Volume 15 BEGINNING OF THE DEATH OF TOMORROW

I am just
Practicing for saying farewell to you

124. Crying Little People
125. Insanity & Genius
126. The Last of a Void War
127. Beginning of the Death of Tomorrow
128. The Great Joint Struggle Union
129. Suspicion[for Assassination]
130. Suspicion2[of Tears]
     
     -17. Prelude for the Stray Stars

Author's Comments

My standard for whether or not an anime is good is its opening sequence. And, Bleach's opening sequence is better than I imagined it. I'm so happy that I dropped the DVD and am constantly watching it. I watch it every night before I fall asleep. To everyone who loves Bleach and thinks, "I am Bleach's number one fan!" I'm sorry! Probably Bleach's number one fan is me!!!

General Overview

It turns out Uryuu was able to stand through a technique called Ransoutengai, which is basically using spiritrons to control one's body like a puppet. Because what Mayuri has done is unforgiveable, Uryuu is willing to remove his sanrei glove to get a temporary boost in power in exchange for permanently loosing his quincy abilities. In his powered up state Uryuu shoots off Mayuri's left arm, so Mayuri retaliates by using his bankai, which causes Ashisogi Jizou to become like an enormous slug with blades on its belly. In this form it emits a poisonous gas, but Uryuu attacks once again with an enormous attack that splits it in two and takes a huge chunk out of Mayuri's chest and abdomen. At this point Mayuri seals his soul cutter and stabs himself in the neck with it, causing himself to turn into a liquid and escape. After he's gone Uryuu is given an antidote to the poison by Nemu as thanks for not killing Mayuri. After this Uryuu leaves and makes it up the first flight of stairs in the Shrine of Penitence, but then encounters Kaname Tousen and is put to sleep.

Ichigo, meanwhile, has started training with help from Yoruichi and a rare artifact called tenshintai, which allows the sould of a soul cutter to be forcibly materialized in the real world, as materialization and submission is required for bankai (versus communication and synchronization for normal release). This time his training involves finding his one true sword among a field of swords before he gets killed by Zangetsu and then defeating Zangetsu with it. As they fight Ichigo's fighting style improves and the swords last longer before breaking, but he is not able to find the right one before the end of the first day. Afterwards he and Yoruichi (as a cat) bathe in a hot spring to heal his wounds. During this Ichigo finds out that Urahara used to be captain of the 12th division and was founder and first president of the Institute of Technological Research.

As this is going on, Renji Abarai and Momo Hinamori both escape from their holding cells, while Itzuru Kira is let out by Gin Ichimaru. As soon as he hears about it Toushirou Hitsugaya tracks down Gin and Kira and says he's going to kill Gin for Hinamori when she shows up herself. But instead of declaring Gin as Aizen's murderer as Hitsugaya seems to expect, she says that he is the killer, based off the contents of the letter Aizen wrote her, and vows to kill him!

Despite Ukitake's request that Hanatarou's punishment be lenient, his captain, Unohana feels that he needs to take responsibility for the intruders as they would not have caused as much damage without his help. Elsewhere in the building Ganjuu, Uryuu, and Chad are being detained with their spiritual powers sealed so they can be questioned later about Aizen's death after having received medical attention. Figuring Orihime is already captured since she's not as good a fighter as they are, they decide to prepare for battle whenever Ichigo comes to rescue them. However, instead of being captured, Orihime has actually managed to secure Zaraki's and the 11th division's aid because that way Zaraki is sure to meet Ichigo soon.

There is also a side story about Momo's, Renji's, and Kira's first practical training for soul burial back when they were freshman at the Central Institution for Spiritual Arts (although Rukia was also a freshman at the time, she was in a different class.) Shuuhei Hisagi was present as a sixth year leader for the training session, but things go wrong when Huge Hollow and other hollows that can mask their spiritual pressure attack. Shuuhei orders the freshman to flee, but Momo, Renji, and Kira disobey and stay behind to help until the rescue team, who ends up being Sousuke Aizen and Gin Ichimaru, who were captain and lieutenant of the 5th division respectively at the time. After that Shuuhei is patched up and they all return to Soul Society with the goal of becoming as powerful as a captain or lieutenant someday.

In Depth Summaries

124. (+) Crying Little People
     Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
     Characters Appearing - Ishida's dad, Souken Ishida, Uryuu Ishida, Ichigo Kurosaki, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Nemu Kurotsuchi
     Kidou - None
     Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, Soul Society, underground training area
     Released Soul Cutters - Ashisogi Jizou
     Relevant Terminology - Orihime Inoue, quincy, Ransoutengai, sanrei glove, shinigami

     Uryuu is standing with energy crackling all around him while Nemu is still lying on the ground coughing and Mayuri is wondering how he can stand when he was cut by Ashisogi Jizou. He then realizes Uryuu is using a technique called Ransoutengai. It's the hardest quincy technique there is, which makes Mayuri think Uryuu is a genius.

     We then see the cover page - Ichigo attacking in the underground training area.

     Uryuu then thinks back to when he was little. His dad, a doctor, tells him to stop seeing his grandfather because saving the dead is a shinigami's job and he should concentrate on saving the living. He claims that Uryuu has no talent in it, while he has no interest in it because you can't make a living out of it. When Uryuu told his grandfather about it, his grandfather's response is that both of them had a point. Uryuu's very upset as he says that he wants to get stronger and convince his father to respect the way of the quincy.

     Back in the present Mayuri comments that he's beginning to find interest in Uryuu and decides to capture him alive, along with Orihime. He then pulls something out of his ear.

     Meanwhile, Uryuu remembers his grandfather telling him to understand his father's point of view as well. If the thing he wants to protect is different, the method of protection will also be different. But Uryuu doesn't understand what his father wants to protect. His grandfather tells him that someday he will find what he wants to protect and then he will understand his father. When that day comes, if he still wants to be a quincy he will face unavoidable battles, some of which will require all of his powers or more power than he possesses. For that reason, his grandfather gave him his gloves. Uryuu thinks that he still doesn't understand his father, nor does he know what he wants to protect, but because Mayuri is utterly unforgiveable. He then recalls his grandfather giving him the sanrei glove and telling him if wears it for seven nights and seven days he will reach the peak of a quincy's power, but if he ever takes it off after that he will lose all of his quincy powers. He silently apologizes to his grandfather for disobeying and then removes the glove, causing a huge surge in power. Mayuri is for the first time utterly dumbfounded at what happened as you see Uryuu kneeling in the midst of that power surge.

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125. (+) Insanity & Genius
     Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
     Characters Appearing - Uryuu Ishida, Mayuri Kurotsuchi
     Kidou - None
     Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, Soul Society
     Released Soul Cutters - Ashisogi Jizou
     Relevant Terminology - bankai, kojaku, quincy, sanrei glove, spiritrons

     This chapter begins by explaining what a sanrei glove is - a glove that deflects spiritrons. The average quincy would have trouble forming a kojaku wearing one, but if he or she can form and maintain a kojaku for seven days and seven nights straight, he or she will reach the height of their powers. However if the glove is ever taken off after that point, the quincy will draw more spiritrons than they can handle causing a temporary power boost, followed by losing his or her quincy powers.

     On the cover you see Ishida in a new outfit looking stern admist the surge in power around him. Mayuri wonders what is with the new outfit and the surge in power. He's then stunned as some of the surrounding walls break apart and collect around Ishida, almost like a wing sprouting out of his back. Since everything in Soul Society is composed of spiritrons, Ishida is able to break them apart and use them. Mayuri realizes he has gone past his limit, but is forced to move as Ishida creates a large complicated bow and shoots an arrow at him. He dodges the first shot, but when Ishida appears above him, cannot dodge the second and gets caught in a blast that resembles a bomb. Uryuu tells him to apologize to everyone or else he will kill him with a shot three times as big as the last. This really ticks Mayuri off as he stands up with one arm totally shot off. He tells Ishida to not get cocky and he uses his bankai, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizou, which resembles a huge baby crossed with a slug. Mayuri explains this is the end of Ishida, as Konjiki Ashisogi Jizou takes his blood and turns it into a poisonous fog that spreads out for about 200 yards. Naturally he is not affected by it. Mayuri regrets it a bit as he didn't want to kill Uryuu, while Uryuu retorts that he can shoot Mayuri dead long before he inhales a fatal dose of the poison. Mayuri tells him to try as Konjiki Ashisogi Jizou rushes forward to attack. Ishida then shoots an arrow and there's a huge explosion.

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126. (+) The Last of a Void War
     Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
     Characters Appearing - Uryuu Ishida, Ichigo Kurosaki, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Nemu Kurotsuchi, Yoruichi Shihouin, Kaname Tousen
     Kidou - None
     Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, Shrine of Penitence, Soul Society underground training area
     Released Soul Cutters - Ashisogi Jizou, Suzumushi
     Relevant Terminology - Makizou "Makimaki" Aramaki, Orihime Inoue, Rukia Kuchiki, quincy, Ransoutengai, sealed, soul cutter

     As the smoke clears, Nemu worriedly calls out to her father. Now not only is he missing his left arm, but he has a huge chunk of his chest and abdomen taken out. Not to mention Konjiki Ashisogi Jizou has been totally split in half. It collapses and disintegrates back into its sealed form. Uryuu is shocked when Mayuri draws it and stabs himself in the neck with it. He then turns into a liquid and Uryuu realizes he reserved that ability in case he needed to escape. Mayuri tells him that although he cannot attack in this form, he also cannot be injured. It will take a few days for him to return to his normal form, but he can go back to his headquarters and in the end he will live while Uryuu will die from the poison. As Uryuu begins to feel the effects from it, however, Nemu calls to him. On the title page you can see Nemu lying on the ground, telling Uryuu that there's some antidote underneath her badge. Uryuu offers her the antidote first, but she tells him because she has the same blood as Mayuri, she won't be affected by the poison. However, she offers to drink some if he thinks its a trap, but he replies that there's no point in tricking a dying man and drinks it. Nemu then thanks Uryuu for not hitting Mayuri's head and killing him, saying the antidote is a gift of gratitude, even though Uryuu said it wasn't intentional. Uryuu then asks her if it wouldn't be better for Mayuri to be dead, and all Nemu could respond was that she was glad when she saw he wasn't. She adds that Uryuu ought to leave because members of her division will have see Ashisogi Jizou and should be coming this way. They'll make sure she's ok, but Uryuu is another matter. After leaving the antidote bottle, Uryuu takes her adlieutenant and leaves. As he limps along, he can feel the Ransoutengai fade along with his quincy powers and hopes that Inoue is ok. Since her spirit pressure is much stronger than Makimaki, she ought to be in control of their destination.

     Uryuu manages to reach the base of the Shrine of Penitence and begins to climb, wondering if the others have made it there. He then thinks Ichigo will be mad if he's the one that manages to rescue Rukia. However, as he makes it to the first level, he comes face to face with Kaname Tousen, who says he has to terminate Ishida for the sake of peace. He then releases his soul cutter, Suzumushi, and Ishida collapses. Tousen apologizes, but says the meaningless conflict must end and to sleep because his battle is over.

     The last page shows Ichigo lying on the ground bleeding from a head wound with Yoruichi standing over him. She tells him to get up because he's not done yet.

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127. (+) Beginning of the Death of Tomorrow
     Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
     Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Momo Hinamori, Gin Ichimaru, Orihime Inoue, Itzuru Kira, Ichigo Kurosaki, Yoruichi Shihouin, Zangetsu
     Kidou - None
     Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, holding cell, Soul Society, underground training area
     Released Soul Cutters - Zangetsu
     Relevant Terminology - bankai, Division of Special Operations, release, tenshintai, Kenpachi Zaraki

     This chapter begins with Yoruichi again telling Ichigo to get up and that he's wasting time. As Ichigo slowly gets to his feet Zangetsu's human form approaches carrying and odd shaped sword and says it's ok because he'll make Ichigo get up if Ichigo can't do it by himself.

     We then see the title page: a shot of Orihime from above sleeping on a couch admist a mess.

     Next we see a flashback of what happened 28 minutes ago on the first day of Ichigo's bankai training. Yoruichi is holding an odd lifesize dummy. She then explains it's a rare artifact from the Division of Special Operations called a tenshintai and can be used for forcefully materialize the soul of a soul cutter. To release a soul cutter you need communication and synchronization. For bankai you need materialization and submission. Meaning instead of getting dragged into the soul cutter's world, you need to summon the soul of a soul cutter into the real world, which usually takes 10 years to achieve. Yoruichi believes can already subconsciously materialize his soul cutter since he managed to fight Zaraki to the end, even if it ended a draw. To forcefully materialize Zangetsu, he has to stab his soul cutter into the tenshintai and then Yoruichi will maintain it. After that he has three days to beat Zangetsu into submission. Before Yoruichi tells him what will happen if he doesn't manage, Ichigo says he doesn't want to hear and stabs Zangetsu into the tenshintai.

     When Zangetsu materializes, he comments that Ichigo has healed pretty fast and Yoruichi asks him if he heard everything. He tells her he did, and she responds that how they battle is up to him and they can start immediately. Suddenly they're surrounded by all sorts of different soul cutters sticking out of the ground. Zangetsu tells them that only one is the real soul cutter. To make him submit Ichigo must find it before Zangetsu kills him and then defeat him with it. Both of them immediately snatch a sword out of the ground and begin fighting as Yoruichi watches.

     In the holding cell, Renji has managed to cut through the jail bars and knock out the guard. He's totally recovered and tells Zabimaru to come with him. In a different cell, Momo finishes reading her letter and puts it away with a resolved expression on her face. In yet another cell, Itzuru Kira sits panting against a wall. The items in the cell are torn up and scattered about. He feels incredibly guilty for raising his soul cutter against Momo. Suddenly he hears a noise and asks who's there. It turns out to be Gin Ichimaru, who tells Kira to come with him.

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128. (+) The Great Joint Struggle Union
     Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
     Characters Appearing - Makizou "Makimaki" Aramaki, Yumichika Ayasegawa, Orihime Inoue, Uryuu Ishida, Kiyone Kotetsu, Yachiru Kusajishi, Sentarou Kotsubaki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Ikkaku Madarame, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, Ganjuu Shiba, Retsu Unohana, Hanatarou Yamada, Zangetsu
     Kidou - None
     Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, Main Hospital of the 4th Division, Soul Society, Underground Medical Detention Area, underground training area
     Released Soul Cutters - Zangetsu
     Relevant Terminology - 11th division, captain, Juushirou Ukitake

     The chapter begins with Sentarou and Kiyone reading a plea from Ukitake on behalf of Hanatarou, saying that after he was kidnapped by the intruders he was put through mental and physical trauma and forced to do their bidding, so Unohana should have mercy on him. Although Unohana does understand that, she says by helping them Hanatarou allowed them to do more damage than they could have otherwise and thus must be held responsible for his actions.

     We then see the title page: Kira Itzuru.

     Meanwhile in room 75 of the Underground Medical Detention Area in the same building, Uryuu Ishida wakes up to find himself in a bed, all bandaged up. He's confused on where he is, and then gets startled when someone with a face totally bandaged up suddenly appears and comments that he's awake. That person turns out to be Ganjuu. At first Uryuu thinks he's a robber until he pulls back some of the bandages. Uryuu then asks why their wounds were treated and Chad explains that the situation has changed. Now that one of the captains has been murdered, they're needed for information. Ganjuu comments if they didn't have handcuffs that sealed their spiritual powers, he could have already broken them out using his sand techniques. Ishida is a little depressed at the thought that his powers are gone even without the handcuffs, but then Ganjuu points out if the enemy doesn't want to kill them that, it means at least some of the others are still roaming free. Chad hypothesizes that if they're capture Inoue is almost certainly captured as well since she doesn't have as much fighting ability, but that still leaves Ichigo and Yoruichi. While they wait to get freed, he's preparing for the next battle by resting.

     Ichigo, meanwhile, is busy getting his 18th soul cutter broken by Zangetsu. He quickly leaps off in search of another and finds one that looks exactly like normal Zangetsu. Figuring it must be the right one, he grabs it, only to have it immediately get shattered by Zangetsu. Ichigo is shocked as Zangetsu slashes his chest. Zangetsu explains that these swords represent fragments of Ichigo's soul. The one that he just picked up was his reliance on Zangetsu, a particularly brittle fragment. If Ichigo cannot find strength in his soul and his will to fight, then he will fail. They immediately grab more swords and keep going since they're short on time. All the while Yoruichi is watching with a serious look on her face.

     At the same time, Makimaki is talking to Yachiru, who ran into him because Inoue's spiritual pressure was similar to Ichigo's. Makimaki is obviously fond of Yachiru, but she can't even remember his name though he's been in the 11th division for 10 years. Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Inoue are there as well and Ikkaku asks if Ichigo is still alive. Orihime says she doesn't know and Ikkaku replies that he can feel Ichigo is alive and getting stronger. Finally you see that Zaraki is also there, heavily bandaged, and he offers to help Inoue, who looks a bit disconcerted, because if he does he'll definitely meet up with Ichigo again soon.

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129. (+) Suspicion[for Assassination]
     Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
     Characters Appearing - Toushirou Hitsugaya, Momo Hinamori, Gin Ichimaru, Ichigo Kurosaki, Rangiku Matsumoto, Yoruichi Shihouin, Koukichirou Takezoe, Zangetsu
     Kidou - None
     Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, holding cell, Soul Society, underground training area
     Released Soul Cutters - Zangetsu
     Relevant Terminology - 5th division, Renji Abarai, Sousuke Aizen, kidou, Itzuru Kira, Kisuke Urahara

     The chapter begins with Matsumoto dreaming wabout hen she first met Gin. She had collapsed on a country road due to hunger, and Gin offers her food, saying if she's starving she must have spiritual powers like he does. He then introduces himself and she comments that he has a weird name. When she wakes up Hitsugaya asks if she slept well and she asks why he's in her room. It turns out that she actually fell asleep at their division headquarters. Hitsugaya then asks her to help him out with some paperwork. He has a ton since he took over the 5th Division's paperwork. Matsumoto notes there's not that much though and then asks how long she slept. Hitsugaya then comments it must be hard on her seeing a colleague and a junior fight and Matsumoto wonders if he thinks she's working with Gin, but they're interrupted when Koukichirou Takezoe needs to speak to them immediately. It turns out that Renji, Momo, and Kira have all left their cells!

     We then see the title page: Momo looking like she's dancing.

     Meanwhile, Ichigo's 51st sword has gotten cut off. From on top of a cliff Yoruichi thinks that Ichigo has learned to stay on his feet after a sword breaks. Ichigo immediately grabs another sword and rushes in to attack. Zangetsu blocks, so Ichigo ducks beneath his sword and attacks. However, Zangetsu leaps up and slashes down, breaking Ichigo's 52nd sword. Ichigo looks up as its tip flies into the air and gets punched back by Zangetsu, who tells him not to look away from his opponent. Ichigo says he was close that time, and as he grabs another sword, Yoruichi thinks that Ichigo's fighting style has matured from simply rushing in and attacking to blocking, twisting his sword, and counter attacking just from the start of this training. She thinks Urahara might be right about Ichigo.

     At the holding cells, Hitsugaya talks to the guard in charge of Momo. He said she called him in and he blacked out. When he came to, she was gone. Hitsugaya realizes she used a kidou to do it, since she is a kidou specialist. They should have handcuffed her to seal her spiritual pressure, but they didn't do it since they didn't think there'd be a reason for her to want to get out so desparately. Matsumoto doesn't get why she did it when she wasn't going to get punished, but Hitsugaya says there could only be one reason and tells Matsumoto to go back first, since he plans on helping Hinamori.

     Elsewhere you see Momo walking alongside a building, saying that she keeps telling herself it must be a mistake, but in truth he must be the one that killed Aizen as she clutches the letter in her hands.

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130. (+) Suspicion2[of Tears]
     Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
     Characters Appearing - Momo Hinamori, Toushirou Hitsugaya, Gin Ichimaru, Itzuru Kira, Ichigo Kurosaki, Yoruichi Shihouin, Zangetsu
     Kidou - None
     Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, Soul Society, underground training area
     Released Soul Cutters - Zangetsu
     Relevant Terminology - 12th division, 13 Gotei Divisions, captain, Division of Special Operations, Institute of Technological Research, soul cutter, tenshintai, Kisuke Urahara, Urahara's Store

     Ichigo is still clasing swords with Zangetsu, and Yoruichi notices that it's more than 5 minutes before a sword breaks now and that it doesn't shatter from normal impacts. However, she's at her limit and needs to end the materialization for the day. Ichigo is startled when Zangetsu suddenly turns back into a tenshintai in the middle of clashing swords. On the title page Yoruichi announces that day one is over.

     Later Ichigo gets in a hot spring for the first time ever. He's surprised that one's there and also has lost all sense of time after being underground. He's pleasantly surprised as the water heals his wounds super fast and puts some in his mouth to heal a cut there. As he's doing that Yoruichi approaches and asks how the water temperature is. When he says it's good, she says she's going to join him. He immediately spits out the water and yells at her. In the end she enters it as a cat and asks if he's disappointed. After Ichigo threatens to drown her, he notes that the underground training area looks a lot like the training area underneath Urahara's Store. Yoruichi then explains that the one underneath Urahara's Store was probably modeled after this one since Urahara dug it when they were young so they could practice combat training. He ended up joing the 13 Gotei Divisions, while she joined the Division of Special Operations. At that point Ichigo says he thought it was strange that he had a soul cutter and knew so much about Soul Society. Then when he got here it was strange that everyone recognized his name, so he wants to know exactly who Urahara is. Yoruichi's answer is that he was the former captain of the 12th division, founder of the Institute of Technological Research, and its first president.

     Meanwhile, Hitsugaya has managed to find Gin and Kira together. Hitsugaya comments that only Kira's cell was opened from the outside and that if Gin was going to break him out, he should have made it less obvious. Gin retorts that he wanted people to know, and Hitsugaya replies that it's good Momo isn't there yet since he plans on killing Gin before she arrives. However, they're interrupted by Hinamori's arrival. She says she's finally found the one she's looking for and ignores Hitsugaya as he shouts to stop because he's too strong for her. She tells them to back down and then points her sword right at Hitsugaya's neck and says that he is Aizen's murderer. In the background you can see Gin smiling with his eyes closed as usual.

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