List of Bleach episodes

Ichigo fights Ikkaku, who gains the upper hand in their duel by using the initial release of his zanpakutō, transforming his sword into a Three sectional staff, wounding Ichigo.

Ishida and Orihime have managed to hide and sneak their way past most of the shinigami, until now. Located by Jirōbō, Ishida saves Orihime before she gets killed. Taking charge of the fight, Ishida uses his bow to fight Jirōbō. Jirōbō also uses his initial release, creating many projectiles from his blade, but the projectiles he creates are easily destroyed by Ishida.

Meanwhile, Ganju and Ichigo are both being chased by dozens of shinigami. They meet up and decide to face off against the remaining shinigami after Ichigo takes some out by wildly swinging his sword around. However, a stray 4th division member, later introduced as Hanatarō Yamada, wanders into the fight and is taken hostage by Ganju and Ichigo. However, the shinigami surrounding them are in the 11th division, and they don't care if the hostage lives or dies. The shinigami are quickly distracted however by a wall being blown up by Chad.

Meanwhile, 3rd seat of the 4th division Lemura, informs the lieutenants that Ikkaku and Yumichika have been defeated in battle along with most of the 11th division. Renji is the only one who immediately knows who the intruders are and where they are heading.

Although Renji has been in a bad fight, Byakuya Kuchiki tells Kira and Momo Hinamori to put him in a holding cell. Ichimaru then reveals himself in the corner, he tells Hinamori to go ahead and put him the cell, but that he will personally call the 4th squad to come and heal him. As Hinamori begins to relax, Hitsugaya also pops out of nowhere and comments on Abarai's injuries and to warn Hinamori of Ichimaru.

Chad is awakened in a storehouse by a dream of when Ichigo helped him in a fight. Not soon after he gets into a fight with several shinigami looking for intruders. Chad defeats all of them and finds out which tower he must head to. Unfortunately, Chad is heading right towards the 8th division captain, Shunsui Kyōraku.

Ichigo and the others try to run away from the incredible power they ran into, but Ichigo eventually hears Kenpachi's voice, asking him if he's the one. When he finally meets Kenpachi, he feels as if he's been impaled by a sword. The intense moment is lightened up by Yachiru, who is amazed by the drool Hanatarō secretes when he's passed out. Ichigo is shocked to find out that she is a lieutenant, and that she can be so relaxed in Kenpachi's presence.

Despite the comedic intent of this show, Chad asks Shunsui to let him by as he doesn't want to hurt such a good person; but Shunsui cannot simply let Chad pass. Kyōraku still tries to stall Chad, but he is unable to change Chad's mind. Chad eventually attacks him using his energy blasts, but they have no effect on Shunsui. Eventually, Shunsui gets tired of simply waiting for Chad to change his mind and tells Chad to stop; using two fingers, he touches Chad's shoulder and sends him flying across the court. Shunsui is puzzled over Chad's determination, but when Chad explains why he is fighting, Shunsui realizes he has no choice and draws his swords.

In a flashback, Chad remembers when he first met Ichigo. Chad would never fight anyone because he had made a promise to his grandfather, but he took this promise too much to heart and never even defended himself in a fight. Ichigo had to save Chad several times from thugs that liked to pick on him. Because of that, Ichigo and Chad made a deal; that he would fight for Chad, and that Chad would fight for him. Chad would put everything he had on the line to beat Shunsui, because Ichigo was putting everything on the line to save Rukia.

Ichigo also becomes distracted with worry as he feels Chad's life force fading away, but is relieved when he feels Chad still hanging on. Ichigo realizes that Chad, Orihime, Ishida, Ganju and Hanatarō are all helping him, and that if he fails, that the others will too. He has too many responsibilities to fail, realizing this, he is finally ready to face Kenpachi (who has been waiting for Ichigo).

Fighting together with his zanpakutō, Ichigo has become just as strong as Kenpachi. But after overpowering and connecting with more hits, Ichigo begins to think something is wrong with his opponent. Kenpachi has been taking a beating, but he simply says that he loves fighting that much. He decides to remove his eyepatch, releasing all the power that it had been suppressing.

Ganju tries his best against Byakuya, but is nowhere near strong enough to fight him. Byakuya uses his initial release, transforming his swords blade into numerous different pieces that look like sakura. Byakuya rips Ganju's entire body open. As he is about to use the attack again on Hanatarō, Jūshirō Ukitake holds Byakuya back. Ichigo also arrives and is reunited with Rukia. Despite Rukia's objections, Ichigo childishly tells her that her opinions are rejected and makes faces at her.

Byakuya Kuchiki's initial release is interrupted by Yoruichi, who then knocks out Ichigo. Yoruichi then escapes from Byakuya, telling him that she will make Ichigo strong enough to beat him. Afterwards, Ukitake takes care of the loose ends at the scene, taking Ganju to the 4th Division to be healed, and sending Hanatarō on his way. Yoruichi takes Ichigo back to a secret underground chamber Urahara has built, telling him about the history of all those who have achieved the final release (bankai) and of the power that it grants, Yoruichi tells Ichigo that he will achieve it in 3 days.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi had used his own members as bombs, and doesn't think twice about exploding a survivor. Inoue had managed to put up a shield though, and saved Aramaki and Ishida. As Ishida begins to fight Mayuri, he tells Aramaki to take Inoue with him or else he'll shoot him as well.

On a routine field trip to fight demi-hollows, the group is lead by Shūhei Hisagi but when actual hollows are found in the area, the group is quickly decimated. Renji, Hinamori, Kira, and Hisagi are quickly surrounded after a fight with the hollow that destroyed most of the group. As they are about to be killed, Captain Sōsuke Aizen and then-lieutenant Gin Ichimaru show up just in time to save them.

Ichigo's training for the final release is going well as Yoruichi notes. Having made vast improvements despite still being pummelled by the spirit of Zangetsu. However, Yoruichi is growing tired and decides to end the day's training session. It is also revealed in their conversation afterwards that Kisuke Urahara was the former 12th Division captain.

However, the happy daydream quickly turns into a nightmare as a strange new hollow torments Soul Society, capturing the body of Miyako and eventually Kaien himself. Captain Ukitake realizes he has to do something before he loses more subordinates and tries to kill the hollow, that evades him.

Kenpachi Zaraki along with Inoue, Yachiru, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Aramaki are all heading to free Chad, Ishida and Ganju as well as make their way to the execution grounds. However, they are all characteristically lost after following Yachiru's directions.

However, they are quickly met by the captains Sajin Komamura and Kaname Tōsen as well as their lieutenants, Shūhei Hisagi and Tetsuzaemon Iba. Kenpachi quickly declares that he's going to face all four of them at once, but Ikkaku and Yumichika want to fight as well. Ikkaku winds up facing Tetsuzaemon, while Yumichika takes on Hisagi. Kenpachi then begins fighting with the two captains, who use their combined strengths to try and immediately destroy Kenpachi. Kenpachi laughs it off, not even impressed by their display of power.

Elsewhere, Kenpachi is manhandling Komamura and Tōsen, kicking Tōsen into a wall and throwing Komamura to the ground. Kenpachi is quickly becoming bored with the two captains and tells them to at least fight with their final releases. Despite not wanting to, Tōsen uses his final release to rob Kenpachi of all of his senses except touch. But even with a clear advantage, he is unable to defeat Kenpachi who is rapidly starting to grasp the idea of fighting inside the darkness. Eventually, Kenpachi simply grabs Tōsen's sword before he can cut him and slices Tōsen across the chest, dispatching his final release.

As the phoenix is about to destroy Rukia, Ichigo steps forward and stops the massive bird with his sword, surprising everyone who has been watching. As the phoenix begins to start its next attack, Ukitake finally arrives, and with the help of captain Kyōraku, they destroy the phoenix. Ichigo then destroys the execution stand and frees Rukia.

During the chaos, captain Retsu Unohana takes it upon herself to heal all of the injured at the sight of the execution. She also wants to visit the central room 46 as she suspects something is wrong.

Yamamoto has decided to turn Ukitake and Shunsui into ash for their crime, but tells them to release their zanpakutō so they can at least try to defend themselves. Together, they use their initial releases and reveal the unique forms of their zanpakutō. Charging head on at the commander general, their battlefield explodes with ash and dust as they clash with Yamamoto.

Elsewhere, Ikkaku and Tetsuzaemon are taking a sake break under the shade of some trees as they talk about the flashy battle between Yoruichi and Soifon, and the fight between Byakuya and Ichigo. After the sake runs out though, they play rock paper scissors to see who will get to have an advantage in the next match. They're treating their fights more as a sport, with the loser having to go buy sake as the winner gets to rest.

As all seems to be lost and the darkness closes in on him, Ichigo's inner hollow takes over his paralyzed body, generating a hollow mask. He catches Byakuya's sword in his hand and crushes it. Slashing wildly at Byakuya, the hollow is looking only to crush and destroy the shinigami. It becomes apparent that the hollow is overwhelming Byakuya. However, the real Ichigo quickly fights off the hollow and rips off the mask. Byakuya is completely surprised by this and begins to change his opinion of Ichigo.

Pulling together all their power, Byakuya and Ichigo are getting ready for a final attack. After their clash, Ichigo props himself with his sword so he doesn't collapse to the ground, while Byakuya staggers a few steps and stares at what is left of his sword. Byakuya tells Ichigo that he was conflicted over his duty of following the rules as a shinigami and his promise to take care of his wife's little sister, Rukia. Ichigo then tells him that he should have fought against the rules instead. Byakuya leaves, telling Ichigo he has won.

Gin Ichimaru eventually finds Hinamori and takes her deep into the city Seijōtōkyorin, where she is reunited with Sōsuke Aizen. However, the happy reunion doesn't last, as Aizen is the true mastermind behind everything that has happened and impales Hinamori with his sword. Hitsugaya arrives after the distraction by Kira and is completely shocked to see Aizen alive. However, after seeing Hinamori lying on the floor, Hitsugaya is enraged and uses his final release. Retsu Unohana and her lieutenant finally arrive, and witness Aizen quickly destroy Hitsugaya despite using his final release.

Renji Abarai tries to fight with Aizen, but he rips apart Renji's initial release and tries to kill him. He is stopped by Ichigo, who works with Renji to try to stop Aizen, but Aizen defeats their combined efforts easily.

The hourglass breaks after this second attempt, and Chad is revealed to be completely unharmed. Ichigo then realizes that Urahara had created all of this to help the group come together and fight as one since Ichigo cannot simply rely on his final release all the time. Urahara also found it necessary to bring the group together since Ishida has lost his powers as a Quincy.

Because the bount might attack Ichigo or his friends, Urahara has sent the modified souls with them for support as they all have spirit sensors. Kuroud with Inoue, Noba with Chad, and Ririn with Ichigo. It isn't soon after putting the modified souls in their respective dolls that they sense a bount.

Elsewhere, Yoshino seems to be confirmed as the weakest of the bount, as she has not yet eaten a living soul. However, even Udagawa is taking orders from someone else, a large man with red eyes and a scar on his chin, named Kariya.

In Soul Society, captain Shunsui Kyōraku has decided to take a visit to the 12th division in order to see their data on the bount. However, captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi refuses to do Shunsui the favor of letting him see the data. Shunsui gently insults Mayuri as he leaves, which prompts an angry Mayuri to erase the data on the bount. But when he finds that he is unable to bring the data up, Mayuri goes into an upset rant.

Meanwhile in Soul Society, Mayuri Kurotsuchi has called a meeting of all the captains and their vice captains. Someone has hacked into Mayuri's databank and stolen from it, also laying out a trap that if he tried to access it, the data would be locked. Mayuri is deeply upset over the matter and believes that there is a traitor amongst them. Afterwards, Kenpachi tells Yachiru that he is also suspicious of these events because after years of searching they've just recently found Maki Ichinose. But he is confused about how the two are related.

Ichigo tells Rukia and the others to go and find Ishida while he deals with the bount. Rukia and the modified souls managed their way upstairs and are heading towards Ishida's spiritual energy. But they are stopped by Maki Ichinose. The three modified souls are easily defeated by Ichinose, who saw through their abilities easily. Rukia tries using a kidō spell, but Ichinose blocks it with his zanpakutō. He is still deeply disturbed by the method Kenpachi Zaraki used to become the captain of the 11th division, as it effectively shattered his life. But he also says that Jin Kariya gave him a reason to live again, and now he wields his zanpakutō for him. However, upon feeling Ichigo's power rise, Ichinose becomes concerned for Kariya and runs to his aide.

Ichinose remembers his past as a shinigami. That the captain that he had believed in and had worked so hard for was killed in battle by Kenpachi Zaraki. Ichinose wanted to cut Kenpachi down at that moment, but the entire division stopped him as the former captain was defeated in a formal bout. Trying to challenge Kenpachi to a formal bout of his own, Kenpachi says he'll consider it if Ichinose can even cut him. Ichinose fails to do this and deserts the 11th division for the human world. Following a hollow, Ichinose was worn down by the harsh arid environment of the human world. Unfortunately for him the hollow chose to attack when Ichinose was at his weakest. Ichinose was quickly defeated and just as he was about to be eaten by the hollow he was saved by Jin Kariya and Koga Gowa. It was then that Ichinose decided that he would follow Kariya for the rest of his life.

Arriving in Rukongai, Jin Kariya and Koga Gowa are quickly found by Ōmaeda and Tetsuzaemon Iba and their troops. However, Koga easily dispatches the shinigami with his doll and flattens Ōmaeda as he cowers in fear from Dalk. Tetsuzaemon doesn't want to fight someone who isn't armed with a sword, but attacks Koga anyway. However, Koga catches Tetsuzaemon's zanpakutō with one hand. Jin Kariya then flings Tetsuzaemon through a wall and into a nearby house.

Meanwhile Yamamoto is explaining the origins of the Bounts to the captains, however, during this mission a messenger interrupts to give the message that Rukia is fighting a Bount. The 13th Division moves out to help her.

Ichigo and the others settle into Shiba Kūkaku's home where they eventually set off to the forest with Ishida and Chad on boars. Ichigo, however, goes off on his own, taking Ririn.

Telling everyone to leave, Zaraki and Ichinose battle. Zaraki blocks every attack Ichinose makes. Ichinose uses his initial release, and eventually cuts Zaraki on the shoulder. Getting desperate, he uses his zanpakutō's final release ability to trap Zaraki within a bright sphere. Zaraki easily escapes by removing his eyepatch, releasing his full spiritual energy.

Soifon and the Executive Militia separate to try and find the Bounts. Mabashi and his doll, Ritz, quickly dispose of most of them and control some of them. Sensing that Mabashi has done a good job, Sawatari walks away as Mayuri Kurotsuchi un-camouflages himself from the wall.

Komamura and Hisagi, after fending off some Rizu-controlled shinigami, ask Captain Unohana if she can cure the infected personnel. Unohana cannot do this without full knowledge of Mabashi's technique, but she is able to sedate them.

Soifon manages to reach a deserted area, where she runs into Mabashi. After a short fight during which Soifon does manage to hit Mabashi once with her Suzumebachi, placing the Homonka on his chest, she becomes severely weakened and begins to turn blind. Mabashi leaves her to die, and after thinking of Yoruichi, Soi Fon tries to find a way to regain strength.

Mabashi returns to watch Soifon die, she summons the last of her militia to attack him, but they are also controlled by Rizu and hold her down so Mabashi can infect her too to use her as a tool to fight the other captains. Just when Rizu is about to pierce through Soi Fon, she suddenly fights back with full strength. She reveals that Suzumebachi has the ability to counteract poisons, an important ability for the head of the special forces. With her regained strength, she pierces Mabashi again and kills him.

Mayuri heals himself and counterattacks, limiting Sawatari's doll Baura's movement. The plan works and he manages to pierce Sawatari using his zanpakutō, Ashisogi Jizō. Sawatari then fends him off and starts absorbing spirit particles to heal his injuries, but the zanpakutō's effects linger, as he can no longer use his right arm.

Sawatari escapes into another dimension and plans his next moves. He tries luring Mayuri but is caught off-guard when Mayuri reveals that he knew this plan all along, and explains to him that he can track him even if he slips into another dimension. Sawatari then proceeds to attack Mayuri using the absorbed spiritual power of other shinigami in earlier battles. The attacks severely injures Mayuri and he is forced to summon his final release, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo.

Baura is then ordered to swallow the final release's poison but the latter proves fatal and crushes both Sawatari and his doll in a counter-attack. Sawatari, defeated and ailing, pleads for his life and agrees to be Mayuri's research subject. The captain refuses, letting his final release's poison kill the Bount.

Meanwhile, Kariya breaks into the Bureau of Technology and easily dispatches many shinigami, including Nemu. He declares that he is searching for a crest. Kariya is confronted by Chad and Ichigo, who activates his final release, starting the battle. As the fight commences, a hole is blown in the floor and Kariya sees the crest beneath. By fusing with the crest, which has stored energy which was used to create the Bounts, Kariya declares he has enough power to destroy Seiretei at any moment, but he will give the shinigami, "One day to cower in fear." He promptly disappears before Ichigo can attack him.

Meanwhile, Koga Gowa wakes up in Rantao's home. He had survived his fight with Hitsugaya, and was found and taken back to Rantao by Yoruichi. Upon discovering he is the only remaining Bount, he apologizes for the Bounts' actions, in particular for Kariya. He remains with Rantao.