Bleach Anime Episode 174 Video

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Bleach Anime Episode 174

Bleach Anime Episode 174 Released! Today

Bleach Anime Episode 174 Released!
Added by exotica on Thursday, June 12th, 2008 at 1:46am
Bleach Anime Episode 174, entitled "Break the Mirror's Boundary! Ichigo's Captivity", has been released by Dattebayo! Get it below or from the bot on IRC.



Bleach Anime Episode 174 by Dattebayo




Edit: Episode 7 of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is now available to download via IRC. Remember to add *.mp4 to the accept list to download these eps.MayBe its to late for today sumit this post but I would like to share it to everyone in the world!!

Bleach Anime Episode 174

Item Guide

Item Guide
Bird WistleThis is a wistle that Isshen uses to gather his family when they are seperated or far off. It seems to be very loud and annoying.


CellphoneThis soul society cellular telephone is used to recieve messages on when and where a hollow will attack. This item is mostly used by shinigami, but has been used for other purposes as well. (vol 1 ch 6)


Chain of fatethis is a chain that is connected to everyones "soul body" and once it is broken that means the person is dead, but until then - they can still be saved. (vol 1 ch 6)
Energy PillThis is a type of medice that will re-energize you if you take it. It was used by the 4th Division Members.


Eye Patch (Zaraki Kenpachi's)This sucks out spiritual energy to hold down the spirtual energy of anyone who wears it.


Gates of HellTwo huge double doors that have a skeloton on each side and three chains latching them together that bridge the doors.


HojikuzaiThis will regrow a bodypart that has been lost in battle.
Magical Girl MegaronThis figurine is a gift that was given from a ghost to Ichigo for saving his life (Ironically, Ichigo wasnt the one who did)


Memory Chikanthis is a tool used from soul society that allows the user to erase someone's memory. (vol 1 ch 6)


Safety CharmThis is a charm that Ichigo's mother wore, and when he leaves to go to soul society his father gives it to him.


Sekkiseki WallsThese are walls that block out certain spiritual things, and are sometimes used in Soul Society prisons.


Soul CandyThis is a form of medicine that was originally used to extract a soul from a body that refused to leave - but is used by Ichigo to leave his body so he can take his Shinigami form.


SoumafixersThis is used to help synchronize rukia to her artificial body


TenshintaiThis is a doll that is able to draw out the soul of a Zanpakutou.


Zanpaku-toSpirit killing sword. This is the weapon of the shinigami that they use to wipe/kill hollows and fight many of their fights.

Ghost Types

Demi-HollowThis is an earthbound spirit that is decending into being a Hollow. This process usually takes more than a month to complete, unless it is forced by opening the hole located in the spirits chest.


Earthbound spiritsThese are ghosts that wander a specific territory of land that had some importance to them in their life. Since they are assimilated with the ground they haunt, Soul Society devices rarely pick up on them.


HollowsSpirits that are evil. There are several ways one can become a hollow. If you die and are damned to walk the ground that you died or somewhere that is important to you, over time the hole where your heart was will grow and you will eventually be turned into a hollow (the hole can be forcefully opened and turn you into a hollow instantly as well). You can also become a hollow by being eaten by a hollow. Once you are a hollow - you first seek out the souls of loved ones in your human life. This is to help ease the pain and suffering. After that, you begin toseek out to eat souls of high spiritual concentration. The main way to defeat a hollow is by cutting off it's head.


MenosThis is a gigantic hollow formed by many small hollows combining.
Modified SoulThese are artificial spirits that were created to be inserted into dead humans, thus giving them a body and use it to fight off hollows. These mod-souls are gifted with strength that no normal human would be able to have.


PlusesThese are the good spirits! These spirits are ghosts that die but do not become hollows, and are not very harmful to anyone. These pluses are sent to soul society by the shinigami - where they can eternally rest.


Target leechesThese are leeches spit out by ghosts that are able to explode with a mere thought of the ghost.

Bleach Gotei 13 Guide

Bleach Gotei 13 Guide
WARNING: Although this guide contains seperate spoiler sections, if you are not upto date of the time of writting this article in the anime, there will be spoilers.

Related Articles:For a List of all the Zanpakuto shown in the series you can view the Bleach Zanpakuto Guide

For Character Biographies of Non-Gotei 13 Characters you can view the Bleach Character Biographies

Introduction to the Gotei 13:

The Gotei 13 is the name given to the 13 Divisions of the Shinigami in Soul Society. Anyone classified as a Shinigami is put into 1 of the 13 Divisions, whether they are a Captain or Vice-Captain, hold a Seat, or are just a member, they are still an important part of the Division.
Each Division of the Gotei 13 has a Captain and a Vice Captain, they are generally the strongest of the whole Division. To become a Captain, a Shinigami must first have achived Ban-Kai as one of the prerequisites. The Captain and Vice Captain usually travel together and get along well.
A Shinigami cannot be seen in the human world, they leave Soul Society when they are going on missions to balance the Spirits in the world. Those that can see Ghosts can generally not see Shinigami, but there are exceptions and it is a very rare gift.
Each Shinigami wears black robes with white trimming and a white cloth belt. On special occassions they wear a arm band to signify thier rank in their specific Division. The Captain of a Division wears a White Robe with the Number of their Division in Kanji on the back.
The Shinigami have three duties:
To preform the 'Soul Burial' and send ghosts to Soul Society or Hell.
To track down and 'clense' hollows from the human world.
To regulate and balance the souls in each world. The Gotei 13:
1st Division Captain: Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni1st Division Vice Captain: Unknown
2nd Division Captain: Soi Fong2nd Division Vice Captain: Ohmaeda Marechiyo
3rd Division Captain: Ichimaru Gin3rd Division Vice Captain: Kira Izuru
4th Division Captain: Unohana Retsu4th Division Vice Captain: Kotetsu Isane
5th Division Captain: Aizen Sousuke5th Division Vice Captain: Hinamori Momo
6th Division Captain: Kuchiki Byakuya6th Division Vice Captain: Abarai Renji
7th Division Captain: Komamura Sajin7th Division Vice Captain: Iba Tetsuzaemo
8th Division Captain: Kyouraku Shunsui8th Division Vice Captain: Ise Nanao
9th Division Captain: Tousen Kaname9th Division Vice Captain: Hisagi Shuuhei
10th Division Captain: Hitsugaya Toushiro10th Division Vice Captain: Matsumoto Rangiku
11th Division Captain: Zaraki Kenpachi11th Division Vice Captain: Kusajishi Yachiru
12th Division Captain: Kurotsuchi Mayuri12th Division Vice Captain: Kurotsuchi Nemu
13th Division Captain: Ukitake Juushiro13th Division Vice Captain: Shiba Kaien (deceased)
Former 2nd Divison Captain: Shihouin YoruichiFormer 12th Divison Captain Urahara KisukeCurrent 13th Division, 3rd Seat Kotsubaki Sentaro & Kotetsu Kiyone

Bleach Video Games

Playstation Portable: Heat the Soul 3Description: The latest and greatest! With more characters and more action, get ready for a ride!More Information on this Game from IGN
Purchase this Game from Play-Asia


Playstation Portable: Heat the Soul 2Description: More Characters, More stages, Bleachy Goodness at your fingertips anywhere!More Information on this Game from IGN
Purchase this Game from Play-Asia


Playstation Portable: Heat the SoulDescription: The Original Bleach Fighting Game for PSP, take your favourite characters with you!More Information on this Game from IGN
Purchase this Game from Play-Asia


Wii: Bleach: Wii Shiraha Kirameku RinbukyokuDescription: You'll need a Japanese Wii (Or less than legal devices) for this, but if you do, don't miss this exciting Wii installment!More Information on this Game from IGN
Purchase this Game from Play-Asia


Gamecube: Tasogare Ni Mamieru ShinigamiDescription: Dust off that Gamecube and get ready for an awesome game! All your favourite characters and more!
More Information on this Game from IGN
Purchase this Game from Play-Asia


Gameboy Advance: Bleach AdvanceDescription: The Gameboy Advanced isn't dead, Bleach Advance for your gaming pleasure!
More Information on this Game from IGN
Purchase this Game from Play-Asia


Nintendo DS: Bleach DS 2nd: Kokui Hirameku Chinkon UtaDescription: The original Bleach for Nintedo DS, just got better! Get Bleach for the worlds best selling handheld.
More Information on this Game from IGN
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Nintendo DS: Souten ni Kakeru UnmeiDescription: Dual Screen Bleach Fighting, Including Wi-Fi Battling, play with your friends anytime!
More Information on this Game from IGN
Purchase this Game from Play-Asia


Playstation 2: Bleach: Blade BattlesDescription: Fight Hollows, team up with others, Bleach for your PS2!
More Information on this Game from IGN
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Playstation 2: Hanatareshi YabouDescription: Bleach RPG For your PS2, Save the world from evil with your favourite Bleach Anime characters!
More Information on this Game from IGN
Purchase this Game from Play-Asia


Playstation 2: Selected SoulDescription: Fight Hollows, team up with others, Bleach for your PS2!
More Information on this Game from IGN
Purchase this Game from Play-Asia

Bleach Episode Summaries (51-60)

Episode 51 - Morning of the Sentence - September 27th, 2005
Zaraki, Yachiru, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Aramaki and Orihime run around the Seireitei in search of the prison cell containing Ishida, Chad and Ganju, and save them when they find the place. Together, all 9 of them encounter the Captains and Lieutenants of the 7th and 9th Division and Zaraki, though attacked by both Captains’ powerful attacks, still stands, never sane but alive. Ikkaku and Yumichika will fight Hisagi and Iba. Meanwhile, at the other division headquarters, various tings are happening, like at the 6th Division, where Byakuya had closed the doors to the shrine to the woman in the picture who bears a very strong resemblance to Rukia.


Episode 52 - Renji, Oath of the Soul! Death Match with Byakuya - October 4th, 2005
The long lasting rivalry (more on Renji’s side) between Renji and Byakuya is finally resolved as both release their Bankais. With more experience and training with his Bankai, Byakuya is more comfortable and relatively easily defeats Renji. However, Renji will not go down so easily, and despite multiple injuries and excessive blood loss, still tries and tries again to injure Byakuya. In the end, he fails, and his promise to his soul to save Rukia is broken, for now. Still, his fangs had reached Byakuya, and the latter acknowledges this by throwing his scarf on Renji’s beat body.

Episode 53 - Ichimaru Gin's Temptation, Resolution of Destruction! - October 4th, 2005
Rukia encounters Ichimaru on her walk to the Soukyoku Hill, and feels Renji’s fading spirit pressure. The two-on-one fight between Komamura, Tousen and Zaraki continues, Tousen releasing his Bankai and plunging Zaraki into an “Empty Hell”. Zaraki, who had become a Captain by defeating the previous Captain, triumphs in the end and Tousen’s Bankai dissipates. Now, it is Komamura’s turn to release his Bankai after showing his true face. Yumichika reveals two secrets to Hisagi, while Renji is being healed by Hanatarou. At Soukyoku Hill, attendance is poor but at least Byakuya has come.

Episode 54 - An Accomplished Oath! Get Back Rukia! - October 18th, 2005
The Soukyoku has been released, but many parties are still racing to save Rukia. In the end, it is Ichigo who manages to stop even the true, fiery form of Soukyoku, King Kikou with just his Zanpakutou. Ukitake also arrives with an artefact bearing the Shihouin family’s crest, and with it, he and Shunsui successfully destroy the Soukyoku. This provides Ichigo the opportunity to destroy the execution stand and thus save Rukia. But it is not over yet. Renji slashes his way to Soukyoku Hill, where he catches Rukia after she is thrown down by Ichigo and runs off while Ichigo takes care of the fighting.


Episode 55 -Strongest Shinigami! Battle of Teacher and Student - October 25th, 2005
The fight between Byakuya and Ichigo begin as Renji and Rukia flee Soukyoku Hill. Renji tells Rukia what Ichigo had told him, and offers to share her burdens. Two battles between teachers and their students begin: one, Soi Fong versus Yoruichi; and two, Yamamoto versus Shunsui and Ukitake. Nanao is easily held down with just a look from Yamamoto, while Shunsui and Ukitake continue to fight for their own justice, opposed by the very one who taught them to do so, the one who believes that he himself is fighting for the justice of the world.


Episode 56 - Supersonic Battle! Determine Goddess of Chilvary - November 1st, 2005
Sorry, No Summary Available


Episode 57 - Senbonzakura crushed! Zangetsu thrusts the sky! - November 8th, 2005
Sorry, No Summary Available


Episode 58 - Unseal! The Black Blade, the Miraculous Power - November 15th, 2005
Sorry, No Summary Available

Episode 59 - The Conclusion! White Pride & Black Desire! - November 22nd, 2005
Sorry, No Summary Available


Episode 60 - Truth of Despair, The Dagger That Is Brandished - December 6th, 2005
Sorry, No Summary Available

Bleach Episode Summaries (41-50)

Episode 41 - Reunion, Ichigo and Rukia - July 19th, 2005
Ichigo awakes to find himself in a cave, watched over by Yoruichi. Yoruichi shows him that item that had saved him from being sliced into half – the mask that had save him in the fight with Renji. Yoruichi insists on keeping it, and also shows Ichigo how it brought him here. A rare artefact and… its true form – a woman. Ganju stands no chance against Kuchiki Byakuya, getting cut up by his Shikai not far into the battle. Suddenly sensing Byakuya’s spirit power, Ichigo grabs the artefact and flies to the Shrine of Penitence. There, he meets Byakuya, and the real fight begins.

Episode 42 - Yoruichi, Master of Speed, Dances! - July 26th, 2005
Yoruichi saves the day once again by rescuing Ichigo, leaving Ganju, Hanatarou and Rukia at Ukitake and Byakuya’s mercy. Since the latter loses interest, the former ends up having to put Rukia back in her cell, and more. Ishida and Orihime are now in the perfect disguise – Shihakushos. Also, Yoruichi’s just told Ichigo how he can defeat Byakuya: Bankai, or the next stage after Shikai that increases one’s combat ability up to 10x. However, although this would normally take 10 years to train for, Yoruichi will use a different, more dangerous method, and have him attain it in 3 days.
Episode 43 - The Despicable Shinigami! - August 2nd, 2005
Ishida and Orihime are hiding out in a warehouse, Tsubaki being healed by Ayame and Shun’ou. Orihime practices with her Shun Shun Rikka and is now able to call them out without using the magic words. This proves useful when they are met by 12th Division Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri, who uses explosions to try and kill them. Ishida stays behind to fight Mayuri, instructing an 11th Division guy to take Orihime and escape. Ishida discovers the real reason why the Shinigami were late that fateful day. The real murderer of his grandfather was Mayuri himself, even if indirectly.

Episode 44 - Ishida, Power of Limits! - August 9th, 2005
Ishida, determined to avenge his sensei’s humiliation, uses a technique that Mayuri had never seen in all the Quincy specimens, Heavenly Wild Suit Puppet that allows Ishida to move immobilized parts like a puppet. Ishida goes against his sensei’s wishes and takes off the glove on his arm, thus attaining immeasurable power that it even enough to destroy Mayuri’s Bankai. However, Mayuri escapes as a green liquid and Ishida, poisoned, is saved by Nemu, who gives him the antidote as thanks. But when Ishida reaches the top of the stairs, he is met by 9th Division Captain Kaname Tousen.


Episode 45 - Overcome the Limits! - August 16th, 2005
The method Ichigo will use to attain Bankai is the Spirit-Transfer Shell that forcibly materializes one’s Soul Slayer. Ichigo must now fight the materialized Zangetsu into submission if he wants Bankai. Meanwhile, Chad, Ishida and Ganju find themselves together in a cell, and deduce that Orihime is also a captive elsewhere. She is, only that Zaraki plans on helping her so that he can find Ichigo and fight him again. Renji breaks out of his cell while Ichimaru offers to save Kira. Judgement is also passed over Hanatarou for his actions regarding the Ryoka by Unohana.


Episode 46 - Authentic Records! School of Shinigami! - August 23rd, 2005
Whilst Renji and Kira have each escaped from their cells, Hinamori is still stuck in hers, remembering the day she had met Aizen. It had been one of the days in the academy when she had first seen Aizen and his then-lieutenant Ichimaru. She had raved about him to Hitsugaya, adding that she’d definitely get into 5th Division in the future. Her respect for him had grown after a training session in the living world had gone awry and two 6th-round students killed, when he had answered their call for assistance. Now, Hinamori has immobilised the guard of her cell using Demon Arts.


Episode 47 - The Avengers! - August 30th, 2005
Hitsugaya has his hands full with Hinamori, Kira and Renji each escaping from their respective cells. Meanwhile, day one of Ichigo’s training has drawn to a close, and in a healing hot spring with Yoruichi, he hears about Urahara’s bigwig past. Hitsugaya finds Kira and Ichimaru together, but Hinamori arrives and recites Aizen’s letter of “truth”, which states that his murderer is Hitsugaya himself, and that he even has plans to destroy Soul Society. Left with no choice, Hitsugaya hits Hinamori away when she gets in the way, beginning a fight between him and Ichimaru Gin.


Episode 48 - Hitsugaya roars! - September 6th, 2005
A fight ensues between the Captains of the 3rd and 10th Squad, and the latter Captain releases his Zanpakutou, Hyourinmaru and gains the upper hand. Just as it looks like he would win, Ichimaru too releases Shinsou, using a different tactic this time by trying to get at Hinamori. Thankfully, Matsumoto arrives in time to stop Shinsou, and Ichimaru withdraws his sword. The date of Rukia’s execution has been changed to a much earlier date, and Renji has appeared in Ichigo’s training area also to train for Bankai. Rukia, alone in the Shrine, remembers a night where the lieutenant of her division had died in her arms.


Episode 49 - Rukia's Nightmare - September 13th, 2005
Rukia had landed herself in the 13th Division, but everyone there had been the same making her feel awkward and talking behind her back about her noble status. Then Shiba Kaien had come, the 13th’s Lieutenant and made her life in the 13th Division a lot more pleasant. One day, his wife, Miyako, whom Rukia had looked up to, was sent on a mission and as the only survivor was possessed by a Hollow and killed many of her comrades. Rukia, Kaien and Ukitake hunt down the Hollow, but Kaien succumbs to it and is also possessed and Rukia is forced to kill him.


Episode 50 - The Awakening Lion - September 20th, 2005
Don Kanonji pays another visit to the Kurosaki house, where he discovers Karakura Super Heroes’ new member and mascot, Karakura King, more commonly known as Kon. Kanonji, Yuzu and Kon go around to the Urahara Store to round up Ururu and Jinta, then begins their adventures which were then documented into a TV show: A Hollow, conveniently, takes a liking to Kon, and so the first mission for the Karakura Super Heroes is to save him. Rivalries (Karin and Jinta, who else?) are rekindled, but in the end, they all find the teamwork they need and defeat the Hollow with it.

Bleach Episode Summaries (31-40)

Episode 31 - The Resolution to Kill - May 10th, 2005
Renji had gone out of his way to drop off his adjutant insignia at the 6th Division division-house before going to confront Ichigo, so Kira and Hinamori both think it must be something big and related to Rukia. They are right, of course, and Renji is still engaged in battle with Ichigo. He blames Ichigo for Rukia’s impending death, and Ichigo admits that it is his fault, and that is why he will save her. Ichigo, remembering Urahara’s words of advice and intense training, unleashes his Getsuga Tenshou (Shikai) on Renji. Renji cannot believe that he has lost.


Episode 32 - Stars and the Stray - May 17th, 2005
Renji and Rukia, having grown up in a town where “shitty bastards live shitty lifestyles”, loose their friends and decided to take the well-trodden path out of the poverty – to become a Shinigami and reside in the Seireitei. But even at the Central Spirit Technique Institute, people look down on them for their social standing. Rukia has been offered the chance to be adopted into the Kuchiki clan, and be immediately graduated and accepted into the Gotei 13. Renji tells Ichigo that it was his own fault that Rukia is now a death row prisoner, and begs him to save Rukia.


Episode 33 - Miracle! The Mysterious New Hero! - May 24th, 2005
In this filler, Hollows abound, attracted to the spirit of the cat whom Karin and Yuzu have found, named by Yuzu, Raku. They are also visited by Don Kanonji, Ururu and Jinta, and thus, it is the beginning of Don Kanonji’s New Generation of super heroes, the Karakura Super Heroes. Karin and Jinta are both vying for the top position, and the ultimate decision will be made off their performance at slaying Hollows and saving Yuzu. In the end, the biggest hero is Raku, who turns into a lion and saves Yuzu and the rest. “Karakura Lion Jet” is Kanonji’s name for it, but he, along with Karin and Jinta, don’t know that it is indeed Raku.


Episode 34 - Tragedy of Dawn! - May 31st, 2005
Hanatarou heals Ichigo’s wounds in the underground water tunnels, leaving Renji to be found by some 3rd Division-ers. Byakuya insisted that Renji be put in a holding cell, and Hitsugaya warns Hinamori to beware of the 3rd Division. There have been special wartime orders, allowing Shinigami Lieutenant-rank or higher to constantly carry and release their Zanpakutous if the need arises. Hanatarou has found a Hollow’s mask in Ichigo’s clothes, but worse things have been happening upstairs… Aizen’s body has been found stuck on the face of a wall, a trail of blood left behind him, along with a screaming Hinamori.


Episode 35 - Assasination of Aizen! The Darkness Approaches - June 7th, 2005
Hinamori tries to avenge Captain Aizen by attacking Ichimaru, but is stopped by Kira. Both release their respective Zanpakutous, but are stopped by Hitsugaya, who gets them sent to detention. Chad, after having a dream about his first meeting with Ichigo, makes his way towards the Shrine of Penitence, watched by two (three if you count Nanao’s glasses) pairs of eyes – Kyouraku Shunsui and Ise Nanao, Captain and Lieutenant of the 8th Division respectively. Ichigo, Hanatarou and Ganju are making the same journey, but as they reach the top of the stairs, someone with extraordinarily high spirit power awaits.


Episode 36 - Zaraki Kenpachi Approaches! - June 14th, 2005
Matsumoto chides Hinamori gently for her actions, and hands her a letter from Aizen that Hitsugaya had found in Aizen’s room addressed to her. Hinamori reads it, and is shocked by the contents. Ichigo, Ganju and Hanatarou discover that the insane spirit force is that of Zaraki Kenpachi. Ganju and Hanatarou collapse under the pressure, but all Zaraki wants is a fight with Ichigo. Ichigo sends Hanatarou and Ganju away to save Rukia, while he makes a futile attempt to cut Zaraki, hurting himself as his maximum spirit power isn’t even greater than that which Zaraki unconsciously leaks.


Episode 37 - Reason of the Fist! - June 21st, 2005
Chad reaches the 8th Division headquarters and quickly deals with all the junior adjutants that stand in his way, even the 3rd-Seater Enjouji Tatsufusa, who claims that he has never in history been defeated. However, his next opponent isn’t quite so easy – 8th Division Captain Kyouraku Shunsui, who makes a dramatic appearance complete with falling flower petals (courtesy of Nanao-chan). Remembering his Abuelo and the promise made to Ichigo that they’d fight for each others’ sake and die protecting what the other thought precious, Chad valiantly tries to fight the Captain but fails to defeat him, though managing to demolish the surroundings in the process of repeatedly missing Shunsui.


Episode 38 - Desperation! The Broken Zangetsu! - June 28th, 2005
Nanao wants to finish off Chad, but Shunsui stops her, and Ichigo is able to sense his faint spirit power once more. Galvanized, he readies himself to fight whole-heartedly against Zaraki Kenpachi, and now, he is actually able to cut the latter. Unohana tells Tousen and Komamura that Aizen is indeed dead and that it is not a faux body that they see. Ichigo discovers that Zaraki’s Zanpakutou is name-less, and is relieved to know this as he thinks he now has a chance of winning. However, he is wrong – Zaraki breaks Zangetsu and wounds Ichigo, walking away disappointed by the outcome of their match. The one who walks towards Ichigo now is Zangetsu himself.


Episode 39 - The Man Of Immortality - July 5th, 2005
Zangetsu tells Ichigo that he can win, but he has to fight something inside him. This alter self wields Zangetsu, but Ichigo himself is given an Asauchi – a nameless Zanpakutou carried by Shinigami too weak to be in the Gotei 13. They fight, and the alter Ichigo wields Zangetsu in the most innovative ways. Ichigo prevails in the end as he asks Zangetsu to fight with him once more. Ichigo returns to the fight with Zaraki, now at full-power, much to Zaraki’s delight. Yachiru is visited by one of the CFC boys, but she doesn’t want to be disturbed while watching Zaraki fight, and she shows it. Ichigo and Zaraki’s fight end, Ichigo falling to the ground with an apology.

Episode 40 - The Shinigami Whom Ganju Met - July 12th, 2005
Yachiru thanks Ichigo for “playing” with and giving Ken-chan a good time, and later, Zaraki tries to ask his Zanpakutou its name after remembering how painful it was not to have a name. He wants to get stronger, and Yachiru assures him that he can. Meanwhile, Ganju and Hanatarou arrive and get into the Shrine of Penitence. Ganju is shocked to realise that the woman he has thus far risked his neck for is the Shinigami who killed his brother, Shiba Kaien years back. Their way out (the bridge), however, is now blocked by Kuchiki Byakuya.

Bleach Episode Summaries (21-30)

Episode 21 - Enter! The World of the Shinigami! - March 1st, 2005
Ichigo, Chad, Ishida, Orihime and Yoruichi arrive in Soul Society’s Rukongai after being chased through the passage by the cleaner, Capturing Thrust. Ichigo hastily tries to get into the Seireitei where Shinigami live, but has to first defeat a giant, Herculean man who has not been defeated in 300 years. Ichigo successfully does so, but when the gate is opened for them, the one who meets them, is the 3rd division captain.



Episode 22 - The Man Who Hates Shinigami! - March 8th, 2005
Ichimaru Gin, 3rd Squad Captain, deals with the Ryoka and Jidanbou swiftly with his Zanpakutou, sending them out the gate and back into Rukongai. Orihime makes use of her powers to heal up Jidanbou, and Chad meets Shibata the cockatiel. Yoruichi tells the gang that they’re not going to try entering by the gate anymore, but rather, by way of Shiba Kuukaku. Just then, a man riding a boar bursts into the room, and seeing Ichigo, starts to fight with him as he hates Shinigami.



Episode 23 - The Sentence Of Rukia, Before The 14th Day! - March 15th, 2005
Ganju rushes away on his boar, telling Ichigo not to run away. The next day, Chad, Orihime and Ishida are wondering how Shiba Kuukaku looks like. Ichigo refuses to go with them, thinking to wait for Ganju. Yoruichi literally scratches sense back into his head and they set off to Kuukaku’s. Little did they know that Kuukaku was a woman and not a man, and that Ganju was her little brother. She is also Rukongai’s number 1 fireworks maker, and she intends to get them into the Seireitei via the sky.


Episode 24 - Assemble! The 13 Divisions! - March 22nd, 2005
Kuukaku introduces her own personal giant fireworks platform, the Kakaku Cannon. She explains that as the Seireitei has all-round protection by a spherical barrier that blocks out and dissolves spirit power, the only way they can get into the Seireitei nice and easy is for her to shot them up with her Kakaku Cannon and plop them into the Seireitei. To do so, they need to be able to use the spirit orb to create a barrier around themselves strong enough to penetrate the Seireitei’s. Ichigo’s having a little problem with that, but manages after a few tips from Ganju. Meetings for both Lieutenants and Captains are called and at the Captains’ meeting, there’s a little debate going on about the actions of Ichimaru Gin.


Episode 25 - Penetrate The Centre With An Enormous Bombshell? - March 29th, 2005
Ganju relates the story of his older brother, who had been killed by a Shinigami just before they set off to the Seireitei together in the cannonball. To break through the anti-soul shield, each will have to regulate their spirit power to be equal with the others. Ichigo is having a bit of a problem since he’s not too great at controlling his spirit power. An emergency alert has sounded and the captains’ meeting adjourned. Zaraki has his eye on the strongest one of the four arrows that shoots out of the sky as the 5 people and 1 cat are split up.



Episode 26 - Formation! The Worst Tag! - April 5th, 2005
Chad has managed to avoid being seen or getting hurt, as has Yoruichi, but over on Ishida and Orihime’s side, despite the Sacred Tri-Link Shield, Orihime has gotten hurt and Ishida, with his bandages, has performed first aid for her. But things couldn’t be worse for Ganju and Ichigo, who although saved by Ganju’s sandpit, were met by 2 high-ranking Shinigami of the strongest Division (11th). Ichigo fights and appears on equal ground with one of them, supposedly the stronger of the two, and Ganju uses some cheap tricks to get away from the other.


Episode 27 - Release the Death Blow! - April 12th, 2005
As Yachiru directs her captain to various dead ends with her “sharp instincts”, Ikkaku and Ichigo continue to fight, and Ikkaku, despite being badly injured and wielding a broken Houzukimaru, refuses to give up until unable to hold his weapon. Yumichika and Ganju are also engaged in battle, Ganju using more of his sister’s inventions and causing himself damage in the process. Ishida and Orihime are running frantically after being found by three groups of Shinigami, who, while giving chase, kick up lots of dust behind them. Seeing the moving dust cloud, Chad runs in that direction to see if it might be Ichigo. Ikkaku tells Ichigo Rukia’s location and warns him against his Captain.

Episode 28 - Orihime is Being Targeted - April 19th, 2005
Ichigo is running around looking for Ganju, who is still fighting Yumichika. Using some new techniques, he is able to defeat Yumichika, finishing him off by using his face as fireworks for the rest to see his location. Ichigo is subsequently chased by a large group of Shinigami, as is Ganju. Ishida and Orihime meet a Shinigami who loves attacks with killer intent – something Orihime does not have. As a result, Tsubaki gets injured, but thanks to Ishida, the Ryoka’s side gain another point. Kurotsuchi Mayuri has decided to pay a visit to Ikkaku to gain some information on Ichigo, whom he feels would be worth experimenting on.

Episode 29 - Breakthrough! The Deathgods' Encompassing Net - April 26th, 2005
Jiroubou had all along been after Orihime, which is what Ishida calls the coward’s way of fighting, not bearing to kill, but just to make sure that Jiroubou cannot return to becoming a Shinigami, destroys his Soul Sleep and Chain Link. Ganju and Ichigo, both being chased by large groups of Shinigami from the 11th Division, meet up finally, but are now surrounded. They get a hostage, Yamada Hanatarou, who doesn’t serve much purpose as the 11th Division guys would be more than happy to see him die. Mayuri tries to interrogate Ikkaku regarding Ichigo, but Ikkaku will not spill even one bean, telling only Zaraki and Yachiru what he knows. Ganju and Ichigo make a getaway just as Chad arrives, missing them by just a mere few seconds.


Episode 30 - Renji's Confrontation - May 3rd, 2005
Ichigo, Ganju and Hanatarou make their way through the underground water tunnels that only the 4th Division know their way about. Hanatarou tells Ichigo what Rukia had told him about him when he had been assigned to clean her cell, and Ichigo is spurred on to hurry out of the tunnels, emerging at the closest exit to the Shrine of Penitence, where they are met by Abarai Renji, who had left the lieutenants’ conference to confront Ichigo. Renji is supposedly 5 times stronger than the last time, and the fight between the two start good and proper as Renji releases Zabimaru in an attempt to fulfil the promise that he would kill the man who took Rukia’s powers.

Bleach Episode Summaries (11-20)

Episode 11 - The Legendary Quincy - December 14th, 2004
Ichigo is reprimanded for appearing on national TV, and Rukia, Keigo, Mizuiro, Chad, Tatsuki and Inoue are also hauled to the Principal’s office for not stopping Ichigo. Orihime is ranked 3rd, while Ichigo is 23rd for the exams. The 1st is Ishida Uryuu, who later meets Ichigo and Rukia, who have arrived where a Hollow was supposed to be. Ishida shoots down the new Hollow that appears and tells them that he is a Quincy who hates Shinigami, i.e. Ichigo. Later when Ichigo is following him, he is told a number of things by Ishida, who then challenges him to a match. Urahara tells Rukia what he knows of the Quincy, most of which surprises Rukia. Ichigo accepts Ishida’s challenge and changes to Shinigami form.

Episode 12 - The Gentle Right Arm - December 21th, 2004
This episode covers the beginning of the match between Ichigo and Ishida, in which Ishida scatters anti-Hollow bait, luring a multitude of Hollows to Karakura town. While Ishida stands upon a bridge shooting down Hollows as soon as they appear, Ichigo is running around trying to find his sisters, who have high spiritual power, which Hollows target. Chad is also being chased by a Hollow, and as he runs, he ends up in the place where Karin is. He takes on the Hollow and discovers his powers, though he is rather badly injured as a result of the fight. Orihime too is visited by a Hollow.

Episode 13 - Flower and Hollow - December 28th, 2004
The continuation of the match between Ishida and Ichigo though there is not as much action from either in this episode. The episode focuses mainly on Orihime, who, when faced with a Hollow that controls people’s bodies from seeds, finds her spiritual power, the Shun Shun Rikka. Urahara tells Chad and Orihime about Hollows and Shinigami, and asks the two to choose the path they must take after finding their powers.

Episode 14 - Back To Back, A Fight To The Death - January 11th, 2005
The conclusion of the match between Ishida and Ichigo: Ichigo and Ishida fight back to back to defeat the Hollows as Chad and Orihime watch from a bridge that they may choose the path they must take. However, a Menos Grande, or super big Hollow, appears, and Ichigo discovers the absurd size of his spirit power. The man who hates Shinigami now saves one and asks his sensei for forgiveness.

Episode 15 - Kon's Great Plan! - January 18th, 2005
Yuzu has just given Kon a new makeover, prompting him to run away in search of a place where he truly belongs. Ishida is extremely late for school, and when he arrives, is all bandaged up. Rukia is acting weird as she knows she will have to return to Soul Society sooner or later. Yoruichi appears at the Urahara store, as does Kon. Kon, after getting tortured there, decides to return to Ichigo’s side.


Episode 16 - Encounter: Abarai Renji! - January 25th, 2005
Rukia, deciding that she has stayed too long in the human world, runs away from the Kurosaki household. Little did she know that two Shinigami, Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Byakuya, her good friend and brother respectively, were on her trail to kill her as well as the person who stole her powers. Ishida falls to Renji, but Ichigo arrives in time before Ishida is killed. He too, is injured badly by Renji, as Renji has transformed his Zanpakutou into something else entirely.


Episode 17 - Ichigo Dies! - February 1st, 2005
The determined Ichigo continues the fight against Renji, and was almost winning until Byakuya intervenes. Ichigo is half-dead, and to save Ichigo, Rukia pretends to ignore him, and returns to Soul Society with Renji and Byakuya. Ichigo is then saved by Urahara and is told that there is a way to get to Soul Society and save Rukia. But first, he must endure 10 days of “torture” (training) under Urahara.


Episode 18 - Reclaim! The Power of the Shinigami! - February 8th, 2005
It is the last day of school before summer vacations start, and nobody in Karakura High seems to remember Rukia. Orihime, who remembers, asks Ichigo about Rukia, and he tells her that he will save Rukia. In Soul Society, Rukia wonders if she will be awarded the Death Penalty. Ichigo’s training with Urahara begins, and after clearing Lesson One, he progresses on to Lesson Two, in which he must become a Shinigami so as to not become a Hollow. Ishida does not wish to save Rukia, but wishes to train in secret.


Episode 19 - Ichigo Becomes A Hollow! - February 15th, 2005
Rukia has been sentenced to death and will be executed in 25 days time. Yoruichi is exasperated by the slow progress in Chad and Orihime’s training, though Orihime was able to call out her Shun Shun Rikka. Ichigo tries to run up the wall to get out, but fails. He eventually goes on his way to become a Hollow. However, he manages to regain is power as a Shinigami, and emerges a Shinigami with a Hollow’s mask. Thus ends Lesson Two and begins Lesson Three, in which Ichigo must knock of Urahara’s hat with his broken Zanpakutou.


Episode 20 - Ichimaru the Silver Shadow! - February 22nd, 2005
Ichigo and Urahara’s match begins to get interesting as Urahara releases his Zanpakutou, Benihime. Ichigo’s Zanpakutou gets destroyed by Urahara, but he soon gains a new and improved Zanpakutou when he finally is able to hear the name of his Zanpakutou. After the training, Ichigo and friends attend a fireworks festival, and one week later, Ichigo, Chad, Orihime, Ishida and Yoruichi set off to Soul Society via the Senkai gate.

Bleach Episode Summaries (1-10)

Bleach Episode Summaries (1-10)

Episode 1 - The day I became a Shinigami - October 5th, 2004
An orange-haired boy beats up some hooligans for knocking over flowers laid for a dead girl, and we soon learn that he is Kurosaki Ichigo, who is able to see ghosts. A weird creature appears in the town and wreaks havoc, but is stopped by a woman dressed in a black kimono. She appears in Ichigo’s room later, and we discover that she is a Shinigami, and that the creature is a Hollow or evil spirit. One appears at Ichigo’s house, attracted by his high spirit power. In a bid to save his family, Ichigo becomes a Shinigami.

Episode 2 - A Shinigami's Work! - October 12th, 2004
Ichigo’s family seems to believe that a truck had smashed into their house, and find it a miracle no one was hurt. That’s not the last surprise for Ichigo that day, for when he gets to school, he discovers that the new transfer student sitting next to him is none other than Kuchiki Rukia. She wants him to take over her role of Shinigami for the area, but he does not feel ready yet. He soon discovers yet another surprise: his closet has an inhabitant - Kuchiki Rukia! After a short fight with a Hollow he recognizes as Orihime’s brother, he learns what a Hollow really is.


Episode 3 - The Older Brother's Wish, The Younger Sister's Wish - October 19th, 2004
Orihime’s brother-turned-Hollow turns on her, pushing her soul out of her body and attacking Tatsuki. Initially, Ichigo loses to him, but later gives the Hollow a good talking to about the roles of Big Brothers. Orihime’s words strike a chord in the Hollow, and after fighting a winning battle against another Hollow, he decides to end himself instead of becoming a monster once more. After Orihime bids him a proper goodbye, the Hollow disappears. Orihime and Tatsuki do not remember anything the next day because Rukia used a memory modifier on them, like she had on Ichigo’s family previously.

Episode 4 - The Cursed Parakeet! - October 26th, 2004
Chad receives what his friends say is a cursed cockatiel, which is really a normal cockatiel possessed by a young boy ghost who saw the murder of his mother right before his eyes. The bird is said to bring misfortune to its owners, and true enough, Chad meets with numerous accidents; from traffic accidents to a steel girder falling on him. Finally, he encounters a Hollow, but Rukia is there to help, although she has not regained enough of her powers to fight properly. The memories of the ghost have flown into Karin, who now feels unwell. She begs Ichigo to save the boy and send him to heaven.


Episode 5 - Beat the Invisible Enemy! - November 2nd, 2004
Rukia, unable to fight the Hollow in her weakened state, has no choice but to wait for Ichigo. But help appears earlier in the form of Chad, who with his bulging muscles puts up a gallant fight against the Hollow, who is the murderer of Shibata’s mother as well as the one who put Shibata in the cockatiel’s body. The Hollow is also able to produce Stitch-like creatures which have within them leeches detonable with a ring of the Hollow’s tongue. Ichigo arrives to save the day as usual, slaying the Hollow and sending it to hell, and Shibata to Soul Society.


Episode 6 - Fight to the death! Ichigo vs. Ichigo - November 9th, 2004
Rukia is late for school, after having gone to shop at the Urahara Store. Punching Ichigo and dragging him away to the rooftop, she throws him a tube of Soul Candy, and asks him to try one. Ichigo does, and his soul exits his body, and a temporary soul is inserted. Unfortunately, this soul is a mod soul that has the supernatural power of jumping high and running fast. He uses this power to amaze everyone, and in class, ruins Ichigo’s image by kissing Tatsuki and Orihime. Escaping from the real Ichigo and Rukia, he stumbles upon three boys playing video games and deleting their characters.


Episode 7 - Greetings From A Stuffed Toy - November 16th, 2004
Urahara and company prepare to collect their merchandise, while “Ichigo” tries to attack three children, but is stopped by Ichigo. A Hollow appears and “Ichigo” fights it, getting injured in the process. Ichigo arrives to save the day, but “Ichigo” is the real hero – he saves those 3 children from being squashed by the Hollow. Urahara comes to remove the mod-soul from Ichigo’s body, but Rukia and Ichigo take back the “inferior goods” and end up putting it into a lion plushie. From Soul Society, a Shinigami has been dispatched to look for Rukia, whilst memories of a very rainy night fill Ichigo’s head.


Episode 8 - June 17, Memories in the Rain - November 23rd, 2004
The Kurosaki family goes to visit the grave of Masaki, their mother. Ichigo finds Rukia already there, and Rukia tells him that it is possible that a Hollow had killed his mother. She later discovers a Shinigami who has come to ask her reason for exceeding her time limit in the human world, and when Ichigo comes and says that he is a “temporary Shinigami”, he says that she has committed a felony and fights with Ichigo. But a Hollow appears to divert their attention from each other, and once more, the lives of the Kurosaki family are put in jeopardy.



Episode 9 - Unbeatable Enemy! - November 30th, 2004
Ichigo realizes that the Hollow he now faces is the one who killed his mother, and is enraged enough to carelessly lunge at him, who has evaded the Shinigami for over 50 years – Grand Fisher. As Ichigo gets beaten up pretty badly by Grand Fisher due to his ability to use his head appendage to take the form of his opponent’s loved one, in this case, Masaki. However, this appendage suddenly remembers Masaki’s dying wish, and hearing that wish, Ichigo is inspired and manages to defeat the Hollow, although not killing it. Ichigo wants now to become stronger to protect people from Hollows.



Episode 10 - Assault On Trip At Sacred Ground! - December 7th, 2004
Ichigo and Rukia are at a very popular show, “Drop-in”, in which Don Kanonji supposedly exorcises spirits. Ichigo hates these shows but goes to appease his father and Yuzu. Things go awry, however, when Kanonji opens the hole in the chest of a demi-Hollow (spirit bound to the earth by regrets), thinking he is exorcising it, thus turning it into a Hollow. Ichigo must fight this Hollow without involving the innocent bystanders. Is that possible? Well, he does get some help from Urahara and Kanonji, the “hero”, himself.

Episode 2 - A Shinigami's Work!

Episode 2 - A Shinigami's Work!
In a world of pink, a figure becomes bigger, nearing its target. “Gooood Mooorning, Iiichigooo!” It is Ichigo’s father (Isshin), greeting Ichigo violently as always. Ichigo evades and grabs Isshin’s face, pinning him to the floor. Isshin praises him, saying that he has no more to teach him. Ichigo realizes that it is the next morning after his fight with the Hollow, and immediately asks Isshin how his sisters’ injuries are. Isshin is baffled as to what injuries they could possibly have, much to Ichigo’s bewilderment.
The two soon find a large hole in their wall, apparently caused by a truck ramming into their house last night. Despite this, no one was injured, nor did anyone even wake up. As a result, the truck driver got away scott-free. Ichigo is astounded that his sisters’ injuries had disappeared, and that his whole family seems to think that the house was damaged by a truck. He labels this as “Shinigami after-care”, as his sisters walk back into the house, asking him to do the same or risk being late for school. Ichigo wonders if Rukia had returned to Soul Society.
In school, two girls, one with long chestnut-colored hair, and the other with spiky black hair walk along the corridor. The long-haired girl, Orihime, has brought an odd lunch of fish-shaped sweetbean bread and ramen with wasabi and honey. The other, Tatsuki, is a bit taken aback by the image of her lunch in her mind, and turns down the offer to share it. Ichigo accidentally knocks down Orihime, and instead of apologizing, merely says that it’s “just” her. Tatsuki scolds him for not apologizing, and Ichigo, asking if she’s alright, extends his hand to Orihime. Orihime gets up immediately on her own, perhaps a bit afraid of his face. She then starts muttering some intelligible stuff and runs off, still muttering. Tatsuki asks him why he is late, and he walks off, saying that he will tell her later.
In their classroom, 1-3, one of Ichigo’s friends, Keigo asks him if the rumor that a truck had crashed into his house was true. Ichigo confirms the rumor, and another, Mizuiro, asks if they had finished cleaning up. Ichigo says that would be impossible, and his big-sized friend, Chad, offers to help, but is refused. A girl walks up to the 4 friends, who continue their conversation, and her hairstyle seems somewhat familiar.
She asks in a very fake voice if he is Kurosaki-kun, and as Ichigo turns around and looks at her, he gets the shock of his life. The girl standing before him in school uniform is the Shinigami from the previous night! She says that she will be sitting next to him, and he, having recovered from the shock, stands and points at her, unable to form a coherent sentence. His 4 friends ask if he knows the new transfer student, and Rukia replies that this is the first time they have met. Rukia extends her hand for Ichigo to shake, and angles her hand slightly such that she can see a message written on it: Make a scene and I’ll kill you!
Later, Ichigo asks Rukia what she is doing and why she speaks in that disgusting way. She explains that the night before, she had learnt how to speak “modern” Japanese. In addition, he had sucked dry almost all her Shinigami powers, making her unable to return to Soul Society, and forcing her to get into a faux body. Faux bodies are temporary bodies that Shinigami enter when they are weakened and awaiting the recovery of their powers. This is how everyone could see her.
She then announces gleefully that until her powers return, he will take over her job as Shinigami, as he is the one with the powers. Ichigo promptly refuses, damning himself should he have to fight another Hollow again. Rukia says that he had fought well last night, but Ichigo claims that this is only because his family was being attacked. He would not fight that way for strangers. Ichigo apologizes and walks away, but does not walk far before Rukia pulls on a red glove with the emblem of a skull on it. She pushes Shinigami Ichigo out of the flesh Ichigo. Though Ichigo is flabbergasted by the separation of his soul from his body, he listens to her and follows her to a playground, near which flowers have been laid.
Ichigo asks how far they will be going, and Rukia replies that it is near. She has received orders from Soul Society, and a Hollow will be arriving to attack a plus in this park. True enough, they hear a scream, and see a little boy ghost running from a spider-like Hollow, which crashes through the various play items. The boy shouts for help, and Ichigo responds, running toward the Hollow and the boy. Rukia stops him, saying that the child is a total stranger, so Ichigo need not help him. He replies that that does not mean he can’t save the boy, as he is being attacked before his very eyes. Rukia tells him not to be selfish, and save only those he can see or reach. A Shinigami must be impartial to all souls. She tells him that if he wants to save this boy, then he must be prepared to save all other spirits as well, even if it means chasing them all around and sacrificing himself.
The boy slips and falls, and the Hollow raises a leg to stab the boy, but the leg is promptly severed by the monstrosity of a Zanpakutou, along with another leg. The Hollow falls backwards and disperses.
Rukia asks Ichigo if he is prepared, and Ichigo replies that he is not, and does not care. He had saved the kid because he wanted to. Was she not the same when she saved him that night at her own expense? Had she been thinking of her Shinigami “duty”? To him, risking one’s life is not for those reasons. The Hollow reappears and Ichigo swiftly kills it, piercing its mask. The boy sits up, breathing heavily, and seeing Ichigo, backs away in fear. Ichigo tells him that if he does not wish to be scared like that again, he should go to heaven. He then performs Soul Burial for the boy, which Rukia praises as “excellent”.
Orihime can be seen inside her apartment, reading a book. A depressed-looking spirit peers in through the window, and is disappointed when she draws the curtains. He turns around and sees two Hollows, which extend their tentacles and grab him. He is brought to the shadowy place from the 1st episode, where a dark figure over shrouds him, asking them to devour his soul. He begins to run, but a number of Hollows surround him and attack him with their tentacles, engulfing him. They suddenly leap away, and the lone figure of the ghost turns into a Hollow, and roars.
Rukia recites from a book of supposedly “modern” Japanese, annoying Ichigo to no end. He demands that she shut up and stop following him, but she says she will tail him until he agrees to do his Shinigami work. Ichigo nonchalantly walks off, just as they hear the screech of car tires behind them. They turn to see a blue car stop, then drive off, leaving a girl lying on the road behind it, her belongings strewn everywhere. Ichigo runs up to see if she is okay, and recognizes the girl to be Inoue. She too realizes that it is Ichigo. She thinks that she “probably” got hit by the car, but she is now totally revived, although the car is long gone. She suddenly realizes Rukia’s presence, but Rukia merely looks at her and asks Ichigo who the hell she is. An awkward Ichigo hisses that she is Inoue Orihime, from their class. Rukia immediately curtsies and politely greets Orihime, who does the same back. Rukia asks her if she had been to the market, unconsciously reminding her that the ingredients for her dinner are still on the road. She picks the green onions, butter, banana and sweetbean jelly up, glad that they are all uninjured. Ichigo wonders what her dinner will be.
Rukia notices an oddly shaped bruise on Orihime’s calf, and asks her about it. She kneels down to examine it despite Orihime saying that it doesn’t hurt. Orihime says that she has a very serious face, and asks if anything is the matter. Rukia hastily stands up and bids her farewell. Ichigo offers to walk Orihime home, but the latter turns it down. As Orihime crosses the street, Rukia retains her solemn expression.
As the two walk along the river, Rukia asks Ichigo if he is close to Orihime. Ichigo replies that they have never had a real conversation, but her best friend is his neighbor. However, three years ago, her big brother had died at their clinic. Rukia narrows her eyes as he continues; saying that Orihime’s only blood relative had been her brother, who met with a traffic accident. He had only recently discovered that the girl crying that night was Orihime. Rukia then asks how his spirit power was at the time, and Ichigo replies that it was not like the present, as he was only recently able to see and converse with ghosts so clearly.
Ichigo stops, asking what the questions are for, and Rukia continues to walk on, saying she is going “home”. Ichigo asks her where her “home” is, and she asks cheekily if he is curious to know, and if he isn’t, not to ask in the first place.
Orihime opens her apartment door to see Tatsuki standing there with a bowl of beef stew her mother had instructed her to give Orihime. Orihime tucks in happily into the stew, as Tatsuki comments that if it weren’t for them, she would eat ridiculous stuff like that on the table (the banana, green onion etc.) .
In the Kurosaki household, Ichigo sits on his bed reading a manga as Yuzu barges in, asking if he knows where her pajamas are. Ichigo chides her for not knocking, and tells her that he does not know the whereabouts of her pajamas. Yuzu says that he got meaner since entering high school, and that she is also missing a dress. As Ichigo complains that she asks him about everything, she shuts the door after wishing him a quick good night.
Rukia lies in a dark somewhere, appearing deep in thought as her phone suddenly begins to beep. She pulls it out from inside her shirt, just as Ichigo wonders what the beeping sound he hears is. Rukia stares at the phone, and when the screen color changes, so does her expression. Ichigo almost jumps out of his skin as his closet opens and Rukia shouts for him. Ichigo asks her what she is doing there, and those pajamas… Rukia pulls on the skull glove as she tells him that they have orders, and that “it” is coming. She pushes out his soul just as the hand of a Hollow smashes in through the wall and narrowly misses squishing Ichigo like a fly. The Hollow emerges fully and gives a loud roar as it breaks Ichigo’s bed. The Hollow attacks Ichigo, but he dodges, and draws his Zanpakutou. As he swings it, he destroys his ceiling, but doesn’t hit the Hollow. Instead, he is knocked back by its tail. He later manages to cut the Hollow on the arm, but Rukia tells him not to swing the Zanpakutou around recklessly. He again tries to attack the Hollow, this time managing to crack a bit of the mask. As the Hollow rears back in pain, screams, then escapes, Ichigo realizes that this is Orihime’s brother. Rukia tries to follow the Hollow, but stops when Ichigo does not budge.
Meanwhile, in the place where Hollows “live”, Orihime’s brother-turned-Hollow appears, writhing in pain due to its broken mask. However, the mask begins to form where it is missing, and once complete, the Hollow roars like a lion.
Rukia, having heard Ichigo’s reason, sighs and tells him that the fundamentals of Hollow vanquishing are as follows: crack its skull from behind in a single attack to reduce damage from the fight, and also to avoid seeing its identity. After all, Hollows are monsters that were once pluses. Ichigo is stunned by what he has learnt, but Rukia says that souls who still have feelings for the world refuse to accept burial by Shinigami, and wander, eventually surrounded by Hollows. They then become Hollows.
Tatsuki has just heard what happened to Orihime that day, and is shocked to hear about Ichigo being with Rukia, thinking that he is being too “quick with the girls”. She also mistakenly believes that he had not offered to walk an “injured girl” home. Orihime says that he did offer, then suddenly has a queer martial arts dream. The picture on her brother’s altar glints as there is a tremor of sorts. Orihime awakes from her dream and the two girls stare at the kitchen, from where a whipping sound seems to come. Orihime’s pink stuffed bear, suddenly drops to the floor. The two girls, Orihime now gripping Tatsuki’s sleeve, continue to sit, rooted to the floor in fear. The whipping sound continues as the Hollow roars, its red eyes turning orange.

Episode 1 - The day I became a Shinigami - October 5th, 2004

Episode 1 - The day I became a Shinigami
A dark, rugged landscape with dark clouds in the sky and shadows dancing across the floor opens the first episode. A dark mass rises from the ground and shoots up into the sky, then hurtles down from the clouds into the town below. A black swallow-tailed butterfly flutters past the moon and a lone figure can be seen standing on a telephone pole. She senses a strong pulse and leaps to the adjacent telephone pole and the houses beyond.
A prostrate figure lies on the ground, and the deep voice of his companion can be heard asking the orange-haired assailant why he has asked them to get out of the way after kicking “Yama-chan” down. The assailant merely scratches his head, infuriating the hooligan to no end. The hooligan tries to punch him, but is kicked in the face before he can land the punch. He is then stamped on by the assailant as his other companions watch on in fear and disbelief. The assailant knocks the thug’s head into the ground, shouting at him to shut up and look at the base of a pole, where a vase of flowers has been knocked over. He asks the guy in the middle what it is, and he replies that it is a tribute for the child which died there recently. Despite answering accurately, he gets kicked down by the orange-haired boy. He then asks the remaining two how it could have fallen over, and they answer with shaking voices that they had been skateboarding and knocked it over. They are also kicked and dared to try it again by the assailant, who is now fiery with anger, and are promised that people will be laying flowers for them soon. They run away, their legs weak with fright.
Their assailant sighs and says that after being scared like that, they wouldn’t be back soon. The figure of a young girl hovers over the fallen vase as he tells her that he will bring her new flowers the next day. The girl thanks him, saying that she can now rest in peace. He rights the vase and walks away, telling her to go to heaven. As the girl disappears, he introduces himself as Kurosaki Ichigo, a 15-year-old High School freshman, whose family runs the town clinic. They save and don’t save lives, and perhaps because of that, he has been able to see ghosts as long as he can remember.
As he enters his house, he is greeted by his father, who kicks him in the face and reprimands him for coming home late, as their dinner time is 7 o’clock every night. Ichigo retorts that he was helping a ghost on the way home, but his father replies that no matter what the reason may be, whoever disrupts their family time will be punished. He also accuses Ichigo of bragging that he can see and interact with ghosts. Ichigo’s little sisters are eating in the background, and one of them, Yuzu, tries to get them to stop fighting as the food is getting cold. Karin, the other, tells her not to bother, and get her more rice. Ichigo punches his father so hard that he goes flying, and says that putting such a curfew on a healthy male High School student is unimaginable. Karin cuts him short, saying that he has a new friend. True enough, a ghost has appeared next to Ichigo, much to his annoyance as he complains about exorcising and exorcising, but yet they keep coming. Karin comments that he has it rough being “hi-spec”, which Yuzu, who can only sense their presence, envies. Karin does not believe in ghosts, despite also being able to see them (only Yuzu and their father can’t), so it’s like the ghosts never existed.
Ichigo is suddenly caught off-guard by his father, and another scuffle ensues. Ichigo wins again with a punch and walks upstairs to go to bed, albeit Yuzu calling after him. He puts his bag down on his chair and lies down on his bed as his family continues their conversation downstairs. Apparently, Ichigo has been seeing ghosts more frequently, and their father is shocked that Ichigo tells his two sisters such things and not him. Karin accuses him of communicating like a child despite being over 40, and he runs to a giant poster of his wife, complaining that perhaps because of puberty, Yuzu and Karin have become meaner.


The next morning, the news reports that one block past the train station, where there had been violent shaking of the ground followed by the faces of buildings being blown off. Ichigo walks into the dining room and greets his sisters, then, taking a slice of bread from the toaster, asks where their father is. Karin replies that he was having a meeting and would not be back that night. Ichigo watches the news, recognizing the affected area as one near where they are. He passes that area on his way to lay new flowers for the girl. He reaches the area and calls out to the girl but hears no reply save for a scream. He follows the direction of the scream, where another “explosion” takes place. As people run away from the area, he runs against the flow of people into the dust and smoke. The dust settles and a menacingly large creature donning a white mask can be seen. As Ichigo stares at it in wonder, the girl comes running towards him, and the two run away from the scene, chased by the spider-like being. The girl slips and falls, just as a black swallow-tailed butterfly flutters past his face. The woman who had stood atop the telephone post earlier appears and draws her sword. She draws her sword across its mask, landing swiftly next to Ichigo. She swiftly lifts off again, this time slicing the creature into half right down the center, and it dissipates into the air. She sheaths her sword as Ichigo calls out to her, but she ignores him and walks away as the crowd gathers to see what had happened.
That night, Ichigo lies in bed, his window open. He wonders who the woman was, just as a black swallow-tailed butterfly flutters into his room and the subject of his thoughts steps out of his wall onto his table. She totally pays no heed to his question as to her identity, and prepares to draw her sword again. He asks her what she wants, and he steps off his table onto the floor, saying that “it is near”. She is kicked in the back by Ichigo, who demands to know why she ignores him after scaring him out of his wits. She is stunned that this boy is able to see and even interact with her, and also recognizes him as the boy who she had seen in town earlier. Normally, no one should be able to see her at all. Ichigo tries to kick her, but she jumps and lands on his calf, using that as a platform to jump onto his head and off. She tells him that she is a Shinigami (death god).
The little girl from earlier is being chased by another of the huge creatures, which makes huge dinosaur-like footprints in the ground it walks on (think Jurassic Park).
The Shinigami has finished her explanation, in which she says that she is a Shinigami who has come from Soul Society to vanquish evil spirits like the earlier monster that had attacked the girl. However, Ichigo will not buy her story, and flips his little coffee table. The Shinigami says that he can see ghosts, so he should believe in the existence of Shinigami. Ichigo replies that he has never seen a Shinigami before, and he will not believe without seeing. Although he can see her, he will only go as far as to say she is not a human. He puts his hand on her head and calls her a “stupid brat”. She is pissed off by this remark as she, despite her looks, has lived almost 10 times as long as he. She performs a binding spell on him, and he falls to the floor with his hands crossed behind his back. It is demon magic, the noble magic only Shinigami can do. He is now unable to move. She says that she would kill him if she was not forbidden to harm people she is not ordered to.
To prove her story, she uses the back of her sword to put a chop on the male ghost Ichigo had seen the previous day. The ghost says that he does not want to go to hell, but she explains that he will go to relaxing Soul Society. He sinks into the ground and flies away as a black swallow-tailed butterfly. She explains that she has performed a “soul burial” on him, sending him to Soul Society. That is one of a Shinigami’s duties. She then draws out pictures to explain. There are 2 types of spirits in the world: Good spirits, or “Pluses”, and bad spirits like the monster, which are called “Hollows”. Hollows eat living and dead souls. Ichigo would like to know why her drawings are so crude, and this earns him marker-drawn moustaches by the Shinigami. She continues her explanation for “your Excellency Baron”. Shinigami have two main duties, the fist being to send pluses up to Soul Society, and the next being to eliminate Hollows, which even they do not fully understand.
The second Hollow is about to pick the little girl ghost up, when he smells two delicious spirits, one being that of a Shinigami, nearby. He abandons the girl and stomps away. Ichigo hears something and alerts Rukia, but she just says that a second Hollow is definitely roaming the area. Ichigo tells her to go kill that one too, but she says that recently, she has been unable to sense their presence, as if some huge power was hindering her senses. Ichigo shouts at her, asking her if she can hear the Hollow’s loud voice. She cannot, but does so later, confirming that this is the sound of a Hollow. They suddenly hear a scream, and Ichigo recognizes this to be that of Yuzu. The Shinigami runs out of the room but is stopped in her tracks by the huge spirit force coming up the stairs.

It stops, and an injured Yuzu stumbles up the stairs and outside Ichigo’s room, asking him to save Karin, before fainting. Ichigo is still bound and unable to move, but the Shinigami rushes down the stairs to face the Hollow. Karin is grasped tight between the Hollow’s hand, and the Shinigami draws her sword as Ichigo tumbles down the stairs. Ichigo gets to his feet, surprising the Shinigami, as he is moving even under her demon magic. Ichigo sees, through the hole in the wall, Karin and the Hollow, and is galvanized so greatly that he fights against the binds despite the Shinigami’s warnings that he will die if he attempts to force it. However, she is shocked to see him, a human being, dissolve the demon magic on his own in a flash of light. He breaks free and grabs a foldable chair. He tries to use the chair to smack the Hollow, but is knocked away by the Hollow as Karin yells at him to run away.
Ichigo is the one the Hollow has been looking for, so the Hollow tries to use a hand to squash Ichigo. Ichigo moves away in time and the Shinigami cuts the Hollow’s arm, causing it to scream in pain. It drops Karin into Ichigo’s waiting arms and disappears. The Shinigami tells him not to panic, as the Hollow has not eaten his sisters’ souls. It is only looking for souls with high spiritual powers, like him. Until of late, Ichigo’s spirit power was subdued to the lowest possible emission such that she did not sense him and no Hollows attacked him. The Shinigami hypothesizes that the spirit power unable to flow out of his body did so when he touched the girl ghost. The Hollows had followed the strength of his scent from the girl, and had been after him all along. For the same reason, his family had been attacked.
The Hollow reappears and she tells him to run away. He does not, and foolishly tries to challenge the Hollow. The Hollow attacks, but the Shinigami blocks the attack, and falls, a wound on her shoulder spewing blood, to the floor. She says that his strength is nothing against that, and did he think that everything would revert to normal if he gave up his soul? The Shinigami crawls to the lamppost and sits there, telling him that the only way to save his family now is for him to become a Shinigami. To do so, he must thrust her sword, or Zanpakutou (Soul Slayer), through his heart so that she can pour her powers into him. The Hollow roars as she continues to say that she is not sure if it will work. The Hollow advances and he takes on the offer, taking up her Zanpakutou.
She tells Ichigo that her name is not “Shinigami”, but Kuchiki Rukia. He tells her his name, then pierces his chest with the Zanpakutou. There is a violent burst of blue light, and the Hollow’s arm is suddenly severed. Before the Hollow stands Ichigo, wearing the same black kimono as Rukia had. In his hand, he holds a Zanpakutou much larger than Rukia’s. Rukia, now wearing a white kimono, is dumbfounded. She had only intended to give half her powers, but he had taken it all. She had never seen a human with enough spirit power to confuse a Shinigami’s senses, nor one that could break demon magic, let alone a Shinigami with such a large Zanpakutou.
Ichigo runs at the Hollow and cuts off its leg, then, as revenge for raising a hand at his family, kills the Hollow by slicing its mask.
Kurosaki Ichigo; 15 years old; Orange hair; Brown eyes; High School student; and also… Shinigami.

Bleach Episode Guide

Episode 1: October 5th, 2004

Eng: The day I became a shinigami
Romaji: Shinigami ni natchatta hi

Episode 2: October 12th, 2004

Eng: A shinigami's work
Romaji: Shinigami no oshigoto


Episode 3: October 19th, 2004

Eng: The older brother's wish, the younger sister's wish
Romaji: Ani no omoi, imouto no omoi


Episode 4: October 26th, 2004

Eng: Cursed parakeet
Romaji: Noroi no inko


Episode 5: November 2nd, 2004

Eng: Beat the invisible enemy!
Romaji: Mienai teki wo nagure!


Episode 6: November 9th, 2004

Eng: Fight to the death! Ichigo vs. Ichigo
Romaji: Shitou! Ichigo vs Ichigo


Episode 7: November 16th, 2004

Eng: Greetings from a stuffed toy
Romaji: Nuigurumi kara KONnichiwa


Episode 8: November 23rd, 2004

Eng: June 17, a memory of rain
Romaji: Rokugatsu juunananichi, ame no kioku


Episode 9: November 30th, 2004

Eng: Unbeatable enemy
Romaji: Taosenai teki


Episode 10: December 7th, 2004

Eng: Assault on trip at sacred ground!
Romaji: Burari reiba totsugeki no tabi!


Episode 11: December 14th, 2004

Eng: The legendary Quincy
Romaji: Densetsu no Kuinshii


Episode 12: December 21th, 2004

Eng: A gentle right arm
Romaji: Yasashii migiude


Episode 13: December 28th, 2004

Eng: Flower and Hollow
Romaji: Hana to horou


Episode 14: January 11th, 2005

Eng: Back to back, a fight to the death!
Romaji: Senaka awase no shitou!


Episode 15: January 18th, 2005

Eng: Kon's great plan
Romaji: Kon no UHAUHA daisakusen


Episode 16: January 25th, 2004

Eng: Encounter: Abarai Renji!
Romaji:Abarai Renji, misan!


Episode 17: February 1st, 2004

Eng: Ichigo dies!
Romaji:Ichigo, shisu!


Episode 18: February 8th, 2004

Eng: Reclaim! The power of the shinigami
Romaji:Torimodose! Shinigami no chikara!


Episode 19: February 15th, 2005

Eng:Ichigo becomes a Hollow!
Romaji:Ichigo, horou ni ochiru!


Episode 20: February 22nd, 2005

Eng: Ichimaru the silver shadow
Romaji: Ichimaru gin no kage


Episode 21: March 1st, 2005

Eng: Enter! The world of the shinigami
Romaji: Totsunyuu! Shinigami no sekai


Episode 22: March 8th, 2005

Eng: The man who hates Shinigamis
Romaji: Shinigami wo nikumu otoko


Episode 23: March 15th, 2005

Eng: The sentence of Rukia, before the 14th day
Romaji: Rukia shokei, juuyokka mae


Episode 24: March 22nd, 2005

Eng: Assemble! The 13 divisions
Romaji: Kesshuu! Gotei 13 tai


Episode 25: March 29th, 2005

Eng: Penetrate the centre with an enormous bombshell?
Romaji: Kyodai houdan de chuuou toppa?


Episode 26: April 5th, 2005

Eng: Formation! The worst tag
Romaji: Kessei! Saiaku no taggu


Episode 27: April 12th, 2005

Eng: Release the death blow!
Romaji: Hisatsu no ichigeki wo hanatsu!


Episode 28: April 19th, 2005

Eng: Orihime is being targeted
Romaji: Nerawareta Orihime


Episode 29: April 26th, 2005

Eng: Breakthrough! The Deathgods' Encompassing Net
Romaji: Toppaseyo! Shinigami houimou


Episode 30: May 3th, 2005

Eng: Renji's Confrontation
Romaji: Tachihadagaru Renji


Episode 31: May 10th, 2005

Eng: The Resolution to Kill
Romaji: Kiru tame no kakugo


Episode 32: May 17th, 2005

Eng: Stars and the stray
Romaji: Hoshi to noraken


Episode 33: May 24th, 2005

Eng: Miracle! The mysterious new hero
Romaji: Kiseki! Nazo no shin hiro


Episode 34: May 31st, 2005

Eng: Tragedy of dawn
Romaji: Yoake no sangeki


Episode 35: June 7th, 2005

Eng: Assasination of Aizen! The darkness which approaches
Romaji: Aizen ansatsu! Shinobiyoru yami


Episode 36: June 14th, 2005

Eng: Zaraki Kenpachi approaches!
Romaji: Zaraki Kenpachi semaru!


Episode 37: June 21st, 2005

Eng: Reason of the Fist
Romaji: Ken no riyuu


Episode 38: June 28th, 2005

Eng: Desperation! The Broken Zangetsu
Romaji: Zettai zetsumei! Orareta Zangetsu


Episode 39: July 5th, 2005

Eng: The Man Of Immortality
Romaji: Fushijin no Otoko


Episode 40: July 12th, 2005

Eng: The Shinigami Whom Ganju Met
Romaji: Ganju no mita shinigami


Episode 41: July 19th, 2005

Eng: Reunion, Ichigo and Rukia
Romaji: Saikai, Ichigo to Rukia


Episode 42: July 26th, 2005

Eng: Yoruichi, Master of Speed, dances!
Romaji: Shunjin Yoruichi, mau!


Episode 43: August 2nd, 2005

Eng: The Despicable Shinigami
Romaji: Hiretsu na Shinigami


Episode 44: August 9th, 2005

Eng: Ishida, Power of Limits!
Romaji: Ishida, kyugen no chikara!


Episode 45: August 16th, 2005

Eng: Overcome the Limits!
Romaji: Genkai wo koero!


Episode 46: August 23rd, 2005

Eng: Authentic Records! School of Shinigami!
Romaji: Jitsuroku! Shinigami no gakkou


Episode 47: August 30th, 2005

Eng: The Avengers
Romaji: Adautsu monotachi


Episode 48: September 6th, 2005

Eng: Hitsugaya roars!
Romaji: Hitsugaya, hoeru!



Screenshots kindly from: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/bleach/