Chichiri's Guide to Bleach - Manga Chapter Summaries

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Beyond Volume 18

LONG WAY TO SAY GOODBYE
Battle On The Gulilotine Hill
Scratch the Sky
Black Moon Rising
THE Speed Phantom 2 (Denial by Pride, Contradiction by Power)
That Who Change the World
Dark Side of Universe2
Black & White2
The Burial Chamber
Behind Me,Behind You
end of hypnosis
end of hypnosis2 [The Galvanizer]
end of hypnosis3 (the Blue Fog)
end of hypnosis4 [Prisoners in Paradise]

-12.5. Blooming in the Winter Months

end of hypnosis 5 [Standing to Defend You]
end of hypnosis 6 [The United Front]
end of hypnosis 7 [Truth Under My Strings]
end of hypnosis eight [the Transfixion]
end of hypnosis9 (Completely Encompass)
No One Stand On the Sky
Confession in the Twilight
Something in The Aftermath
And The Rain Left Off
GET BACK FROM THE STORM (TRIGGER FOR A NEW CONCERTO)
Eyes of the Unknown
HUSH
Be My Family or Not
Tell Your Children The Truth
THE CIGAR BLUES PART TWO
CRUSH THE WORLD DOWN
RESOLVE
Conquistadores

In Depth Summaries

(+) LONG WAY TO SAY GOODBYE
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) Battle On The Gulilotine Hill
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) Scratch the Sky
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) Black Moon Rising
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) THE Speed Phantom 2 (Denial by Pride, Contradiction by Power)
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) That Who Change the World
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) Dark Side of Universe2
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) Black & White2
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) The Burial Chamber
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) Behind Me,Behind You
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) end of hypnosis
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) end of hypnosis2 [The Galvanizer]
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) end of hypnosis3 (the Blue Fog)
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

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(+) end of hypnosis4 [Prisoners in Paradise]
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing - Yumichika Ayasegawa, Renji Abarai, Sousuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, Orihime Inoue, Nanao Ise, Uryuu Ishida, Itzuru Kira, Sajin Komamura, Isane Kotetsu, Kiyome Kotetsu, Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Nemu Kurotsuchi, Yachiru Kusajishi, Shunsui Kyouraku, Rangiku Matsumoto, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, Ganjuu Shiba, Fong Soi, Kaname Tousen, Juushirou Ukitake, Retsu Unohana, Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Kenpachi Zaraki
Kidou - Bakudou 58: Kakushitsuijaku, Bakudou 77: Tentei Kuura
Locations - Soul Society: Court of Pure Souls: Room 46, execution site
Released Soul Cutters - None
Relevant Terminology - kidou
Renji is shocked to see Aizen alive and can't believe what he heard Aizen say. Aizen is a bit miffed at this, but demands again that Renji put down Rukia and back off.

Back in Room 46, Unohana and Isane are attempting to use Kidou to figure out where Aizen is. After going through a lot of numbers, they realize he's at the dual terminus! After that Unohana asks Isane to tell all of the captains, lieutenants, and intruders what they currently know. She then sets to reviving Hitsugaya and Momo, while Isane does as she was told.

After that people all over the Court of Pure Souls react to the message. Most are stunned at the events and even Ukitake, Shunsui, and Yamamoto stop fighting. (During this we see that Mayuri and Nemu are recovered, but Mayuri doesn't care about it enough to join in.) But no one is more stunned than Ichigo and company (the only one who doesn't hear the message is Inoue 'cause she never had contact with the 4th division). Ichigo is puzzled on why they're being told this, and Ishida explains that if Aizen is the one behind the orders of room 46, then his goal is Rukia's death.

Back with Renji and the others, Renji has refused to hand Rukia over. Aizen is ok with that, though.

(!)

-12.5. Blooming in the Winter Months

Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing - Sousuke Aizen, Momo Hinamori, Toushirou Hitsugaya, Gin Ichimaru, Rangiku Matsumoto
Kidou - None
Locations - Soul Society: Court of Pure Souls: rooftop of division 10's headquarters
Released Soul Cutters - None
Relevant Terminology - None

We start by seeing Momo talk to Rangiku about Hitsugaya's birthday. Next we see Hitsugaya reading a letter from Rangiku asking him to meet her on a rooftop at 9PM. When he gets there Momo, Aizen, and Gin are there, too, and they all watch fireworks. It turns out that Hitsugaya's "birthday" could be called the day he died (unlike some nobles, who are actually born in the Court of Pure Spirits.) Rangiku doesn't know her "birthday" and Aizen comments that the date isn't as important as knowing it's your day. At any rate Hitsugaya has a good time and thanks everyone.

(!)

(+) end of hypnosis 5 [Standing to Defend You]
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Sousuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Kaname Tousen
Kidou - none
Locations - Soul Society: execution site
soul cutters - Aizen's, Zabimaru, Zangetsu
Relevant Terminology - bankai, kidou, released, soul cutter
This chapter begins with Renji bleeding profusely after Aizen cuts him on the shoulder. Aizen remarks Renji's gotten a lot stronger and that it makes him happy, but he still thinks he's a lot stronger than Renji because he asks Renji to stop since it's difficult to judge the strength needed to crush an ant. He then adds that if possible he doesn't want to kill someone who worked under him. Rukia gets frightened by Aizen's veiled threats, but Renji tells her to shut up and asks why he killed Hinamori if that's the case. Aizen then realizes the spirit energy he felt awhile ago was Isane letting everyone know what happened with kidou. Hinamori couldn't have done it because he trained her so she couldn't live without him. He felt the merciful thing to do was kill her, but didn't want to kill her himself, so at first he tried to get Hitsugaya and Kira to kill her. When that didn't work out he had to do it himself. Renji then realizes Aizen was using both Kira and Hinamori. Aizen adds that he was using Renji, too, and Renji says that he realizes that since Aizen is no longer the person he knew. But whatever Aizen's reasons are, he won't hand Rukia over even if it kills him. Aizen (looking evil) replies that the "Aizen" Renji knew never existed to begin with. Renji then releases Zabimaru.

As Renji is charging at Aizen, Aizen notes it's only released and thinks that probably released is better given Renji's body condition. However, he adds that it won't help Renji even stall and easily parries a blow from from above. Renji isn't phased and draws back for a second attack as Aizen calls him a problem child and stops Zabimaru's attack with his bare hands, unscathed. This shocks Renji. Aizen tells him that out of the three (Kira, Hinamori, and Renji), he knew that Renji would be the most dangerous. Then he slices Zabimaru's segments into pieces with his soul cutter. Aizen then adds he knew from the start that he could use all three of them. With that he attacks Renji's back, causing a ton of blood to spray everywhere. Aizen had the three of them be assigned to his group, but when he realized that Renji would be troublesome, he quickly had him transfered to the 11th division, while the useful ones remained in his and Gin's divisions. By this time Renji is on his knees in front of Aizen. Aizen offers him the last chance to back off and hand over Rukia. Rukia, fearing for Renji, is about to do as asked, when Renji refuses and reminds Rukia he told her to shut up. He then says no one is going to give her up. Aizen replies, "Too bad," and is about to deal the killing blow to Renji when he's interrupted by a blast of air. Ichigo has appeared to block Aizen's soul cutter (Zangetsu is in bankai form). He tells Renji he's come to help, but Aizen just smiles smugly (or in anticipation?) at that statement.

(!)
(+) end of hypnosis 6 [Standing to Defend You]
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Sousuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Kaname Tousen
Kidou - none
Locations - Soul Society: execution site
Soul Cutters - Aizen's, Zabimaru, Zangetsu
Relevant Terminology - bankai, soul cutter
This chapter starts where the last one left off - Ichigo blocking Aizen's attack with Zangetsu in bankai form. Renji apologizes that Ichigo had to come save them, and then as usual they begin bickering about how torn up they are. Rukia then jumps in the fray by yelling at Renji for crushing her so hard to his chest that she couldn't breath. Gin takes opportunity of the distraction for not taking care of Ichigo, but again Aizen isn't worried a bit.

After the squabbling has died down, Ichigo asks Renji if can escape with Rukia, but Renji tells him even if he could it's a bad idea to try. Instead he has a special attack he's planning with Zabimaru but needs Ichigo's help to immobilize the enemy so they can get away. He tells Ichigo the attack should make an opening, although in an opponent as strong as Aizen it won't be much, so Ichigo needs to make the most of it.

The attack, Higa Zekkou, basically involves slamming all the disconnected pieces of Zabimaru into the enemy. As that is happening, Ichigo rushes in at bankai speed to hit Aizen, only to have Zangetsu get blocked with one finger! After that Aizen quickly slices both Ichigo and Renji to ribbons and they collapse. He then walks up to Rukia, who is paralyzed with fear, and pulls her to her feet by the collar.

(!)
(+) end of hypnosis 7 [Truth Under My Strings]
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Sousuke Aizen, Rukia Kuchiki, Hollow Ichigo, Ichigo Kurosaki, Sajin Komamura, Kuukaku Shiba, Unnamed Hollow 3, Unnamed Hollow 4, Kisuke Urahara
Kidou - none
Locations - Soul Society: execution site
Released Soul Cutters - Aizen's
Relevant Terminology - 13 Gotei Divisions, 3rd division, 9th division, artificial body, captain, gate, hakuda, hollow, hollownize, hougyoku, instant step, kidou, Rukongai, shinigami, shinigaminize, soul cutter, spiritrons, spiritual wall,
The chapter with Aizen grabbing Rukia by the collar and dragging her to her feet. He realizes she can't stand because of his spirit pressure, but he wants her to walk under her own power. But then Ichigo stirs. He's so severely injured that he can't even move his feet, but still alive and conscious. Aizen tells him that his duty is done. Ichigo is confused, but Aizen doesn't realize that yet. He tells Ichigo that he even knew they would appear in West Rukongai so he closed the spirtual wall shortly after their arrive, upped the security, and had the 3rd and 9th divisions posted by the gate so Gin could dispatch with them personally. With captain level shinigami just inside the gate and the spiritual wall closed, they would have to use Kuukaku Shiba's cannon to get in the Court of Pure Souls. That would draw a lot of attention and if they were powerful enough that captain-level shinigami couldn't arrest them, all of the 13 Gotei Divisions' attention would be focused on them, which would make the death of even a captain go unnoticed and allow Aizen's group to move more easily.

At that point Ichigo asks how he knew they'd enter through West Rukongai. Aizen replies that it's a strange question. He knew because it was Kisuke Urahara's base point so a gate he creates would open there. Ichigo's obvious confusion makes Aizen finally realize that Urahara didn't tell them anything and explains things a bit more.

Shinigami have 4 methods of fighting: soul cutter, hakuda, instant step, and kidou. There's a limit to strength in each area. A barrier, so to speak, which shinigami cannot go past. There is only way to overcome that barrier: for the shinigami to hollownize, or for a hollow to shinigaminize. Since the two are opposites, if they can remove the barrier between the two, in theory that barrier can be overcome. Aizen experimented some in this himself and created two hollows with shinigami-like abilities: one which could conceal its spiritual pressure, and one which could vanish soul cutters by touching and uniting with shinigami. However, Urahara was the one that had the real breakthrough in this research; he created a substance called hougyoku that could break the barrier between hollow and shinigami. During this explanation, we see shots of hollow Ichigo, the two hollows Aizen experimented on, and Urahara.

Realizing how dangerous such a substance is, Urahara unsuccessfully tried to destroy it. In the end he had to settle for creating a barrier around the hougyoku and hiding it inside a soul. Rukia's soul. By the time Aizen realized this, Rukia had been long missing in the real world and he realized that was Urahara's doing. Normal artificial bodies are made out of highly concentrated spiritrons so the shinigami using it can regain his or her spiritual strength, but it also allows Soul Society to track the shinigami's movements. However, the reason Urahara had been originally banished was for creating an artificial body that wasn't made of spiritrons. That artificial body would continue to decompose the spiritual strength of a shinigami using it. The shinigami wouldn't be able regain spirit strength, and over time would begin having trouble communicating with the artificial body. Eventually he or she would be reduced to a normal human soul.

Aizen then tells Rukia that Urahara didn't want to help her, but to merely conceal the hougyou's location by making her turn into a human. During all of this Rukia has flashbacks to the various things she noticed that make sense after Aizen's explanation. However, she was discovered after a few months. Aizen is about to explain about Room 46 when he's interrupted by the appearance of Sajin Komamura and attacked by a giant sword.

(!)
(+) end of hypnosis eight [the Transfixion]
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing - Renji Abarai, Sousuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, Sajin Komamura, Kaname Tousen
Kidou - Hadou 90: Kurohitsugi
Locations - execution site
Released Soul Cutters - Shinsou, Tengen
Relevant Terminology - 5th division, artificial body, bankai, Basement Assembly Hall, captain, dual terminus, Great Hall of Spiritual Books, hougyoku, Isane Kotetsu, released, Room 46, shinigami, Kisuke Urahara, lieutenant
The title page shows Ichigo unzipping his jacket.

The chapter begins with a flashback about Komamura. He asks if someone's ok and then you see a black man saying he didn't think anyone was around. Komamura then says he's over here and the black man turns. It turns out it's Kaname, so he's not at all startled by Komamura's looks. Although Kaname can't see, however, he can usually sense people by their aura so he says Komamura is very good at hiding his. Komamura apologizes for doing that.

Later they meet again, both shinigami now. Komamura is hiding his face with a fancy Arabian-like headdress. Kaname invites Komamura to join his division since they have wonderful leader and he's sure Komamura would like him. Later Kaname asks why Komamura became a shinigami and Komamura replies it's to return a favor to someone who saved him. Kaname thinks that's just like Komamura and then Komamura asks Tousen why he joined. We never hear the answer, though. Later someone says they heard about Komamura from Tousen. It turns out it's Aizen, who was lieutenant of the 5th division at the time.

Back in the present the dust is clearing and Komamura has his soul cutter pointed at Aizen. Aizen comments it's been a long time since he's seen Komamura like that and wonders at the change. Komamura asks Aizen how he can stand there smiling like that. A hand punches the ground and as the dust clears Komamura says he can never forgive Aizen for the betrayal. Tousen as well, and he asks if Tousen has any excuses, but Tousen doesn't respond. He's a bit disappointed and then summons his bankai. Suddenly Aizen is right in front of him, and he's surprised because Aizen is supposed to be next to Tousen still. Aizen then uses hadou 90, and a black box forms around Komamura. As Komamura collapses, Ichigo's stunned that a fellow captain is so overpowered by Aizen. Aizen then comments even if you know you're going to be hypnotized by his sword, you'll still fall for it.

Gin, meanwhile, remarks that Aizen didn't say the chant for the hadou. Aizen is a bit disparaging of that, though, since he didn't even achieve a third of its normal destructive power. Using hadous in the 90s is difficult. He then grabs Rukia by the collar again and apologizes for the interruption. Then as if nothing had happened he explains the first thing he did once he found her in the real world was to eliminate Room 46. He comments that Isane probably got the order wrong: he actually wiped out room 46 before faking his death and not the other way around. After that he used his soul cutter to make it seem like everything was normal there and after that one of the three conspirators (Gin, Aizen, and Tousen) in the Basement Assembly Hall so that they could control all the orders. They had Renji and Byakuya replace the guys sent to capture Rukia, then they had her artificial body confiscated to keep her from becoming human, and decided to use the dual terminus to execute her to get the hougyoku. The only time they were unable to guard it was for a few hours before and after the two shinigami meetings. After that Aizen faked his death just in case the plan to execute her failed. There are two ways to retrieve something from a soul: 1) evaporate the soul using something with highly destructive heat power like the dual terminus or 2) directly manipulate the soul's composition and force it to decompose in some way. To find an alternative method, they need the Great Hall of Spiritual Books in the Basement Assembly Hall since all the information and knowledge Soul Society possesses is recorded there. In particular he investigated all of Urahara's research, since Kisuke was the one who invented the technique to put something into a soul, so Aizen suspect the method of removing something from a soul was also hidden in his research.

Then by using something in his hand, Aizen uses the answer he found. Crystals spurt up surround both him and Rukia, and Aizen's right hand goes funny because of whatever he's holding as part of the technique. Ichigo tells him to stop, but can't do anything as Aizen shoves his right hand into Rukia's chest and pulls out a small crystal with a black center from the hole in her chest. Rukia drops to the ground and Aizen comments that he didn't realize it was so small. The hole in Rukia's chest slowly closes up and Aizen is impressed that the soul itself wasn't injured by the process. But since she is now useless to him, he tells Gin to kill her. Gin release Shinsou, and aims it at her, as Ichigo struggles to get up and do something, but suddenly Rukia is not being held by Aizen anymore. Byakuya Kuchiki has appeared, holding her to his right side while Shinsou pierces his left side.

(!)
(+) end of hypnosis9 (Completely Encompass)
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) No One Stand On the Sky
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) Confession in the Twilight
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) Something in The Aftermath
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) And The Rain Left Off
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) GET BACK FROM THE STORM (TRIGGER FOR A NEW CONCERTO)
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) Eyes of the Unknown
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) HUSH
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) Be My Family or Not
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) Tell Your Children The Truth
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) THE CIGAR BLUES PART TWO
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) CRUSH THE WORLD DOWN
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) RESOLVE
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)
(+) Conquistadores
Corresponding TV Episode - N/A
Characters Appearing -
Kidou -
Locations -
Released Soul Cutters -
Relevant Terminology -
Summary coming soon!

(!)