Ichigo, complete Hollowfication!?

 is the one-hundred and twenty-third episode of the Bleach anime.

Ichigo Kurosaki begins training to control his inner Hollow.

Summary
In Karakura Town, the Visored warehouse shakes repeatedly from powerful impacts within. Outside of the layered barrier being maintained by Hachigen Ushōda, the other Visored watch apprehensively or with disinterest as Hiyori Sarugaki continues to assault Ichigo Kurosaki, and after a strained Hachigen admits he is not okay, Mashiro Kuna looks up to see a bloodied and injured Ichigo panting in midair with the sclera of his left eye turning black.

As she pulls up her Hollow mask, a smirking Hiyori wonders if Ichigo still does not get it and tells him to not be afraid, though Ichigo denies that he is, before suggesting that he perform Bankai. When Ichigo tells her to shut up in turn, Hiyori theorizes that he fears being unable to contain his inner Hollow if he performs Bankai against someone as strong as she is, but with Ichigo continuing to refuse to do so, an unimpressed Hiyori draws her Zanpakutō and pulls her Hollow mask down again while berating Ichigo for being a miserable coward whom she cannot even stand to look at.

After Hiyori sadistically declares that she will cut him down and end this if he still will not Hollowfy or perform Bankai, she attacks him in a surge of Reiatsu, leaving Ichigo to block her slash with his Shikai, Zangetsu, which begins to crack under the strain, as he tries to deduce how Hiyori stays in control with her mask on and how she makes her Hollow obey her. With Hiyori slashing away from their clash, taking out a chunk of Zangetsu and drawing more blood from him, Ichigo mentally asserts that he should be able to figure out how Hiyori is doing this since she is right in front of him and he can see everything.

However, though Ichigo concludes that he will not Hollowfy or perform Bankai and risk opening up his Soul to his inner Hollow, Hiyori slashes him down the chest while he is distracted and attacks him three more times before slamming him into a wall, causing Ichigo's consciousness to fade out and allowing Hollow Ichigo to take control of his body by manifesting part of his mask on Ichigo's face and screaming in rage, to the astonishment of Hiyori and the other Visored. Grabbing Hiyori by the throat and shattering part of her mask, Hollow Ichigo hurtles across the warehouse and slams her into one of the exposed pillars as he begins to choke her.

With a terrified Hiyori gasping for air while her Hollowfication begins to fade, Shinji Hirako, Love Aikawa, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, Kensei Muguruma, Mashiro, Lisa Yadōmaru, and Hachigen suddenly free Hiyori and pin Hollow Ichigo against the ground below with their Zanpakutō in one swift movement, leaving him immobilized. After shattering Hollow Ichigo's half-formed mask and freeing Ichigo from his control, Shinji asserts this is enough and asks Hiyori if she is satisfied, though a tearful Hiyori merely stares in response, before informing Ichigo he should know that he cannot control his inner Hollow with his body or mind.

As he rests his Zanpakutō on his shoulder, Shinji proclaims that the Visored will hammer the control method into Ichigo because he passed. Meanwhile, at the Kurosaki Clinic, Yuzu Kurosaki tearfully proclaims that Ichigo is never coming home, prompting Karin Kurosaki to assure her that Ichigo will return in a few days. However, Yuzu demands to know if Karin is not worried about him and assumes that Ichigo must have been kidnapped, to Karin's irritation, as Isshin Kurosaki walks in and wonders why she is crying before attaching several clothespins to his beard and claiming to be a bearded daruma in an attempt to cheer Yuzu up.

However, Karin unceremoniously yanks them off Isshin's chin while claiming that he always looks like this, leaving Isshin to collapse in pain as Yuzu sees Rukia Kuchiki walk in and frantically asks her if she found Ichigo, only for Rukia to sadly confirm that she did not, to Yuzu's distress. That night, Rukia stands on the roof of the house and looks over Karakura Town while noting that there is no trace of Ichigo's Reiatsu anywhere and wondering where he is. Inside the house, Kon lays with a tearful Yuzu in her bed, having been put in a dress once more, and calls Ichigo a terrible brother for making his little sister cry.

The next day, at the Visored warehouse, an unimpressed and sweating Ichigo simulates running on the Super Trainer, an exercise machine with handles attached to the platforms he is standing on, as the Visored lay around, with Shinji wondering what they will be having for lunch and telling Hiyori to make something for them, Hiyori refusing since she is not his mother, Rose asking Love if he has listened to the new Prince of Darkness CD yet, and Love laughing in tears over how hilarious he finds the contents of the latest issue of Shonen Jump to be and ignoring Rose pointing out that Love never lets him read it.

While Kensei wraps his hand in athletic tape and tells her to keep her eyes on Ichigo since she is on duty today, Lisa claims that she is despite reading an erotic magazine, prompting her to pretend to be counting Ichigo's repetitions when Kensei points this out. In frustration, Ichigo kicks the Super Trainer at Hiyori, who pulls Shinji into its path to block it with his face, and demands to know what he is doing. Despite Hiyori threatening to beat him up for this, Ichigo counters that he should do this to her since the Visored promised to teach him how to control his inner Hollow, but have instead wasted his time.

Nearby, Mashiro and Hachigen enter through a set of sliding doors embedded in the wall with bags of groceries as Ichigo declares that the Visored are crazy and he is just as bad for agreeing to do this, though Hiyori simply confirms that he is a bald and crazy idiot who should stop complaining since the Visored are going out of their way to train him. While Ichigo refuses to be insulted by someone with a protruding tooth and denies this being training, Hiyori clarifies that his face is the bald part and claims that her unique teeth happen to be charming assets while Mashiro offers lunch to an appreciative Love.

When Mashiro wonders why Ichigo and Hiyori are fighting, with Hiyori having escalated the argument to kicking Ichigo in the face and using Super Harisen Slipper on him, Love notes he got tired of Hiyori's Super Trainer, and when Mashiro expresses shock at it taking him this long, Hachigen asserts it is Hiyori's fault for not explaining it properly, which Kensei concurs with. After Hiyori throws the Super Trainer at Ichigo's face, Shinji stops an aggravated Ichigo from attacking her and tells him the Super Trainer is meant to prepare Ichigo for his upcoming training, though Hiyori is irritated by him referring to it derogatorily.

Shinji details how Ichigo will get more out of his real trainer the longer he can last on the Super Trainer and states that the Visored will teach him how to control his inner Hollow, but only if he can use the Super Trainer for three consecutive days. However, Ichigo counters that he could use the Super Trainer for a week and reveals that he has already figured out how it is designed to drain Reiryoku, with the Visored having intended to measure his maximum Reiryoku output by seeing how many days he can keep running until he collapses, before proclaiming that he could go for at least five consecutive days with the Reiryoku he currently has.

When Ichigo concludes that he does not want to waste that time and demands that the Visored just tell him how to control his inner Hollow since he does not have time to play around with them, an unfazed Shinji responds by yelling at Ichigo to shut up, startling both him and the other Visored watching their confrontation, and questions how he can claim that he does not have time when he does not even know how long it will take for the Hōgyoku to awaken, leaving Ichigo astonished by him knowing of the Hōgyoku as Shinji firmly declares that he should stop whining since he does not understand the Hōgyoku or Hollowfication.

Upon being asked about how he knows about the Hōgyoku, Shinji reveals that he has known about the Hōgyoku, the Arrancar, and even Sōsuke Aizen for years. Leaping down to the floor where Ichigo is standing with Shunpo, Shinji holds his right hand splayed open up to Ichigo's face and promises to tell him all about it some other time before musing that even though the Visored wanted to get his Soul accustomed to their ways, Ichigo having attained Shikai and Bankai after becoming a Shinigami in a vey short period of time means that he might be correct in wanting them to get right to teaching him how to Hollowfy after all.

With a bewildered Ichigo wondering how he knows this as well, Shinji uses Tanma Otoshi to render Ichigo unconscious and closes his unfocused eyes as Love hoists Ichigo over his shoulder. After telling Hachigen to erect a two-layered fault barrier, which he proceeds to do by erecting Hachigyō Sōgai around the warehouse with two hand seals, Shinji enters the Study Chamber underneath the warehouse alongside the other Visored while warning Ichigo that he is going to completely Hollowfy soon and must consume his inner Hollow instead of letting it consume him, since he will die if he does not.

Once in the Study Chamber, the Visored congregate among the rocky spires and lay down Ichigo's unconscious body alongside Zangetsu. After ordering Hachigen to erect a barrier here as well and admonishing him for pouting despite his age, Shinji instructs him to bind Ichigo's body in addition, prompting Hachigen to drop five thick pillars onto Ichigo with '''Bakudō #75. Gochūtekkan'''. Simultaneously, within his inner world, Ichigo confronts Hollow Ichigo, who sarcastically calls him a king and notes that it has been a while since they last met before questioning why Ichigo is staring at him with such a melancholy expression.

Ichigo looks around the area and inquires about where Zangetsu is. When Hollow Ichigo merely smirks in response, an angered Ichigo grasps the handle of Zangetsu, which leads Hollow Ichigo to ask him if Zangetsu is the sword in Ichigo's hand or the one in his own while drawing a color-inverted Zangetsu from his back. After bringing up Ichigo wanting to know where Zangetsu is, Hollow Ichigo leaps into the air and proclaims that he is Zangetsu before coming down on Ichigo with a slash that the latter blocks with Zangetsu. Back in the real world, this clash produces a surge of Reiatsu emanating from Ichigo.

With the Visored sitting around the barrier containing him alarmed by this and Shinji warning the others that it is coming, Mashiro suggests they hide Zangetsu, but Love asserts it would only make matters worse and Lisa steels herself as Hollow Ichigo takes control of Ichigo's body by forming half of his mask over the latter's face and casually destroying the five pillars keeping him down, which allows him to stand up with a feral grin. While Lisa has Hachigen open a small portion of the barrier so she can enter first since she is on duty today, Shinji asks her to not kill Ichigo, but she simply claims this will only happen if he does not kill her first.

As Hollow Ichigo grabs Zangetsu and rushes toward her, Lisa introduces herself and discards her Zanpakutō's sheathe to begin their battle. Simultaneously, in Ichigo's inner world, he blocks another attack from Hollow Ichigo by bracing his left forearm against the back of Zangetsu and demands to know what Hollow Ichigo did with Zangetsu, only for the latter to reiterate that he is Zangetsu and send Ichigo crashing into the building below by slashing his Zangetsu downward. After landing on the building as well, Hollow Ichigo informs Ichigo that he and Zangetsu have always been one since they are both Ichigo's power.

Clarifying that he was simply a part of Zangetsu before, Hollow Ichigo explains that their changing relationship altered the appearance of the body they shared, comparing it to flesh covering bones during life and bones becoming exposed during death. Hollow Ichigo details how his powers increasing caused him to become the dominant one and Zangetsu to become a part of him instead, which made it easier for him to dominate Ichigo's Soul every time the latter tried to draw on Zangetsu's powers. In turn, Ichigo concludes that Zangetsu will become the center of his spiritual powers again if he defeats Hollow Ichigo here.

Though Hollow Ichigo claims that this is impossible, Ichigo holds Zangetsu out in front of him and suggests that Hollow Ichigo look at this before he makes this claim. However, Hollow Ichigo simply holds out his own Zangetsu in the same stance and declares once more that it is impossible prior to performing Bankai alongside a stunned Ichigo.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
Hiding from 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki while inhabiting the body of 4th Division 7th Seat Hanatarō Yamada, Kon struggles to hold his breath prior to being alerted when Hanatarō himself runs through the nearby streets in search of his Gigai with Kon's plushie body in his hands. Overjoyed to see his ideal body again and realizing that his troubles will be gone if he inhabits it once more, Kon orders Hanatarō to throw the plushie to him, and when Hanatarō does so, Kon ejects his Gikongan from Hanatarō's Gigai and attempts to enter the plushie in midair, only for both to bounce off the head of 11th Division Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi.

Events

 * Visored Training

Powers and Techniques Used
Hohō Techniques:

Hakuda Techniques:

Kidō Techniques:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Other Powers:

Anime Notes
Removed Content= Added/Expanded Content= Censorship= Changes=
 * Several female Shinigami gathering around Hanatarō Yamada while he is holding Kon's plushie body, which they find incredibly cute, to Kon's astonishment and irritation.
 * Wind swirling around Hiyori Sarugaki as she draws her Zanpakutō.
 * Ichigo Kurosaki crossing blades with Hiyori three more times after she slashes him vertically down his chest prior to her slamming him into a wall.
 * Yuzu Kurosaki calling out to Ichigo as she falls asleep.
 * Hiyori using Super Harisen Slipper on Ichigo during their argument.
 * Ichigo is significantly less bloodied after withstanding Hiyori's assault, and her subsequent attacks do not injure him as severely with substantially less blood spraying from his wounds.
 * Hiyori does not foam at the mouth while being choked by Zangetsu.
 * In the manga, Ichigo loses control of his body to Zangetsu after Hiyori slashes him vertically down his chest; here, he instead does after Hiyori slams him into a wall with one of her attacks.
 * In the manga, Yuzu and Karin Kurosaki's beds are adjacent to each other at their respective foots; here, they are instead adjacent to each other on their long ends, with the bedroom not being large enough for them to be oriented lengthwise.
 * In the manga, Ichigo is seen using the Super Trainer prior to Shinji Hirako asking Hiyori to make lunch; here, he is instead not seen until after Lisa Yadōmaru berates Kensei Muguruma for criticizing her work ethic.
 * In the manga, when Shinji brings up Ichigo becoming a Shinigami and achieving Shikai and Bankai in a very short period of time, flashbacks to Ichigo wearing a Hollow mask after Zangetsu awakened within him during his training with Kisuke Urahara and him during one of his battles are shown; here, flashbacks to Ichigo becoming a Shinigami for the first time against Fishbone D, gaining access to his Shikai during his training with Urahara, and activating his Bankai for the first time against Byakuya Kuchiki are shown instead.
 * In the manga, Ichigo confronting Zangetsu in his inner world is first shown after the Visored begin making their way to the Study Chamber; here, it is instead first shown after Hachigen Ushōda restrains Ichigo's body with Bakudō #75. Gochūtekkan.