo's recognized the existence of Hollows and developed their powers in order to fight and vanquish them like the Shinigami do. Observing that the two groups had very different ideas of how this should be accomplished, which led to a rift forming between them over time, Urahara reveals that the crux of this disagreement was whether Hollows should be cleansed or destroyed - while Shinigami used their Zanpakutō to cleanse Hollows and send them to Soul Society, the Quincy viewed Hollows as deserving only destruction. As he states that this is perhaps an understandable sentiment, Urahara points out how Hollows devour Human souls and murdered the friends and loved ones of the Quincy, who could not understand why they should get to enjoy the peace of Soul Society, and admits that he cannot entirely blame them before noting that this led to them killing Hollows in order to avenge their murdered friends, which led to their downfall.
Elsewhere, Ichigo decides to play Uryū's game and takes Kon 's Gikongan out of his shirt pocket. In the past, Kon protests the idea of going with Ichigo if Rukia is not going to be present, but Rukia knocks the ' Gikongan out of his plushie body anyway and explains that Ichigo should take it just in case he needs to become a Shinigami at a moment's notice because she has a feeling that they have not seen the last of Uryū. In the present, Ichigo notes that Rukia's prediction came true and swallows the Gikongan, causing his Soul to exit his body. As Kon takes control of his body, Ichigo tells him to wait there and watch as he defeats Uryū. However, when Ichigo asks him to lay out the rules of this game, Uryū simply takes out a small tablet and notes that they will begin with this, to Ichigo's confusion. Upon Uryū revealing that it is Hollow Bait that will cause Hollows to converge on Karakura Town when scattered and explaining that the winner will be whoever defeats the most Hollows in 24 hours, a shocked Ichigo points out how this will be putting everyone in the town in danger and refuses to take part, only for Uryū to claim that Ichigo is starting to bore him before crushing the tablet between his fingers. Declaring that there is no need to worry about innocent bystanders because he is going to kill every Hollow that appears, Uryū tells Ichigo that he will accept his challenge if he really has the courage to protect people from Hollows.
037. Crossing The Rubicon [ ]
As Ichigo Kurosaki and Uryū Ishida begin hunting down Hollows, several of Ichigo's spiritually aware friends and loved ones sense strange disturbances in Karakura Town.
In the sky above Karakura Town, a Hollow tears its way into the Human World and lets out a roar, only to immediately be destroyed by a Heilig Pfeil from Uryū Ishida, who casually notes that this marks one for him. Suddenly, Ichigo Kurosaki grabs him by the collar and slams him into a wall, prompting Uryū to calmly ask him what is wrong. Ichigo demands that he call off the game and get rid of the bait, but Uryū points out how he cannot recall the bait now that it is spreading on the wind, meaning that there is no turning back, and that Hollows will soon flock to Karakura Town because of it before advising Ichigo to start running because it will not be easy to defend an entire town from the hordes. With Ichigo angered by his lack of concern, Uryū warns him that Hollows will go after anyone with high Reiryoku, prompting Ichigo to think of Karin Kurosaki and immediately take off, with Kon following close behind. However, Uryū observes that Ichigo really does not know that there are others close to him besides his family who have spiritual powers, which will cause him to lose the game through being crippled by his own despair and realize how unfit he is on the far bank of their rubicon.
Meanwhile, on the sports field of Karakura High School, Tatsuki Arisawa sits on the sidelines of a baseball game and sighs while noting that even though she won the city tournament, is in excellent shape, is doing well in her training for Nationals, and has her team's spirits at an all-time high, she herself is not in high spirits due to reasons which she does not want to share with anyone else, something she does not understand. Upon seeing the Souls of two lovers floating through the air, Tatsuki tells them to get a crypt together before being snapped back to reality when her coach tells her that her break is over, which she acknowledges. Suddenly, Orihime Inoue walks up and asks Tatsuki if they can talk, prompting Tatsuki to recall how she began noticing strange things after the incident at Orihime's house a couple months ago, which she barely remembers beyond a very uncomfortable feeling and a vague memory of seeing someone who looked like Rukia Kuchiki walking through the house - though she thought it was a dream at first, Tatsuki learned that Orihime had experienced the exact same thing when they discussed it the next day, and from that point on they began seeing things that progressed from hazy smudges to more distinct figures, culminating in the Cazh Soul incident, after which Tatsuki was able to see Souls much more clearly than she ever wanted to. When another Soul tries to get her attention, Tatsuki whirls around and shoos it away, to Orihime's confusion, before asking Orihime what it is she wants to talk about. However, before Orihime can explain, she and Tatsuki hear the sound of shattering glass, and someone shouts out that all the windows on the first floor of the nearby building just shattered. Wondering what happened, Tatsuki tells Orihime that they should check it out and runs off, only for Orihime to see the sky above them distorting.
Elsewhere, as a Hollow attempts to attack a pair of Souls, Ichigo cuts off its right arm, causing it to topple over, before shoving his Zanpakutō through its mask, purifying it. Noting that this is the third Hollow he has purified, a panting Ichigo pulls his Zanpakutō out while mentally detailing how Karin must be out of school by now and probably went to play somewhere, which he will need to find in order to protect her. However, upon hearing another Hollow nearby, Ichigo begins running toward it as he realizes that there is too much area to cover and that he is too slow. Remembering that he has been using Rukia's Denreishinki to find Hollows before now, Ichigo tells Kon to go get it from Rukia, and when Kon mockingly wonders why he should do what Ichigo says, Ichigo punches him in the face and demands that he go, prompting Kon to run off while tearfully hoping that Ichigo gets a headache when he re-enters his body.
On the roof of a building elsewhere in the city, Uryū continues destroying Hollows with his Heilig Pfeil, reaching a total of eleven as the sky begins to distort behind him. In downtown Karakura Town, Yasutora Sado stops in his tracks as he notices something, and when Gitano Shigeo asks him what is wrong, he assures him that it is nothing. While Kisuke Urahara watches the sky from outside the Urahara Shop, Don Kanonji turns his head in confusion while in the makeup chair, prompting his assistant to ask him to not move. On a field nearby, a soccer ball lands near Karin's feet, and though her friends tell her to kick the ball, Karin can only stare in fear as the distortion in the sky intensifies.
038. BENT [ ]
Rukia Kuchiki realizes the gravity of the Hollow situation as Yasutora Sado is confronted by Bulbous G.
While Ichigo Kurosaki and Uryū Ishida continue their Hollow -hunting duel, Kisuke Urahara notices the fighting while sitting with Rukia Kuchiki in the Urahara Shop, prompting the latter to ask him what is wrong. When her Denreishinki begins beeping, Rukia expresses exasperation at a Hollow appearing right now and apologizes to Urahara as she prepares to head out, only to be surprised when the beeping suddenly stops and the purification order disappears. Noting that Ichigo seems to be especially fast today, Rukia whips out the Denreishinki again when it resumes beeping, only to see the order disappear once more. Rukia wonders if her Denreishinki is broken, and when it begins to beep once more, she asserts that there is no way Hollows could be appearing at this rate, only to grow visibly shocked when the beeping grows louder and does not relent. Seeing multiple markers on the screen, Rukia realizes that the number of Hollows present in the area is growing exponentially and rushes outside, where she sees the sky crumpling and distorting. As Rukia wonders what is happening to the sky and if this is the result of some supernatural event, Urahara merely sits behind her in silence.
Elsewhere, Gitano Shigeo tells Yasutora Sado to get moving and declares that he will make the latter pay the extra ¥500 if they miss the cheap lunch-hour prices, which Sado notes he does not have. While Gitano confirms this and asserts that he will make Sado pay if they get there late, Sado looks back at the distortion in the sky and notes that he has experienced this feeling before, only for Gitano to dropkick him and declare that he subsists on almost nothing before admonishing Sado for not realizing that as a spoiled student who gets to eat just because he is alive. Proclaiming that he lives for his next meal, Gitano asks Sado what he just said, prompting Sado to repeat his proclamation, and tells him once more to get going while explaining how his food rules include not buying meat unless it is on sale, using the expiration date as an estimate, and never paying full price at the local grocery store. Suddenly, Bulbous G breaks into the Human World and crashes down behind Sado, shocking him alongside Gitano and Harutoki Ide.
As Gitano wonders if that was a gas explosion, the dust clears to reveal Bulbous G standing in front of Sado, who can only see a spot shimmering like a heat wave but knows that something is there and notes that he has experienced this same feeling before. While Gitano asks Sado if he is okay, Bulbous G rears up to attack and Sado realizes that it is moving, prompting him to shove Gitano and Ide aside before moving back as Bulbous G's fist slams into the ground where they were standing. With Gitano and Ide having landed on some stairs nearby, Sado tells them to run as he leans out of the way of another punch from Bulbous G that snaps a nearby metal sign in two. Realizing that Bulbous G is after him specifically, Sado turns around and begins running away from Gitano and Ide, who wonder why he is running from them. Continuing to run, Sado notes that he is going to lead whatever is chasing him to a place where it cannot hurt anyone else in the form of a vacant lot up ahead, which he hopes no one is hanging around.
Meanwhile, Heita Toujoin tells Karin Kurosaki to kick the ball, only to be hit in the face by it as Karin halfheartedly apologizes. When Kei Uehara, Kazuya Usaka, and Ryohei Toba berate her for being distracted and demand to know if she actually wants to play, Karin merely growls at them, prompting her friends to cower at a distance while claiming that they are up for a fight. Apologizing again, Karin says that she is going home, to the surprise of her friends, and begins walking away while noting that she cannot concentrate on soccer due to that weird blur she saw before deciding to take a bath and go to bed early. Suddenly, Karin encounters an out-of-breath Sado, and as the two recognize each other, Karin asks Sado what a grown man is doing by himself in a vacant lot, only for Sado to suddenly grab her and leap away as Bulbous G crashes into the ground where they had been standing. Upon seeing Bulbous G pull himself into view, a shocked Karin wonders what it is.
039. Rightarm of The Giant [ ]
As Karin Kurosaki helps him evade attacks from Bulbous G, Yasutora Sado recalls advice from his grandfather and unlocks a new power.
As they kick around their soccer ball, Ryohei Toba, Kazuya Usaka, Heita Toujoin, and Kei Uehara discuss what they should do next, with Ryohei suggesting that they let Karin Kurosaki go, Kazuya claiming that she has no team spirit, Kazuya asserting that she will get an ego if they go after her now, and Kei deciding to go after her, which the others quickly agree to do as well. Suddenly, the four friends hear a loud noise, prompting them to look over and wonder what it was.
Meanwhile, with chunks of rock flying through the air after Bulbous G 's impact, Yasutora Sado stands between him and Karin while noting that he does not see anything moving and cursing his inability to see Bulbous G clearly, as he has no idea what the Hollow is doing. However, when a shocked Karin wonders what Bulbous G is, Sado realizes that she can see the Hollow, leading her to assert that Bulbous G is as clear as day to her. As Sado looks down at her, Bulbous G closes in from behind, prompting Karin to warn Sado of this. Grabbing Karin, Sado leaps away again as Bulbous G smashes the area where he was standing, and upon landing, he realizes that Bulbous G has disappeared and wonders where he went. Suddenly, Karin directs Sado to look to his right and tells him to run, allowing Sado to narrowly dodge a punch from Bulbous G that craters part of the field. Karin asks Sado if he cannot see Bulbous G, and upon learning that he can only see a shimmer, she decides that he will be their legs while she acts as their eyes. Though Sado protests this, Karin asserts that it is their only hope and reveals that she has seen such monsters in the past before explaining that she also wants to figure out what Ichigo Kurosaki has to do with them.
While Sado expresses surprise at her mentioning Ichigo, Karin sees Bulbous G coming at them and tells Sado to dodge to the right, which he does before sensing Bulbous G's arm in front of his face and punching down onto it. However, Bulbous G is unfazed by this and swipes at Sado with his other hand, which injures Sado and sends him flying with Karin despite the latter's instructions to dodge right again. As Karin lies on the ground with Sado, her friends run over to her and ask if she beat up Sado and caused him to bleed so much. Seeing them, Karin frantically yells at them to get out of here, but they interpret this as her being hostile and demand to know why she is being so mean despite their concern for her. When Bulbous G rises up behind her friends, Karin leaps toward them and begins pushing them to the ground as Sado watches from the ground.
In the past, Oscar Joaquín de la Rosa bleeds from the mouth as he asks a young a tearful Sado what being mean accomplished for him, as he has only hurt those who hurt him without any goal past that. Praising Sado as being strong, tall, and handsome, which he believes are all the attributes people wish for, Oscar places his hands on Sado's shoulders and explains that people who are different always get picked on in their world before pleading with Sado to be kind and learn to use his strong fists for good. In the present, Sado mentally tells Oscar that he has learned that his fists are for protecting himself and others instead of hurting people. As he throws another punch at Bulbous G to protect Karin, Sado asks to be given power, causing a huge torrent of energy to burst through Bulbous G's side. As Bulbous G rears back, now missing his left arm, Sado stands with Brazo Derecha de Gigante active.
040. Grow? [ ]
Yasutora Sado concludes his fight with Bulbous G as Orihime Inoue and her friends are confronted by Numb Chandelier.
Bulbous G is blasted back by a surge of energy that destroys his left arm as Yasutora Sado stands, his right arm now transformed into Brazo Derecha de Gigante, and reflects on his grandfather 's request that he be kinder than others because he is so big and strong. When Karin Kurosaki asks him what is wrong with his arm, Sado simply stares at it before having his attention drawn to Bulbous G, who roars while pulling himself to his feet. As Karin expresses shock at him still not being finished, Sado runs toward Bulbous G, who prepares to intercept him, and the extension on his shoulder flares up with energy as he delivers an uppercut directly to Bulbous G's face, resulting in the latter's head being destroyed by another surge of energy as his body is sent flying away and down the hill. Staring in astonishment, Karin realizes that Sado hit Bulbous G even though she did not tell him where the Hollow was and begins to ask Sado if he was finally able to see Bulbous G, only for a smiling Sado to give her a thumbs-up, to Karin's embarrassment, before falling over and collapsing.
As a shocked Karin runs over and asks him if he is okay, Sado notes that the armor on his arm appeared out of nowhere and emitted a powerful force, which coincided with him suddenly being able to see Bulbous G clearly, and admits that he does not know how any of this happened or why he is lying there exhausted. Upon seeing Karin standing over him, Sado asks her if she is hurt, and when she tearfully replies that he is the one who is hurt, he affirms that this is good. Irritated by this, Karin kicks him in the head and asserts that this is not even remotely good before running off to fetch Isshin Kurosaki while declaring that she cannot stand how Sado is just like Ichigo. Watching Karin leave, Sado notes that she kicks just like Ichigo.
Meanwhile, at Karakura High School, Chizuru Honshō sweeps up broken glass alongside Tatsuki Arisawa while stating that she would not have come if she knew this is what she would be doing before bemoaning how boring the task is and criticizing the judo practitioners for getting rowdy and breaking the glass despite the risk of people watching. When Tatsuki notes that they all said it was not them, Chizuru recalls that they claimed their arms moved on their own and assumes that they were simply mad over losing the state tournament. As Tatsuki continues to puzzle over the situation, Chizuru wonders if she is defending them and teases Tatsuki as having a preference for sweaty guys, prompting an angered Tatsuki to demand to know what she just said. After staring at Tatsuki for a few seconds, Chizuru declares that this is stupid and that she is going home as she tosses her broom and dustpan aside despite Tatsuki's protests.
Upon seeing Orihime standing motionless several feet away, Chizuru offers to go home with her and leave the cleaning to Tatsuki, but Orihime does not respond, leading a somewhat concerned Chizuru to ask her what is wrong and observe that she is even more out of it than usual. When Chizuru promises to tickle Orihime into submission if she does not snap out of it, Tatsuki demands to know if she has no shred of decency, leading the two of them to confront each other once more. However, Orihime suddenly claims that there is a TV show airing right now that she wants to watch and grabs Tatsuki and Chizuru before pushing them away from the school, to their considerable confusion. Atop the building behind them, Numb Chandelier drapes a tentacle over the side and looks down on the three girls.
041. Princess & Dragon [ ]
Orihime Inoue 's attempt to get her friends to safety fails as Numb Chandelier begins her assault, but Tatsuki Arisawa intervenes.
As she pushes Tatsuki Arisawa and Chizuru Honshō away from Numb Chandelier, who is lurking atop a building behind them, under the pretense of wanting to go home, Orihime mentally notes that only she can see Numb Chandelier and recalls thinking only that she wish she had not seen it and that she needed to get away from there upon first seeing the Hollow. Admitting that she knows nothing about the situation other than that Numb Chandelier is dangerous, Orihime observes that every cell in her body is screaming at her to run away and telling her that Numb Chandelier will rip them to pieces before asserting that she must act like nothing is wrong so she does not scare her friends. Orihime continues to run ahead of Tatsuki and Chizuru as she encourages them to hurry up, prompting Tatsuki to note that it is unlike her to skip out on chores like this. When Chizuru professes her desire to match Orihime's beauty, vivaciousness, and sweetness, a disgusted Tatsuki tells her to die and come back as a more sentient being and responds to Chizuru attempting to further explain her love for Orihime by punching her hard in the gut, which Chizuru praises the form of as she collapses.
However, as she calls after her friends once more, Orihime realizes that Numb Chandelier has vanished from the roof of the building and nervously wonders where she has gone as Chizuru asks Tatsuki if she is really going to wear her karate gi home. Admitting that she had forgotten she was wearing it, Tatsuki tells Orihime that she has to change her clothes and that they should go on without her, despite Orihime's protests. Suddenly, Orihime sees that Numb Chandelier has suspended herself in the air above them, and as she slowly looks at the Hollow, Numb Chandelier notes that Orihime can see her. When Chizuru asks her if something is wrong, Orihime frantically tells her to run, to Chizuru's confusion, as Numb Chandelier mocks this command and generates numerous seeds on her forehead before unleashing them in a flurry of projectiles. A frightened Orihime shields herself with her arms as the seeds slam into the ground around her and shatter all the windows on the surrounding buildings. Wondering what that was, Orihime realizes she is unharmed and runs over to Chizuru upon seeing her lying on the ground with a bloody shoulder. With Chizuru grunting in pain, Orihime notes that she is bleeding badly and asks her what she can do, only for Chizuru to perk up and caress Orihime's chin while calling her sweet for crying like this. Getting to her feet, Chizuru admits that she does not know what hit her and may be bleeding a lot before claiming that it does not hurt that much and demonstrating how her left arm still moves just fine.
Upon seeing that Orihime is still crying, Chizuru notes that she is adorable when crying before asserting that she likes Orihime better when she is laughing, only to suddenly find herself gripping Orihime by the throat with her left hand. As Orihime expresses confusion at this, an equally bewildered Chizuru begins to panic upon realizing that she can no longer control her left arm and tries to pull herself away as she frantically apologizes. Laughing at the sight of this, Numb Chandelier orders Chizuru to strangle her friend and drops to the ground as she explains that she fires seeds from her forehead which sprout and grow roots in whoever they hit because she does not like to fight. As Chizuru punches Orihime against her will, Numb Chandelier details how she makes her proxies kill each other while she stays clean before sending forward several other students possessed by her seeds while noting that it has been a long while since she has seen someone as pretty as Orihime be ruthlessly slaughtered by her classmates. The possessed students swarm Orihime and begin ripping off her clothing while Orihime begs them to stop. Suddenly, Tatsuki kicks two of the students off of her, and as Orihime gratefully calls out to her, Tatsuki apologizes for not noticing Numb Chandelier before. When a surprised Orihime asks her if she can see Numb Chandelier, Tatsuki admits that she can only tell where Numb Chandelier is and asserts that she is the thing which made Orihime cry before proclaiming to Numb Chandelier that she has a long-standing rule of beating up anyone who makes Orihime cry.
042. Princess & Dragon PART.2"The Majestic" [ ]
Though Numb Chandelier manages to take control of Tatsuki Arisawa as well, Orihime Inoue 's love for her friend leads her to discover her own power.
Tatsuki Arisawa rapidly defeats several of the students possessed by Numb Chandelier 's seeds in a single blow each and reminds them that she is just one little girl before maniacally laughing as she wonders if any of them will give her a fight, to Orihime Inoue 's embarrassment. Noting that Tatsuki is a lively one, Numb Chandelier declares that it is even sweeter to watch the faces of lively victims contort in agony as the possessed boys whom Tatsuki had knocked down rise up behind her. As she prepares to take them out once more, Tatsuki finds herself grabbed by Chizuru Honshō, who tearfully tells her to run, before receiving a powerful blow to the chest and being restrained by the possessed boys, allowing Numb Chandelier to shoot her in the shoulder with another seed.
As Orihime screams out to Tatsuki despite being muffled by the possessed boys restraining her, Numb Chandelier explains that the seed which she fired into Tatsuki is now taking over her body and will allow Numb Chandelier to control her movements. Numb Chandelier ponders how to make Tatsuki pay for interrupting the fun she was having with Orihime and considers having her classmates beat her up followed by Tatsuki choking herself to death or making her classmates rape her and hang her from the roof before she cuts the rope herself and dies, only to be interrupted by Orihime still attempting to call out to Tatsuki. Angered by this, Numb Chandelier has one of the possessed boys restraining Orihime slam her head into the ground to shut her up. Claiming that it is hard for an unspoiled mind like hers to devise wicked tortures, Numb Chandelier decides to have Tatsuki plan her own death instead, but Tatsuki merely tells her to shut up and let Orihime go. As Numb Chandelier caresses Tatsuki's face with one of her tentacles and asserts that the latter's life is within her hands, Tatsuki bites down hard on the tentacle, causing Numb Chandelier to scream in pain as she tries to free herself. When Tatsuki keeps biting down despite being whipped with other tentacles, Numb Chandelier unleashes a barrage of seeds upon her while declaring that Tatsuki is not worth controlling and should die, resulting in Tatsuki being hit by several seeds all over her body. Panicking at the sight of this, Orihime kicks and pushes her way free of the possessed boys restraining her and runs over to Tatsuki, who falls to the ground while mentally telling Orihime to not cry.
However, as Orihime sees that one of the seeds has buried itself in Tatsuki's forehead, Tatsuki kicks her hard in the stomach, causing Orihime to collapse and vomit in pain. Looking up at a fully possessed Tatsuki, Orihime recalls how she was proud of the color of her hair because Sora Inoue complimented how colorful and shiny it was, only to cut it in junior high despite growing it out since she was a baby because a ninth grader had declared that they did not like the color of her hair and took scissors to it, which forced Orihime to cut the rest to match. While Tatsuki viciously kicks her around, Orihime remembers being unable to tell her brother what happened and being left alone after he died, which resulted in her withdrawing at school and becoming ever lonelier until she met Tatsuki, who took her hand and protected her, leading to her being able to grow her hair out again and deciding to never cut it again because it symbolizes her trust in Tatsuki. Thanking Tatsuki for protecting her over the last three years, Orihime watches a tear fall from her open eye and mentally tells Tatsuki to not cry because she will protect her from now on. Suddenly, Orihime's flower hairpins separate into six rods of light, which burst out and create a whirlwind around Orihime. As a surprised Numb Chandelier wonders what this is, one of her tentacles is severed, and the whirlwind clears to reveal a standing Orihime, who reminds Numb Chandelier of how Tatsuki had declared that she picked on the wrong person before proclaiming that she shows no mercy toward anyone who hurts Tatsuki.
043. Princess & Dragon PART.3"Six flowers" [ ]
With the help of her quirky Shun Shun Rikka spirits, Orihime Inoue defeats Numb Chandelier.
As Orihime Inoue confidently stares her down, a shaken Numb Chandelier mocks the idea of Orihime not showing her mercy before wondering what the gnats flying around Orihime are, leading Orihime to look up in mild surprise at the insect-like objects whirling around her before wondering the same thing herself, to Numb Chandelier's consternation. However, Orihime hears a voice telling her that she must have sensed their presence because they have always been close to her. Landing on her shoulder, Shun'ō greets Orihime and introduces himself and the other spirits gathered with him as the Shun Shun Rikka, whose mission is to protect Orihime as the manifestation of her power.
Shocked by this, Orihime mistakes the Shun Shun Rikka for fairies, which Shun'ō quickly corrects by explaining that they are the power of her soul which awakened by something she responded to, which essentially makes them her. When a confused Orihime traps him between her hands, Shun'ō protests that lack of understanding does not mean she gets to capture him and reveals that no one aside from her can see them anyway. Responding to Orihime's disappointed reaction by wondering if she was planning on taking them to show-and-tell, Shun'ō notes that a few people like Ichigo Kurosaki may be able to see them, and when Orihime wonders why Ichigo would be able to do so, Shun'ō informs her that they were created because of him. Before Shun'ō can elaborate, Tsubaki suddenly dropkicks him and declares that there is no time for introductions. Brushing off Shun'ō's pained response, Tsubaki tells Orihime that all she needs to know is how to use the Shun Shun Rikka rather than who they are or where they came from.
When Orihime expresses confusion at this, Hinagiku proclaims that the job of him, Baigon, and Lily is to create a shield and reject, which requires Orihime to use her heart and a kotodama. Though Orihime is bewildered by all this information, Tsubaki notes that Numb Chandelier is about to attack as she readies several seeds on her forehead. After Hinagiku, Baigon, and Lily introduce themselves to Orihime, Shun'ō gives her a kotodama to repeat after him, and as Numb Chandelier unleashes a barrage of seeds at her, Orihime uses Santen Kesshun, creating a triangular barrier in front of her which intercepts and blocks all of the seeds. As Orihime expresses surprise at this, Shun'ō explains how those three reject beyond the shield by creating a barrier between Orihime and the enemy which rejects any attack aimed at her.
While Numb Chandelier watches in confusion, Shun'ō flies over to an unconscious Tatsuki Arisawa and explains that he and Ayame can reverse the damage inflicted to anyone covered by their shield by rejecting all destruction behind the shield. After introducing himself and Ayame to Orihime, Shun'ō gives her another kotodama to repeat after him, and Orihime uses Sōten Kisshun, creating a half-oval barrier around Tatsuki that begins healing the damage done to her by Numb Chandelier's seeds. With Orihime tearing up at the sight of her friend's recovery, Tsubaki tells her to stop crying and explains how he rejects both sides of the shield by blowing a hole in the enemy and creating a shield inside to reject the union of matter, effectively splitting them in two. After Tsubaki introduces himself to her, Orihime unleashes Koten Zanshun, which burrows inside of Numb Chandelier before vertically bisecting her.
As a stunned Numb Chandelier crumbles and dissipates into the sky, Orihime faintly cheers for her victory before collapsing, which prompts Shun'ō to note that it was all too much for her before telling Orihime to hang in there as he and the other Shun Shun Rikka return to their hairpin forms, which fall to the ground next to Orihime as Kisuke Urahara arrives, with Tessai Tsukabishi carrying Yasutora Sado on his back behind him.
Bleach, Volume 6
044. Awaken[to the Threat] [ ]
With Uryū Ishida beginning to weaken and no end in sight for the Hollow influx, Kisuke Urahara tells Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado the truth of Ichigo Kurosaki 's situation and the powers which have awoken in them.
In Karakura Town, Karin Kurosaki directs her father, Isshin Kurosaki, to the field where she had left an injured Yasutora Sado, insulting him as he repeatedly goes in the wrong direction. However, upon arriving at the field, they find it is completely empty, leading Isshin to initially believe that Karin lied before having an epiphany. While Karin asserts that she did not lie and that Sado was lying injured right here when she left him, Isshin expresses his belief that Karin made up a story so she could spend some time with her father because he has been so busy lately and opens his shirt as he encourages her to give him a hug, only for an irritated Karin to punch him in the face and put him in a Boston crab hold while wondering where Sado went. As Isshin continues to misinterpret Karin's actions as an attempt at familial love, Karin declares that injured people should not be walking around.
Meanwhile, at the Urahara Shop, a sleeping Orihime Inoue rolls around and mutters that Ichigo Kurosaki that he is misunderstanding the rules of the video game they are playing before bolting awake out of frustration, slamming the back of her head into Yasutora Sado 's face in the process as he looks down on her. When Orihime greets him, Sado returns the greeting while pinching his bloody nose and notes that she has a surprisingly hard head as he asks her what she was moaning and dreaming about. A blushing Orihime claims that she cannot tell him because it is a secret, leading Sado to wonder if it was that embarrassing, before realizing that she is no longer at Karakura High School and asking Sado where they are. Stepping forward, Kisuke Urahara observes that they are finally awake, and when Orihime inquires who he is, Sado admits that he is not sure before revealing that he saved their lives and asking Urahara to finish telling them why they suddenly have strange powers and what Ichigo's involvement is, to Orihime's surprise.
Elsewhere in Karakura Town, Ichigo slashes through a Hollow 's mask, purifying it, while noting that Karin should be safe for now because he and Uryū Ishida have defeated most of the Hollows between her and the Kurosaki Clinic. Declaring that he is going to make Uryū cry now, Ichigo envisions him tauntingly asking if Ichigo can find him with his feeble powers and asserts that he will find him as he runs off and tells Kon to hurry up and get Rukia Kuchiki 's Denreishinki. Meanwhile, Uryū destroys a Hollow's head with three Heilig Pfeil and observes that he is unable to kill them with a single shot anymore as blood drips from the fingers on his arrow hand. As he mentally asserts that something is wrong and there are too many Hollows appearing while his strength is waning, Uryū envisions a Shinigami and grits his teeth before criticizing himself for whining. Proclaiming that he must keep going and cannot lose, Uryū runs off while asking his former master, Sōken Ishida, to confirm that he is not wrong and declaring that he will avenge him.
Elsewhere, Rukia uses Hadō #4. Byakurai against a Hollow, only for it to have minimal effect as the Hollow slams a tentacle into the ground near her. As she crouches and holds her arms up in a defensive posture, a lightly wounded Rukia observes that her Kidō is too weak to harm Hollows because she cannot summon enough power for it and laments how a pig-like Hollow is deflecting her shots before wondering if this is really all the strength she has recovered after spending two months in this Gigai. However, as the Hollow attempts to attack Rukia again, Kon appears and lands a kick to its head, sending it flying back. Though Rukia initially believes it is Ichigo, she quickly concludes that it is Kon as he rubs his head against her chest and declares that he missed her greatly. While Rukia restrains Kon with her foot against his chin and realizes that Ichigo must have entered his Shinigami form if Kon is in his body, Kon praises the feeling of her kick before recalling that Ichigo wanted him to get something from her and claiming that he might be able to remember what it is if Rukia lets go of his wrists, only for Rukia to begin pushing his head back further while pulling on his arms, causing Kon to assert that she is going to break Ichigo's body and note that he looks like the Nike logo.
Suddenly, Kon tells Rukia to look out behind her as Uryū steps forward and observes that this area is safe as well. When Kon accuses Uryū of having started this mess just to kill everyone in town, Rukia realizes that the Hollow influx is his fault as Uryū states that he should say it is nice to meet her since this is the first time they have spoken one-on-one, to Kon's chagrin. Affirming Kon's claim that he started this, Uryū asserts that he does not intend to let anyone get killed and promises that he will protect the citizens of Karakura Town with his life if Ichigo runs out of strength, as this duel will have been for nothing if he cannot do that, leading Rukia to wonder what he is trying to prove. Suddenly, the pig-like Hollow rears up behind Rukia and Kon, prompting Uryū to ready another Heilig Pfeil to fire, but has its head sliced in two, shocking Uryū, as Ichigo declares that he has finally found him.
Back at the Urahara Shop, with Urahara having informed them of the existence of Shinigami and Hollows, Orihime and Sado express disbelief at his tale. When Urahara asks them if his story is really that incredible, Sado affirms this and Orihime asks him if he expects them to believe in such things without proof, only for Urahara to point out that the monsters with holes in their chests which attacked them earlier are proof as he tells them to deny the fear and pain they experienced before they reject his story. Urahara explains that Ichigo has incredible Reiryoku in his Shinigami form but is unable to properly control it, causing it to constantly flow out of him, and notes that it is so concentrated that it can affect other Souls, like Orihime and Sado. Reminding Orihime and Sado that they have come into contact with Ichigo's Shinigami form on multiple occasions in the past, Urahara reveals that this is what caused their latent supernatural powers to awaken.
045. Point of Purpose [ ]
While Kisuke Urahara heads out with his crew, Ichigo Kurosaki confronts Uryū Ishida and the Hollows begin converging above Karakura Town.
In the Urahara Shop, with a stunned Orihime Inoue repeating his claim that her and Yasutora Sado 's abilities were awoken through contact with Ichigo Kurosaki, Kisuke Urahara confirms this, prompting Orihime to admit that she does not understand. Urahara explains that their transformations are not diseases and that they were simply given the keys to the doors in front of them, which they do not need to know the cause for or feel sorrow over, before asserting that they can use the keys to open the doors or lock them and decide to not pass through if they do open them. Suddenly, Tessai Tsukabishi enters the room and informs Urahara that the Kūmon are converging. After confirming with Tessai that preparations are complete, Urahara begins to leave, and when Orihime protests this, Urahara asks her and Sado if they wish to come along in order see the proof of the world they are about to step into and the enemy they are going to fight for themselves as he exits his shop, flanked by Tessai, Jinta Hanakari, and Ururu Tsumugiya.
Meanwhile, as Ichigo stares down Uryū Ishida with Rukia Kuchiki and Kon, he notes that he finally found Uryū and claims that he would ordinarily make Uryū cry right now before claiming that he has to pulverize someone else first, to Uryū's confusion. Grabbing Kon by the collar, Ichigo demands to know where he has been, prompting a bewildered Kon to wonder why Ichigo is mad at him and asking him to wait until he is finished with Uryū first. When Ichigo recounts how he had to run all over town because Kon did not bring him Rukia's Denreishinki, Kon claims that he should be happy because running is a great way to relieve stress, and when Ichigo asserts that he does not have stress, Kon asks him why he is always scowling if this is the case as Uryū watches in stunned silence. Ichigo points out how Kon should have been able to find Rukia right away if he really dedicated himself to her body and soul, which leads Kon to declare that he was able to find her just by her smell, prompting an embarrassed Rukia to claim that she does not smell.
Continuing to watch this in astonishment, Uryū tries to get their attention by proclaiming that this is not time for bickering because he is their enemy, only to be ignored as Kon explains to Rukia that she smells nice and tries to demonstrate where it originates from, prompting Rukia to punch him in the face, breaking his nose. While Kon wails in pain, Ichigo reminds Rukia to think before she punches because this is his body that she is harming, but when Kon deflects blame onto himself and encourages Ichigo to hit him instead of Rukia, an irritated Ichigo does so, further injuring his own body. After watching all this in awkward silence, an annoyed Uryū summons his Heilig Bogen, Kojaku, and draws back a Heilig Pfeil while declaring that he is Ichigo's opponent. Suddenly, the blood on Uryū's finger causes the ring holding back the Heilig Pfeil to slip off of it and fire the Heilig Pfeil at Ichigo, who turns around and slashes through it with his Zanpakutō, to Uryū's surprise, before affirming that this fight is between the two of them and challenging Uryū to fight him right now rather than continue the Hollow hunt.
However, when Uryū remains silent, Ichigo angrily tells him to say something, only for a frightened Kon to draw Ichigo's attention to the cracks in the sky converging at one point. Noticing something else, Uryū points out how all the Hollows in the city are gathering at that point as well. When Uryū prepares to fire another Heilig Pfeil, Ichigo tells him to look at how many Hollows there are and think before he attacks, but Uryū merely asks him if he is scared before firing the Heilig Pfeil through a Hollow's head, destroying it. While Ichigo denies this, Uryū tells him to watch from here if he is scared and proclaims that he won the duel before running up a nearby set of stairs and declaring to the assembled Hollows that the Last Quincy will destroy them. As Ichigo wonders what he is talking about, Rukia reveals that the Quincy were wiped out 200 years ago by the Shinigami, which is why all surviving Quincy despise them, shocking Ichigo. Affirming this as he stands outside his shop, Urahara notes that it was a difficult choice even for the Shinigami because the Quincy had to be eliminated in order to prevent the collapse of the universe.
046. Karneades~Back to Back [ ]
After learning of the reason behind the Shinigami 's extermination of the Quincy, Ichigo Kurosaki gets Uryū Ishida 's side of the story as they continue to fight off the Hollows.
A shocked Ichigo Kurosaki repeats Rukia Kuchiki 's statement of the Shinigami having wiped out the Quincy, prompting her to affirm this before revealing that they did so in order to prevent the collapse of the universe. Noting that Shinigami are often referred to as Balancers in Soul Society, Rukia explains that an equal amount of Souls must be maintained in Soul Society and this world at all times because the balance of the two worlds will shift and bring destruction to both if it is not before detailing how the Shinigami serve to adjust the number of Souls in the two worlds; the Souls released by Soul Society are accounted for when they are reincarnated in the Human World, and the Souls that die or become Hollows in the Human World are returned to Soul Society by the Shinigami. As she observes that entrusting the transfer of all Souls to Shinigami allows Soul Society to monitor the number of Souls in each world to maintain the balance, Rukia reveals that this changed when the Quincy appeared because they completely eradicate Hollows, preventing those Souls from returning to Soul Society and leading to the number of Souls in the Human World increasing instead of remaining stable, and explains how this would have eventually led to Soul Society spilling into the Human World and mixing life and death together in chaos, causing the collapse of the universe.
With Ichigo listening in stunned silence, Rukia recounts how Soul Society began pleading with the Quincy to leave the management of Hollows to the Shinigami a few years after they were discovered, only to note that the Quincy stubbornly refused and began rapidly increasing in number, leading to the cycle of Souls being disrupted and leaving the universe on the edge of collapse, which led to the decision that the Quincy must be eliminated. As he recalls Rukia asking him if he thinks the Shinigami were wrong to make this decision, Ichigo runs toward the Hollows and admits that he does not know. In the midst of the Hollows, Uryū stands with a Heilig Pfeil formed and expresses frustration at how the Hollows keep increasing in number no matter how many of them he kills. As the Hollows close in, Uryū mentally calls out to his master, only to be surprised when Ichigo calls out to him and turn his head to see Hollows being tossed aside by Ichigo's attacks. Seeing this berserk manner of fighting, a stunned Uryū questions Ichigo telling him to think before he attacks as Ichigo makes his way to the top of a pile of defeated Hollows and declares that he knows Uryū's story now. With Uryū alerted by this, Ichigo asserts that he does not know if the Shinigami or Quincy were right before attempting to tell Uryū what he thinks of his methods, only for Uryū to reveal that he does not care what happened to the Quincy 200 years ago and considers it to just be an old legend that his master told him.
Destroying a Hollow behind him with a Heilig Pfeil through the head, Uryū admits that he actually thought the Shinigami were right when he heard of the fall of the Quincy and states that he is not so sentimental that he would hold this against Ichigo before revealing that this changed when his master was killed right before his eyes. In the past, on the roof of Karakura Hospital, Uryū runs up to Sōken Ishida and brings up the story he told about the annihilation of the Quincy before claiming that Sōken left out the details and asking him if the Shinigami were wrong in the end. Pausing for a moment as he eats, Sōken tells Uryū that he believes the Quincy were wrong for failing to heed the admonitions of the Shinigami, leading a shocked Uryū to point out how it was the Quincy who were eradicated, which Sōken confirms before clarifying that it did not matter who was right and who was wrong after their people died. Explaining that all they had to think about was how to make sure such a thing never happened again, Sōken states that seeing the sad faces of Shinigami or Humans pains him. Surprised by this, Uryū also asks Sōken if the traditional Quincy uniform and his robes will ever be updated because he believes they are lame, to Sōken's shock.
In the present, Uryū notes that Sōken was kind and never taught him to hate or dislike anyone before explaining to Ichigo how he was under constant surveillance as one of the last surviving Quincy. Detailing how Sōken kept arguing the case that the Quincy were necessary and thought of ways that they and the Shinigami could work together, Uryū destroys another Hollow while observing that Shinigami are always slow to respond to Hollows in the Human World due to the peace of Soul Society and recounting Sōken's argument of having a contingent of Quincy act as first responders against Hollows until the Shinigami could arrive. While destroying two more Hollows, Uryū states that the Shinigami always responded to his suggestions with a warning to stay out of their work before revealing that this eventually got Sōken killed. As he details how Sōken was facing five large Hollows that day and was obviously no match for them without the help of Shinigami, Uryū recalls how they showed up two hours after Sōken had started fighting and an hour after Sōken himself had died.
Uryū asserts that Sōken's philosophy never reached the Shinigami because he would not have had to die and they would have arrived in time to save him if they had embraced his ideas and recognized the strength of the Quincy. Asking a stunned Ichigo if he understands, Uryū proclaims that he must demonstrate the strength of the Quincy to him and asserts that he does not want Ichigo's help in this battle because he is a Shinigami, meaning that their ways of thinking are totally different, before telling him to watch from there if he thinks Uryū's way of thinking is wrong so Uryū can demonstrate its effectiveness as he turns to face the Hollows. However, Ichigo merely kicks Uryū head-first into a Hollow while declaring that he talks too much, and when a startled Uryū demands to know why he did this, Ichigo kicks him in the head again before expressing exasperation at how long Uryū's story was. Reminding Uryū that Sōken's main desire was to have Shinigami and Quincy fight as a team rather than prove Quincy are superior to Shinigami, Ichigo points out that they may never get another chance to do this if they do not do it now and pulls Uryū to his feet while proclaiming that fighting overwhelming odds is still better done back-to-back even if Shinigami and Quincy are complete opposites.
047. Back to Back~Tearing Sky [ ]
After Uryū Ishida learns of Ichigo Kurosaki 's reason for carrying out his Shinigami duties, the two resolve to fight the Hollows together.
Standing at the bottom of the stairs, Kon notes that it has suddenly gotten quiet and that he and Rukia Kuchiki are alone before trying to fondle her, only for Rukia to swiftly knee him in the crotch and run up the stairs while calling out for Ichigo Kurosaki as Kon apologizes to Ichigo for the damage to his privates. At the top of the stairs, Rukia is surprised to see Ichigo and Uryū Ishida standing back-to-back in the middle of dozens of Hollows. When Uryū questions Ichigo's declaration that they should fight back-to-back as a Shinigami and a Quincy and dismisses as ridiculous because of how different they are, Ichigo grabs his shoulder and asks him if he is still hung up on that before pushing himself over Uryū to slash through a Hollow behind him with his Zanpakutō. Surprised by this, Uryū sees another Hollow charging at them and destroys it with a Heilig Pfeil from his Heilig Bogen, Kojaku. As Ichigo commends this as proof of what he is talking about, Uryū asserts that he only destroyed the Hollow to protect himself and was not helping out Ichigo, who merely states that this is fine.
With Uryū surprised by this reply, Ichigo points out how they have to help each other because fighting alone is tough and this is a deadly scenario before asking him if survival is not a good enough reason to overcome their differences. As Uryū listens silently, Ichigo explains that he is originally a Human and does not know that much about the Shinigami or carry out his duties because he loves doing them. When Ichigo states that he does want to defeat Hollows, Uryū inquires why and is stunned when Ichigo reveals that his mother was killed by one of them. Ichigo observes that he seems to understand now and clarifies that this is not the only reason as he asserts that he does not want anyone else to go through that because of how his dad and two sisters have had a rough time since his mother died. Cutting through two more Hollows, Ichigo concludes that he fights them because he does not want to see this. As Uryū recalls Sōken Ishida explaining that seeing the sad faces of Shinigami and Humans pains him, Ichigo admits that he cannot protect everyone in the world like Superman and refuses to only protect the few he can hold in his arms before declaring that he wants to protect as many people as he can. Ichigo turns to face Uryū and reminds him that this duel he challenged Ichigo to is endangering a lot of people regardless of what reason he initiated it for as he asserts that he will not forgive Uryū for being so irresponsible, but acknowledges that now is not the time to address that because of how many Hollows there are. As Ichigo proposes that they join forces despite this so he can beat up Uryū later, Uryū fires a Heilig Pfeil past his face, grazing Ichigo's cheek and destroying a Hollow behind him, as he criticizes Ichigo for talking too much before clarifying his proposition as meaning that they will not be able to fight each other if they do not survive this. Grinning, Ichigo confirms this and promises to make Uryū cry as the two of them assume battle stances back-to-back.
However, as Ichigo and Uryū face the Hollows around them, Uryū notices that they are looking up at the sky as if they are praying, and the two of them look toward the distortion in the sky in fright as a Menos Grande opens a Kūmon in the middle of it. While Ichigo marvels at the size of the Menos Grande and wonders if it is a Hollow too, Uryū questions how he should know this and points out that they cannot fight it and all the remaining Hollows, only for Ichigo to declare that they have no choice. Uryū reminds Ichigo that he was the one who said to think before he attacks, and Ichigo rebuts that this situation is different and they do not have time to think. Suddenly, as Ichigo and Uryū face down the Hollows, several of them are destroyed by a barrage of blasts as Ururu Tsumugiya greets them while holding her Senren Bakusatsu Taihō. Appearing next to her with Tessai Tsukabishi and Jinta Hanakari, Kisuke Urahara declares that they are here to help Ichigo.
048. メノスグランデ [ ]
With Kisuke Urahara and his crew taking care of the regular Hollows, Ichigo Kurosaki and Uryū Ishida begin facing off against the Menos Grande.
While Jinta Hanakari blows away several Hollows with Jinta Home Run, Ururu Tsumugiya destroys several more with her Senren Bakusatsu Taihō and Tessai Tsukabishi destroys the top of another Hollow's head with Tesshō, leading a shocked Uryū Ishida to observe that the number of Hollows is rapidly decreasing while Ichigo Kurosaki wonders what Kisuke Urahara is doing here and why he always appears wherever Ichigo goes. Urahara reminds Ichigo that he just declared that he and his crew were here to help Ichigo before clarifying that they will take care of the Hollows so he can focus on the Menos Grande. As Urahara notes that there is no time to talk, Ichigo and Uryū watch in astonishment as the Menos Grande pulls itself through the Kūmon.
Behind them, Rukia Kuchiki stares in shock at the emerging Menos Grande, and when a frightened Kon asks her what it is, Rukia identifies it as a giant Hollow comprised of hundreds of ordinary Hollows which she has only seen illustrations of in textbooks up until now and that ordinarily requires the Royal Guard to deal with it when one appears, as it is far beyond the abilities of an ordinary Shinigami. Uryū notes with disbelief that it is almost inconceivably huge, and Ichigo agrees while noting that he almost cannot believe it is a Hollow. Suddenly, as the Hollows nearby continue to "pray" to it, the Menos Grande opens its mouth and extends a long, whip-like tongue that skewers several of them and retracts into its mouth, where the Menos Grande gorily bites down on the Hollows and devours them.
Watching in horror, Uryū wonders how they are supposed to fight such a large and powerful Hollow, but Ichigo merely chuckles and asserts that it is pointless to think about how they will defeat the Menos Grande before declaring that the only way to do so is to repeatedly cut it up as he runs off and tells Uryū to follow him, to Uryū's bewilderment. Seeing Ichigo and Uryū running toward the Menos Grande, Rukia shouts to Ichigo that he cannot defeat it and tries to intervene, only for Urahara to suddenly appear in front of her. When Rukia demands to know if he is trying to get Ichigo killed, Urahara denies this, but as Rukia tries to get past him and stop Ichigo, Urahara asserts that he cannot do that because this battle is necessary for both of them and apologizes as he uses Shibireyubi, causing Rukia to fall to her knees as she realizes that Urahara has used a Bakudō spell on her.
As he runs up to the Menos Grande, which is stepping out of the Kūmon, a yelling Ichigo leaps forward and cuts into its ankle with his Zanpakutō, only for the unfazed Menos Grande to kick him away. Upon seeing Ichigo land next to him, Uryū reminds him that he criticized this plan of action and fires a Heilig Pfeil at the Menos Grande's head, which does minimal damage. Noting that he cannot do enough damage with his Kojaku, Uryū asks Ichigo if he is alright, prompting a bloodied Ichigo to casually note that he is not dead while Uryū demands to know what he was thinking and how he thought he could defeat the Menos Grande like that. Ichigo explains how he figured that he could reach the Menos Grande's head by cutting up his body in sections starting with his feet, and a bemused Uryū wonders if he ate a lot of paint chips as a child before asserting that they need a new strategy as he puts his hand on the blade of Ichigo's Zanpakutō. Suddenly, Uryū's Heilig Bogen, Kojaku, increases drastically in size, leading a shocked Uryū to look at Ichigo as he realizes what is happening.
049. unchained. [ ]
Realizing that he can harness Ichigo Kurosaki 's uncontrolled Reiryoku, Uryū Ishida formulates a plan to attack the Menos Grande.
Seeing his Heilig Bogen, Kojaku, increasing drastically in size, Uryū Ishida looks at his hand on the blade of Ichigo Kurosaki 's Zanpakutō and wonders in awe if this is Ichigo's Reiryoku as he ruminates on how Shinigami and Quincy also differ in their spiritual powers; Shinigami materialize Reiryoku from their own souls into a Zanpakutō, using power from within, while Quincy gather ambient Reishi and coat them in their own Reiryoku to materialize them as Hollow -killing weapons, using power from without. Uryū notes that touching Ichigo's Zanpakutō caused his Kojaku to grow more powerful because Ichigo's Reiryoku is unconsciously flowing into him. When Uryū gets his attention, Ichigo is shocked by the size of his Kojaku and asks him how it got so big as Uryū reveals that they may have a way to defeat the Menos Grande, to Ichigo's surprise.
On the second floor of a building behind them, as the Menos Grande strides through the Kūmon, Yasutora Sado asks Orihime Inoue if she can see Ichigo and Uryū clearly, which she confirms, and admits that they are blurry to him as they watch the battle unfold through a window. As she states that they will be waiting and watching to decide what path they will take, Orihime mentally admits that she has not forgotten a single detail of the night Ichigo saved her from her brother even though she would prefer to doubt her memory before asking Sado what they are supposed to do, only for him to remain silent.
Back on the ground, Uryū declares that they are ready to fight the Menos Grande as he kneels in front of Ichigo with the latter's Zanpakutō tied to the top of his head, prompting an unimpressed Ichigo to declare that he is an idiot. Explaining how he should be able to fire an enormous Heilig Pfeil if Ichigo releases his power at maximum output while his Zanpakutō is touching him, Uryū tells Ichigo to build up his Reiryoku and release it at its maximum output, only for Ichigo admit that he has never really controlled his Reiryoku before. Incredulous at this, Uryū asks him how he has fought Hollows and is shocked by Ichigo halfheartedly guessing it to be instinct. Ichigo asserts that he does not know how to control the flow of his Reiryoku because there is no faucet for him to use and theorizes that his Reiryoku is likely at maximum output all the time, leading Uryū to mentally admit that this would explain things before questioning if the idea of his Reiryoku constantly pouring out really does not bother Ichigo. Suddenly, Uryū looks up at the Menos Grande and nervously observes that its Reiatsu is rising as a frightened Rukia realizes that it is going to unleash a Cero and urges Ichigo to run before he gets obliterated. As Ichigo looks intensely at the Menos Grande, Uryū declares that there is no other way and tells Ichigo to touch him with his Zanpakutō again, only to be shocked upon seeing Ichigo charging at the Menos Grande.
Realizing that Ichigo is charging in for another close-quarters attack, Uryū mentally chastises him for fighting like a furious child and asserts that he will not be able to survive this. As Ichigo gets closer, the Menos Grande unleashes its large Cero, forcing Ichigo to block it by holding his Zanpakutō above his head as he crouches under the extreme pressure. However, while Uryū expresses amazement at Ichigo being able to deflect it like this, he begins to hear sympathetic resonance coming from Ichigo and begins to feel an incredibly powerful Reiatsu, leading him to realize that Ichigo is accumulating energy as he identifies the sound as being a giant magnet pulling iron particles out of sand. Uryū recalls Ichigo's theory of having his power output always be at maximum and mentally states that it all makes sense now as he notes that unconsciously letting one's power spill out at all times would lead it to drain away regardless of its amount. Remembering Ichigo's admission that he has never actively controlled his Reiryoku before, Uryū realizes that he must have an incredible amount to do what he does and thinks of how most people would instinctively turn off a faucet if it were gushing out water before coming to the conclusion that Ichigo's Reiatsu would skyrocket if his Reiryoku were contained in that manner and suddenly unleashed as Ichigo slashes downward at the Menos Grande, cutting it all the way down the length of its body.
050. Quincy Archer Hates You Part 2 [Blind But Bleed Mix] [ ]
As the Menos Grande retreats, Ichigo Kurosaki 's Reiryoku goes out of control, forcing Uryū Ishida to step in.
While Uryū Ishida looks on in shock at Ichigo Kurosaki 's feat, the wounded Menos Grande roars in pain, creating a shockwave, as a stunned Rukia Kuchiki expresses disbelief at Ichigo having cut it from head to toe. Suddenly, the Menos Grande grabs the edge of the Kūmon it entered through and wraps it around its body, leading those present to realize that it is retreating. Watching this, Ichigo makes the peace symbol with his hand and sticks it high in the air as he declares victory, prompting an incredulous Uryū to marvel at his triumph. Watching from nearby, Tessai Tsukabishi praises Ichigo's performance and notes that this must be why Kisuke Urahara thinks so highly of him as Jinta Hanakari admits that he is not such a loser after all and is actually fairly tough, leading Tessai to observe that he may be in time if he can learn to control his power.
While the Kūmon closes above them, Ichigo and Uryū greet each other, and Ichigo calls Uryū out on not thanking him for cleaning up his mess for him, only to suddenly collapse, to Uryū's surprise. As Uryū tells him to stop fooling around, Ichigo realizes that he cannot move before his arm suddenly holds his Zanpakutō up in the air against his volition, revealing that Ichigo's Zanpakutō is distorting as a confused Ichigo wonders what is happening. Seeing this, Uryū realizes that Ichigo's Zanpakutō is losing its integrity because of the massive amount of Reiryoku he released at once being out of control and resolves to do something, only to be caught off-guard when his Heilig Bogen, Kojaku, suddenly grows in size again as he gets closer to Ichigo. Uryū observes that it is even bigger than before without him even touching Ichigo's Zanpakutō, with the Reiryoku flowing in leaving him nearly unable to maintain its weapon form, and concludes that it is going to explode as he sees the sheer power beginning to cut up his arm. However, Uryū manages to create a massive Heilig Pfeil and fire it into the air, leading him to decide to steal, focus, and release Ichigo's excess Reiryoku over and over until his power stabilizes as Ichigo gasps in pain on the ground.
Though the power continues to cut into his arm, Uryū fires another Heilig Pfeil as Ichigo looks over and asks him what he is doing. Upon seeing Uryū fire a third Heilig Pfeil that creates several cuts in his arm, Ichigo pleads with him to stop doing this because his arm is being torn to shreds, but Uryū tells him to shut up and reminds Ichigo of his statement that they could not fight each other if they do not both survive before criticizing his desire for Uryū to thank him afterward. As he continues to fire Heilig Pfeil into the air, Uryū tells Ichigo to live so they can beat each other up as he mentally notes that it would be his fault for employing such reckless methods if Ichigo's spiritual body was blown to shreds by his Reiryoku overloading. Recalling how he searched for Shinigami for years in order to avenge Sōken Ishida and chose a method that would endanger others just to prove himself superior when he finally found one, Uryū observes that this Shinigami asked him to join forces instead and admits that he always knew Sōken wanted them to join forces with the Shinigami and never hated them before thinking to himself that he was likely trying to forget his weakness in not risking his life to help Sōken as a child. As he states that he blamed the Shinigami in order to forget his own shame, Uryū observes that he is helping a Shinigami and asks Sōken if he can forgive a weak disciple like him who would not die to save his master as he falls to his knees. Seeing this, Ichigo mutters that he could never punch someone who looked so miserable.
Meanwhile, Rukia notes that information as potent as a Menos Grande appearing in the Human World and being defeated will not take long to reach Soul Society as Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu Tsumugiya run past Urahara to begin cleaning up. While Jinta smashes his Muteki Tekkon into a fly buzzing past him, Urahara begins walking away as he asks Tessai to fix the crack in the sky, which Tessai prepares to do. As Urahara glances back before looking ahead, Tessai calls Jinta over to help him, leaving the fly, which is actually mechanical, to report to Central 46 that the criminal Rukia Kuchiki of the 13th Division has been located.
051. DEATH 3 [ ]
While Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends deal with the aftermath of yesterday's events, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki and Lieutenant Renji Abarai come to Karakura Town to apprehend Rukia Kuchiki.
As they enter a Senkaimon in Soul Society, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai asks his captain, Byakuya Kuchiki, where the Target Axis is set, only to be told that it is not confirmed. With Renji wondering where they are being sent, Byakuya states that they are moving out and orders the release of the Jigokuchō, two of which fly out in front of them. Entering Karakura Town in the Human World at nighttime, Renji removes his head garment and notes that Rukia Kuchiki is set to be captured or killed before observing that this does not sound like a job for a Shinigami, prompting Byakuya to note that it may be.
The day after the intrusion of a Menos Grande into the Human World, at Karakura High School, a shocked Misato Ochi asks Uryū Ishida what happened to him when he walks into class late with both arms heavily bandaged, prompting him to claim that he fell down the stairs. Though the entire class considers this to be a lame excuse, Misato accepts it, to their disbelief, and tells Uryū to sit down so they can continue. While the students murmur among themselves, Michiru Ogawa wonders what really happened to Uryū, though Ryō Kunieda waves it off as unimportant, and Rukia tells Ichigo Kurosaki to not be too concerned because it was not his fault that Uryū brought those wounds on himself. Startled by this, Ichigo claims that he does not care because Uryū is not hurt badly enough to worry about, but Rukia points out that she did not say anything about worrying and merely told him to not be concerned, prompting an irritated Ichigo to demand to know what she just said as she giggles into her book. However, after a few seconds Rukia pauses and looks down introspectively. Behind Ichigo, Keigo Asano tells Mizuiro Kojima that he saw Uryū talking to himself in a dramatic voice at a construction site yesterday, prompting Mizuiro to note that Uryū has always been dramatic while Ichigo realizes that it was a close call if Keigo was there. When Keigo theorizes that he is an aspiring actor because there was a guy in weird clothes and two kids dancing around him with explosions and assumes that he was rehearsing with his theater buddies, Ichigo silently thanks the universe for making Keigo an idiot. As Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado sit silently, the other students observe that it is not like Uryū to come in late during 3rd period and wonder if he got into a fight, and while Orihime looks at Ichigo and Uryū, Tatsuki Arisawa solemnly looks at her.
Meanwhile, outside the Urahara Shop, Jinta Hanakari practices his swordplay with a broom and brushes off Ururu Tsumugiya when she tells him to clean up with her. Upon noticing a black cat outside, Ururu informs Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi, prompting Urahara to greet the cat as Mr. Yoruichi, whom he lifts into the air while a confused Jinta asks Tessai what is happening. When Tessai explains that Yoruichi is Urahara's best friend, Jinta asserts that this is somewhat pathetic, with Tessai reluctantly agreeing with him.
Back at Karakura High School, Keigo asks Ichigo to eat lunch with him, only to be shocked when Ichigo agrees and also asks Uryū to eat lunch with them as well. While an incredulous Keigo assumes Uryū will suck all the fun out of it and is only being invited because Ichigo thinks he looks funny with his bandages, Uryū flatly refuses to join them, but is quickly convinced when Ichigo tells him that Keigo is buying, prompting Keigo to call him a freeloader. Shortly afterward, on the roof of the school, Ichigo, Uryū, Keigo, and Mizuiro silently eat lunch together, with a miserable Keigo mentally asserting that his food is like ashes in his mouth. When an unnerved Ichigo tells him to say something funny, Keigo silently declares this is impossible due to the awkward atmosphere stemming from Uryū's presence, only to begin telling a story about a girl working at a record store he went to the other day looking like Ryo Futawa. Ignoring him, Uryū asks Ichigo if he invited him because he feels responsible for Uryū's injuries and declares that he does not want Ichigo's sympathy, leading Ichigo to claim that he just felt like eating with Uryū and flatly state that his company sucks before telling Uryū to thank him and eat. Watching Uryū question why he should thank Ichigo because he prefers to eat alone and Ichigo asserting that he does too, Mizuiro silently notes that they have a lot in common. In a different part of the school, Rukia sits on a tree branch and stares sadly at the roof of the school, only to be surprised when Mahana Natsui calls out to her from the ground and invites Rukia to eat lunch with her, Michiru, Ryō, Orihime, Tatsuki, and Chizuru Honshō.
Outside the Urahara Shop, as Yoruichi looks up at the sky, Urahara brings out some milk and inquires what is wrong as he notes that it looks like it could rain. However, Yoruichi tells him to drop the act and states that Urahara knows "they" are here, prompting Urahara to confirm this and ask Yoruichi if they should discuss this before or after Yoruichi's milk.
That night, at the Kurosaki Clinic, Yuzu Kurosaki berates Ichigo for raiding the leftovers again as he prepares some food for Rukia. Claiming that he is a growing boy and brushing off Yuzu's assertion that he is going to grow fat, Ichigo brings the food back to his room and announces that it is time for dinner to Rukia, only to discover that she is absent and assume that she took off again as he overlooks a note on his table from Rukia thanking him for everything. On the street outside the Kurosaki Clinic, Rukia somberly looks back at the house before running down the street. In the air above her, Renji analyzes her body's statistics and realizes that she really is in a Gigai. As he and Byakuya makes themselves visible, Renji notes that he did not think the visual department's information was reliable before declaring that they have found Rukia.
052. Needless Emotions [ ]
As she reflects on the emotions she has learned of during her time in the Human World, Rukia Kuchiki is confronted by 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai and her brother, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki.
Noting that Rukia Kuchiki is to be captured or killed as she runs down the street in Karakura Town, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai stands in front of his Captain, Byakuya Kuchiki, in the air above her and declares that they have found her. As she runs, Rukia reflects on the afternoon at Karakura High School, where Mahana Natsui asks her if she likes Ichigo Kurosaki, causing Rukia to spit out her orange juice. Though Rukia confirms this, Mahana inquires as to what is between the two of them, prompting Rukia to assert that they are friends as she cleans her face. Michiru Ogawa scolds Mahana for being tactless, but Mahana declares that everyone present wants to know and that she was the only one with the guts to ask. When Michiru claims that she did not want to know, Chizuru Honshō notes that she would not as Tatsuki Arisawa observes that she hates Ichigo, to Orihime Inoue 's surprise. While Michiru clarifies that she just thinks Ichigo's face is scary, Chizuru proclaims that only she and Orihime are relevant in this situation because she will have Orihime all to herself if Rukia gets Ichigo before loudly encouraging Rukia as Tatsuki comforts Orihime for having to put up with this.
Pointing out how Rukia has been clinging to Ichigo ever since she got here, Mahana asks her if they are an item, leading Rukia to cheerfully state that she and Ichigo are just friends. As Rukia mentally asserts that love, romance, feelings of attachment, affection, and friendship are all boring, the surprised girls inquire repeatedly if she is sure about this, with Rukia reaffirming her statement each time. Orihime claims that this is disappointing because Rukia liking Ichigo would have made it two girls against one guy and they would have one, prompting a bewildered Tatsuki to attempt to explain to her that having more people works for martial arts team matches but is not conducive to romance. When Chizuru misinterprets this as a love triangle and explains it as the side with the fewest winning, Tatsuki demands to know if she hears what she is saying and begins angrily stomping on Chizuru as the latter considers dressing like a boy and teaming up with Ichigo or stabbing Ichigo and taking his place. Watching the girls talk and bicker, Rukia mentally notes that friendship and affection will only make it difficult if she must eventually leave the Human World and laughs as she asserts that friendship and jealousy are really boring before declaring that none of them are necessary emotions for a Shinigami and are burdensome to her.
In the present, Rukia muses that she may have stayed in the Human World for too long, prompting Renji to agree with her. As a startled Rukia whirls around at the sound of his voice, a grinning Renji crouches on top of a telephone pole and draws his Zanpakutō while observing that she got to live a little longer than she would have otherwise because she stayed too long. While Rukia fearfully identifies him as Renji Abarai, Renji leaps down and slams his Zanpakutō into the ground in front of Rukia, piercing and cracking it, as he berates Rukia for being so lost in thought that she did not notice two hunters from Soul Society pursuing her and claiming that she has lost her edge after spending only two months in a Gigai. When Renji demands to know where the Human who stole her powers is, Rukia tries to claim that her being in a Gigai does not mean her powers were stolen and that a Human could not possibly take them from her, but Renji declares that it was a Human and this is why Rukia has a Human expression on her face, to her surprise. Recounting how she grew up in Rukongai like him and was taken in by the Kuchiki Clan, Renji reminds Rukia that she was trained to be a Shinigami her whole life and is not allowed to wear a Human expression before asking Byakuya to affirm this, leading a shocked Rukia to turn around and see Byakuya standing behind her.
As Rukia nervously greets Byakuya as her brother, Renji slashes at her horizontally, forcing Rukia to dodge sideways as she receives a cut on her cheek, and asserts that the transfer of Shinigami powers is a grave offense as he notes that the Central 46 was kind enough to entrust them with the execution instead of the Keigun. Renji repeats his demand to know where the Human who captured Rukia and stole her powers is so they can kill him and tells Rukia to not try to protect him, as she knows that she only dodged his attacks because he let her do so, before promising to cut her this time as he prepares to attack once more. Suddenly, Renji notices something and leans back just as a Heilig Pfeil hurtles through the space where his head was. Standing a few meters away, Uryū Ishida chides Renji and Byakuya for being two men attacking a defenseless girl and states that this sort of thing makes him mad. When Renji angrily demands to know who he is, Uryū merely adjusts his glasses while asserting that he is a classmate of Rukia's who hates Shinigami.
Bleach, Volume 7
053. Nice to meet you, I will beat you [ ]
While Uryū Ishida faces off against 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai, Ichigo Kurosaki finds Kon and realizes that Rukia Kuchiki is trying to run away.
On a street in Karakura Town at nighttime, as Uryū Ishida approaches 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki and Lieutenant Renji Abarai after interrupting their interrogation of her, a surprised Rukia Kuchiki asks him what he is doing here, prompting Uryū to claim that he felt a sudden urge to go to the local branch of a 24-hour dressmaking shop for supplies. Watching Uryū assert that he did not bring the bag he is carrying just so he would have an excuse to leave the house after sensing the Reiryoku of a Shinigami, an incredulous Rukia mentally states that this may be the worst lie ever told and wonders if Uryū can really be that stupid. Suddenly, Renji slashes through the bag's handles, leaving a small cut in Uryū's arm, and reiterates his demand to know who Uryū is. When Uryū remains silent, Renji declares that it is fine if he does not feeling like answering because Renji can just kill him. Rukia tries to tell Renji that Uryū has nothing to do with this, but Uryū simply repeats his earlier answer of being a classmate of Rukia's who hates Shinigami, leading Renji to angrily assert that this is not what he is asking Uryū. Pausing for a few seconds, Uryū finally tells Renji his name, and when Renji expresses confusion at his change of heart, Uryū claims that he should know the name of the one who kills him even if he is a Shinigami, prompting Renji to proclaim that he is dead meat as Rukia tries to defuse the situation.
Meanwhile, at the Kurosaki Clinic, as he finishes relieving himself in the bathroom, Ichigo Kurosaki wonders where Rukia can be because it is already after 2 A.M. before deciding to take the night off from his Shinigami duties and get some rest if she wants to stay out all night. However, Ichigo is startled when he hears a muffled voice from nearby, and upon realizing it is coming from behind the toilet, Ichigo crouches down and discovers Kon has been gagged and taped to the back of the toilet, which leads Ichigo to sarcastically note that he did not know Kon was into this sort of thing and observe that he is lucky to be able to find time to enjoy himself. After being freed by Ichigo and returning to his room, Kon enthusiastically thanks Ichigo, who pinches his nose and offhandedly acknowledges this. Explaining how he could not see who was there and had to figure it out by sound, Kon recounts with horror and in graphic detail what he had to endure when Isshin Kurosaki visited the toilet, resulting in Ichigo spraying him with a can of air freshener while observing that this must be why he smells so bad. Offended by this, Kon leaps up to Ichigo's face and demands to know if this is how he treats a friend who has endured a nightmare of captivity, only for Ichigo to angrily tell him to get away and refute that they are friends.
When Ichigo inquires why he was back there to begin with, Kon points out that only Rukia could have done that to him before remembering that Rukia is in trouble and informing Ichigo of this as the latter pushes Kon back from his face. Climbing up on Ichigo's desk, Kon draws Ichigo's attention to the short note that Rukia left for him, and when Ichigo wonders what it is, Kon reveals that it is a note Rukia left before deserting them. Shocked by this, Ichigo demands to know why she did not say anything, but Kon tearfully asserts that he does not know and recounts how Rukia left him without a word of explanation even though he was present when she departed. As he concludes that the note is the only clue they have if this is the case, Ichigo opens it while wondering what is inside, only to be stunned when he finds what appears to be a nonsense series of hiragana with a note from Rukia telling him to have fun decoding it, leading Ichigo and Kon to realize that she was working on a riddle before she left. Upon seeing a drawing of a tanuki that Rukia left as a clue in the corner, Ichigo figures out that he just needs to read all the characters in the letter that are not "ta" and does so, leading to him and Kon learning that Rukia is asking them to not look for or worry about her after she leaves, burn this letter after they read it, and stay hidden for a while if possible.
Though Ichigo is confused because the letter does not explain why Rukia left, Kon quickly realizes that her warning to burn the letter and stay hidden means that they must be in danger because there is trouble between Rukia and Soul Society, which also means that she went off by herself to protect them, shocking Ichigo. Though Kon worries that Rukia may be dead, Ichigo tells him to not jump to wild conclusions and asserts that letting their imaginations run amok will not help them in this situation before declaring that he is going to enter his Shinigami form and find Rukia. However, when Kon asks him how he is going to do this, Ichigo pauses for a few seconds and reminds him of the Gokon Tekkō that knocks out Souls, but when Kon points out that Rukia is the one carrying that, Ichigo freaks out as he realizes that he cannot enter his Shinigami form without Rukia's help and yells at Kon that he has to be a Shinigami in order to help Rukia if she is in trouble with Soul Society, prompting Kon to demand to know why he is yelling at him and assert that he should not underestimate a stuffed animal. Suddenly, Kisuke Urahara appears in Ichigo's open window and notes that they seem to have a problem before explaining that he is willing to help them once on credit because one of his best customers is in danger as he holds up his Gokon Tekkō -bearing cane.
Back on the street, Renji stands over a defeated Uryū and confidently states that he warned Uryū about this as Uryū bleeds from the midsection onto the sidewalk. Watching this, a stunned Rukia notes that Renji is even stronger than before and curses her inability to stop him or even move. As he raises his Zanpakutō above his head, Renji tells Uryū to reflect on his stupidity as he dies and introduces himself as the one who killed Uryū before slashing downward as he sarcastically declares it was nice to meet him, only to be interrupted when Ichigo's Zanpakutō smashes into the ground next to him, breaking and overturning the concrete. After leaping back onto a nearby wall, Renji demands to know who Ichigo is, prompting Ichigo to introduce himself as the man who will beat Renji and sarcastically declares that it is nice to meet him.
054. 名も訊けぬ子供 [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki begins battling 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai as the latter criticizes his skills as a Shinigami.
While an incapacitated Uryū Ishida watches from the ground, a bewildered 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai observes that Ichigo Kurosaki is wearing a shihakushō and demands to know who he is and what division he is from before wondering why his Zanpakutō is so ridiculously oversized. Picking up on Renji calling it big, Ichigo admits that he just thought it was big compared to Rukia Kuchiki 's because he has not had anything to compare it to until now. As he stares nervously, Renji mentally notes that the size of a sealed Zanpakutō is proportionate to its wielder's Reiryoku and wonders if Ichigo really has that much power. However, when Rukia asks Ichigo why he came, Renji realizes that he is the Human who took her spiritual powers, and as Ichigo asks him what he is going to do about it, Renji leaps toward him and proclaims that he will kill Ichigo as 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki watches from the sidelines and notes Ichigo's name.
At the Kurosaki Clinic, Kon lies in Ichigo's bed while inhabiting Ichigo's body and holding his usual body. Wondering who Kisuke Urahara is, Kon recalls how Urahara helped Ichigo enter his Shinigami form and put Kon in his body so his family would not get suspicious before disappearing. As he admits that he has no idea what Urahara is up to and calls him creepy, Kon asserts that he also wanted to go look for Rukia while holding up his stuffed body, which he throws against the wall upon realizing he is talking to an inanimate object before picking it back up anyway.
Back on the street, Renji furiously attacks Ichigo, who barely manages to block his barrage of strikes with his Zanpakutō, and wonders if Ichigo's huge sword is just for show, prompting Ichigo to claim that Renji will bite his tongue if he keeps talking so much while mentally marveling at Renji's speed. When Ichigo counterattacks with a downward slash, Renji leaps over him, leaving Ichigo to embed his Zanpakutō in the ground, and flips over before slashing Ichigo's right shoulder. As Ichigo falls to his knees with blood spurting from his wound, Renji asserts that it is over and that his powers will go back to Rukia before revealing that she will return to Soul Society and die, to Ichigo's shock. While Rukia looks away, Renji mocks Ichigo for chasing after Rukia even though she ran away for the purpose of protecting him and questions his plan to save her as he declares that a fake like Ichigo could not put a scratch on a real Shinigami. Suddenly, Renji finds himself slashed at by Ichigo, leaving a small scratch on his chin, as the latter gets to his feet and explains that he could not resist doing this while Renji's guard was down in the middle of his pompous speech before asking him to continue talking about Ichigo not being able to put a scratch on a Shinigami. While an irritated Renji wipes the blood from his chin, Byakuya observes that Renji did have his guard down. Renji protests that it does not matter due to the difference in their skill levels, but Byakuya notes that he thought he had seen Ichigo somewhere before revealing that the Onmitsukidō sent an image-only report 33 hours ago of a Menos Grande being driven back to Hueco Mundo from the Human World by a massive sword wound, to Renji's shock.
While Ichigo wonders if they are referring to the giant Hollow with the big nose that he fought, Renji merely laughs and asserts that the Onmitsukidō is not what it used to be as he declares that he cannot believe Ichigo wounded a Menos Grande. Though Byakuya cautions him, Renji points out how Ichigo's Zanpakutō is a huge and impotent embarrassment, which means Ichigo cannot control his Reiryoku, and demands to know what its name is, only for a confused Ichigo to state that it does not have a name and express surprise at the idea of Shinigami naming their Zanpakutō. Asserting that he knew it, Renji declares that Ichigo is 2000 years too early to be fighting him as an equal if he cannot even ask his Zanpakutō for its name before releasing his Shikai, Zabimaru, which transforms his Zanpakutō into a segmented blade, and leaping toward Ichigo as he declares that it is dinner time. However, as Ichigo holds up his Zanpakutō to block a sword slash, he finds Zabimaru embedding itself in his left shoulder as the segments stretch apart, revealing they are connected by a thread that allows Zabimaru to stretch out like a whip. After pulling Zabimaru out of Ichigo's shoulder, causing the latter to fall to his knees once more, Renji proclaims that Ichigo has lost and will die here as Byakuya watches intently.
055. SHUT [ ]
Though 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai believes he has won, Ichigo Kurosaki gains a power boost and turns the tables on him.
As 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai proclaims that Ichigo Kurosaki has lost to him and will die here, Rukia Kuchiki and 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki watch silently while a grievously wounded Ichigo drops his Zanpakutō and falls to his knees. Retracting the segments of his Shikai, Zabimaru, Renji asserts that Ichigo is simply not in his class and explains how a Zanpakutō changes size and shape according to the Reiryoku of its wielder before declaring that Zabimaru is the shape of his power. Renji bids Ichigo farewell and prepares to finish him off as he claims that they should be on their way because the air here does not suit him. While she watches this, Rukia mentally notes that the difference in power between Ichigo and Renji was clear from their first clash and that Ichigo could have retreated with only a minor wound once he sensed that he was no match for his opponent, which she had hoped he would, but admits that she has always known Ichigo would not admit defeat so easily. Urging Ichigo to run if he can still move, Rukia throws herself at Renji's sword arm and grabs it to hinder his movement, prompting a surprised Renji to demand to know what she is doing and assert that she is only making things worse for herself.
However, as Rukia continues to urge him to get up and run away, Ichigo merely grabs his Zanpakutō, to her and Renji's surprise. As he admits that he did not think Ichigo could still move, Renji states that this is good because it is not fun to butcher a crippled pig anyway. With Ichigo getting to his feet, Renji encourages him to come at him while swinging his sword, but Rukia stops telling Ichigo to run as she stares at him in shock. When Ichigo does not move, Renji assumes a battle stance and declares that he will attack if Ichigo does not, only for Ichigo to stare directly at him as the handle of the handle of his Zanpakutō begins vibrating and the tassels on the end suddenly burst off. Astonished by Ichigo's newly heightened Reiatsu, Renji find his left shoulder slashed and spurting blood as Ichigo leaps past him. Grimacing at his wound, Renji sees Ichigo turning around and prepares to block his incoming attack, but Ichigo's subsequent slash cuts his forehead and knocks him off his feet despite being intercepted by Zabimaru.
As he braces himself against a railing to stop himself, Renji looks up with his visor broken and wonders where Ichigo's new power came from with him having been dying a moment ago. Ichigo asks Renji what is wrong and confidently observes that he has gotten slow, leading Renji to mentally assert that Ichigo actually got faster, before proclaiming that he can take Renji apart now that his wound does not hurt and his body feels much more powerful. With an intimidated Renji left unable to move due to his heavy Reiatsu, Ichigo moves in for the finish blow and declares that this ends in victory for him, only to suddenly find most of his Zanpakutō's blade severed and missing. Shocked and confused by this, Ichigo notes that Renji did not do anything before seeing Byakuya holding the blade in his hand several meters away, causing an unnerved Ichigo to express disbelief at Byakuya having done this from such a distance. Reaching for his sheathed Zanpakutō, Byakuya appears next to Ichigo, initiates Senka, and moves behind him as blood spurts from a large wound on Ichigo's chest.
056. broken coda [ ]
After grievously wounded Ichigo Kurosaki and seemingly ridding him of his Shinigami powers, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki returns to Soul Society with Rukia Kuchiki and his Lieutenant Renji Abarai.
Wondering what happened and what direction he was cut from, Ichigo Kurosaki watches blood spurt from the wound on his chest and begins to fall over. However, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki merely tells him that he is slow even when he is falling, and when Rukia Kuchiki frantically calls out to him, Byakuya looks at her before stabbing Ichigo through his midsection with his Zanpakutō. As he watches this in stunned silence, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai mentally notes that Byakuya is still peerless despite how long it has been since he has seen him in action and admits that he could only catch a glimpse of the second strike of Senka before observing that because he could not see Byakuya draw or sheathe his Zanpakutō, Ichigo probably does not even know what hit him. Renji looks at the motionless Ichigo and wonders what led to his abnormal Reiatsu earlier. When Byakuya asks him what is wrong, Renji brushes it off and asserts that he could have won without Byakuya's help, prompting Byakuya to assert that even he will get rusty if all he does is watch, which Renji silently denies.
Upon hearing Rukia calling out to Ichigo and seeing her running toward him, Renji pins her against a nearby streetlamp. Though Rukia protests this and tells him to let her go, Renji angrily tells her to forget Ichigo because he is dead and pleads with her to not make things worse for herself by crying over a corpse, as even touching Ichigo will lead to Central 46 adding 20 years to her prison sentence. Rukia asserts that she does not care because he was killed because of her and demands to know what is wrong with her going to him. Hearing Rukia's desire to go to Ichigo even though it would increase her sentence, Byakuya states that he understands because Ichigo heavily resembles " him ", shocking Rukia. Suddenly, Ichigo grabs the leg of Byakuya's shihakushō, to his surprise, and brings up Byakuya's claims of him being dead and looking like someone else before asserting that he better not keep telling the story while Ichigo is around. Initially overjoyed by this, Rukia's eyes widen as Byakuya tells Ichigo to let go while a stunned Renji wonders how Ichigo's will can be strong enough for him to keep moving. When Ichigo claims he cannot hear Byakuya and tells him to make eye contact when he talks, an irritated Byakuya decides that he must not want his hand anymore.
However, those present are left surprised when Rukia kicks Ichigo's hand away, and as Ichigo asks her what she is doing, Rukia scolds him for touching her brother's shihakushō despite only being a mere Human before coldly telling him to know his place, to Ichigo's shock. Rukia tells Byakuya to take her back to Soul Society so she can humbly pay for her crime because Ichigo's actions have awoken her, and while Ichigo attempts to get up while demanding to know what she is doing, Renji pins him down with his foot and tells him to die quietly rather than keep struggling. As Rukia tells Byakuya to not sully his blade further on Ichigo because he will soon die anyway and urges him to depart with her, Ichigo begs Rukia to stop joking around and look at him, leading Rukia to declare that she will never forgive him if he moves one inch from that spot or tries to come after her as she looks back at him with tears in her eyes. With a stunned Ichigo staring at her in silence, Rukia tells him to think of happier times for the short remainder of his life.
Sheathing his Zanpakutō, Byakuya agrees to not finish off Ichigo and explains how he sealed Ichigo's Saketsu and Hakusui in two attacks, which will leave him as good as dead, before detailing how Ichigo somehow surviving will still leave him with no power whatsoever, as both Rukia's spiritual powers and Reiryoku will be gone. At Byakuya's command, Renji opens a Senkaimon, and as rain begins to pour down, he, Rukia, and Byakuya all step through it. While the Senkaimon vanishes, Ichigo notes that he cannot talk or move and wonders why he was spared again before screaming in rage and sorrow.
057. Unfinished July Rain [ ]
Having been saved from death by Kisuke Urahara, Ichigo Kurosaki makes a deal to be trained by him before he begins his rescue of Rukia Kuchiki.
As Ichigo Kurosaki lies bleeding out in the rain and observes what is happening in scattered thoughts, Kisuke Urahara appears with Yoruichi Shihōin on his shoulder while holding an umbrella and stands over Ichigo, who notes that the rain has stopped before losing consciousness.
Some time later, as he begins to regain consciousness, Ichigo realizes that he is no longer in pain and wonders if this means he is finally dying before observing that he now feels somewhat warm instead of cold. Upon opening his eyes, Ichigo finds himself in the Urahara Shop staring at Tessai Tsukabishi, who is lying on top of him, and begins screaming as Tessai greets him and praises his quick response. While Tessai calls out to Urahara to let him know that Ichigo is awake, Ichigo attempts to push Tessai off and recognizes him as one of Urahara's crew while demanding to know what Tessai is doing on top of him. After Tessai gets off of him, Ichigo sits up and clutches his shoulder in pain, only to realize that this means he is not dead before seeing that he is not in the Kurosaki Clinic. Seeing this, Urahara walks in and chastises Ichigo for moving around while his wounds have only barely closed before cheerfully asserting that he will die if this continues. After confirming that this is Urahara's house, Ichigo inquires if he saved him, prompting Urahara to note that he sounds upset and ask Ichigo if he did not want to be saved.
As he reflects on watching Rukia Kuchiki leave last night, Ichigo remembers that Uryū Ishida was lying there as well and asks Urahara what happened to him. Urahara recounts how Uryū simply went home because his wound, despite bleeding a lot, was not severe and would have taken two days to kill him if they had just left him there, which allowed Urahara to heal him on the spot. When Urahara observes that Uryū seemed worried about Ichigo when they were leaving, Ichigo expresses disbelief, prompting Urahara to recall Uryū graciously declining to come rest at the Urahara Shop and asking him to take care of Ichigo because only he can save Rukia and Uryū himself cannot beat the Shinigami. Ruminating on this, Ichigo scoffs at the idea of him being the one to save Rukia and demands to know how he is supposed to get to her when she has gone back to Soul Society, but Urahara merely inquires if Ichigo really thinks there is no way for him to get to Soul Society.
Astonished by the idea of this, Ichigo asks Urahara to tell him how to get there, which Urahara agrees to do on the condition of being allowed to train Ichigo for the next 10 days. Though Ichigo dismisses the idea of someone like Urahara teaching him how to fight and points out how they have no idea when Soul Society might decide to kill Rukia, Urahara asserts that he does not understand and uses his cane to pin Ichigo to the floor with Shitonegaeshi before clarifying that he is saying the Shinigami will kill Ichigo. Asking Ichigo if he truly believes that he could win if he fought the Shinigami as he is right now, Urahara explains that he allowed Ichigo to fight them this time because he believed it would help Ichigo understand while Ichigo mentally describes how the tip of Urahara's cane feels like the tip of a sword hovering over him. Urahara asserts that Ichigo would not stand a chance in Soul Society at his current level and criticizes his desire to save Rukia despite his weakness making any charge into enemy territory suicidal before advising Ichigo to not use her as an excuse to kill himself, which convinces Ichigo.
Letting Ichigo sit up, Urahara explains how Soul Society generally waits one month before executing a capital offender, which should hold true for Rukia as well, which gives them 10 days for training, 7 days to open the gates to Soul Society, and 13 days for Ichigo to save Rukia. As Urahara states that this is plenty of time, Ichigo recalls Rukia's departure and wonders if he can get strong enough in 10 days, leading Urahara to affirm this by promising Ichigo that he will have a power stronger than iron at his disposal if he truly wishes to save Rukia. However, Urahara also asserts that Ichigo can forget saving Rukia if his resolve is half-hearted because Urahara is going to put him through truly intense training for the next 10 days. Acknowledging this, Ichigo observes that no one else can do this if he cannot and agrees to begin the training.
058. blank [ ]
With his wounds healed and his summer vacation beginning, Ichigo Kurosaki has his resolved fortified by Orihime Inoue and begins his training with Kisuke Urahara.
At Karakura High School, Tetsuo Momohara greets Ichigo Kurosaki, and when the latter reacts in confusion, an irritated Tetsuo wonders how Ichigo cannot remember him after all the times he asked Ichigo to join the karate team, prompting Ichigo to apologize. Noting that he is at school right now, Ichigo recalls Kisuke Urahara giving him a bottle of pills to take one of every hour and promising that his wounds will be a lot better by that night, as he does not want Ichigo to die in the middle of their training, before telling him to go to school until his summer vacation starts tomorrow. As he sits down at his desk, Ichigo observes that the medicine really is amazing despite the skull-and-crossbones label on the bottle because it only takes one pill to numb his pain completely. However, Ichigo also reveals that no one at school remembers Rukia Kuchiki, with Tetsuo sitting at her desk in the classroom and no one having even mentioned her name, and states that he now understands what it means to return to Soul Society, with her existence having been erased from the world and people's hearts, rendering her essentially a blank spot.
Later, Misato Ochi finishes reading the announcements and advises her students to not spend too much time studying except for this class, as well as to break some rules in order to make good memories, which bewilders her students, before declaring that class is dismissed as they all cheer. As the students around him discuss their after-school plans and new music releases, Ichigo looks at Uryū Ishida 's empty seat and notes that he was absent all day before admitting that he thought Uryū might remember Rukia too. Suddenly, Keigo Asano wraps a blindfold around Ichigo, lifts him out of his seat, and spins him around before asking him where the watermelon is, only for Ichigo to hit him in the head with the bat, prompting a bleeding Keigo to tell him that he is supposed to crack the watermelon instead of his skull. Soon afterward, Keigo presents various beach party supplies to Ichigo, Yasutora Sado, Orihime Inoue, Tatsuki Arisawa, Mizuiro Kojima, and Michiru Ogawa before proposing that they all go on a ten-day beach trip starting tomorrow. As he describes all the available festivities and hijinks they will get up to, Ichigo states that he will be busy and apologizes to an incredulous Keigo. While Orihime also declines, Tatsuki reveals that she will be attending Nationals, leading Michiru to state that she will not go if Orihime and Tatsuki are not either, and Sado declines as well. When a dejected and tearful Keigo turns to him, Mizuiro reveals that he is going to Phuket tomorrow, prompting Keigo to angrily grab him by the shoulders and demand to know if he is going with the two older women he met at the Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip taping. Mizuiro clarifies that it is actually his girlfriend Marie and nine of her friends for a total of eleven, which only enrages Keigo further as he accuses Mizuiro of trying to start a nude soccer team.
Watching this, Ichigo notes that it feels weird for people to be acting normal and for the world to keep rotating without Rukia, but wonders why it should not be this way since Rukia is originally from Soul Society and never really belonged in the Human World, though he is disheartened at the possibility of this being true. Suddenly, Ichigo is surprised to find Orihime standing in front of him and is further shocked when she asks him where Rukia went and why everyone forgot about her. After Ichigo explains the situation to her, Orihime sits next to him while summarizing it as Rukia having gone back to her own world and Ichigo wanting to help her, which he affirms. Ichigo admits that he is surprised Orihime could see them and begins to ask her why she never brought it up sooner, but Orihime inquires what he is going to do and points out how Rukia being from the other world means that all her friends and family are over there. Wondering if Ichigo is going to take Rukia away from her loved ones and bring her back to the Human World after he saves her, Orihime questions if this is the right thing to do, leaving a shocked Ichigo at a loss for words. However, as Ichigo tries to answer, Orihime asserts that it is the right choice, to his further bewilderment, and declares that Ichigo has already made up his mind no matter what she says before imitating how Ichigo will put on a stubborn face and tell Rukia that she will only be able to see her family again someday if she is alive rather than dead, which Orihime cheerfully states is what the Ichigo she knows would say.
With Orihime encouraging him to save Rukia because she does not want her friend to die either, Ichigo gets up and sincerely thanks Orihime before running up a nearby set of stairs, leaving Orihime to ask him to not get hurt before deciding that she will not let it happen. After finding a phone booth, Orihime calls Sado and reveals that she has made up her mind. Shortly afterward, when Ichigo arrives at the Urahara Shop, Urahara stands with Tessai Tsukabishi, Jinta Hanakari, and Ururu Tsumugiya as he asks Ichigo how his wounds are faring, prompting Ichigo to rip open his shirt and reveal that only scars remain as he declares that they have completely healed. Commending this, Urahara asks Ichigo if he got permission from his family and asks with embarrassment if he could not come up with anything better when Ichigo explains that he told them he would be crashing at a friend's house, which irritates Ichigo. As Urahara decides that they should get started, Ichigo plants his feet and bows while loudly thanks him for saving his life, leading a surprised Urahara to ask him if he said something. After Ichigo denies this, Urahara smiles and states that he did not think so before admitting that he is looking forward to this.
059. Lesson 1: One Strike! + Jailed at Home [ ]
As Rukia Kuchiki speaks to 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai about her execution in the Seireitei, Ichigo Kurosaki commences his training with Kisuke Urahara underneath the Urahara Shop.
In the 6th Division barracks in the Seireitei in Soul Society, Lieutenant Renji Abarai strides past two unseated Shinigami, whom he exchanges greetings with, and reaches the door to the prison ward, which he opens with a keycard. Inside, Rikichi Yuki expresses dismay upon seeing a Jigokuchō flying away again and tries to catch it with a net while asserting that it will get him in trouble if it does not come back. When that fails, Rikichi attempts to entice it with a fake butterfly of the opposite sex, only to be kicked down by an irritated Renji, who demands to know what he was doing. As Rikichi rubs his head and wonders what that was for, Renji criticizes him for not being able to handle the Jigokuchō on his own by now and responds to Rikichi pointing out that he is supposed to be off-duty today by stating that he is just here to check on Rukia Kuchiki and asking how she is, leading Rikichi to note that she has been staring at the small window in her cell since last night.
Renji asks Rukia how long she is going to sulk and asserts that she will not survive to be executed if she does not eat something, but Rukia claims that she is simply not hungry while addressing Renji as Lieutenant. When an annoyed Renji asks her if his new rank bothers him, Rukia denies this and commends him for working hard to get himself promoted in the two months she was gone before sarcastically wishing him luck, praising his strength, and asking him about his strange eyebrows, prompting an angered Renji to declare that she is dead and tell her to step out of her cell. After pausing for a few seconds, Rukia asks Renji if she is really going to die, and when he confidently declares that she is going to be executed any day now, Rukia merely accepts this, leading a bewildered Renji to assure her that he was just kidding as she questions how she was supposed to know that. Renji explains that 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki is on his way to the Captain-Commander 's office and will likely request a reduced sentence for her because he will not just stand by and let her be killed as her brother, but Rukia asserts that he will simply kill her himself because she knows very well what kind of person he is, having not once looked at her in the 40 years since the Kuchiki Clan took her in.
Meanwhile, in the Human World, the Urahara Shop is closed for business, and Ichigo Kurosaki, Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, Jinta Hanakari, and Ururu Tsumugiya stand in a large, desert-like area underneath it as Urahara expresses amazement at such a huge and cavernous chamber being located underneath his store. While Ichigo flatly states that he is duly impressed, Urahara reveals that this is his training room which they made overnight just for him using their powerful technology, prompting Ichigo to ask Tessai if their policy is to ignore customers just to cater to spiritual matters, which Tessai does not have an answer for. Urahara points out that the ceiling is painted to resemble the sky, which Ichigo observes is just like a prison, and that they planted trees to make it cheery, only for Ichigo to note that they are all dead, before patting himself on the back for managing to build this underneath a city, prompting an annoyed Ichigo to assert that it is likely illegal and in violation of several building ordinances.
When Ichigo tells him to start training already because they do not have much time, Urahara commends his spirit and agrees before pushing Ichigo's Soul out of his body with the tip of his cane. Flying back onto the ground, Ichigo demands to know what that was for, only to suddenly find himself tired and out of breath as Urahara observes that this is the first time Ichigo has left his body without becoming a Shinigami, which means that he is just a Soul and will find it hard to move and breathe. Urahara explains that Byakuya destroyed Ichigo's Hakusui and Saketsu, which act as the source of and a booster to his Reiryoku respectively, meaning he is now a regular disembodied Soul from a regular Human with no spiritual powers, before revealing that he must restore his Reiryoku in order to fight the Shinigami. After Urahara details how he must learn to control his Soul body, which will happen when he recovers his Reiryoku because it provides that control, and states that he will have succeeded when his Soul body moves better than his physical body, Ichigo asserts that it sounds complicated and wonders how he is supposed to do this, leading Urahara to note that he probably learns better by doing before calling over Ururu, who greets Ichigo and states that it is a pleasure to train with him.
While Ichigo expresses confusion at this, Urahara reveals that his first lesson is to hit her, shocking Ichigo, and explains the rules as the session ending when one of them is unable to move and Ichigo trying to knock her out before he gets knocked out. When Ichigo demands to know if he is sick for wanting him to hit a little girl, Urahara claims that it will not be as easy as Ichigo thinks with his Soul body, further irritating Ichigo. However, Ururu tosses Ichigo protective equipment while putting on her own, and as Ichigo tries to tell her that he will not be fighting her, Ururu asks him to put the equipment on or risk being killed before leaping toward a confused Ichigo and throwing a punch, which creates a large explosion of force while Urahara asserts that he told Ichigo as much.
060. Lesson 1-2: DOWN!! [ ]
After figuring out how to fight back, Ichigo Kurosaki completes the first round of his training with Kisuke Urahara while Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado seek out training of their own.
As the dust settles around Ururu Tsumugiya after her powerful blow, Jinta Hanakari notes that he cannot see Ichigo Kurosaki and Tessai Tsukabishi wonders if he is dead, prompting Kisuke Urahara to admit that he does not know. Upon seeing Ichigo tumble out of the dust cloud and run toward Ururu, Urahara assumes he is charging her, only to be confused when Ichigo runs past her and grabs his headgear off the ground before running away while marveling at the power Ururu unleashed and admitting that he will die if he is hit by that kind of attack. Asserting that he is going to wear the headgear no matter how much it helps him, Ichigo realizes that he does not know how it works, prompting Urahara to tell him to tie it onto his forehead and recite a cheesy mantra about the power and armor of justice. Though he initially agrees to do so, Ichigo only gets to the point of placing the headgear on his forehead before throwing it down in embarrassment and proclaiming that he cannot do it. However, after Ururu attacks him again and Urahara tells him that this is no time to look stupid, Ichigo decides to put it on and recite the line despite his embarrassment, only for nothing to happen as Urahara laughs about him actually putting it on, to Ichigo's chagrin.
Putting the headgear and gloves on properly, which gives him protection for the sides of his face as well, Ichigo declares that he is ready now and tells Ururu to do her worst, only to be sent fleeing once again as she continues to attack the area behind him. When Urahara compliments his fleeing, Ichigo asserts that it is a defensive strategy and notes that he is not sure the headgear will save him. As he continues to run while expressing astonishment at Ururu's power and reiterating that he will die if he is hit by her, Ichigo realizes that he is outrunning her, which means he might be able to dodge her punches, and turns to face Ururu before narrowly dodging her subsequent punch aimed at his head, leading him to mentally declare that he can do it as he throws a left hook at Ururu, who leans back at the last second, to Urahara's entertainment. Ichigo continues to throw punches at Ururu, who dodges each one, and mentally promises that he only intends to tap her headgear rather than hit her face because he is so much bigger than her that such a hit should be sufficient to knock her out. Upon throwing one more punch, Ichigo manages to graze Ururu's cheek and observes his success. However, when her cheek begins to bleed, Ururu stares coldly at Ichigo and leaps onto his outstretched arm before delivering a powerful kick to his head, sending him crashing into a nearby rock wall.
As he grabs Ururu's leg to prevent her from continuing, Urahara declares that Ichigo is " safe " while a lightly injured Ichigo finds himself having been caught by Tessai. Realizing that he lost, Ichigo asks Urahara to let him try again so he can beat Ururu, but Urahara declares that he passed lesson one, shocking Ichigo. When Ichigo points out that Ururu beat him soundly, Urahara reminds him that he only told Ichigo to knock out before he was knocked out, not that he had to knock out Ururu, to Ichigo's surprise, and asserts that a Human Soul does not stand a chance against Ururu because she has Shinigami -level combat skills before asking Ichigo if he is still having trouble breathing. With Ichigo realizing that he is not, Urahara observes that his movement should be better too and inquires how long this has been the case, leading Ichigo to estimate it as having been a little while. Urahara that this lesson was solely about whether or not Ichigo could survive the first blow from Ururu because Reiryoku is most quickly increased when a Soul is put in a life-or-death situation, which is why they exposed Ichigo to mortal danger; if his Reiryoku increased, he would evade the subsequent punches and live, while he would die if it did not increase, leading an irritated Ichigo to observe that this would mean no harm to Urahara himself either way. Reminding Ichigo that his Reiryoku did increase, Urahara declares that they should celebrate by proceeding to something, but while Ichigo assumes he is referring to dinner or a party, Tessai severs his Chain of Fate with a large axe while Urahara tells a stunned Ichigo that they are proceeding straight to lesson two.
Elsewhere in Karakura Town, Orihime Inoue stands with Yasutora Sado and questions the idea of a lesson, prompting Yoruichi Shihōin to assert that they will need it if they insist on going to Soul Society before warning them that Yoruichi's lessons are not for the faint of heart.
061. Lesson2 : Shattered shaft [ ]
With his friends beginning their own training, Ichigo Kurosaki is forced to start Kisuke Urahara 's second lesson.
Upon arriving at a waterfall in a remote area of the wilderness, Uryū Ishida declares his satisfaction and asserts that he can train here without anyone bothering him, only to be interrupted when Orihime Inoue cheerfully calls out to him while climbing up the rocky mountainside with Yasutora Sado and Yoruichi Shihōin, to Uryū's astonishment. After they get settled, Uryū questions the idea of a lesson, prompting Orihime to explain that they need one so they can go to Soul Society before asking Uryū if he wants to join them. Admitting that he had noticed Orihime and Sado's Reiryoku had increased recently but did not think they were considering this, Uryū inquires who will be teaching them, and when Orihime bashfully states that their teacher is right next to him, a shocked Uryū assumes that he has been masking his presence this whole time, only to be flabbergasted when Yoruichi identifies as the master. When Uryū questions what Yoruichi is, Orihime and Sado simultaneously tell him that Yoruichi is a cat as Uryū clarifies that he wants to know why Yoruichi is talking as the latter remarks on his pointing as rude. Suddenly realizing what he is doing, an embarrassed Uryū asks them to forgive him for his outburst as Yoruichi mocks him for reacting so violently to a cat talking, which provokes an irritated Uryū into swiping at Yoruichi while demanding that the cat stop talking.
Yoruichi tells Uryū to take a lesson from Orihime and be more adaptable before instructing those present to focus on why they are here as Orihime asks Uryū why a talking cat is so unusual, though Sado admits that it is a little strange. Orihime points out that Uryū is planning to rescue Rukia Kuchiki too and encourages him to join them for Yoruichi's lessons, but Uryū respectfully declines, leading Orihime to wonder why and pick up Yoruichi, whom she asserts is amazing for tracking Uryū here by his spiritual presence. Though he agrees that Yoruichi is very skilled, Uryū explains that he just wants to be alone before claiming that he never had any intention of rescuing Rukia and is simply training because he is angry with himself for losing to a Shinigami. Upon seeing Yoruichi walking away after hearing this, Orihime calls out to the cat, who declares that they have no further business here because Uryū is not going to Soul Society. As Orihime tries to protest this, Sado gently tells her that they should go and begins to follow Yoruichi. Turning to face Uryū, Orihime promises that they will be waiting if he changes his mind before running off to catch up to Yoruichi and Sado. As she leaves, Uryū simply apologizes to Orihime and asserts that this training cannot be witnessed by anyone as he opens a box that he brought with him and tells his master that he is ready.
Meanwhile, in the Study Chamber underneath the Urahara Shop, Ichigo Kurosaki declares that he is doing to die as Tessai Tsukabishi sits on his back, and when Kisuke Urahara questions if he has to make so much noise, Ichigo reminds him that they cut off his Chain of Fate and that he needs it. However, Urahara simply states that he knows this, to Ichigo's bewilderment, and explains how Ichigo is going to die because he cannot return to his body. Detailing how the chain's Encroachment will soon begin and eventually reach Ichigo's chest, where it will create a large hole, Urahara proclaims that this will cause Ichigo to turn into a Hollow as he tosses confetti into the air. When Ichigo is left shocked by this, Urahara expresses surprise that he did not already know before revealing that the one way for Ichigo to survive after his Chain of Fate has been cut is for him to become a Shinigami. Urahara confirms that lesson two is about Ichigo regaining his Shinigami powers and promises that he will be a fully functional Shinigami once again when it is over before declaring that "Shattered Shaft" will commence and pointing at a rock spire dozens of meters away, only to have a large hole appear underneath Ichigo and Tessai, who promptly fall into it.
As Ichigo screams in terror from within the hole, Urahara proudly certifies this as his highest-level fakeout, but is somewhat unnerved when he does not hear them land and observes to Ururu Tsumugiya that it is very deep, prompting her to assert that she worked very hard. After landing, Ichigo curses Urahara before realizing that his arms have been bound as Tessai reveals that he has used Bakudō #99, Part 1. Kin and apologizes before explaining that he must bind Ichigo's arms for the duration of this lesson. Calling out to Ichigo from the surface, Urahara tells him to reach the top of the pit in his current condition and declares that this is lesson two, which Ichigo proclaims is impossible. However, Urahara merely tells him that he may not want to spend his time arguing because Encroachment has already begun as Ichigo sees the last two links of his Chain of Fate sprout tiny mouths with spiky tongues that begin devouring the upper links.
Bleach, Volume 8
062. Lesson2-2:Bad Endin’ In The Shaft [ ]
While Ichigo Kurosaki endures the suffering of the Shattered Shaft, Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado begin their own training with Yoruichi Shihōin.
At the bottom of the Shattered Shaft in the Study Chamber beneath the Urahara Shop, Ichigo Kurosaki screams in terror while watching the end links of his Chain of Fate begin to devour themselves with tiny mouths as they undergo Encroachment. Standing at the edge of the Shattered Shaft above, Kisuke Urahara explains that a severed Chain of Fate will begin to devour itself in a process called Encroachment. With his arms bound by Tessai Tsukabishi 's Bakudō #99. Part 1. Kin, Ichigo slams his chest against the side of the Shattered Shaft and begins scraping the end of his Chain of Fate against it while proclaiming that he will crush the mouths, only for Urahara to warn him to not get too close to the mouths as Ichigo hears a crunching sound and falls back to discover that the mouths have taken a bite out of his torso, which spurts blood. As Urahara observes that they will eat Ichigo instead of the Chain of Fate if he gets too close, Ichigo collapses and grunts in pain. After admitting that it normally takes months or even years for a broken Chain of Fate to reach this state, Urahara reveals that there is a gas in the Shattered Shaft that stimulates Encroachment and tells Ichigo that his Encroachment will be complete in 72 hours as he clarifies that Ichigo will either become a Shinigami and escape or become a Hollow and be disposed of by Urahara and his crew. With Ichigo incredulous that Urahara would let him die, Urahara asserts that his only two choices are to succeed or die while Tessai continues to maintain his spell a few feet away from Ichigo.
Meanwhile, in an abandoned building in Karakura Town, Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado yell loudly as they attempt to summon their respective powers, prompting a confused and embarrassed Yoruichi Shihōin to tell them they are doing it wrong and state that they will never get to Soul Society like this. When Orihime begins to protest, Yoruichi asserts that they will not last one minute in Soul Society if they cannot activate their powers at will before instructing them to remember the first time they used their powers and retrace their steps. Admitting that this sounds reasonable, Orihime notes that she was desperate when she first used her power, prompting Yoruichi to inquire what she was desperate to do. With Orihime confused by this, Yoruichi explains how people discover their true powers when they want to protect something, regardless of what it is, and asks Orihime and Sado what they wanted to protect back then.
Though Orihime immediately thinks of Tatsuki Arisawa, Sado is unable to recall precisely what Karin Kurosaki looks like and simply adds her hat and hair as well as lipstick to Ichigo's face because he assumes that they must look the same, with the resulting mental image visibly shocking him as Orihime and Yoruichi wonder what is wrong. Suddenly, Orihime's hairpins sparkle, which Sado points out to her as Yoruichi further elaborates that the heart reveals what is most precious to its owner because it is closely linked to the soul. Yoruichi asks Orihime why she is going to Soul Society, and after she thinks for a few seconds and firmly states that she is going in order to protect Ichigo, Yoruichi praises her conviction as the Shun Shun Rikka suddenly burst out of Orihime's hairpins, prompting a surprised Orihime to happily greet them. However, Tsubaki begins pulling on her hair while berating her for summoning them when she is not in danger as Shun'ō frantically tells him to stop, which leads Yoruichi to tells Orihime that she needs to learn to control her powers while observing that they seem to be controlling her right now. Turning to Sado, Yoruichi asks him why he wants to go to Soul Society, but Sado initially does not answer.
Back in the Shattered Shaft, Ichigo lies on the ground and watches the mouths on the end of his Chain of Fate disappear as he notes that this was the fifth Encroachment and mentally detailing how the mouths only chomp on the links for a few minutes at a time between rest periods of several hours. As he gets to his feet, Ichigo mentally states that the pain of Encroachment is so paralyzing that he has to attempt his escape while the mouths are asleep and begins running up the side of the Shattered Shaft while yelling, only to slip off and fall back down as he screams. Watching from above, Jinta Hanakari observes that Ichigo managed to run 10 feet up the wall, slightly impressing Urahara as Ururu Tsumugiya calls him an idiot. When Jinta asks him if he is hungry, Ichigo reminds him that he cannot be hungry because he is a disembodied Soul. However, Jinta merely notes that this is good before revealing that a Soul getting hungry means that they are about to become a Hollow, shocking Ichigo. Offering to let Ichigo drink some of his spit if he is thirsty, Jinta lets a strand of saliva drip down from his mouth and has Ururu join him, prompting Ichigo to angrily threaten to beat them up when he gets free before switching to begging for mercy as the saliva begins to touch him. Nearby, Urahara purposely ignores this as he notes that it must be getting dark by now before stating that this area makes one lose all sense of time.
Some time later, Ichigo lies on the ground and looks up at the top of the Shattered Shaft as he admits that he cannot climb it. While Ichigo wonders how long he has been down here and how he is supposed to climb out, Jinta runs down the side with a large plate of fruit and offers it to Ichigo, whom he cheekily claims must be getting hungry by now, only for Ichigo to assert that he is not hungry and point out that he still has multiple links of his Chain of Fate left. Narrowing his eyes at this, Jinta sets down the plate and notes that it is easy to lose track of time in this hole, and when a confused Ichigo picks up on his mention of time, Jinta reveals in succession that Ichigo has been in the Shattered Shaft for exactly 70 hours, which is when most Souls start transforming into Hollows, and that the next Encroachment will be worse than all the others combined. Suddenly, mouths form on all the remaining links of Ichigo's Chain of Fate, and he can only stare in shock and futilely beg them to stop as the mouths devour each other and the base of the chain on his chest. With the entire chain gone, a mask begins forming itself on Ichigo's face as he screams in agony.
063. Lesson2-3 : Innercircle Breakdown [ ]
While his body resists his transformation into a Hollow, Ichigo Kurosaki finds himself in his inner world speaking to Zangetsu for the first time.
With Ichigo Kurosaki screaming in agony as a Hollow mask begins forming on his face, Tessai Tsukabishi can only watch in shock as a shockwave emanates outward from him. As Jinta Hanakari climbs to the top of the Shattered Shaft and observes that Ichigo is going to transform into a Hollow, Ururu Tsumugiya points her left fist at Ichigo while bracing it with her right arm and asserts that she is going to take preventative measures, but Urahara stops her and tells them to look closely before explaining how Hollows are usually formed by having the Soul burst into pieces and reassemble itself. Pointing out how Ichigo's body is remaining intact while his mask is forming, Urahara reveals that this atypical transformation is a sign of Ichigo's resistance, which means that there is a remote chance of him becoming a Shinigami in time, and tells them to wait a bit longer until his transformation is complete.
While the mask continues to form, a voice asks Ichigo if he can hear it as Ichigo wakes up on the side of a skyscraper in the middle of a sideways city. Wondering where he is, Ichigo has his attention drawn behind him, where Zangetsu stands on top of a pole. Upon being asked who he is, Zangetsu states that Ichigo should know and says his name, but Ichigo is unable to hear it. Disappointed by this, Zangetsu inquires how many times he has to shout in order for his voice to reach Ichigo and claims that there is no one in this world who knows Ichigo better than he does. Upon seeing Zangetsu stepping onto the side of the pole, a confused Ichigo questions what he is talking about because he does not have any friends who are this depressing, only to be shocked to see Zangetsu standing on the side of the pole as the latter asks him how he can sit in a place like that. Realizing that he is sitting on the side of a skyscraper with the ground behind him, Ichigo begins falling backward as he screams in terror, prompting Zangetsu to sarcastically praise his composure as he falls alongside him.
When Zangetsu assures him that Shinigami preside over all spiritual phenomena, including death, Ichigo frantically points out that he is not a Shinigami right now, only for Zangetsu to continue explaining that Ichigo can solidify the Reishi in the atmosphere beneath his feet in order to stop his fall, which leads an irritated Ichigo to demand to know if he is deaf. Zangetsu tells Ichigo to remember how he was able to gain traction on the air itself as a Shinigami, prompting Ichigo to recall doing so in his fight against Acidwire, and reveals that the Shinigami powers which Byakuya Kuchiki removed from Ichigo were only the ones given to him by Rukia Kuchiki, to Ichigo's shock. Detailing how that was all Byakuya was interested in because he assumed that them being gone would be the end of Ichigo, Zangetsu asserts that he was careless because he overlooked Ichigo's own Shinigami powers, further shocking Ichigo, as he explains that Rukia's powers awakened Ichigo's own and that they lay deep in his soul at the time of Byakuya's attack before telling Ichigo to find them.
The skyscraper behind Zangetsu begins to disintegrate into boxes, which fall past him as he stands in midair and asserts that Ichigo needs to find his hidden Shinigami powers now because this world is falling apart. Upon being told that his powers are in one of the boxes falling around them, Ichigo claims that he cannot possibly do so with how many thousands of boxes there are, but Zangetsu states that there is no time for excuses because Ichigo will turn into a Hollow if he does not find the right box before this world disintegrates. Stunned by this, Ichigo falls into a tear behind him and finds himself in water surrounded by the boxes. Wondering what he is supposed to do in order to find the right box out of all of these, Ichigo admits that he cannot even detect Reiryoku as he is right now, only for this to remind him of Uryū Ishida telling him something similar once. As he tries to recall how Uryū figured out that he was a Shinigami and how he was able to detect a Shinigami's powers, Ichigo remembers Uryū informing him that a Shinigami's Reiraku is red, unlike all other Reiraku, and realizes that this is the solution as hundreds of Reiraku appear connected to the boxes around him.
Upon spotting a red Reiraku, Ichigo grabs it and pulls the box it is connected to over to him while proclaiming that this is it, only to be surprised when it opens to reveal a Zanpakutō 's hilt. Praising Ichigo for finding it, Zangetsu expresses hope that his name will reach Ichigo's ears next time, leading Ichigo to realize who he is. However, as the world continues to crumble around them, Zangetsu questions what Ichigo is waiting for and demands that he pull him out quickly as Ichigo pulls the Zanpakutō out of the box.
Back in the real world, Urahara, Jinta, and Ururu notice a rumbling from within the Shattered Shaft, prompting Urahara to shield the two children as a surge of Reiatsu erupts from the hole.
064. BACK IN BLACK [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki completes the Shattered Shaft training and regains his Shinigami powers.
As Ichigo Kurosaki 's inner world collapses around them, Zangetsu questions what Ichigo is waiting for and demands that he pull him out, prompting Ichigo to pull the Zanpakutō out of the box in front of him.
In the real world, Kisuke Urahara, Jinta Hanakari, and Ururu Tsumugiya look down the Shattered Shaft as a partially Hollowfied Ichigo strains against the Bakudō #99 Part 1. Kin binding his arms, causing the iron shafts embedding the fabric to burst out into the air behind him. Seeing this, Tessai Tsukabishi informs Urahara that he is switching to suppression mode because they cannot wait any longer and plunges his hands into the ground as he initiates Bakudō #99 Part 2. Bankin, releasing white energy which begins wrapping itself around Ichigo in the form of strips of fabric. As Ichigo is impaled by numerous metal bolts, a shocked Jinta demands to know what Tessai is doing because this will kill Ichigo, only for Tessai to assert that he has no choice because he can barely restrain Ichigo and must destroy him before the change is complete. Tessai completes the spell by dropping an enormous metal cube on top of Ichigo, but as it descends, white fluid bursts out of the bindings covering the hole in Ichigo's chest and travel upward while destroying more bindings along the way, revealing a fully formed Hollow mask underneath the bindings. With Jinta shocked by this, Tessai declares that this is it, but the cube comes to a halt as Urahara shields Jinta and Ururu before a torrent of Reiatsu erupts from the Shattered Shaft.
While Jinta observes that it exploded, something bursts out of the Reiatsu flare and hits the painted ceiling above, where it skids along as Jinta points it out to the others, before leaping off and slamming into the ground nearby. Surprised by this, Jinta demands to know if that is Ichigo and tells the latter to answer him if he is still alive. Upon seeing two glowing eyes within the dust cloud and a figure moving toward them, Jinta is left speechless as the dust clears to reveal what appears to be a fully Hollowfied Ichigo standing before them with a Shinigami 's shihakushō and the tattered remnants of his bindings trailing off of him. With Jinta confused to see both a Shinigami's shihakushō and a Hollow mask on the same being and wondering which it is, the figure reaches for the Zanpakutō on his back, prompting Jinta and Ururu to assume battle stances, only to withdraw a Zanpakutō missing most of its blade. Though Jinta assumes that it is going to attack, the figure instead smashes the hilt of its Zanpakutō into the middle of its mask, shocking Jinta, and grabs the broken section as more pieces fall off before pulling the remnants of the mask aside to reveal Ichigo, whose Soul remains intact.
With Jinta stunned by him not turning into a Hollow, Ichigo clenches and unclenches his fist before having his attention drawn by Urahara, who celebrates him passing lesson two and becoming a Shinigami. However, an irritated Ichigo jabs Urahara in the eye with the hilt of his Zanpakutō and asserts that the latter should have been praying for him to not make it out alive before revealing that he swore to beat up Urahara if he survived. Noting that this is perfect, Urahara tells him to carry this spirit into lesson three and proclaims that Ichigo passes if he can knock off Urahara's hat with no time limit. Suddenly, Ichigo moves in and slashes upward at Urahara, who notices a slight cut on the brim of his hat and admits that he is impressed by Ichigo getting that close with a broken Zanpakutō. However, when Ichigo confidently declares that he does not need a lack of a time limit anyway because he will finish this in five minutes, a smiling Urahara simply tells him to try as he pulls his own Zanpakutō out of his cane.
065. Collisions [ ]
While 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki informs his sister Rukia Kuchiki of her execution sentence, Ichigo Kurosaki quickly finds the tables turned on him as he begins the third lesson with Kisuke Urahara.
In the Sixth Division prison ward in the Seireitei, as he grips the bars of Rukia Kuchiki 's cell, a stunned Lieutenant Renji Abarai refuses to believe what Captain Byakuya Kuchiki just told him, but Byakuya merely questions if he must repeat himself before reiterating his statement that Rukia has been found guilty of a capital offense and will suffer the ultimate punishment 25 days from now, which is Soul Society 's final decision. Asserting that this is the last time he will speak with Rukia, Byakuya departs while noting that they will next see each other at the gallows. After Byakuya leaves, Renji attempts to convince Rukia to not be sad because they could still change their minds, and when Rukia says that she is not sad while facing away from him in her chair, Renji angrily declares that she is obviously disconsolate while kicking the bars of her cell. However, Rukia simply states that the ruling cannot be overturned because it came from Central 46 and claims it is fine because she knew it would happen from the beginning, but when Renji expresses concern for her, Rukia whips around and declares that she got him, to his confusion. As she stands up, Rukia inquires if Renji really thought capital punishment would upset her and asserts that it only makes escaping more interesting, and upon seeing Renji's expression, Rukia notes that he seems very worried about her before mockingly observing that he should be worried about his strange tattooed eyebrows. Angered by this, Renji proclaims that he could not care less about Rukia and her problems as he claims to be looking forward to her execution before slamming the door to the prison ward behind him as he departs, leaving Rukia to stare solemnly at the sole window in her cell. Outside, Renji mentally berates Rukia for speaking of escape when she is receiving the ultimate punishment and wonders if Byakuya will really allow this to happen.
Elsewhere, as he walks along a corridor, Byakuya is confronted by 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki and 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru, who respectively note that he seems very calm despite the circumstances and praise him for it. When Gin claims that Byakuya is an example to all Shinigami for being imperturbable even when his sister is going to die, Kenpachi wonders if he is joking and asserts that the only Shinigami who are scared of dying are Gin and 9th Division Captain Kaname Tōsen, to Gin's surprise. Byakuya questions what two Captains without their Lieutenants would want with him, and when Gin explains that they thought Byakuya would be sad about his sister's impending execution, Byakuya states that it has nothing to do with them while Kenpachi dismisses the idea of Byakuya being sad because the blood of a criminal only dishonors a distinguished family like his. With Byakuya admitting his surprise at a commoner like Kenpachi understanding the ways of nobility, Kenpachi merely claims to have always been observant and offers to behead Rukia before the execution for Byakuya's sake, only for Byakuya to calmly declare that someone with Kenpachi's skills could not manage this job. However, as Byakuya and Kenpachi further provoke each other, Gin suddenly ties up Kenpachi's body with cloth and moves them both to a nearby rooftop with Shunpo while apologizing to Byakuya, whom he did not intend to anger. With Kenpachi struggling to free himself, Gin asks Byakuya to give his regards to Rukia and moves them both away, leaving Byakuya to resume his walk after a moment's pause.
Back in the Study Chamber underneath the Urahara Shop in Karakura Town, Tessai Tsukabishi climbs out of the Shattered Shaft, and upon being asked if he is alright by a surprised Jinta Hanakari, Tessai claims that he is hardly alright due to his badly cracked glasses, leading Jinta to observe that he is at least in one piece while calling him a monster. Despite this, Jinta tells Tessai to keep his broken glasses on because Kisuke Urahara has drawn his Zanpakutō and Tessai does not want to miss this as he turns back to the fight between Urahara and Ichigo Kurosaki. Upon seeing Urahara cut through a rock with his Zanpakutō, a shaken Ichigo claims this is not bad for Urahara's small sword, leading Urahara to accept this as a compliment before warning Ichigo that he will not go easy on him as he repeatedly slashes around Ichigo while chasing him. While running, Ichigo recalls that only Zanpakutō can harm Shinigami and Hollows, which leads him to believe that he will be fine if he is cut by Urahara's sword because it cannot possibly be a Zanpakutō due to him drawing it from his cane, only for Urahara to immediately prove this wrong by slashing off the remnants of Ichigo's Hollow mask and lightly cutting his head and shoulder, to Ichigo's confusion. Observing that Ichigo let his guard down by assuming that Urahara did not have a Zanpakutō to hurt him with because he is not a Shinigami, Urahara criticizes him for being naive and releases his Shikai, Benihime, which he asserts is very much a Zanpakutō to a shocked Ichigo.
066. The Blade and Me [ ]
After Kisuke Urahara dismantles his broken Zanpakutō, Ichigo Kurosaki finally learns the name of his real Zanpakutō, Zangetsu.
Watching Kisuke Urahara release his Shikai, Benihime, Ichigo Kurosaki recalls 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai releasing his own Shikai, Zabimaru, and criticizing him for thinking he could fight Renji as an equal without being able to ask his own Zanpakutō for its name. When a stunned Ichigo mentions the concept of the Zanpakutō's name, Urahara affirms that each Zanpakutō has a name before asking Benihime if she is ready as he attacks Ichigo, who is slammed into a large rock behind him with enough force to crack and break it apart. Seeing this, Jinta Hanakari joins Tessai Tsukabishi and Ururu Tsumugiya in taking shelter behind another nearby rock as Ichigo hurtles past them. As he regains his footing while sliding backwards, Ichigo sees Urahara emerging in midair from the dust cloud and brings up his damaged Zanpakutō just in time to block Urahara's subsequent attack with what remains of the blade. With Benihime grinding along the blade, Urahara praises Ichigo's courage in blocking Benihime with his broken Zanpakutō instead of running away, only to assert that Benihime is too fierce to be restrained by something like that as he cuts off half of the remaining blade.
Shocked by this, Ichigo begins running away from Urahara while mentally noting the unfairness of Urahara being able to cut through his Zanpakutō. Suddenly, Urahara appears behind Ichigo and reminds him that he said Ichigo's Zanpakutō was too big. Casually leaning back to dodge Ichigo's subsequent upward slash, Urahara explains that it is not filled with Reiryoku and is instead a bloated bag of fluff that happens to be in the shape of a sword, which he asserts is why it shatters so easily as he destroys the remaining blade and half the guard of Ichigo's Zanpakutō with another slash from Benihime. As a speechless Ichigo watches the other half of his Zanpakutō's guard fall off the hilt and onto the ground, Urahara notes that the blade is gone altogether and questions if Ichigo will come at him with only a hilt, though he admits that Ichigo might be able to achieve the goal of knocking his hat off with that. However, Urahara warns Ichigo that this is no longer about courage and warns him that he will kill Ichigo if the latter comes at him with that toy as he exerts his Reiatsu. Intimidated, Ichigo begins fleeing from Urahara while mentally asserting that he will kill him, only for Urahara to swiftly catch up with him and attack. As he leans away, Ichigo is surprised to find another part of his Zanpakutō's hilt severed and resumes running from Urahara, who grabs him by the back of his shihakushō and throws Ichigo on the ground before slashing down at him. Rolling away from this at the last second, Ichigo gets to his feet as he mentally berates himself as a coward beyond all redemption for pathetically and shamefully running away without any resolve whatsoever.
Suddenly, Zangetsu appears before Ichigo and questions why he runs as he brings Ichigo's mind into his inner world. Zangetsu notes that Ichigo still has not called him and asserts that Ichigo should be able to hear it now because only fear is plugging his ears. As Ichigo comes to a stop in the real world and stands up straight, Zangetsu assures him that there is nothing to fear with only one enemy to face down and encourages Ichigo to abandon his fear and advance, as retreating will age him and fear will kill him, before commanding Ichigo to shout his name as Ichigo calls out Zangetsu, causing a torrent of Reiatsu to emanate from the hilt.
067. End of Lessons [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki completes lesson three of Kisuke Urahara 's training while Uryū Ishida, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado complete their own training as well.
When Ichigo Kurosaki stops running from him, Kisuke Urahara also stops in his tracks and stares at him, prompting Jinta Hanakari to express confusion as he peers at them from behind a rock alongside Tessai Tsukabishi and Ururu Tsumugiya. With Ichigo's Reiatsu steadily thrumming outward from him, Urahara assumes a battle stance with his Shikai, Benihime, while Ichigo holds the broken hilt of his Zanpakutō next to his hip as if to sheathe it. As Zangetsu encourages Ichigo to abandon his fear and advance, as retreating will age him and fear will kill him, he commands Ichigo to shout his name as Ichigo calls out Zangetsu, resulting in a torrent of Reiatsu surging from the broken hilt and startling Urahara as Ichigo turns around and unconsciously fires a Getsuga Tenshō. The subsequent energy wave crashes outward between the surrounding rocks, prompting Tessai to shield Jinta and Ururu with his body.
As the dust begins to settle, Jinta peers over the rock and wonders what is happening now while Urahara holds onto his hat and watches Ichigo, who kneels with his Shikai, Zangetsu, embedded in the ground before standing up and pulling it out. Though a puzzled Jinta questions what kind of Zanpakutō this is because there is no hilt or guard, which he feels means it is not shaped like a normal sword at all and makes Ichigo's previous Zanpakutō better, Tessai can stare in shock while Ichigo silently inspects Zangetsu. However, when Urahara steps forward and declares that they can proceed with lesson three now that Ichigo has managed to draw his Zanpakutō, Ichigo holds Zangetsu out to the side and apologizes while assuming that Urahara will evade it as best he can, and when a confused Urahara inquires why he will need to dodge, Ichigo admits that he probably cannot restrain it as the remnants of his bindings burst off his shoulder due to his rising Reiatsu. Alarmed by this, Urahara prepares to protect himself with Chikasumi no Tate as Ichigo brings down Zangetsu and unleashes another, more concentrated Getsuga Tenshō.
In the aftermath, Urahara's hat flies off with almost half of its brim missing as Urahara stands behind Chikasumi no Tate in the wake of Ichigo's attack and admits that he would have lost at least an arm without the shield. Walking over to his hat and picking it up, Urahara dusts it off and declares that Ichigo killed it before putting it back on his head. As he looks over the large ravine created by Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshō, Urahara notes that Ichigo is a scary kid to be able to do this with only one attack before informing a sleeping Ichigo that he has passed the third lesson.
Elsewhere, in the wilderness, a panting Uryū Ishida declares that it is finished as he dissolves his Heilig Bogen and thanks Sōken Ishida while looking at his Sanrei Glove. Meanwhile, in an abandoned building in Karakura Town, Sado destroys a large portion of a wall with an energy blast from his Fullbring, Brazo Derecha de Gigante, leading him and Orihime Inoue to celebrate his success and their readiness to go to Soul Society. Despite this, an irritated Yoruichi Shihōin asserts that they have made a mess and tells Orihime and Sado to run out the back door as sirens approach the building.
068. 最後の夏休み [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado enjoy the fireworks festival in Karakura Town a week before their departure to Soul Society.
On August 1st, the day after Ichigo Kurosaki completes his training with Kisuke Urahara, Keigo Asano welcomes him home and tearfully declares that he was lonely playing video games alone while flinging himself at Ichigo, who merely kicks him in the face as he offhandedly states that it is nice to see Keigo too. When Mizuiro Kojima appears with a golden tan and asks Keigo if he missed him, Keigo angrily throws salt at him while calling him a foreign devil, prompting Mizuiro to complain about how it is making his Phuket tan sting before revealing that he brought Keigo back a coconut as a gift, only for Keigo to declare that he will crack it open using Mizuiro's head. As he watches this in bewilderment, Ichigo mentally notes that he has decided to enjoy what may be his last normal summer vacation while Urahara's crew prepares to open the gate to Soul Society.
At 3:10 P.M. that afternoon, after confirming the time with Mizuiro, Ichigo demands to know why Keigo brought them out to the area they will watch the fireworks from in the middle of the day if the display is not happening until that night, prompting a tearful Keigo to demand to know if Ichigo knows how much he has been looking forward to this day while revealing that he did not sleep at all last night as Ichigo observes that he sounds like a grade school kid before a field trip. Keigo declares that he would have had them meet at 11 P.M. in the morning if he could, leading Ichigo to point out that this would have been last night rather than this morning, and bemoans how he shut himself in his house and played video games he did not even like every day while Ichigo and the others were gone before revealing that he cleared five role-playing games in the last ten days as a stunned Ichigo notes that he seems to have found his calling in life.
Suddenly, Tatsuki Arisawa kicks over Keigo from behind and greets Ichigo and Mizuiro alongside Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado, and while Mizuiro greets them in return, Ichigo expresses shock upon seeing Tatsuki's right arm in a sling and is further incredulous to hear that she only placed 2nd at Nationals. Though Tatsuki merely brushes it off as lame because she would have won were it not for her injury, Keigo and Mizuiro are frightened to be standing in front of the second strongest high school girl in Japan, and when Ichigo wonders what kind of monster could have done this to her, Tatsuki explains that she was actually hit by a car when she went to buy a drink after the semifinals and managed to beat her next opponent with just her left arm before revealing that she had to fight a "gorilla" in the finals, prompting Keigo and Mizuiro to mentally swear that they would not fight such a creature with a bazooka.
Later, as the friends walk through Karakura Town in the evening, Ichigo expresses surprise at how long it took them to just walk to their destination, and upon being told that their destination is the Onose River, Tatsuki points out that they are already here, only for Keigo to claim that they need to keep going because the fireworks are being shot off at the city field across the river while Mizuiro clarifies that they need to go farther down in order to get a good view. Sitting down on the riverbank, Tatsuki asserts that this area is fine because they will get lost in the street vendors and crowds of people if they get too close to the fireworks, prompting Keigo to proclaim that fireworks displays are festivals that are all about going crazy over the fireworks, interacting with the street vendors, and getting aroused by the girls in yukata. As Keigo criticizes Tatsuki and Orihime for coming to watch fireworks in their street clothes because he wanted to see Orihime in a yukata, Ichigo questions if they should check out the vendors for a while, which Mizuiro is not sure of.
Suddenly, Ichigo is startled to hear Isshin Kurosaki yell out to them as he, Karin Kurosaki, and Yuzu Kurosaki run up dressed in kimono and tackle Ichigo, who is sent rolling down the embankment while his friends watch in confusion. Karin and Yuzu offer Ichigo a chocolate-covered banana, and when he refuses to eat it while asking them why they are all the way over here, Yuzu loudly expresses surprise at him not wanting to eat her banana, leading Ichigo to ask her to lower her voice as he wonders if they are drunk. Isshin reveals that he is very drunk, to Ichigo's outrage, and explains that one of the vendors put out a stall of fruit juice that was diluted with sake instead of water, though Isshin assumes it was due to senility while Keigo notes that senility likely had nothing to do with it. While Keigo and Mizuiro realize that Isshin knew exactly what he was drinking, Isshin reveals that he also saved a lot of great seats at 7 A.M. and offers to take the students there, leading Ichigo to observe that this is where he was this morning, and admits that he almost got arrested by the police while trying to set up a raft on the river to watch the fireworks from as Ichigo mentally asserts that they should have thrown him in jail.
After learning that Orihime and Tatsuki will come over later, Isshin runs off with his daughters, Keigo, Mizuiro, and Sado as an exasperated Ichigo notes that he should probably go too. When Ichigo apologizes to her for the chaos and assures her that it is okay if she does not want to come, Tatsuki affirms that she will show up later and tells Ichigo to catch up with them. As Ichigo leaves, Orihime and Tatsuki look out over the river as Orihime cheerfully observes that it has been a while since they were last here. Noting that they come here every fall, Tatsuki reminds Orihime of the time that she found a red dragonfly on this riverbank and ran off after it, only to not come back that night and leave Tatsuki to tearfully look for her for two days. Orihime fondly recalls how a fisherman bought her tasty sushi while she was lost before revealing to Tatsuki that Sora Inoue could catch red dragonflies on his finger by simply pointing at the sky and having one land on it, which she loved and always wanted to do herself but never could.
As she listens to this, Tatsuki notes that Orihime changed how she parts her bangs, and while Orihime claims that she simply felt like a change and wonders why Tatsuki is wearing such a solemn expression, Tatsuki asks her to not go too far away. However, Orihime inquires what she is talking about and asserts that she is simply going to her aunt's house for a while before assuring Tatsuki that she does not want to do so and would much rather hang out with her. While Tatsuki looks at her, Orihime proposes that they come back here and watch red dragonflies again after summer vacation is over, which Tatsuki happily agrees to. Suddenly, fireworks begin exploding in the sky above them, prompting Tatsuki to begin running off while observing that it is not even dark yet and telling Orihime to follow her. As she runs, Orihime mentally assures Tatsuki to not worry because she always feels safe wherever she goes due to Tatsuki always looking for her before asking her to wait if Orihime goes somewhere she cannot find so Orihime can eventually come back to her.
Later that night, Ichigo carries Karin and Yuzu home as they sleep on his back and questions why he has to do it. When a drunk Isshin tells his daughters to enjoy making their brother work like a mule, Ichigo angrily demands to know if he thinks it is funny and turns away as Isshin tearfully claims that he was just kidding and that Ichigo does not need to get upset. As he continues walking, Ichigo reveals that he is going away again in about a week and will not be back until summer vacation is over, prompting Isshin to encourage his solitary journey before requesting that he bring back any cute girls he meets for Isshin. Though Ichigo is visibly doubtful of his capabilities, Isshin assures him that he can look after the house while Ichigo is gone before proclaiming that no harm will befall their family as long as he is around. While Isshin prides himself on having said something cool, Ichigo asserts that he is not worried and declares that he is going.
069. 25:00 gathering [ ]
While researchers at the SRDI examine Rukia Kuchiki 's Gigai, Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends head to the Urahara Shop to begin their journey to Soul Society.
In the SRDI within the Seireitei, Hiyosu watches archival footage of Rukia Kuchiki in her Gigai at Don Kanonji 's Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip taping and observes that it is very well-made as he expresses his hope that it is returned to them soon. Walking up behind Hiyosu, 12th Division 3rd Seat Akon teasingly notes that Hiyosu has been watching this footage for several days and inquires if he is really not bored of it yet, but Hiyosu bluntly asserts that he can look at it all he wants because he found it. Akon admits that they would never have found this Gigai if Hiyosu had not been scouring the Human World 's radio wave broadcasts, only for an irritated Hiyosu to point out that they would already have it back were it not for Akon requesting that the Onmitsukidō investigate it. As Akon assures Hiyosu that it should be returned to them today, a nearby alarm shaped like a caterpillar with a human head begins screaming, leading him to observe that it seems to have arrived as Niko Kuna wheels the Gigai into the room on a gurney.
Laughing with excitement, Hiyosu rips the cloth off the Gigai and praises its perfect condition while admitting that he thought it might have been shaved by the Quarantine Department. As they crowd around the gurney, the other researchers inspect the limbs of the Gigai and observe that it does not have a signature despite being exquisitely crafted. Kuna asserts that no one other than Akon could make something of this quality, but Akon states that he does not remember this Gigai and assumes that it is the work of his Captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi. While another researcher dismisses its creator as irrelevant, Hiyosu extends his eyeball outward on a rod with a crank on the side of his head as he reminds them that they should be thanking him for finding it. Suddenly, Hiyosu expresses surprise, and when Kuna asks him what he found, a shocked Hiyosu tells them to take a closer look at a certain portion of the Gigai. Leaning in, a stunned Akon asserts that this is not Mayuri's work or that of anybody else because nobody should be able to do something like this, but one of the researchers simply states that it is here regardless, prompting Akon to clarify that it exists even though it should not before declaring that whoever made it is definitely no longer in Soul Society. Upon being asked why he believes this with such conviction, Akon proclaims that possession of this level of skill would be enough to banish someone from Soul Society forever.
Meanwhile, in the Study Chamber underneath the Urahara Shop, Kisuke Urahara stands in front of the gateway to Soul Society that he is constructing and notes that it is almost done.
At 1 A.M. on August 8th, in the Kurosaki Clinic, Ichigo Kurosaki sits awake in his bed while looking out the window and recalls Urahara's instructions to do this while asserting that he is getting a bad feeling about this. As he looks out the window and enjoys the breeze, Ichigo is caught off-guard when a large ball bearing a caricature of Urahara on it hurtles toward him and passes through his window before hitting his closet, where it bursts open, releasing a large amount of blood-like liquid. Grossed out by this, Ichigo is shocked when the dripping liquid spells out a message telling him to gather with his friends in front of the Urahara Shop. While Ichigo freaks out about the mess and compares it to a message written by a murder victim with his own blood, the dripping liquid reveals a postscript message that claims anyone who saw the main message and though it was a horror movie cliche has no sense of humor, prompting Ichigo to angrily throw his pillow at the message.
Shortly afterward, Ichigo quietly walks past Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki before reaching the front door, where he bids his family farewell as he opens the door and walks outside. Suddenly, Isshin Kurosaki leaps off the roof of the house and greets Ichigo, who steps aside at the last second as Isshin crashes into the ground where he was standing. After congratulating an incredulous Ichigo for evading his attack, Isshin hands him a small charm and reveals that he wanted to give this to Ichigo before he left. When a confused Ichigo questions what it is, Isshin claims it is a talisman that Masaki Kurosaki gave him a long time ago which will give Ichigo good luck, shocking Ichigo, who asserts that he cannot takes this as Isshin agrees and clarifies that he is only lending it to Ichigo for the trip before requesting that Ichigo return it when he gets back. Seeing Ichigo solemnly contemplate this, Isshin declares that he will shave his beard off if Ichigo loses it, leading Ichigo to question the viability of shaving as a threat. After agreeing to take it, to Isshin's delight, Ichigo runs off into the night.
As he runs down the street, Ichigo crosses paths with Orihime Inoue, who begins running alongside him. Ichigo asks Orihime if she also received a summons from Urahara, and when she confirms this with a strange look on her face, Ichigo inquires what is wrong, only to be baffled when Orihime reveals that she was also told that she has no sense of humor. Explaining that he also got a summons, Ichigo asks Orihime if she is sure that she is going, and after she affirms this, Ichigo smiles and declares that they had better hurry while the two of them continue running. Upon reaching the Urahara Shop, Ichigo and Orihime are surprised to find Yasutora Sado sitting outside and note that he is early. Upon learning that Sado was taking a walk when he got the summons because he could not sleep, Ichigo wonders where he got the summons, only to be shocked to see it written in a nearby alley as he thinks of how the neighbors will react.
When Ichigo wonders where Uryū Ishida is because he had heard the latter was coming too, Orihime assures him that Uryū will be here soon enough, but Sado asserts that he is not coming, to Orihime's surprise and irritation, before explaining that he believes it may be for the best because Uryū is the most complicated and fragile out of all of them. However, Uryū inquires who Sado is speaking of as he steps forward and clarifies that he said he was training because he could not accept losing to the Shinigami. As Uryū declares that he is ready for a rematch and will go wherever he has to for it, Orihime thanks him for coming along, prompting a mildly embarrassed Uryū to claim that this has nothing to do with Rukia. Uryū asserts that Ichigo will see how much stronger he has become when they get to Soul Society, but Ichigo focuses on him walking all the way to the Urahara Shop in his new outfit, which Uryū defends the appearance of. In the middle of this, Urahara walks up and greets Ichigo and his friends as he opens the doors to his shop. Detailing how he will explain the method for traveling to Soul Society inside, Urahara warns them to listen carefully or risk not making it there alive.
070. Where Hollows Fear To Tread [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends begin their journey to Soul Society to rescue Rukia Kuchiki.
Inside the Study Chamber underneath the Urahara Shop, Orihime Inoue and her friends look around as she expresses amazement at how large it is and how it feels like a secret base, to Ichigo Kurosaki 's confusion, prompting Tessai Tsukabishi to tearfully thank Orihime for her kind words. Watching this, Ichigo notes that Orihime has a gift for making friends with people she just met and is the opposite of Yasutora Sado and Uryū Ishida, the latter of whom questions why Ichigo is looking at him like this. After drawing their attention, Kisuke Urahara asks them to pay attention and snaps his fingers, causing four large rectangular pillars wrapped in tags to emerge at 90-degree angles from the space behind him and slide into place with each other, forming a gate. As he explains that this is a Senkaimon leading to Soul Society, Urahara requests that they listen carefully because he is going to tell them how to pass through this gate without dying.
Urahara pushes Ichigo's Soul out of his body with his Gokon Tekkō -tipped cane, to the amazement of Orihime, Sado, and Uryū, who begin examining his lifeless body. While Uryū observes that the two are separated quite easily, Orihime asks Ichigo if he is really no longer in his body anymore, which Ichigo confirms before inquiring why they are touching his body. Suddenly, Kon pops out from behind Ichigo's shoulder and tells them to stop touching it because it is going to be his body for a while, shocking Ichigo. As Kon assures Orihime that she can touch it as much as she wants, Ichigo demands to know what he is doing here, prompting Kon to declare that he is going as well while Orihime and Uryū are left speechless over seeing a talking stuffed animal. Though Kon asserts that he will not let Ichigo leave him behind and is going to Soul Society no matter what, he quickly begins screaming in terror when Sado picks him up by the head and recalls their first encounter. While Kon questions why Sado is here, Urahara calls out to the group and reveals that he is going to explain the gate.
Detailing how the gate is comprised of both a Senkaimon and a Reishi Henkan-Ki, which converts Reishi, Urahara states that the two are attached by covering the gate with Ketsugō-Fu, which act as a binding agent. When Ichigo picks up on his mention of Reishi conversion, Urahara reminds them that Soul Society is a world of Souls and cannot be entered without being a Soul before pointing out that only Ichigo can move about as a Soul, as the rest of them would be attached to their bodies by Chains of Fate if their Souls were pushed out and would barely be able to move as a result. Urahara reveals that this is where the Reishi Henkan-Ki comes in by converting Kishi, the matter that makes up most things in the Human World, into Reishi, which is the main component of Souls. Considering this, Uryū concludes that they can enter Soul Society exactly as they are now by simply walking through the gate even without removing their Souls, which Urahara confirms. Though Ichigo asserts that he understands and that they can proceed, Urahara jabs him in the side with his cane and prepares to move on to the most important point.
While Ichigo leans against a rock in pain, Urahara assures them that passing through the gate itself is not a problem because the Reishi conversion is painless and will allow them to reach Soul Society if they keep moving forward. However, Urahara clarifies that the problem is time and details how the Senkaimon can only remain open and connected to Soul Society for up to four minutes at most, shocking Ichigo and his friends, who are further stunned when Urahara reveals that still traveling when the gate closes will result in them being trapped in the Dangai forever. As he adds that the Dangai also has a restrictive current called the Kōryū which paralyzes Souls in order to prevent the entry of Hollows and other foreign invaders, Urahara asserts that any of them getting a limb caught in it reduces the possibility of passing through the Dangai within the time span to nearly zero.
With Orihime questioning how they can get through like this, Yoruichi Shihōin finishes her sentence for her and reminds Orihime of how the heart and soul are connected, with the state of the heart being crucial. Yoruichi tells Orihime and her friends that the will to go forward will be their guide and instructs them to simply go forward while casting aside all fear, not looking back, and not thinking of those they are leaving behind. When Yoruichi states that those who can do this should follow, Ichigo steps forward while his friends remain silent and declares that Yoruichi is wasting time because all their minds were made up the moment they arrived. Despite Yoruichi warning him that he will never return to the Human World if he loses, Ichigo proclaims that he will just have to win, which Yoruichi affirms.
Urahara and Tessai begin charging up the gate to open the Senkaimon, with Urahara instructing Ichigo and his friends to run in as soon as it opens. As a bound and gagged Kon struggles to free himself, Ichigo instructs him to take care of his family before leaping into the gate alongside his friends and Yoruichi, where they find themselves in a realm of dripping sludge littered with bones and a path to a rectangular opening in front of them. While they realize that this is the Dangai, Yoruichi berates them for standing around while the Kōryū is approaching. Outside, Urahara touches the gate, which repels and burns his hand, and while Ichigo and his friends begin running through the Dangai, Urahara asserts that it is all up to him now.
Bleach, Volume 9
071. INTRUDERZ [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends enter Soul Society, but find their entry into the Seireitei cut off as Jidanbō Ikkanzaka confronts them.
In the Seireitei in Soul Society, several alarm tiles slot into place as a voice declares that a distortion has been detected in the western Rukongai and alerts the Shinigami in areas three through eight, prompting a shocked 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai to wonder what is going on as he stands with Rikichi Yuki.
Within the Dangai, while Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, Uryū Ishida, and Yoruichi Shihōin run through the encroaching current, Uryū frantically observes that the walls behind them are crumbling and collapsing. Yoruichi warns them to not look back because they are all done for if the Kōryū swallows the group, only for part of the collapsing wall to snag Uryū's cape, pulling him back. Seeing this, Ichigo berates Uryū for wearing such a costume and prepares to draw his Shikai, Zangetsu, but Yoruichi reveals that swinging his Zanpakutō will only result in both him and Uryū being swallowed up because the Kōryū entangles all spiritual entities. However, as Ichigo questions what he is supposed to do in this scenario, Sado grabs Uryū's cape with his bare hand and rips it off, to the latter's relief, before hoisting Uryū onto his shoulder and resuming his running, to Ichigo's bewilderment.
Suddenly, as he protests Sado carrying him like this, Uryū notices something happening in the Kōryū and informs his friends that something is coming as the Kōtotsu bursts out of the Kōryū behind them. A startled and panicking Yoruichi explains that the Kōtotsu is a cleaner which appears every seven days and wonders why it had to show up now while instructing the group to run for their lives. Continuing to run ahead, Ichigo and his friends see that they have almost reached the exit, but Uryū reveals that the Kōtotsu has almost caught up to them, prompting Orihime to stop in her tracks and face the Kōtotsu as she uses Santen Kesshun in an attempt to stop the cleaner.
Outside the exit from the Dangai, in the air above the Rukongai, the exit explodes with energy and force as Ichigo and his friends are sent hurtling toward the ground below. The dust settles to reveal Orihime, who has caught her friends and absorbed the impact of the fall with another Santen Kesshun, as she cheerfully asks everyone else if they are alright. As Orihime praises Ichigo's landing pose of mid-somersault, her friends sit up while Uryū takes out another cape and bemoans having to already replace his due to the unexpected intensity of the trip, leaving Ichigo and Sado incredulous at him bringing a spare. However, as Orihime expresses relief at no one being hurt, Yoruichi angrily headbutts her and details how Orihime risked being killed by the Kōtotsu had her Shun Shun Rikka themselves been touched by it rather than the Santen Kesshun they created. Ichigo counters by pointing out how they would all be dead if Orihime had not intervened, though an irritated Yoruichi merely asserts that he fails to understand the gravity of the situation.
When the dust around them clears to reveal a rural-looking town, Ichigo questions if this is really Soul Society, prompting Yoruichi to clarify that this is the slum town known as Rukongai that lies outside of the Seireitei and is where Souls come to live when they first enter Soul Society. While Yoruichi states that it is the poorest and freest part of Soul Society where the majority of Souls live, Uryū observes that it looks deserted, which Ichigo affirms before noticing that the town nearby looks totally different. Realizing that this is where the Shinigami live, Ichigo begins running toward it so he can be the first one to enter, but Yoruichi frantically warns him that he will die if he gets close. Suddenly, dozens of enormous slabs of Sekkiseki drop down around the Seireitei and in front of Ichigo, creating a massive wall with an equally large gate barricading the city. With a startled Ichigo coughing in the resulting dust cloud, Jidanbō Ikkanzaka rises up behind him and notes that it has been a while since someone tried to pass through his gate without a permit as he welcomes Ichigo.
072. The Superchunk [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki begins fighting Jidanbō Ikkanzaka one-on-one to demonstrate the results of his training.
Within the Seireitei, now barricaded by its Sekkiseki wall, several assembled Shinigami look at the closed gate and note that the Ryoka have fallen outside, which means they cannot do anything about the intrusion. However, 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi points out that this simply means they will have to deal with Jidanbō Ikkanzaka, who slams the handle of a large axe into the ground next to Ichigo Kurosaki outside the wall and requests that the latter show him what he can do.
Watching this from afar, Uryū Ishida stands with Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado as he expresses shock at Jidanbō's inhuman size. Yoruichi Shihōin explains that Jidanbō is the gatekeeper of the White Way Gate and was chosen out of all the giants in Soul Society for this job, and when Uryū observes that this must mean they have to defeat him in order to enter, Yoruichi affirms this and reveals that no one has ever gotten past Jidanbō in the 300 years he has been guarding this gate because of his legendary strength that allows him to kill 30 Hollows with a single swing of his axe, unnerving Uryū, who wonders how they are supposed to defeat such a foe. Despite planning to use their wits to form a plan and have Ichigo retreat for now, Yoruichi is shocked to see Orihime and Sado running forward to help Ichigo in his fight. However, upon noticing this, Jidanbō slams his axe into the ground in front of Orihime and Sado, upturning it to form a barrier, to the amazement of Uryū, before explaining that cities like the Seireitei have rules requiring those who enter to wash their hands when they go inside, not eat things off the floor, and keep all fights one-on-one.
Jidanbō asserts that he will be fighting Ichigo because the latter got here first and asks the others to wait patiently until he is finished smashing Ichigo because they must follow the rules when they come to the city. When Sado quietly tells Orihime to fire Tsubaki at Jidanbō through a hole he is about to make in the upturned rock, Jidanbō whips his head around and inquires who Tsubaki is, shocking them with his hearing. Calling out to Orihime and Sado, Ichigo assures them that he is fine, but when Orihime begins to promise that they will reach him in a second, Ichigo asks her and Sado to stay put and not do anything, to her confusion. Uryū refuses to do this and claims that Ichigo could not possibly beat Jidanbō by himself regardless of what kind of training he underwent during the past ten days, leading Ichigo to admit that he did not know Uryū was there, further irritating the latter as he points out that he has been here the whole time. Meanwhile, Sado merely asks Ichigo if he can do it, and Ichigo states that he thinks so, though Uryū declares that this is not good enough while banging on the rock wall.
Bringing up Uryū's mention of not knowing what kind of training he went through, Ichigo explains that he managed to regain his Shinigami powers in just five days despite originally planning to spend all ten days doing so before revealing that he spent the remaining five days fighting against Kisuke Urahara day and night. Uryū assumes that Urahara taught him the secrets of combat, but Ichigo denies this because Urahara would not directly teach him anything as he draws his Shikai, Zangetsu, and proclaims that he gained stamina and guts because of how tough the training was. As Ichigo faces him, Jidanbō inquires if he is done talking, prompting Ichigo to observe that he did not ask Jidanbō to wait for him. Jidanbō states that Ichigo's bad manners must mean he is from the country and declares that he is supposed to thank someone who waits for him as he slams his axe down into Ichigo. However, as he braces himself against the resulting shockwave, Sado recalls Urahara's assertion that Ichigo does not know how to control his extraordinary powers and notes that what Urahara gave Ichigo was just as important as the secrets of combat or stamina. While Sado mentally asserts that Ichigo gaining experience in order to match the Shinigami would make him incredibly strong, the dust settles to reveal Ichigo casually blocking Jidanbō's axe with a one-handed grip on Zangetsu, and when the latter demands to know what he is in astonishment, Ichigo simply states that Jidanbō attacked before he was ready and inquires if this is not bad manners as well.
073. Drizzly Axes [ ]
Proving his heightened power and strength, Ichigo Kurosaki concludes the fight with Jidanbō Ikkanzaka.
Staring in astonishment as Ichigo Kurosaki holds back his giant axe with a one-handed grip on his Shikai, Zangetsu, Jidanbō Ikkanzaka suddenly begins laughing, slightly blowing back a startled Ichigo with the resulting air force, as Uryū Ishida, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado listen from behind the rock wall obscuring their view of the fight with confusion. Jidanbō praises Ichigo's performance, as it has been decades since anyone has been able to block his axe, and decides that he no longer needs to hold back today before asserting that no one has ever stopped his second move even if Ichigo is only the third person to ever block his first swing. When Jidanbō brings down his axe with tremendous force once more, Ichigo nonchalantly blocks it again, leading Jidanbō to commend him for continuing to stand as he initiates Juppon Jidanda Matsuri, where he repeatedly smashes his axe down onto Ichigo while counting to 10, to the shock of those watching. However, Jidanbō loses count of his strikes and ends up performing extra attacks before concluding his assault with a horizontal slash, dragging his axe through the Sekkiseki wall and gate behind him beforehand to build up power, that levels the rock barricade he erected between Ichigo and his friends.
As Ichigo's friends shield themselves against the resulting shockwave and chunks of rock hurtling past them, Jidanbō is flabbergasted to see Ichigo effortlessly blocking his final strike by holding Zangetsu vertically over his left side, with his right arm over his head and his left hand bracing the blade. While Jidanbō wonders how he can still be standing and Orihime expresses relief at him being okay, Ichigo inquires if he is done and prepares to initiate his own attack, prompting Jidanbō to nervously claim that he has another move left while withdrawing a second axe from within his shihakushō with his free hand, to the surprise of Uryū and Orihime. Crossing his two axes above his head, Jidanbō grunts with exertion as his arm muscles swell in size and proclaims that this is his final move, Banzai Jidanda Matsuri, before bringing both axes down on Ichigo simultaneously, only for the latter to apologize in advance before destroying Jidanbō's axes with a single swing of Zangetsu.
074. Armlost, Armlost [ ]
Considering himself utterly defeated by Ichigo Kurosaki, Jidanbō Ikkanzaka agrees to open the gate for him and his friends.
With his two axes shattered by Ichigo Kurosaki 's Shikai, Zangetsu, Jidanbō Ikkanzaka can only watch in shock as he is sent flying back by the force of Ichigo's attack. As Jidanbō falls on his back in front of the gate, a stunned Uryū Ishida wonders what Ichigo did, and while Orihime Inoue watches alongside him, Yasutora Sado theorizes that Jidanbō may be knocked out. Hearing this, Jidanbō leaps to his feet and claims that he merely slipped before berating Ichigo for assuming he was strong enough to knock out Jidanbō. However, as he prepares to resume the fight, Jidanbō realizes that his axe blades have been shattered, leading him to hunch over and begin weeping for his broken axes, to the bewilderment of Ichigo and his friends.
When Ichigo apologizes for breaking both axes unnecessarily, Jidanbō tearfully calls him a nice guy for feeling sorry despite the two of them being enemies and praises Ichigo as having a big heart, though Ichigo claims that he did not have any choice with Jidanbō crying so heavily. Jidanbō chastises himself for crying over a couple broken axes and proclaims that he has been utterly defeated by Ichigo as both a warrior and a man before authorizing Ichigo to pass through the gate as the first man to beat him in 300 years, to Ichigo's delight. Upon Orihime asking him if she and her friends can pass through as well, Jidanbō affirms this on the grounds that he cannot stop them because their leader beat him, leaving Uryū incredulous at the idea of Ichigo being their leader, to Ichigo's confusion. After Ichigo tells him his full name, Jidanbō comments that "Ichigo" is a cute name due to it sounding like "Strawberry", though Ichigo vehemently asserts that it is not cute because the kanji stand for "first place" and "guardian".
Jidanbō warns Ichigo to be careful regardless of why he is entering because there are a lot of powerful combatants inside the Seireitei, and when Ichigo confidently states that he knows this, Jidanbō acknowledges his resolve and leans down to begin lifting up the gate while promising Ichigo and his friends that it simply looks harder than it actually is. Sliding his hands underneath the bottom of the gate, Jidanbō grunts in exertion as the gate begins rumbling and, with great effort, lifts it above his head, to the amazement of Ichigo and his friends. However, as he notices that Jidanbō has stopped and is now staring nervously ahead, Ichigo sees 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru standing on the other side of the gate and inquires who he is, prompting Jidanbō to identify him. Gin claims that this will not do and severs Jidanbō's left arm with his Shikai, Shinsō, before asserting that a gatekeeper is not meant to open gates.
075. 血雨 [ ]
3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru prevents Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends from entering the Seireitei.
As his severed arm lands on the roof of one of the houses in the Rukongai behind him, a heavily bleeding Jidanbō Ikkanzaka roars in pain as Ichigo Kurosaki and Uryū Ishida wonder what 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru just did. With Gin serenely standing as blood spurts around him, Jidanbō is forced to crouch with his remaining arm holding up the gate right next to his head by his loss of strength, prompting Gin to admit his surprise at Jidanbō still being able to hold up the gate with just one arm and assert that this means he really is Soul Society 's strongest giant before calling him a failure as a gatekeeper. Approaching from behind Ichigo and his friends, Yoruichi Shihōin identifies Gin, who was not expected to show up, and nervously asserts that they must avoid fighting him at all costs because Ichigo and his friends are not ready to face a captain.
Jidanbō attempts to explain to Gin that he is opening the gate because he lost to Ichigo, but Gin merely notes that no one seems to have told Jidanbō how this works before claiming that a gatekeeper does not open gates because they are supposed to die if they lose. Suddenly, Ichigo leaps forward and attacks Gin, who blocks with his Zanpakutō and expresses mild surprise as he pushes Ichigo back. With Yoruichi left incredulous by his action, Ichigo points his Shikai, Zangetsu, at Gin and demands to know why he is involving himself in a fight that is already over. After requesting that Orihime Inoue tend to Jidanbō's arm, which she affirms, Ichigo tells Gin to fight him instead because only a coward would butcher a defenseless giant before promising to cut Gin up, only for Gin to grin and wonder if Ichigo is really not scared of him at all. As Ichigo denies this, Yoruichi frantically calls out to him and asserts that they need to retreat, which Ichigo protests.
Picking up on Yoruichi's mention of Ichigo's name, Gin observes that he has orange hair and a gigantic sword, which leads him to state that he must be Ichigo Kurosaki, to the latter's surprise. As Gin walks away and declares that this is just another reason to not let him in, Ichigo wonders why he is walking so far away and inquires if he is going to throw his wakizashi, Gin reveals that this is actually his Zanpakutō and releases his Shikai, Shinsō, which causes the blade of his Zanpakutō to rapidly extend forward. Upon seeing this, Ichigo blocks the blade with the broad side of Zangetsu, but is propelled backward into Jidanbō, sending both of them flying out into the Rukongai, and as Ichigo's friends rush to his side, the gate crashes back down while Gin bids them farewell.
076. Boarrider Comin' [ ]
Orihime Inoue and the denizens of the Rukongai tend to Jidanbō Ikkanzaka while Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends learn how the Rukongai operates.
Seeing Ichigo Kurosaki lying on the ground next to an unconscious Jidanbō Ikkanzaka, who is still bleeding from his severed arm, Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryū Ishida rush over to him while wondering if he is okay, only for Ichigo to startle them by suddenly sitting up and yelling in pain. While Ichigo wonders who 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru was and admits that he could have been killed, Orihime notes that he does not seem to be injured as Uryū observes that Ichigo must have emerged unscathed by blocking the attack with his Shikai, Zangetsu, which he considers amazing. Yoruichi Shihōin approaches Ichigo and expresses relief that he is not hurt, and when Ichigo apologizes about causing the gate to be closed, Yoruichi asks him to not blame himself because Gin being on the other side means that they would not have been able to get through that way anyway and Ichigo not being harmed is enough.
However, the group is interrupted when dozens of Rukongai villagers come out and stare at them apprehensively. When Ichigo and his friends wonder who they are and if they were hiding before, Yoruichi details how Souls like Ichigo and his friends who have illegally entered Soul Society without a Shinigami escort are called Ryoka and considered the principle source of problems within Soul Society, which is why the denizens of Rukongai are wary of strangers, though Yoruichi admits that these may be friendly because they showed themselves to begin with. Suddenly, Yūichi Shibata pushes his way through the crowd and calls out to Sado, who is shocked alongside Ichigo to see the boy once trapped in a parakeet.
Shortly afterward, as five of the villagers push and pull Jidanbō's severed arm up to its stump on his shoulder, Orihime uses Sōten Kisshun to begin healing and reattaching it while another villager explains to Ichigo that Jidanbō has always been kind to them because he is from the Rukongai even though the Shinigami are just a bunch of bullies, which makes Ichigo good in their eyes for standing up for Jidanbō. Meanwhile, Sado walks with Yūichi on his shoulders and notes that the latter seems to like it here, only to be surprised when Yūichi mentions having a nice family as well. Hironari Horiuchi runs up to the pair and tells Yūichi that their mother and father will be worried if they do not get back soon. When Sado inquires who he is, Yūichi identifies Hironari as his big brother, and with Sado confused over the two of them having different last names, Hironari clarifies that most people in the Rukongai choose to live in families comprised of strangers because of how hard it is to find their actual family members in such a large area. Informing Sado that the Shinigami do not reunite families, Hironari details how the Souls who come to the Rukongai are sent in a different direction based on when they died and would not even know what district their relatives were sent to unless they committed collective suicide and received a numbered ticket together, which unnerves Sado in its business-like structure. Further shocked to learn that Hironari himself died in 1947 in Yamanashi, Sado asks Yūichi if this means he has still not found his mother, and when Yūichi sadly confirms this, Sado assures him that he will succeed one day, which cheers Yūichi up.
That night, as she continues to heal Jidanbō's arm, a visibly fatigued Orihime asks Shun'ō and Ayame if they are okay and promises that it will not take much longer. Recalling Ichigo as an elegant and powerful prince for his earlier actions, Orihime resolves to keep going, only to be startled when Ichigo offers her a cup of water. An unnerved Ichigo apologizes for scaring her and suggests that she should rest inside one of the nearby homes soon, and when she assures him that it will not take much longer, Ichigo observes that she has been out here for a long time, leading her to admit that healing someone from Soul Society is different than healing a regular Human. Upon learning that it will take five more hours to finish healing Jidanbō, Ichigo points out that this is the length of three soccer games and will cause Orihime to collapse. Suddenly, several villagers appear to insist that Orihime rest while they finish up because she has done enough. After agreeing to take a break while downplaying her efforts, Orihime heads inside with Ichigo as the villagers comment on her kindness and physical beauty.
Inside the nearby house, Uryū notes that Orihime must be exhausted when she and Ichigo walk inside before Yoruichi invites them to discuss their next plan of action. After recounting what has already transpired, Yoruichi explains that they can no longer enter through the White Way Gate due to the Shinigami increasing security on the other side in reaction to it being opened, and when Uryū concludes that a frontal assault on the gate would be foolhardy now, an irritated Yoruichi condemns it as a plan in the first place while indicating that it was Ichigo's idea before affirming that entering through the White Way Gate is impossible now. Sado brings up the possibility of using one of the other gates instead, but Yoruichi reveals that it is a ten-day walk to the next one, which is time they do not have, and with Uryū wondering what choice they have, Yoruichi asserts that they simply will not use the gates at all, shocking Ichigo and his friends. When Yoruichi asks him if he knows where Kūkaku Shiba is, the elder sitting with them in the room is shocked by the mention of her as Yoruichi recalls how Kūkaku was last living in west Fugai and tends to move around a lot. With the elder questioning if Yoruichi really intends to go over the wall surrounding the Seireitei in "that thing", a confused Ichigo hears the sound of approaching footsteps and is surprised alongside his friends when Ganju Shiba is thrown into the room, knocking down the door in the process. While Ichigo and the others express shock upon seeing Bonnie in the doorway, Ganju casually notes that Bonnie threw him again and greets the elder, who demands to know what he is doing here. Though he chides the elder for greeting an old friend like this, Ganju's attitude quickly changes when he sees Ichigo, and as the latter inquires what he is looking at, Ganju takes off his goggles and demands to know what a Shinigami is doing here.
077. 俺様の名はガンジュ [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki begins fighting Ganju Shiba, a resident of the Rukongai who hates Shinigami.
A belligerent Ganju Shiba demands to know why Ichigo Kurosaki, a Shinigami, is here as he grabs Ichigo's face, only for an irritated Ichigo to send him flying across the room with a punch to the face, to the shock of his friends watching. Skidding across the floor, Ganju sits up and angrily wonders if Ichigo is picking a fight, but Ichigo points out that Ganju is the one who picked a fight by antagonizing him for no reason and questioning who he is. While Orihime Inoue nervously tries to stop a fight from breaking out, the elder in the room notes that he knew it would come to this, leading Uryū Ishida to ask him who Ganju is. Surprised that Ichigo does not know who he is and stating his name, Ganju declares that he is the self-proclaimed deep-red bullet of west Rukongai and the self-proclaimed but universally acknowledged boss of west Rukongai as the elder asserts that he is also the self-proclaimed number-one Shinigami hater of west Rukongai, shocking Ichigo and his friends with all of these titles being self-proclaimed.
Ganju tackles Ichigo, sending them both flying out of the house onto the ground outside, and when Uryū and Orihime attempt to follow him and help, they are confronted by Ganju's Gang, where Taichi Miyamoto instructs them to not mess with their boss while Kenji Yamashita warns them that they will have to deal with the gang if they attempt to help Ichigo, though Orihime and Uryū are more startled by the fact that all of them are riding boars. As Ganju tells him to get out and proclaims that no Shinigami will ever set foot in west Rukongai while he is around, Ichigo merely kicks him in the face to put distance between them and asks that Ganju hear him out before they continue this, though Ganju is focused on how Ichigo hit him in the face twice. When Yoruichi Shihōin tells him to stop wasting energy on this pointless fight, Ichigo refuses to do so because Ganju started it, leading Yoruichi to mentally berate him for being willing to ruin everything over his pride. Realizing that Ichigo will not leave voluntarily, Ganju decides that they will have to fight for real as he draws his short sword, and though the elder tries to assure him that Ichigo is a good Shinigami, Ganju denies this being possible because all Shinigami are equally bad, to the elder's concern. With Ganju rushing at Ichigo, Uryū realizes that Ichigo does not have his Zanpakutō on-hand, and as Orihime prepares to protect him with Santen Kesshun, to Taichi's ire, Yasutora Sado throws Ichigo's Shikai, Zangetsu, at him.
Thanking Sado, Ichigo unwraps Zangetsu, prompting Ganju to comment on its size as he slashes horizontally at Ichigo, who blocks by stabbing Zangetsu into the ground in front of him and intercepting perpendicularly. However, Ganju asserts that it is not always size that counts and moves his foot around the ground near Zangetsu before using Seppa, which causes the ground to turn into sand, and shoving Zangetsu down into the sand up to its handle, trapping it and shocking Ichigo. With Uryū realizing that he turned the ground into sand, Ganju kicks Ichigo in the head, causing him to hurtle several feet away while bouncing off the ground before bringing himself to a stop. Ichigo observes that Ganju is using a strange technique, and when Ganju kicks him again, Ichigo intercepts by blocking his foot with one arm and grabbing his pant leg with the other before pulling a surprised Ganju down and hitting him in the face with the side of his fist. With Ganju bruised by this, Ichigo asks him if that stings and reveals that he could even beat Tatsuki Arisawa at karate until junior high. Angered by this, Ganju attempts to slash downward at Ichigo, who guards by blocking Ganju's wrist with his own and pulls Ganju inward by the wrist before unleashing a powerful blow directly to his face. However, though he suffers a bloody nose from this, Ganju remains standing, leaving a stunned Ichigo to admit that he is tough for doing so after being hit with everything Ichigo had. Suddenly, as Ganju prepares to resume the fight, he and his gang hear a loud alarm, causing Taichi to panic.
078. meeT iT aT basemenT [ ]
After Ganju Shiba is forced to retreat, Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends travel to Kūkaku Shiba 's house.
Inspecting the ringing clock on Taichi Miyamoto 's back, Mitsuru Ishino frantically tells Ganju Shiba that it is 9 P.M., prompting a shocked Ganju to call out to Bonnie, who leaps over a stunned Ichigo Kurosaki and tackles Ganju. As he observes that Bonnie is still playing games, Ganju claims that they do not have time for this tonight and requests that she let him ride her. Ichigo assumes they are running away, but Ganju denies this and tells Ichigo to wait here until he returns. When Ganju calls him a dandelion and mockingly asks him to not turn to fluff in the wind, an irritated Ichigo attempts to turn this back on him, but Ganju and his gang disappear into the distance on the backs of their boars while they argue about setting the timer earlier, leaving Uryū Ishida to clap Ichigo on the shoulder in solidarity over Ganju's strange actions while Orihime Inoue wonders if they are gone and an angered Ichigo demands to know who Ganju was.
The next day, Uryū is shocked to learn that Ichigo is not coming with them, and when Ichigo stubbornly asserts that he is staying here until Ganju comes back, Uryū attempts to pull him out of the house by force while telling him to stop being a jerk and declaring that it does not matter if Ganju thinks he is a coward. Upon seeing Orihime poke her head in while stating that she and Yasutora Sado are waiting for them, Uryū asks her to help him peel Ichigo off the floor. Suddenly, as Ichigo demands to know who Uryū is calling an idiot, Yoruichi Shihōin uses three claws to scratch him across his face and the bridge of his nose, leaving Ichigo to howl in pain and lie on the ground as Yoruichi berates him for forgetting that they came here to save Rukia Kuchiki in the heat of his rivalry with Ganju. With Ichigo calmed down by this, Yoruichi declares that they have no time for his games and headbutts him to make sure that he understands.
Some time later, as he and his friends walk through the plains on the outskirts of the Rukongai, Ichigo questions if this is really the right way given how far they are from the village, prompting an irritated Uryū to assert that the map which the elder gave them points to the location being around here and suggest that Ichigo take the lead if he believes that he can do better. While Ichigo claims that he is not complaining, Orihime points out that Kūkaku Shiba knowing the only way to get into the Seireitei without using the gates would make them such a great person that they should be living in town like a celebrity, which Uryū concedes is a good point, but Yoruichi denies this and explains that the surrounding area being so quiet and deserted better fits Kūkaku's personality. Detailing how Kūkaku always builds a recognizable house despite frequently changing residences, Yoruichi assures them that they will know which house is hers at a glance before seeing it in the distance as Ichigo and his friends gaze in shock at Kūkaku's house, which features two giant stone arms holding up a banner with her name on it and a large spire behind the house itself. While Yoruichi cheerfully affirms that Kūkaku's house can be recognized with one glance, Ichigo and Uryū wonder how else Yoruichi has misled them about Kūkaku and declare that Kūkaku could not live in town because all the neighbors would throw a fit. Yoruichi notes that the banner is being held by a pair of arms this time, leading a stunned Ichigo and Uryū to question if it is always something different, and casually begins approaching while Ichigo and Uryū fret over going into such a strange-looking house and express relief that no one else is around to see it.
While they approach, Uryū assumes that the spire behind the house is a smokestack and wonders why it is so large for such a small house before noticing that its top is covered, the purpose of which he does not understand. Suddenly, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko appears before the group and demand to know who they are before declaring that they will not let Ichigo's group through due to their strange appearance. Though Ichigo expresses exasperation at having to fight more gatekeepers as he grips the handle of his Shikai, Zangetsu, Koganehiko is surprised when Yoruichi steps forward. Shortly afterward, with Shiroganehiko guarding the front door, Koganehiko leads Ichigo and his friends down the stairs inside the building as he apologizes to Yoruichi for not realizing the others were Yoruichi's attendants. While Uryū observes the strange layout of the house, with the stairs starting right behind the front door and no visible way to reach the second floor, Yoruichi brushes off Koganehiko's mistake and apologizes for not notifying them in advance, prompting Koganehiko to commend Yoruichi for such a gracious response. As they reach the bottom of the stairs, Koganehiko asks Ichigo and the others to wait for a moment and approaches the sliding doors to the next room, where Kūkaku calls out and asks him if he has brought an interesting guest. When Kūkaku tells him to come in, a startled Koganehiko complies and opens the sliding doors to reveal Kūkaku, who lounges on some pillows and a rug in the center of the room as she greets Yoruichi.
Ichigo and his friends are shocked to learn Kūkaku is a woman, and as Kūkaku wonders who they are, Yoruichi reveals that they have come to ask her a favor, which Kūkaku observes is usually the case when Yoruichi shows up. After Yoruichi confirms her guess that there is trouble, Kūkaku notes that they have not had an exchange like this for a while and tells Yoruichi to relay their story, as she loves trouble. Soon afterward, having been informed of the situation, Kūkaku states that she understands and agrees to help them, to Yoruichi's surprise. Claiming that she cannot say no when Kisuke Urahara is involved, Kūkaku clarifies that she trusts Yoruichi but not Ichigo and his friends, which is why she is assigning a man to oversee the operation. As Yoruichi confirms that this is fine, Ichigo picks up on Kūkaku mentioning a man, prompting her to clarify that he is her little brother and a useless brat as she walks over to another set of sliding doors. Kūkaku tells her brother that she is going to open the doors and orders him to behave himself, and after he assures her that he is ready, Kūkaku opens the doors to reveal Ganju, who politely introduces himself and declares that it is a pleasure to make their acquaintance, but Ichigo can only stare in stunned silence alongside his friends before screaming in surprise simultaneously with Ganju, leading a startled Kūkaku to wonder if they know each other.
079. FOURTEEN DAYS FOR CONSPIRACY [ ]
After transferring Rukia Kuchiki to her new cell due to her approaching execution date, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai is taken aside by 5th Division Captain Sousuke Aizen while Kūkaku Shiba introduces the Ryoka to the Kakaku Taihō.
In the prison ward within the Sixth Division barracks in the Seireitei, Rukia Kuchiki stares at the window in her cell, and when she hears the cell door opening behind her, Rukia turns and asks 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai if the date of her execution has been moved up, only for the latter, accompanied by four members of the Kidō Corps, to reveal that she is being transferred to the Shishinrō within Senzaikyū because she is going to be executed in less than 14 days. Soon afterward, Rukia walks along a bridge, with the four members of the Kidō Corps binding and obscuring her head with a veil, while Renji guides her to Senzaikyū. Inside the Shishinrō, as the guards release her bindings and kneel, Rukia stares solemnly out the window as Renji directs her attention to the Sōkyoku on Sōkyoku Hill, which he asserts will be the instrument to end her life. One of the guards explains that Rukia may stare out this window each day and repent for her crimes, which is why this prison is known as the "Palace of Penitence", before untying the restraints binding her wrists. As the Kidō Corps members thank Renji for helping them escort Rukia and assert that they must leave, Renji hesitates in joining them and rushes back to Rukia, whom he informs of five Ryoka entering Soul Society the previous day before revealing that one of them was a Shinigami with a sword as tall as he was and orange hair, visibly shocking her.
Later, as he walks away from Senzaikyū, Renji mentally observes that Rukia has not looked so alive in days and recalls how 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru was the one to intercept Ichigo Kurosaki, which he notes was probably wise to not tell Rukia because Ichigo may not have survived this. Suddenly, 5th Division Captain Sousuke Aizen calls out to Renji, who is startled, and states that it is good to see him before inquiring if Renji has a moment to talk to him. Shortly afterward, Renji and Aizen stand in a storage room as the latter comments on how long it has been since he lost Renji to the Eleventh Division under Captain Kenpachi Zaraki before asking Renji if he is now in the Sixth Division, which Renji affirms. When Renji questions what he wanted to talk about, Aizen smiles and inquires if Renji is close to Rukia, which catches him off-guard, and closes the curtain covering the doorway as he assures Renji that he does not need to hide it because Aizen knows that they have been friends since their days together in the Rukongai. With Renji confirming this, Aizen decides to be blunt and asks Renji if he believes Rukia deserves to die, and when a shocked Renji admits that he does not understand, Aizen points out the bizarre circumstances of her execution; her crimes are the unauthorized transfer of her Shinigami powers and an overly long absence from Soul Society, which he has never heard of anyone receiving the death penalty for, her Gigai was order to be returned and disposed of immediately, her stay of execution was shortened from 35 to 25 days, and the use of the Sōkyoku against any Shinigami under the rank of Captain is unprecedented, all of which leads him to believe someone is behind this. With a stunned Renji wondering what he is getting at, Aizen admits that he has a bad feeling about this and begins to explain himself further, only to be interrupted by an alarm as an announcer informs all captains to gather for an emergency meeting.
Meanwhile, at Kūkaku Shiba 's house, Kūkaku punches and kicks Ganju Shiba and Ichigo, respectively, while angrily demanding that they cut it out, shocking Ichigo's friends. As Ichigo and Ganju lie defeated on the floor, Kūkaku questions what is wrong with them to attack each other the moment they meet while Ichigo notes that Kūkaku kicking him without warning must be something that runs in the family. Ganju tearfully attempts to explain how he and Ichigo know each other, but Kūkaku merely kicks him in the face for talking back and grabs Ichigo by the head before asserting that he must follow her rules while in her house, which Ichigo meekly acknowledges. With Kūkaku releasing him and acknowledging his understanding, Ichigo tells Ganju that his sister is scary, prompting him to agree. Kūkaku tells them all to get up and follow her before leading the group down a nearby hallway. As he walks, Uryū observes that there are a lot of lights on the ceiling even though he did not see a generator, and when Kūkaku explains that they grow Hotarukazura in the holes on the ceiling as well as on both sides of the wood paneling, Uryū inquires if Hotarukazura is some kind of plant found only in Soul Society, only for Kūkaku to ignore him as she orders Ganju to open the door they have reached. While Ichigo comments to a confused Uryū that following Kūkaku's rules in this house apparently means she can ignore them sometimes, Ganju dramatically opens the door to reveal the room containing the Kakaku Taihō, which shocks Ichigo and his friends as they walk inside. Upon being asked what the Kakaku Taihō is, Kūkaku reveals that she is going to use it to launch Ichigo and his friends into the Seireitei through the sky, and with Ichigo and Uryū flabbergasted by the idea of this, Kūkaku clarifies that she is the premier fireworks expert of the Rukongai.
Bleach, Volume 10
080. The Shooting Star Project [ ]
While Kūkaku Shiba explains her plan to get Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends into the Seireitei, the lieutenants of the Gotei 13 assemble.
Within the Kakaku Taihō chamber of the Shiba Clan household, Ichigo Kurosaki stands with Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryū Ishida as he expresses shock at the idea of Kūkaku Shiba being a fireworks expert. Affirming her statement, Kūkaku looks upward and commands Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko to do it, prompting them to begin rapidly turning a crank next to the smokestack outside. As the floor Ichigo and his friends are standing on begins to rumble and rise up, to their surprise, the smokestack above them crumbles to reveal the Kakaku Taihō, which emerges from the remnants as they fall to the ground below. With the ceiling above the chamber pulling apart to reveal a circular opening, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko finish turning the crank, causing the Kakaku Taihō to come to a halt fully raised about the ground. Kūkaku asks the Ryoka if this scared them and declares that this is her personal fireworks launch pad, and when Ganju Shiba excitedly reveals that it is called the Kakaku Taihō, Kūkaku angrily kicks him in the face for joining her on the pedestal.
However, Uryū assumes that Kūkaku is joking and asserts that there is no way to launch them into the Seireitei with such a thing without killing them, only to be interrupted when Kūkaku throws a Reishukaku that hits him in the face before landing in Ichigo's hands. Upon being asked what it is by him, Kūkaku explains that the Reishukaku can be filled with Reiryoku when someone presses their palm against it, but Ichigo expresses confusion at this concept, leading a surprised Kūkaku to clarify that all he has to do is channel power into his hands like when he uses Kidō as she forms a small swirl of energy in her palm to demonstrate. Yoruichi bashfully admits reminds Kūkaku that Ichigo is something of a makeshift Shinigami who cannot use Kidō, and after expressing her astonishment at this, Kūkaku tells Ganju to demonstrate this for Ichigo, which he agrees to do. Despite this, Ichigo refuses to hand the Reishukaku over to Ganju, and as the two prepare to fight, with Ichigo claiming that he would rather die than be taught by Ganju, an irritated Kūkaku punches them both in the head as punishment, leading them to meekly apologize to her while lying on the ground.
After getting up, Ganju channels his Reiryoku into the Reishukaku and creates a spherical barrier around himself, to the amazement of Ichigo and his friends, which Kūkaku refers to as the cannonball before detailing how the wall surrounding the Seireitei is not the only thing protecting it, as it is made from a rare material called Sekkiseki that completely blocks Reiryoku and cannot be damaged by attacks infused with it, leading Ichigo and Uryū to realize that this is why there were no guards other than Jidanbō Ikkanzaka. Kūkaku goes on to reveal that Sekkiseki emits waves which break down Reiryoku and form a sphere known as the Shakonmaku around the Seireitei, extending high into the sky and deep underground to create complete coverage. Admitting that flying into the Shakonmaku would ordinarily lead to disintegration for Souls made of Reishi, Kūkaku proclaims that this is where the Reishukaku comes in as she thumps a visibly fatigued Ganju's barrier. As she brushes off Ganju's pleas to end the demonstration due to his dwindling Reiryoku, Kūkaku elaborates that Ichigo and his friends infusing their combined Reiryoku into the Reishukaku will create a cannonball that can punch through the Shakonmaku after being fired from the Kakaku Taihō, which she acknowledges will be a rough ride before asserting that there is no other way.
With Ichigo and his friends too stunned to ask any questions, Kūkaku has Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko grab Ichigo and his friends so they can begin training with the Reishukaku in the dojo, and when she reveals that they should train hard because losing focus while channeling Reiryoku into the Reishukaku will create an explosion, a shocked Ichigo points out that she should have told them this earlier before being carried off. As Ganju stops maintaining the barrier, Kūkaku tells him to take the Reishukaku downstairs and help the others practice, but when Ganju inquires if she is really going to help them and wonders what he is supposed to tell their older brother, Kaien Shiba, if they help a Shinigami, Kūkaku coldly reiterates that she told him to never speak of that and orders him to never let them see him with such a sorrowful expression, prompting Ganju to silently run off while Kūkaku stares into the distance.
Meanwhile, in the Seireitei, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai walks briskly along a corridor and attaches his lieutenant's badge to his left shoulder as he notes that this is the first time he has gotten to wear it, which leads 7th Division Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba to observe that this is also the first time he himself has been forced to wear one. With Iba recalling the order for lieutenants to don their badges and stand by in the second conference room as he and Renji reach the doorway, 5th Division Lieutenant Momo Hinamori greets them, and when Renji inquires if she is the only one here, Hinamori confirms this. As she walks in behind them, 10th Division Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto claims that it could take half a day for all the lieutenants to arrive because they are managing Soul Society alongside the captains. Rangiku mentions that she has been unable to reach her captain, which Iba notes to Renji is Tōshirō Hitsugaya, and while Renji recognizes him as being the famous boy genius, Hinamori asks him if he has seen her captain, Sousuke Aizen, which Renji denies after recalling their earlier conversation. Tearfully explaining that Aizen has been acting strange all morning and would not tell her why, Hinamori admits that she does not know what to do. As he assures her that it is probably nothing and they will likely cancel the order any minute, Renji mentally wonders what is going on.
Back at the Shiba Clan household, inside the dojo, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko instruct Ichigo on how to use the Reishukaku, and while Ganju walks in with an exasperated expression, Ichigo continues to fail at channeling his Reiryoku and asserts that Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko need to explain the process better. Outside, with night approaching, Kūkaku drinks a cup of sake and asks Kaien to forgive her for helping Shinigami when they are the ones who killed him, though she notes that he would scold her if he were alive and she did not help them because he loved Shinigami and died as one.
081. Twelve Tone Rendezvous [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends continue to practice using the Reishukaku as the captains of the Gotei 13 are assembled for a meeting.
In the dojo within the Shiba Clan household, under the supervision of Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko, the Ryoka practice creating a barrier around themselves by infusing the Reishukaku with their Reiryoku: Orihime Inoue easily creates a perfectly spherical barrier, Uryū Ishida creates a narrow and nearly perfect barrier that Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko assume reflects his body shape, and Yasutora Sado creates a slightly unstable yet strong barrier, but Ichigo Kurosaki struggles to create a complete barrier at all. When Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko repeatedly criticize his lack of skill in channeling his Reiryoku, an irate Ichigo hits Koganehiko in the face with the Reishukaku and demands that they give him better instructions as Ganju Shiba sits in the corner and scratches his nose.
With night arriving, a visibly exhausted Ichigo remains unable to create a barrier. Poking his head into the room, Taichi Miyamoto informs Ganju that dinner is ready before noting that he seems busy. Ganju tells Ichigo and his friends to go eat because they must be hungry, and as Uryū realizes that he is right, Ganju observes that the villagers in Rukongai did not feed them because they do not get hungry due to not using any spiritual powers. When Uryū expresses concern over leaving him behind, Ichigo tells him to go and promises that he will join them once he succeeds in creating a barrier. Upon being asked if she is coming, Orihime claims that she will wait for Ichigo because she is not that hungry, only for her growling stomach to immediately disprove this. As Orihime asserts that her stomach is exaggerating and she really is not hungry, Ichigo requests that she go because he will be fine, and though Orihime insists that she wants to get some more practice in, Ichigo solemnly reiterates his request, prompting a concerned Orihime to agree to do so and push Uryū and Sado out of the room while declaring that she will see Ichigo there, with Ganju staying behind.
Some time later, as an exhausted Ichigo continues to attempt to create a barrier, Ganju lies on his side and stares at him with a bored expression. When an annoyed Ichigo asks him what he is looking at, Ganju questions why he cares, and upon being told to leave because he is distracting, Ganju refuses and continues to watch Ichigo's failed attempts, eventually sitting up, laughing while reading a book, and practicing swings with a tennis racket, the last of which prompts Ichigo to throw the Reishukaku at him in anger. Dodging, Ganju grabs the Reishukaku and begins spinning it on his finger while observing that Ichigo is clearly pushing himself before inquiring if it is really so important for him to save Rukia Kuchiki. However, Ichigo denies this, to Ganju's surprise, and grabs the Reishukaku back from him as Ganju wonders if Ichigo promised to save her. As Ichigo denies this as well, Ganju assumes that Ichigo is getting paid to save her, but an irritated Ichigo points out that Soul Society 's money is no good in the Human World. With a confused Ganju demanding to know why he is trying so hard, Ichigo reveals that he owes Rukia because she saved his life, which he has not repaid her for yet, and explains how she lent him her powers so he could save his family, which he elaborates is the reason why she is currently facing execution.
While Ichigo asserts that he is not some loser who would let her die without a fight, a stunned Ganju approaches him and snatches the Reishukaku out of his hands, and as a bewildered Ichigo demands that he give it back, Ganju claims that he has decided to practice as well and tells Ichigo to not listen to his explanation of his technique. Ganju details how he visualizes a dark and heavy circle in his mind that he imagines himself diving into, resulting in a spherical barrier forming around himself, and notes that this is the basic principle behind all Kidō spells, to Ichigo's astonishment. As he stops maintaining the barrier, Ganju declares that this is incredibly easy and tosses the Reishukaku back to Ichigo while claiming that even he would be able to do this upon learning the secret, though a genius like Ganju would never need to be shown the secret. With Ganju going upstairs after mocking him as being unable to do it as well due to his lack of talent, an embarrassed Ichigo calls him a cocky idiot and prepares to use this technique.
Meanwhile, in the First Division barracks in the Seireitei, 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru stands outside the doors to the captains' assembly hall, which open to reveal almost all of the other captains standing on either side of the room: 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, 4th Division Captain Retsu Unohana, 2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng, 5th Division Captain Sousuke Aizen, 7th Division Captain Sajin Komamura, 9th Division Captain Kaname Tōsen, and 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki. Sitting on the opposite end of the room, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto demands to know what Gin has to say for himself.
082. Conflictable Composition [ ]
3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru is questioned over his handling of the Ryoka as Ichigo Kurosaki figures out how to use the Reishukaku.
Walking past the Gotei 13 captains gathered in the meeting room within the First Division barracks, 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru questions what he was called here for and observes that all the captains have assembled just for him, only to notice that 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake is absent and inquire where he is. As Gin expresses sympathy upon being informed by 9th Division Captain Kaname Tōsen that Ukitake is sick once again, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki informs Gin that they were not called here to discuss a sick captain and brings up Gin's confrontation with Ichigo Kurosaki the previous day before asserting that he let him get away even though a captain should be able to kill four or five Ryoka with ease. Gin merely expresses surprise to hear that Ichigo is not dead, and with Kenpachi shocked by this, Gin claims that he thought Ichigo was dead and wonders if his instincts have begun to fail him. However, 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi admonishes Gin for pretending to not know and reminds him that captains can sense the disappearance of a being's Reiryoku, leading him to inquire if Gin was simply so negligent that he did not notice.
With 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya annoyed to have to be around bickering old men again, Gin asks Mayuri if he believes Gin let Ichigo get away on purpose, and as Mayuri confirms this, Kenpachi tells him to be silent and threatens to cut Mayuri up if he does not stay out of it because Kenpachi is the one asking the questions. While 2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng calls this conflict stupid, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku expresses apprehension, and 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki remains silent, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto criticizes this conduct as disgraceful and tells Kenpachi and Mayuri to stand down, which they do, before noting that Gin should have some idea of why he was called here now. Yamamoto clarifies that he called this meeting because he wants to hear Gin's explanation for acting independently without orders and committing an error unworthy of his rank by allowing his target to get away, and as Yamamoto intensely demands that he explain himself, Gin remains silent.
Meanwhile, within the Shiba Clan household, as Yasutora Sado, Uryū Ishida, and Orihime Inoue eat dinner together, Uryū sets down his bowl alongside Sado as he expresses his thanks for the meal. After responding to Sado's observation that he eats slowly by claiming that this is how he was raised, Uryū notices that Orihime has not eaten much and asks her if she is full, only for Orihime's stomach to growl as she tries to affirm this. When Orihime punches her stomach in an attempt to silence it, an embarrassed Uryū promises that she does not have to do this because he and an equally embarrassed Sado will not say anything. Orihime explains that she wants to give her food to Ichigo, prompting Uryū to realize that he has not shown up yet even though it is past midnight. Suddenly, the three of them, Kūkaku Shiba, Koganehiko, and Shiroganehiko simultaneously feel an incredibly powerful Reiatsu permeating the area, and while Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko panic over one of the giant stone arms supporting the banner outside cracking apart due to the pressure, Orihime realizes that this Reiatsu is coming from Ichigo, which leads her and the others to check on him.
Angrily wondering what Ichigo is doing, Kūkaku rushes down to the dojo, where she finds Orihime, Sado, Uryū, and Ganju Shiba already standing outside. When Kūkaku demands to know what is happening, Ganju nervously explains that he just taught Ichigo a little trick to channel his power and admits that he did not think it would turn out like this. Upon opening the door to the dojo, Kūkaku is shocked to find Ichigo generating an incredibly large and intense barrier around himself with the Reishukaku, prompting her to instruct him to solidify his Reiryoku right now. As he does so, a sweating Ichigo finds his barrier drastically reduced in size and intensity, and as he proclaims that he has done it, Orihime congratulates him. However, when Ichigo thanks her, Kūkaku berates him for breaking his concentration so suddenly as his barrier cracks and explodes outward. Afterward, with Sado having shielded his friends from the blast, Kūkaku admonishes an incapacitated Ichigo for not heeding her warning of an explosion occurring should any of them lose focus while using the Reishukaku, which he meekly acknowledges, before turning her ire to Ganju when the latter attempts to pin the blame solely on Ichigo. Declaring that Ganju is equally guilty as she hits him, Kūkaku punishes him by withholding dinner for him, though she returns to hitting Ichigo when the latter mocks Ganju for this, as Orihime watches with a smile.
Back in the captains' assembly hall, Gin simply states that he does not have an explanation, to Yamamoto's surprise, and asserts that he was careless without an excuse before telling Yamamoto to punish him as he sees fit. However, as 5th Division Captain Sousuke Aizen begins to speak up, an alarm goes off as an announcer informs the Gotei 13 that an intruder has been detected in the Seireitei, leading Kenpachi to wonder if it is the Ryoka.
083. COME WITH ME [ ]
With the Gotei 13 captains meeting interrupted by an intruder alert, Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends prepare to enter the Seireitei.
As an alarm rings out across the Seireitei and the Gotei 13 are alerted to the presence of an intruder, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai and 5th Division Lieutenant Momo Hinamori express shock at this occurring while meeting with 1st Division Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe, 2nd Division Lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda, 3rd Division Lieutenant Izuru Kira and 7th Division Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba in the second conference room. In the captains' assembly hall, while 5th Division Captain Sousuke Aizen wonders if this is the Ryoka, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki runs out of the room, despite Aizen's protests of them not being finished with their meeting, and dashes along one of the streets outside before being joined by his lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi, who leaps off a roof and calls out to him before landing on his shoulder. Upon being asked by Yachiru if he is going to kill an enemy, Kenpachi confirms this and explains that it is a Ryoka who survived a fight with 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru as he expresses a fervent desire to fight him.
Back in the assembly hall, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto notes that it cannot be helped and declares this meeting adjourned for now, as he will issue Gin's punishment later, before ordering the assembled captains to get to their battle stations. While the captains move out, Aizen stands next to Gin and observes that this is a convenient time for an alarm to ring, and when Gin inquires what he could possibly mean by this, Aizen asserts that he cannot get away with it and warns Gin to not underestimate him as they walk away, leaving 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya to watch them with interest.
Meanwhile, in the dojo within the Shiba Clan household, Ganju Shiba sits and concentrates as he reads a long scroll while mumbling to himself. Behind him, Ichigo Kurosaki sleeps as he lies stretched out on the floor with his right hand in a fist, only to suddenly bolt awake upon thinking of catnip. Ichigo asks Ganju what he was dreaming about, but an irritated Ganju points out that he has no way of knowing this, and when Ichigo comments on how deeply he slept and wonders why he was sleeping in here, Ganju asserts that he does not know this either. When Ganju refuses to tell him what he is doing, Ichigo is left annoyed as Uryū Ishida walks into the room and reveals that Yoruichi Shihōin is waiting for them upstairs because they are preparing to leave.
Shortly afterward, at the base of the Kakaku Taihō outside, Yoruichi greets Ichigo, Uryū, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado while sitting with a crooked tail in front of Kūkaku Shiba, Koganehiko, and Shiroganehiko. When Ichigo observes that Yoruichi's tail looks like a toothbrush and wonders what happened, to the shock of his friends, Yoruichi coldly demands to know if he has a problem with this, and as Ichigo meekly denies this, Uryū reveals that this is his fault because he grabbed Yoruichi's tail after falling asleep the previous night, forcing Uryū, Sado, and Orihime to pry him off while leaving Yoruichi's tail bent, which means Ichigo should not bring it up. While a stunned Ichigo agrees, Kūkaku asks him where Ganju is, prompting Ichigo to note that he was reading something downstairs.
Suddenly, Ganju tells everyone to stop and arrives while carrying the scroll and wearing a new outfit, and as he claims that heroes always arrive late, Ichigo questions why he is dressed like this, leading Ganju to explain that this is his custom-made battle costume which he will not allow Ichigo to borrow. As Ichigo brushes this off because he believes Ganju is just here to show off, a solemn Ganju jumps in front of him and reveals that his brother, Kaien Shiba, was killed by a Shinigami, to the shock of Ichigo and his friends. Though Kūkaku is angered by his mention of this, Ganju tells her to shut up and listen, to her surprise, and details how Kaien was special because he made it through the Shin'ō Academy on his first try despite being from the Rukongai and had spiritual powers strong enough to qualify him for the position of Lieutenant within the Gotei 13, which consisted of him finishing a six-year curriculum in two years and becoming a Lieutenant five years after that. However, Ganju asserts that he was betrayed and killed by the Shinigami whom he considered his friends, and with Ichigo listening silently, Ganju concedes that his being a child at the time prevents him from remembering all the details before recalling that the Shinigami who dragged his dying brother to their house had the face of the devil and Kaien himself looked happy when he thanked that Shinigami before dying.
Admitting that he does not know why Kaien did this, Ganju proclaims that he knows for certain Kaien never hated the Shinigami and that he wants to know why. With his gang peering around the side of the house at this, Ganju grabs Ichigo by the collar and declares that he does not believe Ichigo is like the other Shinigami, which leads him to believe that he can discover something if he joins the Ryoka, before revealing that he is going to be helping them because of this. As Ganju concludes that he is willing to go into the heart of enemy territory in order to learn what a Shinigami really is, Ichigo's friends are left in awe by his resolve while the members of his gang weep over his words and Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko tearfully assert that he has grown up to be a fine young man. Despite this, Kūkaku merely notes that it sounds like his mind is made up and warns Ganju to not come crying back to her because he should be ready to die if he enters the Seireitei, which Ganju claims he is. Freeing himself from Ganju's grasp, Ichigo grabs him by the collar and simply welcomes him aboard, prompting Ganju to grin while Kūkaku proclaims there is no turning back now before informing Ichigo and his friends that they are about to begin.
084. The Shooting Star Project 2 [Tattoo On The Sky] [ ]
Kūkaku Shiba launches the Ryoka toward the Seireitei using the second launch method of the Kakaku Taihō.
As he stands with his friends during the preparations for their launch into the Seireitei, Ichigo Kurosaki looks at the Reishukaku and recalls how they all practiced extensively to make a cannonball with it, though Uryū Ishida points out that only Ichigo himself practiced extensively, before inquiring if Yoruichi Shihōin can use it properly. Asserting that this is a silly question, Yoruichi has Ichigo place the Reishukaku on the ground and stands on top of it before quickly and effortlessly generating a perfect barrier, which Yoruichi claims is as easy as breathing. After letting the barrier dissipate, Yoruichi sees Ichigo on his hands and knees in embarrassment and taunts him over his inability to do this even remotely as easily. Nearby, Ganju Shiba runs up to his sister Kūkaku Shiba, and when the latter notes that she heard he was reading something downstairs and asks him if he mastered it, Ganju admits that this is only somewhat true. After acknowledging this, Kūkaku decides that they will use the Flower Crane Archery Second Style for the Kakaku Taihō, and with Ganju nervously agreeing, Kūkaku slams the side of the Kakaku Taihō with her hand, causing a spiral-shaped opening to appear, before telling Ichigo and his friends to get inside.
Ichigo, Yoruichi, Ganju, Uryū, Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado gather inside the Kakaku Taihō as Kūkaku paints a black circle around the cannon with a large brush and notes that the sun will be up soon, acting as their cue to begin the launch ceremony, before tossing the brush behind her. Inside the Kakaku Taihō, with Ichigo and his friends all holding up the Reishukaku, Yoruichi stands on top of it and instructs them to stay close once they are inside the Seireitei. Asserting that they should flee immediately if any of them encounter a captain because their only objective is to rescue Rukia Kuchiki, Yoruichi requests that they do not take any unnecessary risks. Upon seeing the sun rise behind her, Kūkaku stabs her sword into the ground and kneels as she begins reciting the incantation, prompting Ichigo and his friends to pool their Reiryoku into the Reishukaku and form a barrier around themselves at Yoruichi's behest, while Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko assist the spell from afar. As she rips the bandages off her hair and wraps them around her arm, which ignites, Kūkaku slams her flaming fist into the ground, sending a surge of fire up the side of the Kakaku Taihō, before completing the second launch method, Kagizaki, as the Kakaku Taihō fires the Ryoka within high into the sky. With Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko congratulating her on a successful launch, Kūkaku somberly looks up and tells Ganju to be careful.
Flying above the land below, a surprised Ichigo admits that he thought there would be a bigger jolt, only for Ganju to inform him that it is coming as the cannonball suddenly begins flying horizontally toward the Seireitei. While Ichigo and his friends scream in fright, Ganju unties the scroll he was reading prior, and when Ichigo questions what he is doing, Ganju explains that the second launch method of Kakaku Taihō is a two-part incantation, with part one launching and controlling the direction while part two controls the acceleration and trajectory, which he concludes offers precision guidance before telling Ichigo to not bother him if he wants to land in one piece. Ichigo acknowledges this as Ganju tells the others to listen and details how they will need to even out the discharge of their Reiryoku in order to adjust the cannonball's trajectory and land safely inside the Seireitei. After noting that he will not be able to monitor the discharge of their Reiryoku when he begins reading the second incantation, Ganju instructs Ichigo and his friends to adjust their Reiryoku output levels to match his own and assures them that they should be able to sense each others' level of Reiryoku by keeping their hands on the Reishukaku, allowing them to adjust accordingly, before urging them to concentrate because they are all finished if they mess this up. With affirmation from the others, Ganju begins reading the second incantation from the scroll.
As the cannonball continues to hurtle through the air with Ganju proceeding through the incantation, Orihime meekly informs Ichigo that he is releasing too much Reiryoku, and though he apologizes for this and tries to adjust, Uryū tells him to lower it a little more, prompting a flustered Ichigo to claim that he is trying and has already lowered it by a lot. Though Sado merely says his name, Ichigo grows frustrated and frantically acknowledges Uryū's second request while continuing to try to lower his Reiryoku output. Distracted by this, Ganju accidentally reads the same line of the incantation twice and angrily accuses Ichigo of causing this, only for Ichigo to assert that he lost his concentration because of Ganju. While Orihime and Uryū admonish Ichigo and Ganju for arguing at such a time, Sado looks outside the cannonball and nervously draws his friends' attention there, causing them to realize that the Seireitei is in view. Down in the Seireitei, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki expresses frustration due to not having found any intruders after searching all night, to his lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi 's disappointment, but as he tells two unseated Shinigami that they can go, Kenpachi hears the high-pitched sound of the cannonball hurtling toward the Seireitei and looks up at it. Elsewhere in the Seireitei, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai stands with his captain, Byakuya Kuchiki, and is shocked at the sight of the cannonball while 5th Division Captain Sousuke Aizen instructs his lieutenant, Momo Hinamori, to move everyone else back, which she acknowledges. With other Shinigami running away in fear, Yoruichi realizes that they are going to crash and tells the others to harden the cannonball as much as possible by infusing it with all the Reiryoku they can muster because they have no other option as the cannonball crashes into the Shakonmaku.
085. INTRUDERZ2 [Breakthrough the roof mix] [ ]
The Ryoka manage to break into the Seireitei, but are separated in the process.
Sitting in the Shishinrō in Senzaikyū within the Seireitei, Rukia Kuchiki looks out the narrow window and observes how narrow the patch of sky she can see is, only to be shocked when the sky begins to glow.
Elsewhere in the Seireitei, as they stare up at the cannonball containing the Ryoka, three unseated Shinigami observe that it crashed into the Shakonmaku and stopped while 5th Division Captain Sousuke Aizen expresses disbelief at a spiritual entity being dense enough to not be destroyed by an impact against the Shakonmaku. In the air above, Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, Uryū Ishida, Yoruichi Shihōin, and Ganju Shiba finds themselves stuck in the tangled remains of the cannonball barrier they created, and when Ichigo wonders why they are not falling even though they got through the shield, Yoruichi tells the others to stay together and explains that their cannonball melted when it hit the Shakonmaku, leaving them tangled in the wreckage, before warning them that it will soon start to swirl and disappear, which will hurl them in different directions if they are separated by that point. Suddenly, Ichigo and his friends are caught up in a swirling whirlwind of energy, prompting Yoruichi to declare that it has begun.
Finding himself being dragged away, Ganju begins frantically swimming in midair toward Ichigo, who angrily tells him to get away while Uryū questions what they are doing. When Yoruichi instructs them to grab someone close and not get separated, Ichigo reluctantly grabs Ganju, who notices his disapproval, and Sado grabs a surprised Orihime while Yoruichi leaps onto Ichigo's shoulder, to his confusion. Sado attempts to grab Uryū's hand, and upon missing, he propels himself away from Orihime and grabs Uryū's collar before throwing him back at Orihime. As she catches a screaming Uryū, Orihime calls out to Sado, who falls to the ground below in a torrent of energy, but when Ichigo expresses concern, Yoruichi assures him that Sado will be all right and points out that they need to think of a way to save themselves if they want to see Sado again. With Ichigo and Orihime reaching for each other while holding onto Ganju and Uryū, respectively, the remainder of the cannonball explodes, sending the Ryoka flying in four different directions while cloaked in energy.
Watching this from below, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki realizes they are all headed in different directions and wonders which of them is the strongest. Upon seeing that he is hurtling toward a building, Sado manifests his Fullbring, Brazo Derecha de Gigante, and draws back his arm as he prepares to unleash an energy blast. As she and Uryū fall toward the ground, Orihime uses Santen Kesshun to cushion their impact. Yoruichi flies through the air alone and notes that this may prove to be more convenient, and after pushing Ichigo back, Ganju uses Seppa, turning the ground they hit into sand as the impact creates a large explosion of energy. After a moment, Ichigo and Ganju pop up out of the sand pit and begin spitting out sand, leading Ichigo to note that Ganju's strange spell saved them. As he expresses gratitude for this, Ichigo sees Ganju still coughing up sand and kicks him in the back to help the process while questioning how long his spell is supposed to make him cough, and when Ganju accuses him of being ungrateful for doing this, Ichigo explains that this is his way of saying thanks, which surprises Ganju.
Suddenly, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame appears beside 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa on the rooftop behind Ichigo and declares that he is lucky before jumping down alongside Yumichika. Landing in front of Ichigo and Ganju, Ikkaku explains that they were hiding out here because they did not feel like being deployed and observes how the intruders fell into their laps regardless as he declares it is not a lucky day for Ichigo, who expresses confusion.
086. Making Good Relations,OK? [ ]
While his friends assess their situations in different parts of the Seireitei, Ichigo Kurosaki begins fighting 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame.
In the Seireitei, several unseated Shinigami discover a large impact crater in the ground, and after realizing that it must have been one of the Ryoka who did not die on impact, they spread out to begin searching. Sitting on a branch of a nearby tree, Yasutora Sado blows steam off his fist, which has his Fullbring, Brazo Derecha de Gigante, activated with a bird sitting on his shoulder protrusion, and wonders what he should do next.
Elsewhere, Yoruichi Shihōin hurtles toward the ground, where several other unseated Shinigami prepare to intercept, only to disappear before crashing into them. With the confused Shinigami deciding to search elsewhere, Yoruichi reappears on and walks along a nearby roof.
Meanwhile, upon envisioning Ichigo Kurosaki standing over her, Orihime Inoue bolts awake and bashfully declares that they are going to engage in close-quarters combat, but finds herself in pain when she strains her bandaged right arm in the process. Asking Orihime if she is alright, Uryū Ishida apologizes for not being Ichigo and explains that they got lucky by landing in an area that seems to have no one around. As she agrees that this is lucky, Orihime clutches her bandaged arm when it stings again, prompting Uryū to instruct her to be careful because she was injured in the crash and he could only bandage her wound because he did not bring any painkillers. Orihime thanks Uryū and expresses surprise at him carrying bandages around, and when Uryū apologizes for her getting hurt because it would not have happened if she did not need to use her powers to protect him, Orihime asserts that she would have gotten hurt anyway due to how clumsy she is. After getting to her feet, Orihime points out that no one would have been around to bandage her in this case, leading to her fainting of blood loss and dying, and tells Uryū that they should get moving before someone comes to investigate the noise generated by their crash, which he acknowledges. However, as the two run off, 7th Division 4th Seat Jirōbō Ikkanzaka steps out from behind some boards leaning against a nearby wall.
At Ichigo and Ganju Shiba 's location, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame completes his Tsuki-Tsuki Dance as 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa watches, and with Ichigo and Ganju remaining silent while standing in the sand pit, Ikkaku demands to know what they are waiting for before explaining that he was performing his dance in order to give them time to crawl out of there. While Ikkaku questions if they do not recognize generosity of spirit when they see it, a perplexed Ichigo wonders who he is. Drawing Ichigo's attention, Ganju suggests that they flee and responds to Ichigo's questioning of this plan by pointing out that Ikkaku and Yumichika have way too much Reiryoku for Ichigo to effectively fight them. As he wonders what they are talking about, Ikkaku tells Ichigo and Ganju that they can take as much time to argue as they like because it will not make them any luckier, but when Yumichika observes that waiting will force them to share credit with anyone else who shows up, Ikkaku realizes this is true and declares that they have until he finishes his Tsuki-Tsuki Dance to get out of the sand pit. However, Ganju proclaims that Ichigo can fight on his own if he wants to stay and gets out of the pit before running away from them, leading Ikkaku to inquire if they had a quarrel. With Ichigo semi-confirming this as he begins to exit the pit as well, Ikkaku has Yumichika begin chasing after Ganju, who curses his luck.
After Ichigo gets out of the pit, Ikkaku asks him why he did not run even though Ganju fled upon sensing his and Yumichika's considerable power, which he considers a wise decision. Ichigo states that it would be pointless to run because Ikkaku would catch him if he is more powerful than Ichigo, and as Ikkaku stares at him, Ichigo asserts that he just has to beat Ikkaku if the latter is weaker than him while gripping the handle of his Shikai, Zangetsu, prompting Ikkaku to call him a fool for thinking this before unsheathing his Zanpakutō with his left hand and slashing at Ichigo, who leaps back in surprise at the last second. Realizing that Ichigo dodged his attack and seeing him draw Zangetsu, Ikkaku mentally praises his skill as he intercepts Ichigo's slash by using his other hand to block with his scabbard at the base of the blade and handle of Zangetsu. Stunned by Ikkaku using his scabbard in such a way, Ichigo sees Ikkaku's Zanpakutō approaching his head and steps on top of Ikkaku's scabbard, allowing him to dodge by leaping high into the air, to Ikkaku's shock. With Ichigo spinning in midair and striking at him, a grinning Ikkaku merely responds in kind as the two of them cut each other's temples on opposite sides. Afterwards, Ikkaku decides to ask Ichigo for his name, and upon learning it, he comments that it is a good name, which Ichigo admits no one has ever told him before. Ikkaku explains that men whose names begin with the "Ichi" kanji are often good-looking and talented before revealing his own name and position, only for Ichigo to decline his offer to be friends due to their similar names.
087. Dancing With Spears [ ]
With Ganju Shiba confronted by 11th Division 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, Ichigo Kurosaki continues his fight against 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame, who reveals his Zanpakutō 's true power.
As he runs away from 11th Division 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa through the streets of the Seireitei, an unnerved Ganju Shiba questions how long Yumichika is going to keep pursuing him while the latter mocks his running form. Upon encountering a dead end, Ganju uses Seppa to create a hole in the wall, and while Yumichika realizes that this is what he used to create the sand pit he and Ichigo Kurosaki were found in, Ganju leaps through the hole and lands on the other side. However, Yumichika merely asserts that he should be careful as Ganju concludes that his strategy is not working before coming to an abrupt halt upon finding himself in front of a large and cavernous pit.
With Ganju in shock over how close he came to falling in, Yumichika appears behind him and explains that this is an old execution area where Hollows that were taken alive would be cast into the pits and forced to fight criminals, with the Shinigami watching from above on either side. When Ganju nervously claims that the Shinigami have a twisted sense of fun, Yumichika agrees while comparing it to the ugliness of his face before revealing that it is simply an ugly custom which is no longer practiced. Noting that Ganju must be tired of running and chatting, Yumichika unsheathes his Zanpakutō and informs Ganju that he must choose between being killed or falling to his death before requesting that he turn around while considering his choice despite the ugliness of his face because Yumichika likes to observe the faces of those who are confronted with such a choice, leading Ganju to state that this only reinforces his view of the Shinigami as being twisted.
Meanwhile, as he faces off against 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame, Ichigo wipes the blood away from his eye and the cut above it with his hand, which prompts Ikkaku to admit that he does not understand this course of action because only a novice would remove a hand from the hilt of their sword at this range. As Ichigo asserts that he cannot fight with blood in his eyes and had to do something about it, Ikkaku details how even shallow wounds above the eyes will bleed profusely and concludes that it is better to apply a styptic than to wipe it away while uncapping the bottom of his Zanpakutō's hilt and scooping out a tan substance from within it that he spreads onto the cut over his own eye. Ichigo declares that it is unfair for him to be using something that stops the bleeding, but an irate Ikkaku claims that it is simply him being prepared and that Ichigo should be lauding his professionalism.
Telling Ichigo that he is a strange one, Ikkaku observes that he does not look or act like a proper warrior, yet has first-rate reactions, powerful swings, and movements close to Ikkaku's own in skill. With Ichigo confused by this, Ikkaku assures him that this is a compliment and clarifies that he is saying Ichigo is too good to be dismissed as a lucky battle-crazed novice before inquiring who his master is. When Ichigo admits that somebody did teach him how to fight even though he is not sure he should call him his master because their training only last for ten days, Ikkaku reiterates his desire to know who, only to be stunned when Ichigo reveals that it was Kisuke Urahara. After deciding that it would be disrespectful to kill Ichigo the easy way if Urahara was his master, Ikkaku releases his Shikai, Hōzukimaru, transforming his Zanpakutō and scabbard into a wooden spear, the end of which he jams into the ground, and proclaims that there is no time for Ichigo to be surprised before ripping the end of Hōzukimaru out of the ground as he tells Ichigo to not misjudge it.
Declaring that he will not, Ichigo narrowly dodges Ikkaku's subsequent thrust with Hōzukimaru and blocks the end of it with his Shikai, Zangetsu, only to find Ikkaku jabbing at him repeatedly with the tassel end of Hōzukimaru instead. As he blocks Ikkaku's attacks, a grinning Ichigo questions if Ikkaku thought he would misjudge the long reach of his spear, but Ikkaku denies this, to Ichigo's surprise, and slashes at him with the bladed end once more while gripping Hōzukimaru near its tassel. With Ichigo blocking Hōzukimaru near his hand on its wooden pole section, Ikkaku commands Hōzukimaru to split, causing it to separate into three segments connected by chain links and bend around the back of Ichigo's head at 90 degree angles as the bladed end hurtles toward his face.
At the last second, Ichigo blocks the bladed end with his forearm, receiving a deep cut to it, and moves back as Ikkaku pulls Hōzukimaru back and bends it around his neck while noting that this is what he expected Ichigo to misjudge. Explaining that Hōzukimaru is a sansetsukon rather than a spear, Ikkaku observes that the pain Ichigo is feeling from his wound will probably prevent him from holding his sword with that arm and assures him that he would normally capture Ichigo so he can live because he is a man of generous spirit before concluding that he does not get credit unless he kills Ichigo. However, Ichigo merely wraps the cloth on the handle of Zangetsu around his bleeding arm and ties it up before slashing at Ikkaku, who leaps away as he sees Ichigo's attack destroying a large portion of the wall behind where he was standing. With Ikkaku shocked by this display of power, Ichigo asserts that this fight is not over because he has not yet shown Ikkaku what his own sword can do as he promises Ikkaku that he will soon be the one who cannot hold his weapon, leading Ikkaku to comment that he is very confident.
088. SO UNLUCKY WE ARE [ ]
Ichigo Kurosaki concludes his battle with 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame after getting used to the latter's fighting style and movements.
With Ichigo Kurosaki having destroyed a large chunk of a nearby wall with his last attack, 11th Division 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame notes that he is very confident to declare that Ikkaku will soon be unable to hold his weapon before inquiring what the basis of this confidence is as he jabs the bladed end of his Shikai, Hōzukimaru, at Ichigo, who narrowly blocks it with his own Shikai, Zangetsu. Noticing that Hōzukimaru is still in its split sansetsukon form, Ichigo looks forward to see Ikkaku leaping toward him with the tassel end of Hōzukimaru in hand. As he declares that Ichigo is too slow, Ikkaku smashes Hōzukimaru into Ichigo, who grabs at the tassel end with his free hand, and turns around as he lands just in time to block Ichigo's subsequent slash with Zangetsu using the chains connecting Hōzukimaru. Reconnecting the two segments on either side of Zangetsu in order to knock Ichigo off-balance, Ikkaku propels the remaining segment at Ichigo, sending him flying back with the force of the impact.
However, as Ikkaku spins the tassel segment of Hōzukimaru and wonders if Ichigo was all talk while noting that attacks with Hōzukimaru can confound a novice due to how difficult they are to read, Ichigo denies this and reveals that his eyes are already used to Ikkaku's attacks as he drops the remnants of the tassel of Hōzukimaru from his hands, leading Ikkaku to see that the tassel end of Hōzukimaru is broken and realize that Ichigo did this with his bare hand during their previous skirmish. With Ikkaku distracted, Ichigo leaps into the air above him, surprising Ikkaku with his speed, and reiterates his assertion that Ikkaku will soon no longer be able to hold his weapon before slashing into him with a small Getsuga Tenshō.
Blood spurts into the air and splatters on the ground as Ikkaku stands with a large cut in his chest, the tassel segment of Hōzukimaru having been cut cleanly in two by Ichigo's attack. Looking at Ichigo, who stands in front of him with Zangetsu held out to the side, Ikkaku questions if he is done already and declares that he can still hold his weapon as he begins spinning the bladed segment of Hōzukimaru above his head. As Ikkaku asserts that Ichigo will need to cut his arms off if he does not want Ikkaku to hold a weapon, Ichigo calmly tells him to put Hōzukimaru away, but Ikkaku refuses, and when Ichigo frantically tells him to put it away because he knows that he has lost this fight, Ikkaku simply tells him that a battle is only over when one of the combatants are dead before leaping toward Ichigo while proclaiming that he was not born a coward who would surrender in order to escape death. Reminded of his training with Kisuke Urahara by Ikkaku's approach, Ichigo claims that he is too slow by comparison and unleashes a second small Getsuga Tenshō upward, cutting Ikkaku's arm all the way up to his shoulder and shattering Hōzukimaru. Ikkaku praises Ichigo's skills and states that he himself is unlucky before collapsing, only for Ichigo to note that they are both unlucky.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history · Exact listed stories combined in catalog order. Sources retain their stated license; formatting and headings adjusted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, THE DEATH AND THE STRAWBERRY (Volume 1). Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, GOODBYE PARAKEET, GOODNITE MY SISTA. Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, Memories in the rain. Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, QUINCY ARCHER HATES YOU. Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, RIGHTARM OF THE GIANT. Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, THE DEATH TRILOGY OVERTURE. Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, THE BROKEN CODA. Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, THE BLADE AND ME. Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, FOURTEEN DAYS FOR CONSPIRACY. Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. Adapted from Bleach Wiki contributors, TATTOO ON THE SKY. Chapter synopses combined; illustrations, author notes, publisher blurbs and reference markers omitted. · Content license