Thump! A Kemari Tournament Filled with Hollows

'''Thump! The Football Tournament of Hollows''' is the two-hundred fifth episode of the Bleach anime.

Rurichiyo and Kenryū have a kemari match.

Summary
Rurichiyo and Kenryū's kemari match is held in Karakura Town, with Ichigo, Rurichiyo, Sado, Orihime and Enryū on one team and Kenryū, Uryū, Kon and Rukia on the other. Ichigo complains about the situation, but the match goes ahead regardless. Uryū points out that the team is missing a player, prompting Kenryū to note that Enryū has deserted him. Rurichiyo leaps on Enryū's back, insisting that, unlike him, Enryū is always on her side. Kenryū curses this, as he wanted to be on her team too.

Kenryū then reveals that, with the help of Urahara, he chose Yoruichi as a back-up player. Urahara notes that the Kasumiōji family are valuable customers of his. Ichigo asks why he is there and Urahara reveals that the Urahara Shop is sponsoring the event and that Tessai, Ururu and Jinta would be the referees. Kenryū and Rukia then go over the rules with the teams, with the aim being to keep a ball in the air within a certain boundary. The person who drops the ball after it is passed to them being the loser. Rurichiyo promises to go back to Soul Society quietly and do as Kenryū instructs if her team loses, but reminds him that if she wins, they will hold a kemari tournament. She then dismisses the notion that her team will lose.

Urahara explains that all of Karakura Town will be the playing field and that for a period of ninety minutes, they will be inside an altered space-time field which will turn them into soul form. Uryū asks why there is a time limit and Urahara replies that Soul Society would be angry if the field is left in place for too long. Ichigo questions whether this is legal, but is told not to worry about it.

Ururu starts the game, but Ichigo complains that she threw it far too high. Kenryū stops the ball from hitting the ground and passes it to Rurichiyo. As Kurōdo commentates on the match, Rurichiyo passes to Ichigo. However, Uryū fires an arrow at him. Kenryū explains to an angry Ichigo that the team that does not have the ball is free to interfere with the team which does. With the ball in danger of leaving the field due to the attack, Kon kicks it back in the right direction. However, Jinta hits him and sends him flying into the air for leaving the field himself. Noba reveals that, in order to keep it secret, nobody may leave the field, as they would be in trouble if Soul Society found out about the field.

When Uryū tries to pass to Rukia, Rurichiyo uses a megaphone to cover the sound of Enryū's voice as he releases his Shikai. He prevents the ball from reaching Rukia and Sado kicks it so hard Ichigo has to use his Shunpo to chase after it. He is beaten to the ball by Yoruichi, who kicks it so hard it bursts. Orihime uses her powers to repair it. Rurichiyo compliments her side's teamwork, but Kenryū insists the game is only starting.

In the Kasumiōji manor, Shū Kannogi is busy doing a large amount of paperwork. He expresses his desire to visit the Human World as more documents arrive.

Meanwhile, the players in the kemari are becoming more aggressive with their tactics. Rukia uses her Zanpakutō's powers to send Kon after the ball. When it appears that Kon is about to leave the playing area, Tessai uses Bakudō #99, Kin to stop him. Tessai insists that they must keep it secret from Soul Society as Ikkaku Madarame shows up. Yoruichi tells him that they were giving Ichigo a work out due to the large number of powerful enemies there. Realizing that Kon is down injured, she asks Ikkaku to join the match. Kenryū bribes Urahara with a lollipop to allow the substitution. However, Ikkaku starts attacking Ichigo and the pair ignore the match.

Rurichiyo and Kenryū are left playing on their own. They talk about what they should focus on when they return to Soul Society. Rurichiyo reveals that she wants to see people smiling again, noting that they have been working so hard restoring the family that they have barely been sleeping. She admits that her inadequacies force her to leave some work to others and that she thought hard about how to make everyone be happy again. Just then, a Hollow appears and sends a torrent of water towards Rurichiyo, sweeping her away. Kenryū grabs her and Enryū uses his Shikai to create something for them to hold on to. Rurichiyo refuses to be taken to safety if it means leaving Kenryū behind, but the water subsides.

The others defeat the Hollow and attention returns to the match. Kenryū asks where the ball is and Rurichiyo replies that it was lost when the Hollow attacked, meaning that she dropped the ball. As she starts to declare Kenryū the winner, Shū arrives via a Senkaimon with letters from the commoners. He explains that while she announced a Kemari tournament, no details about it were subsequently released and people began writing in asking about it. He notes that everyone is looking forward to the tournament and that her idea was a good one. Kenryū offers his full support in setting up the tournament. They return to Soul Society, leaving Ichigo bemused.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
Outside the Gin Tonbo store, Renji tells Ikkaku that Ichigo cannot read the kanji for the store's name. Ikkaku says it is called the silver cockroach. Renji becomes annoyed, insisting that there is no way a store would have cockroach in its name. He then gives out to Ichigo for thinking that Ikkaku's idea made sense. Ikkaku then says it is a slug, which Ichigo points out he has already tried. Ikkaku suggests giant silver oak silkmoth and silver waterbug, but Renji tells them to leave.

Fights
None.

Powers and Techniques Used
Kidō used:
 * Bakudō #99

Techniques used:

Shinigami techniques:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Other powers: