Random Curiosity

「敵か味方か！？銀城の見えない心！ 」 (Teki ka mikata ka!? Ginjou no mienai kokoro!)
“Foe or Friend?! Ginjou’s Unseen Heart!”

Ichigo finishes his usual shounen training regimen, and this time he even gets to go through the blind swordsman procedure (we all know that real swordsman don’t rely on their eyes to fight).

死神参戦！瀞霊廷もお正月ＳＰ！」 (Shinigami sansen! Seireitei mo oshougatsu SP! )
“The Shinigami Enter Battle! Seireitei Also Has a New Year Special!”

I realize this was last week’s episode, and perhaps I was putting it off as long as possible.

「一護vs銀城、ゲームの空間へ 」 (Ichigo vs Ginjou, geimu no kuukan e)
“Ichigo vs. Ginjou! To the Game’s Space”

Yukio traps Ichigo inside an alternate dimension using a handheld game console.

「一護、完現術を使いこなせ！」 (Ichigo, Furuburingu jutsu o tsukai konase!)
“Ichigo, Mastering the Fullbring!”

Chad asks Ginjou whether Tsukishima’s power had any suggestion or memory-altering abilities, but Tsukishima himself suddenly breaks into the room/

「死神代行を殺した男！？動き出す月島 」 (Shinigami daikou o koroshita otoko!? Ugokidasu Tsukishima)
“The Man Who Killed A Shinigami Substitute?! Tsukishima Makes His Move”

Long post incoming…

「次の標的、織姫を狙う魔の手！」 (Tsugi no hyouteki, Orihime o nerau ma no te!)
“Next Target, The Devil’s Hand Aims at Orihime!”

Somehow, Ichigo’s fight with Mr. Pork felt a whole lot more epic than it did in the manga.

「代行証の力、一護の“誇り”！」 ( Daikoushou no Chikara, Ichigo no “hokori”! )
“Power of the Substitute Badge, Ichigo’s ‘Pride’!”

Yuzu and Karin worry about what Ichigo is up to as he begins working with the Xcution to regain his powers.

「完現術の能力者·銀城空吾」 (Furuburingu no Nouryokusha · Ginjou Kuugo)
“The Fullbring User · Ginjou Kuugo”

It’s not often we see Ichigo seriously losing his cool.

「襲われた雨竜、仲間達に迫る脅威！」 (Osowareta Uryuu, Nakama-tachi ni Semaru Kyoui!)
“Uryuu is Attacked, A Threat Draws Near the Friends!”

This episode shifted things into high gear with none of the usual Bleach drag, and I hope non-manga readers are finding the plot and mystery interesting.

「学校間抗争！？一護と雨竜、共闘！」 (Gakkou kan kousou!? Ichigo to Uryuu, kyoutou!)
“A Dispute in School?! Ichigo and Uryuu, Fight Together!”

I have to say it was pretty amusing seeing Ichigo and Ishida of them beating up low level delinquents like nobodies’ business.

「高校３年生！装い新たに新章開始！」 (Koukou 3 nensei! Yosoi arata ni shinshou kaishi!)
“3rd Year High School Student! Dressed Up, and a New Chapter Begins!”

It feels like a fresh start to the series again with a return to manga material, and is even more so with the upbeat new opening song by the girl-band SCANDAL.

「ありがとう 」 (Arigatou)
“Thank You”

Most of this episode was actually added material, but that’s not bad at all since it links everything from the previous arc and fleshes out some of the events.

「侵軍篇、最終決着！」 (Shingun hen, saishuu kecchaku!)
“Invading Army Arc, Final Conclusion!”

I felt that these two episodes were of fairly poor quality overall, which is surprising since they are the final episodes of this arc.

「 改造魂魄の開発者」 (Kaizou konpaku no kaihatsusha)
“The Developer of the Modified Souls”

Urahara’s character is one of my favorites in Bleach, and I’m quite happy to see him more (even if it’s in fillers).

「断界に潜伏？もう一人の一護！？」 (Dangai ni Senpuku? Mou ichi nin no Ichigo!? )
“Hiding in the Dangai? Ichigo is Alone?!”

「影狼佐を追え！技術開発局、潜入！ 」 ( Kageroza o oe! Gijutsukaihatsu Kyoku, sennyū! )
“Pursue Kageroza! Technological Development Department, Infiltration!”

As Ichigo and the others prepare head to Soul Society and restore his reiatsu, Kon is also determined to go and save Nozomi, to which Ichigo agrees.