Chichiri's Guide to Bleach
Volume 18 THE DEATHBERRY RETURNS (English Manga Spoilers)
  1. Introduction
  2. General Information
  3. Purchasing Information
  4. Terminology
  5. Plot Summary
    1. About the Summaries
    2. TV Episode to Manga Chapter Conversion
    3. Manga Chapters Summaries
      1. Pilot
      2. Volume 1
      3. Volume 2
      4. Volume 3
      5. Chapter 25.2.
      6. Volume 4
      7. Volume 5
      8. Volume 6
      9. Volume 7
      10. Volume 8
      11. Volume 9Volume 9 (!)
      12. Volume 10Volume 10 (!)
      13. Volume 11Volume 11 (!)
      14. Volume 12Volume 12 (!)
      15. Volume 13Volume 13 (!)
      16. Volume 14Volume 14 (!)
      17. Volume 15Volume 15 (!)
      18. Volume 16Volume 16 (!)
      19. Volume 17Volume 17 (!)
      20. Volume 18
        1. Author's Comments (!)
        2. General Overview (!)
        3. Chapter 150Chapter 150 (!)
        4. Chapter 151Chapter 151 (!)
        5. Chapter 152Chapter 152 (!)
        6. Chapter 153Chapter 153 (!)
        7. Chapter 154Chapter 154 (!)
        8. Chapter 155Chapter 155 (!)
        9. Chapter 156Chapter 156 (!)
        10. Chapter 157Chapter 157 (!)
        11. Chapter 158Chapter 158 (!)
        12. Juushirou's Profile (!)
        13. Shunsui's Profile (!)
      21. Beyond Volume 18Volume 17 (!)
    4. TV Episode Summaries
  6. Locations
  7. Characters
  8. 13 Gotei Divisions
  9. Soul Cutters
  10. Kidou
  11. Music
  12. Voice Actors and Actresses
  13. Links
  14. Email

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Volume 18 THE DEATHBERRY RETURNS

Your shadow stealthily
Leaves no trace of where you go, like a poison needle
It sews together my footsteps

Your light gracefully
Strikes the water tower, like a thunderbolt
It severs the source of my life

  1. Countdown to The End: 0
  2. Deathberry Returns
  3. The Speed Phantom
  4. Empty Dialogue
  5. The God of Flash
  6. Redoundable deeds/Redoubtable babies
  7. Welcome to Purgatory
  8. Cat And Hornet
  9. Sky Leopardess

    Extra: Juushirou's Profile
    Extra: Shunsui's Profile

Author's Comments

In the magazine chapters 150 and 151, which are at the beginning of this volume, were the front cover and the opening color pages in 2 consequtive weeks. According to the editor-in-chief, having a front cover and opening color pages in 2 consequtive weeks is a first in Jump history. I'm grateful for it. It's good to be first at anything. I love being first.

General Overview

As a translation note, Ichigo's name is pronounced the same as the word "strawberry" in Japanese (though his name means something else) so he is sometimes referred to as "strawberry" in the chapter and volume titles. When he's a shinigami the "straw" part of "strawberry" is replaced with "death."

In Depth Summaries

  1. (+) Countdown to The End: 0
    Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
    Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Keigo Asano, Tatsuki Arisawa, Orihime Inoue, Nanao Ise, Uryuu Ishida, Mizuiro Kojima, Isane Kotetsu, Kiyone Kotetsu, Sentarou Kotsubaki, Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Shunsui Kyoraku, Marechiyo Oomaeda, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, Kaien Shiba, Fong Soi, Juushirou Ukitake, Retsu Unohana, Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, execution site, Soul Society
    Released Soul Cutters - Zangetsu
    Relevant Terminology - dual terminus, Gin Ichimaru, soul cutter

    The unsealing process begins by having the ropes holding up the halberd part of dual terminus burn off and start coiling around its shaft.

    For the title page we see Ichigo, Rukia, Keigo, Tatsuki, Uryuu, Orihime, Chad, and Mizuiro in school uniform, all running (well, except for Mizuiro, who'sblowing bubble gum while sitting in a chair strapped to Keigo's back).

    Rocks begin following from the cliff as the dual terminus is released. Finally the coiling process is complete. As Rukia looks up, she thinks her heart, which had been stirred up by Gin, is now at peace. She wonders if it is because Yamamoto promised to honor her request or because Byakuya acted so serene moments ago and did not even look at her. The shinigami present look somber, in particular, Byakuya, as she thanks him. Then some force at Rukia's feet raises the block she's standing on. The binding that is holding her hands behind her back suddenly come undone and her arms are forced to stretch out perpendicular to her body by two posts. Nanao looks upset at this, and Shunsui tells her to stop or he'll feel sad as well. When Rukia's head reaches the crossbar of the arbor (goalpost structure), she stops, and the halberd lifts out of the ground, with fire swirling around it. Once it all of its shaft has lifted out of the ground, it changes shape to that of a huge fiery bird. Yamamoto explains that once its true form, Kikou, the execution is over.

    As she is faced with Kikou, Rukia think that she's not scared and has been content with her life: meeting Renji and the others, being adopted by Byakuya, being guided by Kaien, and Ichigo attempting to rescue her. She has no pain, sadness, or regrets. One by one she says thanks the important people in her life and those trying to save her, but when she gets to Ichigo she says goodbye. Then Kikou closes in and the arbor begins to be engulfed in flames and Rukia closes her eyes. But suddenly, it stops, and when she opens her eyes again, is greeted by Ichigo saying yo, wearing a cape, with his soul cutter held behind him, blocking Kikou.

    (!)
  2. (+) Deathberry Returns
    Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
    Characters Appearing - Nanao Ise, Isane Kotetsu, Kiyone Kotetsu, Sentarou Kotsubaki, Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Shunsui Kyoraku, Marechiyo Oomaeda, Fong Soi, Juushirou Ukitake, Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, unnamed shinigami
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, execution site, Soul Society
    Released Soul Cutters - Zangetsu
    Relevant Terminology - dual terminus, soul cutter

    Rukia is stunned at the sight of Ichigo blocking the Kikou form of dual terminus, which we get a wide shot of on the title page. He says yo again, and Rukia answers by saying he's an idiot for coming again. There's no way he can win against Byakuya and she's made her peace, so she doesn't need to be rescued.

    Below, Fong Soi wonders who Ichigo is and how it's possible for him to block Kikou with just his soul cutter when Kikou contains the destructive force of a million soul cutters. The others are just as stunned, except for Shunsui, who realizes Ichigo matches the description of one of the intruders, and thinks the one who managed to make it in time was one of the intruders. Byakuya, meanwhile, is furious.

    Denied its target, Kikou screams and backs up, causing Ichigo to loose balance from the release in force. It tries to attack a second time, and Ichigo is ready to meet it head on, despites Rukia's protests that he can't possibly survive a second attack. However, it isn't necessary since something is thrown at Kikou and a rope wraps around its neck. Ukitake and underlings have arrived. Isane is shocked by his actions, but it seems Kyoraku was in on the plan, as he greets Ukitake by saying he likes to make people wait, and grabbing the ribboned pole that is now standing up out of the ground. Yamamoto is not pleased, but Ukitake doesn't notice as he apologizes and explains that unsealing it took longer than expected. He then whips out a shield, which Fong Soi notes has the seal of the Shihouin family on it. She then realizes they're trying to destroy the Dual Terminus and shouts for someone to stop them. It's too late, however, as Shunsui and Ukitake draw their Soul Cutters and begin cutting the shield into thirds the long way. Above them Kikou is extinguished and reverts back to its halberd form. Ichigo takes it the signal to land on the crossbar of the arbor. When Rukia asks what he's planning on doing, he replies that he's going to destroy it. Rukia says it's impossible and is about to explain why when Ichigo tells her to just shut up and watch. For once she listens to him. He then stabs Zangetsu into it and there's a huge flash of light as a good portion of the crossbar explodes. Rukia begins to fall, but is caught by Ichigo, who tells her to stop saying to leave her and run away. He won't listen to her. Rukia cries and says she won't thank him for this, and he replies fine as Byakuya looks up at them from below.

    (!)
  3. (+) The Speed Phantom
    Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
    Characters Appearing - Abarai Renji, Isane Kotetsu, Kiyone Kotetsu, Sentarou Kotsubaki, Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Shunsui Kyoraku, Marechiyo Oomaeda, Fong Soi, Juushirou Ukitake, Retsu Unohana, Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto
    Kidou - None
    Locations - Court of Pure Spirits, execution site, Soul Society
    Released Soul Cutters - Itegumo, Gegetsuburi, Gonryoumaru, Zangetsu
    Relevant Terminology - captain, Orihime Inoue, Uryuu Ishida, dual terminus, instant step, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, Ganjuu Shiba, shinigami, lieutenants, Hanatarou Yamada

    All of the shinigami present are shocked that he managed to destroy the arbor of the dual terminus and they wonder who Ichigo is, as we see him still holding Rukia by the abdomen. Ichigo looks down at Byakuya and then Rukia asks how they're going to get out of this situation, and Ichigo answers that they run. She replies that it's impossible since they're surrounded by captains, so Ichigo amends it to beat up the captains and then run. He adds that he's not just there for her since he's going to help everyone that came or helped out: Uryuu, Inoue, Chad, Ganjuu, and Hanatarou escape as well. Rukia thinks that from those words and his eyes, Ichigo's strength is flowing into her and she realizes how strong he's gotten.

    Suddenly they hear the sounds of shinigami getting tossed aside and Renji emerges from the crowd. Rukia and he start shouting at each other, when Ichigo gets and idea. Shouting catch, he launches her at Renji. Luckily Renji manages to catch her, though they roll back several feet. Afterwards both of them shout at Ichigo that he's an idiot and could have killed Rukia. Ichigo, however, tells Renji to take her and get her out of there. Renji immediately clutches her in his arms and takes off. While everyone else is stunned by Renji's behavior, Fong Soi shouts for the lieutenants to stop him. All those present obey, although Isane is reluctant. However, they're blocked when Ichigo uses instant step to appear before them and then stabs Zangetsu into the ground. They shout for Ichigo to get out of their way and then all three release their soul cutters. They're not given a chance to use them, however, as Ichigo takes each one of them in one blow without using Zangetsu. He then draws Zangetsu back out of the ground in time to block an attack from Byakuya and repeats he can see Byakuya's every step.

    (!)
  4. (+) Empty Dialogue
    Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
    Characters Appearing -
    Kidou -
    Locations -
    Released Soul Cutters -
    Relevant Terminology -

    Summary coming soon!

    (!)
  5. (+) The Instant Flash
    Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
    Characters Appearing -
    Kidou -
    Locations -
    Released Soul Cutters -
    Relevant Terminology -

    Summary coming soon!

    (!)
  6. (+) Redoundable deeds/Redoubtable babies
    Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
    Characters Appearing -
    Kidou -
    Locations -
    Released Soul Cutters -
    Relevant Terminology -

    Summary coming soon!

    (!)
  7. (+) Welcome to Purgatory
    Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
    Characters Appearing -
    Kidou -
    Locations -
    Released Soul Cutters -
    Relevant Terminology -

    Summary coming soon!

    (!)
  8. (+) Cat And Hornet
    Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
    Characters Appearing -
    Kidou -
    Locations -
    Released Soul Cutters -
    Relevant Terminology -

    Summary coming soon!

    (!)
  9. (+) Sky Leopardess
    Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
    Characters Appearing -
    Kidou -
    Locations -
    Released Soul Cutters -
    Relevant Terminology -

    Summary coming soon!

    (!)
    (+) Extra: Juushirou Ukitake's Profile
    Extra: Shunsui Kyouraku's Profile     (!)