Volume 7 THE BROKEN CODA

We should not shed tears
That is letting the body be defeated by the heart
Because to us the heart
Is proof of nothing other than
The existence of something you cannot control

53. Nice to meet you. I will beat you.
54. The Rookie that can't ask it's Name
55. SHUT
56. broken coda
57. Unfinished July Rain
58. Blank
59. Lesson 1: One Strike! + Jailed at Home
60. Lesson 1-2: Down!!
61. Lesson2: Shattered Shaft
    
    Extra: BLEACHEXTRA!!! RADIO-KON
    Extra: BLEACHEXTRA!!! RADIO-KON2
    Extra: RADIO-KON☆BABY　(Guest: Rukia Kuchiki)

Author's Comments

Since I moved recently it somehow seems like the landlord that lives next door has taken a liking to me and I often receive home cooked meals from his wife, who is a good cook. It's really really delicious and I'm grateful, but the truth that I can't eat onions is for somehow inexcuseable, so it's still a secret.

General Overview

As much as he tries to deny it by bringing along a shopping bag, the reason Ishida showed up is that he sensed the presence of shinigami. He immediately goads Renji into a fight.

At the Kurosaki Clinic Ichigo discovers Kon duct taped to the back of the toilet with his mouth taped shut. After Ichigo frees Kon, he learns that Rukia is in trouble with Soul Society and is has left to protect them. But instead of listening to the letter, this makes Ichigo want to rescue her. With aid from Kisuke Urahara, who suddenly shows up, Ichigo turns into a shinigami and goes to save her.

He arrives just as Renji is about to give Ishida the killing blow. Renji quickly realizes that Ichigo is the one that took Rukia's powers and they begin fighting. At first Ichigo is totally outmatched and Renji mocks him for not knowing his soul cutter's name and not knowing they take on different shapes and sizes depending on their owner's spiritual powers. But when Ichigo seems completely beaten, his soul power suddenly rises and Ichigo totally overpowers Renji. Before he can beat Renji, however, Byakuya steps in and utterly defeats Ichigo by injuring him chest so quickly that Ichigo had no idea which direction the attacks came from. To save his life, Rukia protects Ichigo by saying she's come to her senses and will go to Soul Society. Byakuya agrees to this since Ichigo will probably die within 30 minutes and even if he lives, he can never become a shinigami again because of the wounds he just received. Then the three of them go to Soul Society, leaving Ichigo alone and frustrated because he was protected again when he came to protect Rukia.

Luckily both he and Uryuu are saved by Urahara. Once Ichigo regains conscious he makes a deal with Urahara: in return for Urahara telling him how to get to Soul Society so he can rescue Rukia, Ichigo will train with Urahara for 10 days so it's not total suicide for Ichigo to go there. We also discover that Soul Society usually waits 30 days before executing someone so if they hold to that, even with the 10 days of training and the 7 days to make a gate to Soul Society, Ichigo should have 13 days to rescue her. His first lesson is designed to get him to regain his normal spirit powers by putting him in a life or death situation. Once that is accomplished they immediately move on to lesson 2, which begins by Tessai cutting Ichigo's chain of fate with an axe.

Meanwhile, Orihime and Chad have agreed to take lessons with Yoruichi so they too can go to Soul Society. They also track down Ishida, who has gone to a mountain to train by himself, but he refuses the offer. After they leave he begins training using a box left him by his master.

Back at Urahara's Store Ichigo says he's dead because of his chain of fate has been cut. Urahara adds to this by saying if it erodes all the way to his chest he will become a hollow and the only way to prevent this is for him to become a shinigami instead. To accomplish this he plunges Ichigo down a deep hole. Tessai is also there to restrain Ichigo's arms with kidou during this lesson. If Ichigo can climb to the top of the hole with his arms bound, he'll pass lesson 2 and have regained his shinigami powers. Ichigo says that's impossible, but then the first link on his chain of fate developes teethed mouth with spiked tongues that begin gnawing the next link - the beginning of the erosion of his chain of fate.

In Depth Summaries

53. Nice to meet you. I will beat you.
    Corresponding TV Episode - episode 16
    Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Tatsuki Arisawa, Uryuu Ishida, Kon, Rukia Kuchiki, Byakuya Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Yuzu Kurosaki, Kisuke Urahara
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Karakura, Kurosaki Clinic
    Released Soul Cutters - None
    Relevant Terminology - shinigami, Soul Society

    Rukia asks why Ishida's there, and he responds that it was mere chance and he was going to Sunflower Tailor, a western fabric shop that's open 24 hours a day, every day of the week... or so he claims but soon after he reveals that he really just grabbed the bag to act as an excuse when he sensed the presence of shinigami and came to investigate. Renji, being impatient, cuts the bag away from its handles as Ishida is talking. He asks again who Ishida is, but then says it doesn't matter since he'll kill Ishida before he can answer. Rukia protests that Ishida has nothing to do with her crimes, and Ishida repeats his same answer: he's Rukia's classmate and he hates shinigami. But then Ishida suddenly introduces himself, confusing Renji, until Ishida says Renji should at least know the name of the man who's going to defeat him. Renji decides to kill Ishida even if he isn't related to Rukia's crimes. We then see the title page: Tatsuki and Ichigo with popsicle sticks sticking out of their mouths by a mesh fence.

    Back at Kurosaki Clinic Ichigo is wondering where Rukia is as he finishes using the bathroom because it's 2AM. He decides to forget about his shinigami job for the night and go to sleep, when he suddenly hears some noises. It turns out Kon has been duct taped to the back of the toilet with his mouth taped shut. Ichigo takes Kon back to his room, but Kon stinks so Ichigo sprays air freshener right in his face. After they argue about that a bit, and then Kon reveals Rukia's in big trouble and points Ichigo to her farewell note. When Ichigo asks why she left without saying anything, Kon responds that he was right there with her and she didn't tell him anything either - all she did was tie him up. But when Ichigo opens her note, he finds that she encoded it using a simple word puzzle. After finally figuring out one of her drawings is a tanuki (raccoon-dog) and realizes he has to eliminate any letters from the word "tanuki" from the message to figure out what it says. In the end the letter says she has to leave, don't worry about her or try to find her, and go into hiding if possible. Ichigo thinks it didn't really tell them much, but Kon realizes that means she's in trouble with Soul Society and is trying to protect them as much as possible. After Ichigo hears this he decides to go try to find her and save her, but runs into a problem when he wants to change into a shinigami since Rukia took her glove with her. He decides the only way to do it by puttng Kon into his body, but quickly gives on that idea. But then Kisuke Urahara shows up and offers Ichigo use of his cane for free.

    Meanwhile, Renji has completely beaten Ishida and Rukia thinks he's gotten a lot stronger in the few months since she left Soul Society. As he's about to deliver the killing blow he tells Ishida his name, but is interrupted by Ichigo's arrival. Ichigo introduces himself as the man who will beat up Renji.

    The last page shows Yuzu sitting up in bed wondering who Ichigo is talking to while Ichigo is talking to Kon.

    Differences in episode 16:

    • Nothing!
54. The Rookie that can't ask it's Name
    Corresponding TV Episode - episode 16
    Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Uryuu Ishida, Kon, Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki, Kisuke Urahara
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Karakura, Kurosaki Clinic
    Released Soul Cutters - Zabimaru
    Relevant Terminology - in between worlds, Menos Grande, shinigami, soul cutter, Soul Society

    When Renji sees Ichigo, he asks who he is, who he's taking orders from, and what's with his obscenely large Soul Cutter. Ichigo responds that it is big, but he couldn't be sure since until now all he had was Rukia's to compare it is. Renji then wonders how a rookie could have a soul cutter that large since the size of a Soul Cutter reflects its owner's spiritual strength. Rukia, meanwhile, wonders why Ichigo came. Renji then realizes Ichigo is the one that stole Rukia's powers and moves in to kill him. Byakuya seems stunned upon learning Ichigo's name, as if he recognizes it from somewhere. The title page shows Ichigo wearing a T-shirt with a tag that reads "optimism nice" on it, looking pissed off.

    Back at the Kurosaki Clinic, Kon is in Ichigo's body lying in bed. He wonders who Urahara was. First he turns Ichigo into a shinigami, then he puts Kon in Ichigo's body so his family doesn't get suspicious, and then he disappears. Kon wonders what his motivations are and thinks he's annoying as he hugs the lion plushie. He then thinks he'd like to be with Rukia, too, and asks the plushie what it thinks. Then he wonders why he's hugging his plushie body and chucks it against the closet door. After that he goes and picks it up.

    Meanwhile Renji is forcing Ichigo back with his attacks, asking if all there is to him is the big sword. Ichigo tells him to shut up, but inside he's wondering who Renji is and why he is so fast. When Ichigo does finally attacks, Renji easily evades it by jumping over Ichigo's head and cutting his shoulder. Renji then tells Ichigo it's over: he dies, Rukia gets her powers back, and when she returns to Soul Society she gets executed. He adds that Ichigo is dumb for coming when Rukia tried her hardest to keep Ichigo from getting involved and that such a hasty shinigami couldn't even scratch an experienced one like him. Ichigo takes that bait by swiping Renji's face with his soul cutter, cutting it. After that Byakuya tells Renji he was too careless. He'd actually seen Ichigo before from images obtained by undercover agents because Ichigo wounded Menos Grande so badly he forced it back in between worlds. Renji just laughs at that and says the quality of their undercover forces must be slipping. He doesn't believe Ichigo was capable of that and then asks Ichigo what the name of his soul cutter is. Ichigo says he doesn't do that sort of thing and asks if shinigami actually name their swords. Renji scoffs at Ichigo for not asking his soul cutter its name and tells him to come back and fight him in 200 years. He then slides his hand down his soul cutter and it transforms to a sectioned blade with a sharp tip at the end of each section. Ichigo's surprised, and then Renji jumps at him, telling his soul cutter, Zabimaru, that it's prey is before it. The soul cutter extends (revealing there's some kind of flexible fiber between the sections) and gouges Ichigo's shoulder before retracting. Renji then tells Ichigo he'll die here.

    The last page shows Urahara gazing up at a cloudy moonlit sky.

    Differences in episode 16:

    • Nothing!
55. SHUT
    Corresponding TV Episode - episode 17
    Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Yoruichi Shihouin
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Karakura
    Released Soul Cutters - Zabimaru
    Relevant Terminology - soul cutter

    Renji tells Ichigo he's going to die and then attacks again. For the title page it shows Ichigo in a collared shirt with a spoon hanging out of his mouth.

    Ichigo drops to his knees from the wound, and Renji explains that soul cutters can change shapes and size depending on the spirit strength of its owner and that this is his true strength. As Renji readies to finish Ichigo off, Rukia thinks the difference in their strength was obvious. She had hoped Ichigo would realize this and run, but inside she knew from the beginning Ichigo would never do that. She wonders if Ichigo can still move, and hopes he takes the opportunity to run that she's about to give him. She then jumps on Renji's sword arm. Renji asks what she's doing and tells her it will make her crimes that much worse as he tries to shake her off, but she hangs on and tells Ichigo to run. Ichigo grabs his soul cutter, but he doesn't leave and Renji says that's good because giving the final blow to someone who can't move is boring. Rukia shouts at Ichigo to run again, but notices something's different about him. Renji asks Ichigo what's wrong and moves to attack, but Ichigo's spirit power suddenly increases and Ichigo slices Renji's shoulder. He turns to face Ichigo, and then gets flung back by him. Renji's face is now bloody as he wonders where Ichigo got all this spirit power from. Ichigo then asks Renji what's wrong and why he's suddenly moving so slow, but Renji knows the real reason is that Ichigo suddenly got faster. Ichigo's wounds no longer hurt and he doesn't think he's going to loose. Ichigo then moves into attack, while Renji is frozen due to the heavy weight of Ichigo's spirit pressure.

    But suddenly Ichigo's soul cutter becomes cut off near the hilt. Renji didn't do anything, so he looks over at Byakuya. Although Byakuya is many feet away, he's holding the severed end of Ichigo's soul cutter, which he drops. Ichigo readies to defend against an attack, but suddenly Byakuya's by his side. When Byakuya's passed him, a large cut on Ichigo's chest spills blood.

    The last page shows Yoruichi's silhouette jumping in front of the moon.

    Differences in episode 17:

    • Nothing!
56. broken coda
    Corresponding TV Episode - episode 17
    Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Karakura
    Released Soul Cutters - Zabimaru
    Relevant Terminology - captain, gate, hell butterfly, shinigami, Soul Society

    As Ichigo bleeds profusely, he wonders if he got attacked because he didn't even see whether he was attacked from the front or back. As he collapses Byakuya tells him he's even slow doing that. The title page shows a thin slit revealing a vertical portion of someone's face, probably Rukia's though it's hard to identify.

    After Ichigo has collapsed, Renji thinks it's been awhile since he's seen that. He was only barely about to see the last two movements and he didn't manage to see Byakuya pulling out his blade or sheathing it. He thinks if that was all he could see, Ichigo probably had no idea what hit him. He then wonders what was up with Ichigo just a short while ago. Because of his thoughtfulness, Byakuya asks what's wrong and Renji tells him there that he could have handled it and there was no need for a captain like Byakuya to get involved. Byakuya responds that if he always sat on the sidelines his skills would dull, but Renji doesn't think it's true. But his train of thought is interrupted by Rukia shouting Ichigo's name and running to him. But before she can reach Ichigo Renji stops her by grabbing her shoulder. He tells her Ichigo's dead and there's no point in adding to her sentence over a dead guy. Rukia, however, doesn't care. Ichigo got dragged into this because of her and died for her, so the least she can do is go to him. Byakuya realizes Ichigo looks like someone else he and Rukia both know and implies that's why she's willing to increase her sentence by going to him.

    However, Ichigo isn't quite dead yet and says so as he grabs Byakuya's robes. Byakuya tells him to let go, but Ichigo pretends not to hear because Byakuya didn't look at him as he said it. Renji is stunned that Ichigo can still move after that and wonders where he gets his endurance from. Byakuya's retort is that Ichigo won't have his arm for long. After looking at her older brother for a moment, Rukia kicks Ichigo's hand and asks how dare he touch her brother's robe. She then tells him to learn his place. She claims she's come to her senses and will go to Soul Society and quietly accept her punishment. As Ichigo shouts at her asking what she's doing, Renji steps on his back and tells him to stop making things worse and die quietly. Rukia, meanwhile, tells her brother Ichigo isn't worth killing because he'll stop breathing on his own anyway now. As she walks away, Ichigo shouts at her, demanding she look at him and asks if it's some kind of joke. She tells him not to move from there and if he tries to follow her, she'll never forgive him with tears in her eyes. He's going to die anyway, so just try to hang onto life as long as he can. Byakuya agrees to not kill Ichigo since he hit him in vital areas. Ichigo should die within 30 minutes and even if he does manage to live, his shinigami powers will be totally gone.

    Renji then opens a gate to Soul Society by sticking his soul cutter into thin area (with a portion of it disappearing) and then turns it like a key. A pair of traditional Japanese sliding doors appear on both sides of his soul cutter and open, revealing several another pair of doors beyond them, which open as well and some hell butterflies fly out. As Rukia, Renji, and Byakuya walk inside, Ichigo thinks he can't talk or move. What hurts him the most is that although he came to protect Rukia, he ended up getting protected again. You see him lying on the ground in a pool of blood in the rain. The last page is a blank black page.

    Differences in episode 17:

    • Nothing!
57. Unfinished July Rain
    Corresponding TV Episode - episode 17
    Characters Appearing - Uryuu Ishida, Kon, Ichigo Kurosaki, Yoruichi Shihouin, Tessai Tsukabishi, Kisuke Urahara
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Karakura, Kurosaki Clinic, Urahara's Store
    Released Soul Cutters - None
    Relevant Terminology - gate, Soul Society

    It's cold and raining as Ichigo continues to lie on the ground outside. The bleeding won't stop and his body feels heavy. Then Urahara appears with Yoruichi on his shoulder and holds an umbrella over Ichigo's head. Ichigo thinks he feels as if the rain has stopped. The title pages shows Orihime, wearing a weird outfit and a hat, jumping with her hair braided hair flying out behind her.

    It's dark and Ichigo thinks he no longer feels any pain. He wonders if he's going to die and thinks that must be why the pain is gone. However, his body is starting to get warmer. He opens his eyes... and sees Tessai's face up close to his own. Ichigo starts screaming as Tessai says that him getting goosebumps is a good thing. He then shouts that Ichigo's awake to Urahara while Ichigo struggles to push Tessai out of the bed. Ichigo then asks why he's in bed with Tessai. Ichigo finally manages to push Tessai away, but his shoulder throbs in pain and as he sits up you see he's heavily bandaged. Only now does he realize that he's still alive. Next he notices he's not in his house. As Ichigo's looking around, Urahara approaches him and cautions him to not move because his wounds aren't fully healed and moving around might kill him. At this point Ichigo figures out he's in Urahara's house. Ichigo asks if Urahara saved him, but doesn't seem too enthusiastic or happy about it. He then thinks of Rukia and asks about Uryuu.

    It turns out that Urahara saved Uryuu as well, but he isn't in the store. Unlike Ichigo his injuries weren't vital (he wouldn't have died for days if left untreated) and Urahara was able to treat them on the spot. Urahara had offered to let Uryuu rest as his place, but Uryuu refused, saying he should treat Ichigo instead because Ichigo is the only one who could beat them and save Rukia. Ichigo pictures Rukia entering the gate again and then shouts what can he do since Rukia's already gone to Soul Society. He's totally lost hope of rescuing her because he has no way of getting there. But then Urahara gives him hope by asking if he really thinks there's no other way into Soul Society.

    However, Urahara has one condition for telling Ichigo how to get to Soul Society. First he must train with Urahara for 10 days. Ichigo doesn't want to do that because Rukia's going to get executed so they have no time to loose, but then Urahara knocks Ichigo down and points his cane straight at Ichigo's forehead. He then says if Ichigo goes in his current condition, he will die and that he purposely let Ichigo fight them to prove that to him. Ichigo is weak right now and a weakling going into enemy territory is like committing suicide. He then tells Ichigo to not use other people as an excuse to die. While this is going on, Yoruichi is watching, and Ichigo feels as if a sword is pointed at his head instead of a cane.

    When Ichigo calms down, Urahara gets up and explains that generally Soul Society leaves a person on death row for a month before executing them. So even with the 10 days of training and the 7 days to open a gate, there will be 13 days left to save Rukia. Ichigo then wonders if he'll really become stronger in just 10 days. Urahara's response is he will if he is really determined to because a strong will is harder than steel. Ichigo agrees to it because if he doesn't do it, no one will. And as he says that he feels as if the rain has stopped again.

    The last page shows Kon the plushie lying in Ichigo's bed, saying that Urahara showed up and took Ichigo's body away, scaring him.

    Differences in episode 17:

    • Nothing!
58. Blank
    Corresponding TV Episode - episode 18
    Characters Appearing - Tatsuki Arisawa, Keigo Asano, Jinta Hanakari, Orihime Inoue, Mizuiro Kojima, Rukia Kuchiki, Ryou Kunieda, Ichigo Kurosaki, Tetsuo Momohara, Misato Ochi, Michiru Ogawa, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, Tessai Tsukabishi, Ururu Tsumugiya, Kisuke Urahara
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Karakura, Karakura High, Urahara's Store
    Released Soul Cutters - None
    Relevant Terminology - shinigami, Soul Society

    Ichigo is at school, where he's talking to a guy named Tetsuo Momohara. Tetsuo is shocked that Ichigo still doesn't remember him and claims he's tried to get Ichigo to join the karate club many times. Ichigo just blows him off and thinks that the only reason he's in school is that Urahara told him he's to take a pill every hour so his wounds heal (although the pill bottle has a skull drawn on it...) and by dinner time he should be healed enough to train. Since it's the last day of school anyway, after that he won't have to worry about skipping school to train. Ichigo has been taking the pills as instructed, and every time he does he feels like his wounds are healing at lighning speeds.

    However, Ichigo is more amazed that no one seems to remember Rukia at all. That guy Tetsuo sits in her seat instead and no one has mentioned her at all. He realizes this is what happens when someone goes to Soul Society: they disappear without a trace, not even leaving memories of them behind. The title page shows a reverse color image (the background is black and the lines of white) of Tatsuki, Orihime, Ryou, and Michiru sitting in school uniform. Where Rukia should be, there's her silhouette in white.

    At the end of the school day the teacher, Misato Ochi, tells them to forget everything except the Japanese lesson and party hard since they need to be a bit immoral for it to become ingrained in their memories. She then tells them not to die before September and lets them off for summer vacation. Most students begin to eagerly file out as Ichigo thinks that Uryuu stayed home today and that he would be sure to remember Rukia. His musings are interrupted by Keigo, however, who blindfolds Ichigo, spins him around, and then has him try to smash a watermelon. Ichigo ends up cracking Keigo's head instead, though.

    Outside you see they've gatered the necessary items for summer vacation fun: a watermelon, suntan lotion, a beach parasol, a beach ball, an intertube, and a bikini. At that everyone (Michiru, Ichigo, Keigo, Tatsuki, Mizuiro, and Orihime) stare at Chad. Keigo then proposes that they go on a 10 day coed trip to the beach because summer means ocean, where they'll bathe in coed hot springs, have tests of courage, and watch fireworks. Unfortunately Ichigo has to pass for obvious reasons. Orihime says she's a bit busy and passes as well. Then Tatsuki says she can't go with boys and Ogawa passes because she can't be the only girl. Chad passes as well, and then Mizuiro says he's going snorkling with his current girlfriend and her nine friends tomorrow. Keigo then throws a fit.

    On the way home Ichigo feels odd because things are going as normal even though Rukia's not around. He supposes that's the way it should be since she's originally from Soul Society, but then he wonders why he should bother to rescue her if this is how things are supposed to be. He then notices Orihime standing in front of him, and she asks where Rukia is. She doesn't know why everyone's suddenly forgotten about Rukia and thought Ichigo would know.

    We next see them sitting on some stairs outside as Ichigo finishes explaining what's happened. Inoue concludes with the statement that Ichigo's going to rescue Rukia. He's surprised to learn that she can see ghosts and shinigami, but she interrupts him to ask if he really knows what he's doing. Rukia's originally from Soul Society and her friends and family are all there. Does he know what he'll do if this happens again? Will he he drag her away from her friends and family and take her back to the real world again? Is he sure that it's right? Ichigo's shocked to hear that from Inoue, but before he can reply, she says she knows that even scolding him like this she already knows he'll still do it because his mind is set. Orihime then does an Ichigo impression and says, "As long as you're alive you'll always have a chance of meeting your family. It's only when you're dead that you don't." She then tells Ichigo to save Rukia because she doesn't want her friend to die and that she'll be rooting for him. After this Ichigo stands up and thanks her for the pep talk before running up the stairs. As she watches him go, Orihime tells Ichigo to be careful, but amends that to she'll make sure he doesn't get hurt. She then goes to a nearby pay phone and calls Chad up to let him know she's made her decision.

    At Urahara's Store, Urahara and all of his employees are gathered outside when Ichigo arrives. Urahara asks how Ichigo's wounds are, and he bares his chest to show there are scars, but the wounds are all healed. To take care of his family, Ichigo told them he's staying over at a friend's place. Although Urahara jokes that it sounds like an excuse to sleep with someone, it's acceptable because he says they'll get started. As he and his employees head towards the shop, Ichigo bows and asks him to do a good job teaching. Urahara's a bit shocked and asks if anything's wrong, but Ichigo says there isn't and repeats the request. Summer vacation has begun.

    The last page shows a neighbor shouting out of a window for Ichigo to be quiet. He's shocked and says he's sorry.

    Differences in episode 18:

    • Nothing!
59. Lesson 1: One Strike! + Jailed at Home
    Corresponding TV Episode - episode 18
    Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Keigo Asano, Jinta Hanakari, Mizuiro Kojima, Kon, Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Rikichi, Tessai Tsukabishi, Ururu Tsumugiya, Urahara Kisuke
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Court of Pure Souls, 6th division holding cell, Urahara's Store
    Released Soul Cutters - None
    Relevant Terminology - chain of fate, hakusui, hell butterfly, saketsu, shinigami, lieutenant

    In Soul Society Renji is walking outside a building in a white flowery kimono, being greeted as lieutenant by some shinigami who are walking by. He reaches a door marked by the number 6 and uses some sort of keycard to open it. Inside a subordinate is having trouble handling a hell butterfly, which Renji kicks him for. It turns out Renji is off-duty but came to see Rukia, who's in a holding cell. But there's really nothing to see since she's been sitting in the chair staring at the wall of her cell since last night. The title page shows Keigo and Asano sitting in jackets and hats, sucking on lollypops.

    Rukia greets Renji without even turning around and Renji asks how long she's going to torture herself. She hasn't eaten and if she keeps that up her body won't last. However, she claims she's not hungry, Mr. lieutenant captain. Renji bristles at that remark and asks if she has a problem with him being a lieutenant. She tells him she's actually impressed and he must have worked hard to advance in the two months she was gone. But she continues to bait him about his position, and makes him angry. She suddenly turns serious and asks if she'll really be executed and Renji, thinking she's still joking, says she'll probably get killed right now. When she says he's probably right, he gets even more angry and says it was just a joke. He then tells her Byakuya is going to report to headquarters and while he's there will probably ask her sentence to be commuted. Renji thinks her big brother wouldn't just stand and watch her die, but Rukia begs to differ. She knows Byakuya pretty well and not once in 40 years as he really looked at her. We then see Byakuya walking.

    Meanwhile, Urahara's Store is closed. Inside we see a panel of the floor removed, revealing a ladder that leads to a deep underground cavern, where Urahara, Tessai, Ururu, Jinta, and Ichigo are. Urahara fakes surprise at its existence and then rants about it a bit. He claims he built it in 24 hours. It has ceilings painted like the sky and dead trees planted among it. Ichigo is very cynical about it and asks if building it was a crime because it's under all the nearby roads and houses. He then starts stretching and asks when they're going to start the lessons since they're short on time. Without further ado Urahara starts the lesson by pushing Ichigo's soul out of his body. At first Ichigo's mad at him for doing it without warning, but then he wobbles, unused to being out of his body as a normal soul chained to its body by the chain of fate. Urahara explains that Ichigo's hakusui, or spiritual power source, and saketsu, or booster, were destroyed by Byakuya so right now he's just a spirit of a normal human without any spiritual abilities. So the first part of his lessons are to relearn how to move his spiritual body freely. To do that they need to increase Ichigo's spiritual powers. If he can move his spiritual body better than his physical body, then they will have succeeded in recovering Ichigo's spiritual powers. But rather than explain things all day, he asks if his employees are ready to start.

    Ururu then greets Ichigo as Urahara explains that lesson one is fighting her. Basically they fight until someone can't move, so Ichigo should try to punch her out before she punches him. Ichigo doesn't like the idea of fighting a little girl, but Urahara says it should be pretty hard for him in his current condition, which makes Ichigo angry. But Ururu distracts him by dropping padding in front of him and telling him to put it on. She then lunges forward right at Ichigo's face, leaving a deep footprint in the ground. There's a big explosion when she punches and Urahara says, "I told you so."

    The last page shows Kon trembling under Ichigo's bed, wonder where he is since he hasn't returned all night as one of Ichigo's little sisters stomps around and shouts that Ichigo isn't home.

    Differences in episode 18:

    • Nothing!
60. Lesson 1-2: Down!!
    Corresponding TV Episode - episode 18
    Characters Appearing - Jinta Hanakari, Orihime Inoue, Ichigo Kurosaki, Karin Kurosaki, Yuzu Kurosaki, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, Yoruichi Shihouin, Tessai Tsukabishi, Ururu Tsumugiya, Kisuke Urahara
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Karakura, Urahara's Store
    Released Soul Cutters - None
    Relevant Terminology - shinigami, Soul Society

    As the smoke slowly clears Urahara, Jinta, and Tessai wonder if Ururu has managed to kill Ichigo since they don't see him getting up. But then he tumbles out of the smoke, starts running at Ururu, and passes her so he can pick up the safety gear. He's scared because if he takes one punch like that, he's dead, but he can't figure out how to put on the gear. Urahara tells him to put the helment on his forehead and shout, "Take this! The powers of justice, justice armor, justice hachimaki attack!" Ichigo refuses to do something that embarassing and throws the helmet down, only to nearly get killed by Ururu. At last he caves in and does it, only to find those words were just a joke. For the title picture we see Urahara looking evil with his fan in the background, Ururu in a monster costume, Ichigo in a power-ranger type getup, and Karin and Yuzu in the foreground in angel costumes.

    Ichigo finally manages to get the protective gear on, but still ends up running as he barely dodges another punch. Ichigo thinks the padding won't do much against punches of that strength and if he didn't keep running and dodging it would be over. He then realizes if he can run and dodge the attacks, he can keep up with Ururu's speed, so it's possible he can dodge the attacks directly. He then stops running and holds his ground as Ururu comes at him. When she punches he moves his head out of the way and and thinks he was right. Ichigo then returns the punch, but she dodges his one as well. Still Urahara, Tessai, and Jinta are impressed by his efforts. Ichigo's plan is to hit her headgear (rather than her face) and let their weight difference do the rest, but he accidentally clips her cheek and cuts it. After that Ururu's eyes go blank and she's suddenly standing on Ichigo's arm, giving him a huge kick to the face. He rockets back in a cloud of dust and rams into the side of a cliff. When the smoke clears, Urahara is holding Ururu's leg, while Ichigo is lying on top of Tessai, who cushioned his landing. Ichigo is disappointed that he lost, but says he'll defeat her next time. However, then Urahara congratulates him on passing lesson 1. He then explains although he said knock her out before she knocks Ichigo out, he didn't say he needed to knock Ururu out to clear the lesson. She actually has shinigami level fighting skills so no normal soul could beat her no matter how hard it tried. The real goal of the lesson was to see if Ichigo could manage to dodge her first attack by raising his spirit power. The easiest way to get a spirit to raise its power is to put it in danger. If he hadn't done that, Ichigo would have probably died from the punch. To emphasize that fact, Ichigo no longer has problems breathing or moving.

    In celebration Urahara decides to go straight on to lesson 2 by having Tessai cut Ichigo's chain of fate.

    Meanwhile, Yoruichi is talking to Chad and Orihime, offering them lessons so they can go to Soul Society.

    The last page shows Yoruichi walking off with Orihime skipping after him, happy about the lessons. Chad is still standing there, thinking that Orihime's reply was too quick.

    Differences in episode 18:

    • Nothing!
61. Lesson2: Shattered Shaft
    Corresponding TV Episode - episode 18
    Characters Appearing - Orihime Inoue, Uryuu Ishida, Ryou Kunieda, Ichigo Kurosaki, Mahana Natsui, Michiru Ogawa, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, Yoruichi Shihouin, Tessai Tsukabishi, Kisuke Urahara
    Kidou - Bakudou 99: Kin
    Locations - Karakura, Urahara's Store
    Released Soul Cutters - None
    Relevant Terminology - chain of fate, hollow, shinigami, Soul Society, spirit thread

    The cover page shows Ryou, Mahana, and Ogawa dressed up in jackets and scarves. The next page shows them striping down to tank tops, wondering why they were dressed in winter clothes in the middle of summer. Michiru is wondering why Orihime didn't come, and Ryou asks if she come.

    Next we see Ishida in what looks like a remote mountainside with a large backpack. There's a waterfall, trees all around, and another mountain in the distance. He thinks here no one will bother him while he trains. But he spoke too soon since moments later Orihime calls his name. Turning around he sees she's accompanied by Chad and Yoruichi. Ishida's pretty shocked to see them there. It turns out they're there to offer him lessons so he can go to Soul Society as well. He didn't imagine that was why their spirit powers rose so suddenly and then asks who their master is. Orihime then says their master has been here all along, and Ishida is shocked that a human could be that stealthy until Yoruichi speaks up that he is their master. Ishida is totally surprised and asks what Yoruichi is. Chad and Orihime reply that he's a cat. Yoruichi and Ishida start arguing over the fact that he's a talking cat and then Inoue says a talking cat is nothing big (but Chad disagrees and says he thinks it's something that could easily shock someone). But Inoue continues by saying if Ishida wants to help Ichigo they should take lessons together.

    However, Ishida refuses. Inoue holds up Yoruichi and says he's amazing because he tracked Ishida using spirit threads. However, it's not that Ishida lacks faith in Yoruichi, but rather that Ishida wants to train by himself and doesn't want to help out Ichigo. He's training because he's embarassed at being defeated by shinigami. Upon hearing that Yoruichi decides to leave since there's no point in wasting time on him if he doesn't want to go to Soul Society. Chad follows, but Inoue tells Ishida if he changes his mind to contact her before she leaves. Once they're gone, Ishida apologizes, but says no one can be alone to watch this training. He then opens the box and screams.

    Back at Urahara's Store, Ichigo is making a fuss because he's dead now that his chain of fate is cut. Urahara tells him that's right and then adds with a smile on his face that the end of the chain has already begun to slowly corrode and once it reaches his chest Ichigo will become a hollow. The only way to prevent that is for Ichigo to become a shinigami. The goal of lesson 2 is for Ichigo to regain his shinigami powers. He then announces they're starting lesson 2: shattered shaft and points right, only to have a huge hole appear under Ichigo and Tessai, who is restraining Ichigo. They fall down into the hole. It turns out Ururu dug it and the hole is pretty deep.

    When Ichigo regains consciousness he finds his arms bound by some black tape and pins. It's bakudou 99 cast by Tessai to restrain him until the end of lesson 2. Urahara then calls down from the top of the hole that to pass lesson 2 Ichigo needs to climb out of the shattered shaft in his current condition. Ichigo says that's impossible, but Urahara says it's not a matter of whether or not it's impossible. Then the first corrosion of his chain of fate begins: teethed mouths with spiked tongues appear on the first link and begin chewing the next link.

    The last page shows one of the chain mouths.

    Differences in episode 18:

    • Nothing!