BLEACH

Sosuke Aizen leads Kaname Tosen, Gin Ichimaru, and the Espadas as they invade the World of the Living. Aizen’s real objective is to annihilate Karakura Town to create Ouken, the royal key, and take the Soul Society by storm. The Soul Reapers anticipate this and prepare for battle. Meanwhile, Ichigo is on his way to save Orihime from the Fifth Tower where she is being held captive.

Below the Fifth Tower, Chad and Renji battle it out with a giant Hollow. But then, the sandman Batticaloa arrives on the scene. Batticaloa’s body is made of sand, so Chad and Renji have a hard time inflicting any damage on him. And Rukia, whose ice-snow Zanpakuto is the sole weapon that can contend with Batticaloa, is struggling in another battle against Rudobon.

While Orihime is watching Ichigo and Ulquiorra’s battle from the sidelines, Loly and Menoly appear before her. They learned that Orihime is no longer of any use to Aizen, and they want to seize this opportunity to defeat her. Orihime has no means to fight back, and she gets hurt left and right. When Ichigo notices this, he tries to go rescue her, but Ulquiorra keeps getting in his way.

Uryu rushes to stop Yammy from attacking Orihime and notices that Ichigo is fighting Ulquiorra without the use of his Hollowfication. Uryu tries to get the fight with Yammy over with as quickly as possible, but Yammy’s tough skin repels every attack from Ginreikojaku’s arrow and Seeleschneider. Just when Uryu thought it couldn’t get any worse, Yammy triumphantly brings out a giant Cero.

Ulquiorra’s sword release, Murcielago, is too strong for Ichigo, and every swift attack further injures him. Even when he fires Getsugatensho with all of his remaining power, Ichigo is unable to wound Ulquiorra. In spite of that, Ichigo continues to attack Ulquiorra in order to save Orihime and go back with his friends. But Ulquiorra tries to show off his Resurrección Segunda Etapa.

When Orihime and Uryu make it to the top of Hueco Mundo’s canopy, they see Ichigo collapsed in front of Ulquiorra. Just then, Uryu hits Ulquiorra with his arrow. But like all of Ichigo’s attacks, Uryu’s arrow is ineffective against Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra counterattacks and Uryu is no longer able to even draw his bow. Distressed by the situation, Orihime calls out to the immobile Ichigo for help.

Rukia, Renji, and Chad are battling Rudobon and the soldiers he created. But then, another enemy appears before them. It is Yammy, who fell from the Fifth Tower. The three of them are surprised that Yammy has transformed into a giant. In the meantime, on top of the canopy, a Hollowfied Ichigo is fighting Ulquiorra.

Rukia, Renji, and Chad struggle against the giant Yammy. However, when they see Yammy’s tattoo of the number ten, they realize that he is weaker than the Espadas they’ve fought in the past. Each one of them tries to go after Yammy, but Yammy transforms into his sword release, Ira, which easily overwhelms them.

Toshiro Hitsugaya is doing everything he can to counter Halibel’s sword release, Tiburon. Halibel says she will win against Toshiro to avenge her Fracciónes. She melts the ice with Hirviendo and drives Toshiro into a corner. Toshiro counters by turning Halibel’s water attack into ice with his Zanpakuto, Hyorinmaru, but Halibel has other tricks up her sleeve.

While Toshiro and Halibel’s battle looks to be coming to a close, Marechiyo Omaeda and Soi Fon fight against Barragan. When Soi Fon is about to attack Barragan, Soi Fon suddenly becomes sluggish. Soi Fon is baffled, and Barragan tells her that he has the power to age people. Barragan only has to will old age upon his opponent and touch that person for the opponent to immediately grow old and die.

The battle between the Soul Reapers and the Espadas becomes more and more tense. Soi Fon and Marechiyo Omaeda find themselves in a bad situation against Barragan’s Respira. Soi Fon leaves Marechiyo to fight Barragan alone, but Marechiyo’s Gegetsuburi is easily destroyed by Respira.

Shunsui Kyoraku and Stark are both fighting defensively in their battle. But Stark’s expression changes when he spots Toshiro and Soi Fon’s Bankai. Shunsui leaves his kimono with Jushiro Ukitake to confront Stark. Stark calls out to Lilinette, and tells everyone that the two of them used to be one person. Stark then releases his Resurrección and takes on the form of Los Lobos.

Shunsui Kyoraku is in a pinch, and Jushiro Ukitake, who was watching the battle, steps in. Jushiro surprises Stark by firing a Cero at him, but Stark quickly recovers from the shock and fires back. Then, all of a sudden, a Garganta starts to open and reveals Wonderweiss and Fura. All of the Soul Reapers are exhausted from battling, and they are in no state to face a new opponent.

The Soul Reapers find themselves in hot water against Fura and Wonderweiss when the Visoreds, led by Shinji Hirako, make their appearance. Used in Sosuke Aizen’s Hollowfication experiment 101 years ago, the Visoreds have since lived in hiding in the World of the Living. Believing that now is the time to defeat Aizen, the Visoreds have entered the battlefield.

Shuhei Hisagi joins Sajin Komamura to battle Kaname Tosen in hopes of bringing his former captain back to his senses. Meanwhile the other Soul Reapers form an uneasy alliance with the Visoreds: Lisa Yadomaru, Hiyori Sarugaki, and Toshiro Hitsugaya take on Halibel. Love Aikawa and Rose take on Stark. Hachigen Ushoda, Marechiyo Omaeda, and Soi Fon take on Barragan.

Barragan appears to be defeated by the combined efforts of Hachigen Ushoda and Soi Fon. But the two are shocked to find Barragan forcing open Hachigen’s Shiju Saimon barrier. As king of Hueco Mundo, Barragan is determined to show the world his absolute strength and power.

Stark shows no sign of getting serious in his battle against Love and Rose. Running out of patience, Lilinette begins to mindlessly fire at the two Visoreds without Stark’s permission. But her attacks prove to be ineffective against the two, and she is gradually cornered by the pair’s fine team play. Finally, Love hits Stark with his Zanpakuto attack, and the Espada is thrown into a sea of flames.

Stark splits his own soul and shapes it into packs of wolves and launches them against Love and Rose. Preparing to deliver the finishing blow, Stark is caught off guard by Shunsui, who suddenly appears out of Stark’s shadow. Despite his best efforts to dodge the attacks, Stark is gradually weakened. Just then the wolves, headed by Lilinette, swarm over Shunsui. He brushes them off.

Las Noches. Long ago, Apache, at the time still an Adjucha-class Hollow, was hunted by other Hollows when Halibel saved her life. Apache soon joins Halibel’s group consisting of Sun-Sun and Mila Rose. As they spend more time together, Apache notices Halibel does not devour the enemies she defeats. When questioned, Halibel responds that she does not wish to become stronger by sacrificing others.

With the Espadas gone, the Visoreds are now able to confront Aizen. Having been unwilling test subjects in Aizen’s past experiment, the Visoreds make no effort to hide their hatred toward the man who destroyed their lives. Hiyori, unable hold in her anger, is the first to attack Aizen with her blade. Meanwhile, Chad, Renji, and Rukia continue their fight against Yammy in Hueco Mundo.

Ichigo goes up against Yammy. Rukia notices that Ichigo is acting strange following his battle with Ulquiorra and shows her concern for him. Ichigo is also shaken up by the fact that his Hollowfication now feels different. But, unable to forgive Yammy for labeling Ulquiorra and Grimmjow as trash, Ichigo makes another attempt at his Hollowfication.

Ichigo wakes up to find himself in the middle of a desert. Sitting next to a confused Ichigo are Uryu, Orihime, and Chad, all dressed in an Arabian style. Introducing themselves as “Urio,” “Ori Mei,” and “Chaido,” the three explain that they are in search of a treasure called the “Snow Crystal.”

Kenpachi overcomes Yammy’s monstrous size and tough exterior to land a clean blow against the Espada. Meanwhile, Ichigo uses Garganta to return to the World of the Living. On the way, Captain Unohana explains to Ichigo about Aizen’s power of “Total Hypnosis.” She then reveals that Ichigo is the key to defeating Aizen.

As he holds a dying Hiyori, an enraged Hirako readies himself to confront Aizen in battle. Meanwhile, Hisagi and Komamura battle Tosen in a desperate attempt to bring their former ally back to his senses. But Tosen, who believes he follows a just path, ignores their plea and attacks them.

Komamura performs his Bankai, Kokujo Tengen Myo-oh, to subdue Tosen. However, Tosen has already deduced the weakness of Komamura’s Bankai from years of working closely together. Despite the damage received, Komamura refuses to give up on his former friend, throwing out the question of why Tosen chose to become a Soul Reaper in the first place.