BLEACH

Meet Ichigo Kurosaki, age 15. He's a high-school student who possesses the uncanny ability to see ghosts. But when he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper from the Soul Society who helps lost souls find peace, his not-so-normal life becomes even more abnormal. In order to save his family from the grips of a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans, Rukia lends some of her powers to Ichigo.

It's the morning after Ichigo's transformation into a Soul Reaper, and no one in his family has any recollection of the events. Even the memory of him slaying a hollow is forgotten. He heads off to school, where he finds Rukia in the awkward guise of a transfer student. Now that Ichigo has taken most of her Soul Reaper powers, she orders him to take her place until she is at full strength.

Not all souls pass on properly into the Soul Society. Sadly, they are abandoned and become Hollows. In the midst of this transformation, they lose their hearts and seek out those they loved most while they were alive.Therefore, it is only natural that Orihime's brother Sora, who has become a Hollow, seeks her soul.

Chad, Ichigo's classmate and friend, is given a cursed cockatiel. He brings the bird to school, along with a plethora of injuries to his large body. Sensing spirit energy in the bird, Rukia feels they need to perform a Konso on the cockatiel and help its soul pass on. That evening, an injured Chad is brought to Kurosaki Clinic.

Rukia and Chad battle the Hollow Shrieker which has haunted the "Cursed Cockatiel." They fight even though Rukia's powers still have not completely returned, and Chad is unable to see Hollows. But this Shrieker has beaten many Soul Reapers and committed countless sins.

Rukia heads out to Urahara Store to purchase supplies which a Soul Reaper needs. The owner, Kisuke Urahara, is aloof and a bit of a mystery, but he stocks strange products which he buys from the Soul Society. The Soul Candy (gikongan) which Rukia had ordered previously has just come in.

Ichigo and Rukia set out in search of Ichigo's body which has taken over by a mod soul. Ichigo finds it at an elementary school, but the Other Ichigo has become too strong and gets away. In the midst of battle, Rukia receives a word through her Soul Phone of a Hollow sighting, but the battery dies and she is unable to confirm its location.

The Kurosaki family drops everything to visit the grave of Ichigo's mother. Ichigo intended to take a day off from Soul Reaper duties, but finds Rukia waiting for him at the cemetery. When she learns how Ichigo's mother died, Rukia suggests that perhaps the Hollow who came after him was the one who killed his mother. Ichigo refuses to listen and runs off.

The Grand Fisher appears before Ichigo and his friends. He is a Hollow who uses a lure to seek out humans with strong spiritual energy. Ichigo is shocked when he sees the lure. It has the shape of the young girl he saw six years ago when his mother died. Filled with rage and disbelief, he attacks the Grand Fisher.

The charismatic medium, Don Kanonji, exterminates evil spirits on his hit television program, "Journey to a Haunted Place" and the series comes on location to the town of Karakura. Ichigo hates ghost programs and refuses to go with Orihime and Keigo to see the live show, but is dragged along anyway by his father and Yuzu.

Rukia has been totally accepted by Ichigo's circle of friends, and Ichigo continues his work as a Soul Reaper. On this day, the two set out to exterminate a Hollow, but when they get to the location, they find nothing. The soul they find there confirms that a Hollow had been there. In any case, they hold a Konso to help the spirit cross over, unaware of a shadow lurking in the background.

The last Quincy, who hates Soul Reapers — Uryu Ishida, challenges Ichigo to a duel. He will scatter bait to lure Hollows to the town and the one "who kills the most Hollows" will win. Ichigo adamantly refuses, but is forced into the duel when Uryu scatters the bait and the Hollows converge on Karakura Town.

The demonic hands of a Hollow reach out for Orihime and Tatsuki. The Hollow releases seeds which turn humans into zombies which attack other humans. Orihime and Tatsuki are surrounded by the student zombies. In their attempt to escape, Tatsuki is hit by a seed and is unable to move. She struggles against the Hollow and is hurled into the air.

Ichigo and Ishida have their hands full with hordes of Hollows. During the battle, the story of the annihilation of the Quincy is told, and the reason why Ishida hates Soul Reapers becomes clear. Although at first, Ishida insists on fighting alone, the sheer number of Hollows has him worried. Ichigo then explains his reasons for fighting and suggests they join forces.

Yuzu gives Kon a bath and on top of that, dresses him up in a dress with a flower ornament. Kon is irate, but Ichigo pays him no attention. After overcoming many difficulties together, Kon has developed a close affinity to the Kurosaki family. But believing that this sentiment was not reciprocated by the others, Kon leaves the Kurosaki house in search of a place where he would really belong.

Two representatives from the Soul Society appear before Rukia. They are 6th Company Asst. Captain Renji Abarai and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia's older brother. Swinging his Zanpakuto, Renji demands to know the whereabouts of the human who took Rukia's Soul Reaper powers. Rukia is agitated by their presence. Meanwhile, Kon tells Ichigo that Rukia is missing.

Renji unleashes the full power of his Zanpakuto towards Ichigo who is unable to beat back this fierce attack. But Rukia knows that Ichigo will not give up no matter how overpowered he is.Fearing that Ichigo will be killed, Rukia throws herself before Renji to stop the fighting and tells Ichigo to escape.

Rukia is taken back to the Soul Society as Ichigo is helpless against Byakuya's fierce attack. His life saved in the knick of time by Urahara, and Ichigo is determined to go to Soul Society to save Rukia. The next day at school, Ichigo is shocked to find that Rukia has been totally erased from his classmates' memories. However, a few remember her existence.

The final lesson necessary to restore Ichigo's powers as a Soul Reaper is the Shattered Shaft. Ichigo's chain of fate is cut and unless he gets back his Soul Reaper powers in 72 hours, he will turn into a Hollow. Ichigo is deep in a hole in the underground training site below Urahara Shop, desperate to find a way out.

At Soul Society, Captain Gin Ichimaru of Squad Three appears before Byakuya after receiving word of Rukia's execution sentence. Meanwhile, Ichigo, whose Soul Reaper powers have returned, begins special training with his Zanpukuto. Each Zanpakuto has a name, and its secret powers are released when its wielder calls out its name. Ichigo is urged to discover the name of his Zanpakuto.

Ichigo, Ishida, Orihime, Chad and Yoruichi get past the Seikaimon and they are nearly swallowed up by the Kototsu in the passage way that connects the real world to Soul Society. But they make it safely to Soul Society, to the Rukon District, where souls live when they first come to the Soul Society. Ichigo sets out for the Seireitei which houses the Soul Reapers.

Standing before the The White Road Gate is Captain Gin Ichimaru of Squad Three. Unaware that Gin is a Soul Reaper Captain, Ichigo sets upon him, ignoring Yoruichi's warnings. Upon hearing Ichigo's name, Gin draws his Zanpakuto and attacks, forcing Ichigo to use Zangetsu to protect himself. Unable to open the gates, disappointment fills the entourage.

Ichigo and his entourage are attacked by men on boars. Ichigo crosses swords with their leader, Ganju, but in the middle of the fight, Ganju is shocked at the time on the clock and dashes off. Ichigo and his friends are shocked at this boar gang which has disappeared just as quickly as they appeared.

Kukaku Shiba, the one who knows how to get into the Soul Society is the Rukon Districts top pyrotechnist. Furthermore, she is the older sister of Ganju, who appeared the previous night on a boar. Kukaku explains how she will get them into the Soul Society. She will gather their spiritual energy and form it into a giant ball and fire it like a cannon into the skies over the Soul Society.

With some advice from Ganju, Ichigo is finally able to control his spiritual energy in order to create the Cannonball. Now that they are ready to go, Yoruichi gives the group directions on what to do when they get to the Soul Society. But Ichigo is totally spent from practice and falls asleep. Next to the sleeping Ichigo, Ganju feverishly practices the words that will control the Cannonball.