Ichigo and Uryū, Bonded Back to Back

Ichigo and Uryū, Bonded Back to Back is the two hundred and sixty ninth episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: May 4th, 2010
 * English Airdate:
 * Opening Song: ChAngE
 * Ending Song: Stay Beautiful
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 343, Chapter 344, Chapter 345
 * Kanji: 一護と雨竜、背中合わせの絆
 * Romaji: "Ichigo to Uryū, se naka awase no kizuna"
 * Arc: The Fake Karakura Town arc

Summary
Ichigo is shocked to see Uryū. He tries to question Uryū about his happenings since their departure, but Uryū replies that it's highly irresponsible of Ichigo to ask for the full details while they're both in mid combat. He explains that Captain Kurotsuchi took a while to patch him up, after healing Renji. He begins to say that Renji, Rukia and Sado are still fighting on the outer wall, but Orihime's warning cuts his lecture short, as Yammy has recuperated and attacks again. Yammy slams his fist into the ground, but Uryū uses Hirenkyaku to dodge it and remarks that Yammy is tougher than he looks, since the arrow didn't pierce him all the way. He tells Yammy to follow him, so that they don't get in the way of Ichigo's fight with Ulquiorra. Yammy gets approval from his senior before following the Quincy. Ulquiorra asks if Ichigo isn't worried about his friend, Ichigo says he's not worried at all and challenges Ulquiorra to resume their battle. One floor below, Yammy and Uryū begin their pre-battle pleasantries, which end when Yammy makes a quip about Kurotsuchi, prompting Uryū to shoot an arrow at him, which Yammy repels.

On the wall, Rukia has finished another batch of Exequias, but Rudobōn simply uses his Calaveras to create a new one. He tells her she and her allies are foolish to have come to Hueco Mundo and challenged the Espada, while they can't even pose a threat to him. He promises Rukia this will be her end.

Yammy charges at Uryū, swatting an arrow away as he advances, and slams his fist into where Uryū stood a second ago. Yammy promises he won't be hit by an arrow again and starts firing Balas at Uryū. Uryū dodges them and the shots hit and destroy many of the floor's pillars. Yammy compliments Uryū on his speed, when Uryū surprises him by appearing above him and firing several arrows into his shoulders, while mocking Yammy for his sluggishness. Yammy literally shrugs the arrows away, saying they're not even worth dodging.

Ichigo and Ulquiorra are standing, swords locked, when Ulquiorra suddenly makes a deception and kicks Ichigo away. He asks if Orihime's presence is what prevents Ichigo from using his mask. Ichigo denies this and attacks with Getsuga Tenshō, which proves just as futile as his previous attacks. Even more so, because Ulquiorra deflects the attack towards Orihime, who is forced to use her Santen Kesshun to block it. Uryū senses Ichigo's reluctance to use his full powers while Orihime is around to be hurt by them and decides to put his plan into motion.

Uryū pulls out a Seele Schneider. Yammy remarks that this is something new. To this Uryū replies that he never does the same thing twice. Uryū fires the Seele Schneider. Yammy, who doesn't bother with dodging it, takes the arrow right above his Hollow hole. As the Seele Schneider begins working its effect on Yammy, Uryū explains to him the nature of the Seele Schneider, breaking the bonds between spirit particles and allowing the Quincy to absorb them more easily. Uryū seems sure of his victory, but Yammy soon negates the Seele Schneider's effect. He pulls the arrow out of his body and launches a Cero at Uryū.

Rudobōn compliments Rukia on her resolve, but says her fight is hopeless as she will fight an endless amount of expendable warriors. Rukia realizes she will soon be worn down by the Exequias without even getting near enough to Rudobōn to land a hit. One of the soldiers lunges at her, skewering himself on Sode no Shirayuki and pinning her to the ground with his body. Four other soldiers then attempt to pounce on the immobile Rukia, positioning their blades downwards to skewer Rukia, but the attack is put to an end by the timely arrival of Renji and Chad; Renji uses his Hihiō Zabimaru to destroy the attackers. Rudobōn now faces three foes.

Uryū, having sustained Yammy's Cero, falls to his knees. Yammy remarks on how desperate he looks now, as opposed to how calm and collected he looked earlier, Uryū replies that Yammy is sweating like a pig. Yammy tells him his technique is useless against him and drops the Seele Schneider which lodges into the floor like a peg. As he charges his Bala he makes another quip about Kurotsuchi, and manages to get on Uryū's bad side. Uryū promises revenge and as he dodges the attack, he fires three more Seele Schneiders that miss Yammy. Yammy reaches Uryū and manages to land a punch into him, throwing him through the air. Believing his victory is near, Yammy asks if Uryū is ready to die. Uryū, however, tells Yammy he is as foolish as Ichigo. The arrows he had shot didn't miss, instead they served to create a pentagon, into which Uryū drew Yammy. He pulls out the last Seele Schneider and lodges it into the floor, completing the pentagon and finishing the Sprenger he was constructing. Applying the Gintō to the Seele Schneider, Uryū finishes the trap, allowing it to take its effect on Yammy.

Rukia gladly greets Renji and Chad, asking how their fight ended. Renji replies that they finished off all the Hollows. He refers to himself and Chad as a 'golden duo', which draws a sarcastic remark from Rukia. The argument that ensues ends when Rudobōn asks if they are Rukia's backup, but says their arrival won't make a difference, because his Calaveras is endless. Renji makes a comment on Rudobōn's power being like a fruit tree. The argument that follows between him and Chad makes Rukia think of an idea. She tells the duo to deal with the soldiers, while she tends to the root of the problem.

Yammy is visibly injured by the Sprenger, but still far from immobilized. Uryū mocks him for having played right into his hands, allowing him to set up the Sprenger during battle, a feat not usually possible. As he begins to walk away Yammy gets to his feet. Uryū tells him he must be very strong to still be able to get up, but as the Espada makes a step he warns him not to watch where he walks. Yammy's next step places him above Kurotsuchi's special mine, set to explode when it senses an Arrancar's Reiryoku over it. As Yammy is dangling over a gaping hole in the floor, Uryū reveals that the location of the Sprenger was no mere accident, but carefully placed to get Yammy to step over the mine. He tells Yammy he feels sorry about him since, if Uryū hadn't shown up, Yammy would have more time to fool around and have fun. He fires an arrow at the floor, dislodging the block held by Yammy, causing him to fall. Uryū destroyed the pillars right beneath the mine, assuring Yammy a non-stop trip to the bottom of the tower.

Having gotten rid of his opponent, Uryū returns to the upper level. After describing the manner of his victory to Ichigo, the latter asks him to protect Orihime, with his person, if need be. He apologizes to Ulquiorra for having kept him waiting and then dons his mask and attacks. Ulquiorra sees, to his surprise, that his sword cracks under Ichigo's assault. Ichigo's Getsuga pushes Ulquiorra through the Tower wall and as he falls he launches he Cero at Ichigo, who effortlessly blocks it with his Tensa Zangetsu. Ulquiorra, convinced that his attacks no longer have any effect on Ichigo, flies upwards past Ichigo. Ichigo follows as Ulquiorra cuts through the fake sky that makes Las Noches' ceiling and lands atop a high pillar. Ulquiorra explains that there are two things forbidden inside the walls of Las Noches: One is the use of Gran Rey Cero, the other is the Resurrección release of any of the top four Espada, as those are powerful enough to bring the castle down. Having said that, he releases his Resurrección, Murciélago. He advises Ichigo to stay constantly alert and never let his guard down, even for a single second. He materializes a Javelin and uses Sonído. To Ichigo's surprise, Ulquiorra appeared in front of him instantaneously with barely any time to react. The severity of the attack leaves Ichigo wounded and kneeling. Ulquiorra then remarks that Ichigo released his Getsuga instinctively and coldly compliments him on making this wise move, had he not done so, his head would be rolling at Ulquiorra's feet. Ichigo, now with the upper-right portion of his mask gone, gasps as he turns his head to face his attacker, who on his turn coldly stares back at the wounded Ichigo.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
Uryū gives a lecture about the fifth tower of Las Noches. It lacks stairs, so one must either fly up or break through the floors to get upstairs. The ceilings are thick with countless pillars between them which makes the tower a very strong structure. When Ichigo asks him how he came to know so much on the matter, Uryū replies that, as he already said, he had to break many of the pillars and plant a mine under the floor to trap Yammy. Ichigo uses the opportunity to poke fun at Uryū's outfit. Uryū unequivocally tells him to stuff it.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Ichigo Kurosaki
 * 2) Ulquiorra Cifer
 * 3) Yammy Riyalgo
 * 4) Uryū Ishida
 * 5) Orihime Inoue
 * 6) Rukia Kuchiki
 * 7) Rudobōn
 * 8) Renji Abarai
 * 9) Yasutora Sado
 * 10) Mayuri Kurotsuchi (flashback)

Fights

 * Ichigo Kurosaki & Uryū Ishida vs. Ulquiorra Cifer: Final Fight
 * Rukia Kuchiki vs. Rudobōn

Powers and Techniques Used
Hollow techniques used Techniques used Zanpakutō released
 * Bala (虚弾 (バラ), bara; Spanish for "Bullet", Japanese for "Hollow Bullet")
 * Cero (虚閃 (セロ), sero; Spanish for "Zero", Japanese for "Hollow Flash", 'Doom Blast' in the Viz translation
 * Sonído (響転 (ソニード), sonīdo; Spanish for "Sound", Japanese for "Sound Ceremony")
 * Calaveras (髑髏兵団 (カラベラス), Karaberasu; Spanish for "Skulls", Japanese for "Weathered Skeleton Soldiers")
 * Seele Schneider (魂を切り裂くもの (ゼーレシュナイダー, Zēreshunaidā; German for "Soul Cutter", Japanese for "That Which Slits the Soul")
 * Sprenger (破芒陣, shupurenga; German for "Explosion", Japanese for "Ripping Grass Formation")
 * El Directo (巨人の一撃 (エル・ディレクト), eru direkuto; Spanish for "The Direct", Japanese for "The Strike of the Giant")
 * Seele Schneider (魂を切り裂くもの (ゼーレシュナイダー, Zēreshunaidā; German for "Soul Cutter", Japanese for "That Which Slits the Soul")
 * Sprenger (破芒陣, shupurenga; German for "Explosion", Japanese for "Ripping Grass Formation")
 * El Directo (巨人の一撃 (エル・ディレクト), eru direkuto; Spanish for "The Direct", Japanese for "The Strike of the Giant")
 * El Directo (巨人の一撃 (エル・ディレクト), eru direkuto; Spanish for "The Direct", Japanese for "The Strike of the Giant")

Shikai: Bankai: Resurrección used Other powers
 * Árbol (髑髏樹 (アルボラ), Arubora; Spanish for "Tree", Japanese for "Weathered Skull Tree")
 * Murciélago (黒翼大魔 (ムルシエラゴ), Murushierago; Spanish for "Bat", Japanese for "Black-Winged Great Demon")
 * Brazo Derecha de Gigante (巨人の右腕 (ブラソ・デレチャ・デ・ヒガンテ), buraso derecha de higante; Spanish and Japanese for "Right Arm of the Giant")
 * Brazo Derecha de Gigante (巨人の右腕 (ブラソ・デレチャ・デ・ヒガンテ), buraso derecha de higante; Spanish and Japanese for "Right Arm of the Giant")
 * Brazo Derecha de Gigante (巨人の右腕 (ブラソ・デレチャ・デ・ヒガンテ), buraso derecha de higante; Spanish and Japanese for "Right Arm of the Giant")