Rukia's Return! Revival of the Substitute Team!

 is the seventieth episode of the Bleach anime.

Two new Bount appear and evade capture by Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends as one takes an interest in Uryū Ishida.

Summary
Having just saved a stunned Ichigo from Yoshino Sōma's Doll, Goethe, Rukia Kuchiki looks over her shoulder at him and questions if he has gotten rusty, which prompts Ichigo to shove and kick away the debris trapping him as he reaches for his Shikai, Zangetsu, which is embedded in the wreckage next to him. A roaring Goethe unleashes a large wave of flame that transforms into several fireballs, forcing Ichigo and Rukia to leap away as two crashes into their positions.

While Ichigo slashes through another fireball with Zangetsu and Rukia evades a fourth, Yoshino urges Goethe to destroy them, and after acknowledging this, Goethe rises into the air and increases the intensity of the flames emitting from his leg stumps, leaving an astonished Rukia to wonder what kind of power this is as he forms a massive fireball above his head. Though she initially prepares to counterattack with Kidō, Rukia realizes the fireball is too big.

However, before Goethe can throw the fireball down, several snakes formed by Ryō Utagawa's Doll, Fried, fly into the air and wrap themselves around Goethe, who groans and vanishes alongside his fire under their constriction. With the snakes turning back into bent and warped pipes that fall to the ground, Utagawa approaches Yoshino and admonishes her for roaming around Karakura Town without permission. When Ichigo demands to know if he is a Bount and what this was about, an annoyed Utagawa comments on how noisy he is while Fried perches on his shoulder and bares her fangs, which leads Ririn to pop up on Ichigo's shoulder and urge him to be careful.

After asserting that food does not talk, to Ichigo's confusion, Utagawa smirks as Fried slithers down to the ground and turns his attention back to Yoshino before inviting her to return home with him as he licks his lips. Intimidated, Yoshino takes a step back and moves to summon Goethe again, but Utagawa merely notes that he has no choice and calls out to Fried, who wraps herself around Yoshino's right leg and both of her wrists while declaring that the latter will not disobey as she struggles to escape. With Utagawa advising Yoshino to not fight since Fried is somewhat short-tempered, a hissing Fried moves through the air to the right of Yoshino's head.

Upon being asked by a shocked Ichigo if they are not on the same side, an irritated Utagawa claims to be getting a headache from how noisy he is as the eyes of an equally annoyed Fried glow red, causing a nearby pipe leaning against a wall to transform into a snake that lunges at Ichigo, who narrowly evades it and is surprised to see some strands of his hair severed by the attack. Seeing the snake having return to its pipe form and left damaged by its attack as it lays embedded in the wall behind him, Ichigo questions what is going on and what the capabilities of the Bount are while Utagawa requests he excuse them since nobility never shares a table with pigs.

Utagawa calls out to Fried and moves up to the rooftop behind him as he pulls on the other end of Fried, who is now wrapped around Yoshino's torso, wrists, and neck. After pulling Yoshino up to the roof, Utagawa grabs her and runs off, leaving Ichigo to demand that he wait. As the fire burning around them diminishes and vanishes, Rukia asks Ichigo what this was about, only for him to admit that he has no idea. Suddenly, Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado land on the ground a few meters away from Ichigo and Rukia, and as he helps Orihime to her feet, Sado brings up Utagawa to Ichigo, who inquires if Sado knows who Utagawa is.

While Sado begins to recount Utagawa consuming a man's Soul and reducing him to dust a few minutes ago, Orihime notices Rukia standing behind Ichigo as an enamored Kon leaps toward her and declares that the great vertical cliff which he has dreamed of is now within his grasp, only for an angered Rukia to stomp him to the ground and question why he is calling her a cliff. Running up to Rukia and hugging her, Orihime welcomes her back and tearfully states that she did not think she would be able to see Rukia again so soon, leading an initially stunned Rukia to smile and acknowledge this. Stepping back, Orihime asserts that the dress Uryū Ishida looks good on Rukia.

After struggling to express herself for a few minutes, Orihime reveals that a restaurant near Karakura High School has begun serving green tea spaghetti and suggests that they all celebrate Rukia's return there, prompting Rukia to agree to this after a moment of confusion. With Orihime detailing how the restaurant also serves a curry frappe that is amazing when poured over shaved ice, a smiling Ichigo watches them with Sado. Soon afterward, Ichigo and his friends huddle in a nearby park, where Rukia recounts how she suddenly received orders to purify Hollows in Karakura Town again, which she could not disobey despite wanting to spend more time training.

Crouching next to Rukia, Ichigo laments being stuck with her again, and as Rukia claims that this is her line, Ririn pops up from behind Ichigo's shoulder and asks him who Rukia is, prompting Rukia to recoil in shock at the sight of Ririn, whom she calls ugly. An irritated Ririn asserts that she did not choose this body and that she is forced to be in this plushie in order to provide support to Ichigo before crying as Rukia picks up on her mention of support, leading Ichigo to explain that Kisuke Urahara gave Ririn to him in order to detect the Bount whom they just encountered, though a puzzled Rukia admits that she still does not understand this.

Though Ririn claims that Rukia will regret judging her by her appearance, Kurōdo, who lies at Orihime's waist on a strap around her shoulder, clarifies that Rukia is referring to the Bount, startling Ririn. When Rukia wonders if the Bount are allies or enemies, Kurōdo asserts that they are hard to read and that he does not even know their objective before greeting Rukia, who approaches him in astonishment. While Orihime introduces Kurōdo and Noba to her, with Sado holding up Noba as he greets her, Rukia continues to fixate on Kurōdo and hugs him to her chest, to his surprise, as she proclaims that he is cute and looks just like Chappy.

With Kon protesting that Rukia is supposed to love him most of all, Orihime apologetically informs Rukia she cannot give Kurōdo to him despite their friendship before assuming they are now rivals in love. Kon continues to decry this and lies on the ground as he wonders if he has been removed from his status as the object of adoration and made a villain, which he tearfully refuses to accept. Elsewhere, in the desolate penthouse of an abandoned skyscraper hotel in Karakura Town, Jin Kariya sits silently in a dark room in an armchair facing one of the large windows as Utagawa opens the door on the other side of the room and instructs Yoshino to enter.

After Yoshino and Utagawa enter and stand behind him, Kariya comments on the beauty of the view of the city before them and stands up while observing that they can only take in this view because they are surrounded by darkness. Approaching Yoshino, Kariya asserts that they could never become brilliant lights and reaches out to Yoshino, who flinches and shudders when his hand halts in front of her face, before caressing her cheek and inquiring if she ate a proper meal since she needs to keep her strength up. As he moves his hand down to Yoshino's neck, Kariya notices a thin purple bruise forming there and wonders if she caused Utagawa trouble again.

With Kariya removing his hand and questioning if Yoshino was upset by something that happened, Utagawa suggests that Yoshino does not understand her place here and claims to find it difficult to defend her actions, prompting Yoshino to demand to know what position he is referring to. Though Utagawa asserts that she should figure this out on her own, Kariya admonishes him for being so cruel to Yoshino, which Utagawa apologizes for, and states that he cannot forgive Yoshino completely regardless. However, Yoshino counters that she does not need Kariya's forgiveness for anything, to his bemusement, and declares that she will not be ordered around by anyone.

Acknowledging this, Kariya notes he is worried about Yoshino due to her weakness and foolishness, which he claims forces him to protect her. When Utagawa takes out a golden pocket watch, the sealed form of Fried, Yoshino whirls around and prepares to summon Goethe, but Kariya warns her against doing this since he does not want to harm her any further, to Yoshino's anger. Afterwards, Utagawa leads Yoshino to a storage room filled with boxes and seals the door shut behind her, leaving Yoshino to stare out of the small circular window at the sky. Meanwhile, at the Kurosaki Clinic, Isshin Kurosaki is shocked to find Rukia, Orihime, and Sado standing before him.

As she apologizes for coming to the house so late at night, Rukia asserts that she, Orihime, and Sado have decided to spend the night studying in order to prepare for a test at school tomorrow, and after Yuzu Kurosaki welcomes them, the three walk past Isshin and Ichigo, who orders Isshin to not try to come into his room even if he is bringing snacks. Suddenly, Isshin grabs Ichigo by the collar and throws him against the wall at the other end of the hallway. While Yuzu expresses concern for a bewildered Ichigo, a laughing Isshin asserts that Ichigo did not feel pain from this because this is a dream, since there is no way Ichigo could bring home two attractive girls.

Though Isshin concludes that this would be like multiple holidays occurring on the same day, Ichigo angrily kicks him in the back and demands to know if this feels real to Isshin. Shortly afterward, Ichigo sits with his friends in his bedroom and sees Kon dreaming about Rukia on his bed, prompting him to wonder how he can be so carefree. Dismissing this as she sits on the bed next to Orihime and Kurōdo, Rukia wonders what they will be doing now. Ichigo observes that there is no guarantee that the Bount will be willing to talk with them even if they can be found by the Mod-Souls or that they can be captured if fought, which Sado affirms as he sits nearby with Noba.

With Rukia asserting that the problem posed by the Bount is their strange powers and trickery, Kurōdo concurs and points out how their powers seem to be various and unique to each of them just like those of Ichigo and his friends, which prompts Ichigo to recall how he was unable to harm Goethe with his attacks and admit that he is not sure what the power of Fried is. However, Orihime reminds him that someone else will have their Soul devoured if they do not do something, and as he and his friends agree that they will simply have to find a way to fight the Bount, Ichigo asks Rukia if Soul Society knows anything about the Bount and posits that this is why she was sent here tonight.

Rukia reveals that she was not told anything and that tonight's encounter was the first she had ever heard of the Bount, which came as a surprise. While Ichigo acknowledges this, Rukia's Denreishinki begins beeping, leading her to pick it up and answer it. On the other end, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai expresses shock and excitement at Rukia actually being in the Human World, which he was informed of by his captain, Byakuya Kuchiki, and promises to come over right away despite Rukia's protests before crashing through a window on the first floor of the house and subduing Isshin with a partial Gedo Clutch pin when the latter accosts him.

With Yuzu staring in fright at this and Ichigo and his friends having entered the room to stare in astonishment, Renji looks up from Isshin and greets Rukia. A few minutes later, Renji sits against the closet with Ichigo and his friends in the latter's bedroom as Ichigo attempts to resume the discussion from where they left off, only for a bored Renji to yawn loudly. Irritated by this, Ichigo clears his throat and concludes that the Bount are a threat despite the mystery of their powers and objectives, but Renji simply questions if he is an idiot and claims that anyone who can battle someone else and learn nothing in the process must be an idiot, further angering Ichigo.

When Ichigo claims he does not want to be told this by a fool who would break a window in order to enter a house, Renji demands he stop trying to dodge the subject, but Ichigo refutes that he is doing so as he and Renji begin arguing. Behind them, Rukia ponders the situation and states something is odd. With Orihime and Sado requesting clarification, Rukia details how a single Shinigami is normally assigned for every 50,000 Humans in a given area and points to her, Ichigo, and Renji all being here as likely being a response to the problem of the Bount. While Orihime and Sado affirm this, Ichigo stops fighting with Renji to wonder what they will do tomorrow.

In response, Rukia simply states they have no other choice. The next day, at Karakura High School, Rukia stands beside Orihime in a school uniform and greets Keigo Asano and Mizuiro Kojima in their classroom, prompting Keigo to return the greeting as Mizuiro praises Rukia for looking as pretty as ever. Suddenly, Chizuru Honshō leaps toward Rukia and attempts to wrap her arms around the latter while calling Rukia the object of her affections. Upon being grabbed by the collar by Tatsuki Arisawa, who questions this, Chizuru asserts she has missed Rukia's serenity despite seeing her and Orihime's chests every day, which Rukia decides to take as a compliment.

Watching this in stunned silence, Ichigo loudly pulls Rukia outside and demands to know why she and the other students are acting like they parted yesterday and met once again this morning, prompting Rukia to affirm that this is exactly what happened in their minds as she pulls out a Kikanshinki Deluxe and reveals that it has the power to freely alter memories, which has allowed her to make the students believe she is a recent transfer student who has only just begun to adjust to the class. As an exasperated Ichigo notes that this means anything goes now, a startled Uryū Ishida approaches them and asks Rukia why she is back at the school.

When Keigo opens the classroom door with Mizuiro and inquires about what is wrong, Uryū adjusts his glasses and claims that it is nothing while Ichigo admits that he forgot to tell Uryū about this. At lunchtime, Orihime brings out a tray of French onigiri filled with custard and assures her friends that there is enough for all of them, though Tatsuki declines due to being on a diet. After taking one of the onigiri and biting into it, Rukia informs Orihime that they are delicious and praises how the custard is squeezed out between the grains of rice. A few meters away near the fence, Ichigo sits against a tree as Keigo marvels at Mizuiro's tickets for Don Kanonji's next broadcast recording.

With Keigo deciding to take Mizuiro's offered tickets and go since the recording is open to the public, Mizuiro thanks him for this because he cannot go himself with the date he has planned for the same day, prompting Keigo to scoff at him before asking Sado if he is going as well since this will allow them to have fun together. As his friends continue chatting, Ichigo looks at them and leans further back against the tree as he observes that it is like the events of their battle to save Rukia in Soul Society never happened. Suddenly, Ririn pops out of Ichigo's shirt pocket and admonishes him for this because one of the Bount is here, shocking him and his friends.

Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime, and Sado begin running off together as Ichigo tells his other friends he forgot something and will be back. While Keigo is left aghast at Rukia and Orihime accompanying Ichigo in addition to Sado, Ichigo tells Uryū to not exert himself when the latter attempts to follow his friends and Rukia bids them all farewell, leaving Keigo to frantically wonder why they are being left behind, only to become irritated when Mizuiro claims it is likely due to Keigo being himself as Tatsuki expresses concern for Orihime. Soon afterward, Ichigo and his friends run through Karakura Town, with Ichigo in his Shinigami form, as he asks Ririn where they are headed.

Upon being asked by Ichigo which Bount it is, Ririn concentrates for a few seconds and determines that it is Utagawa. Though Ichigo presumes that the Bount only become active after nightfall, a laughing Kurōdo admits that this must not be true since their detection ability is very accurate. At a nearby supermarket, 4th Division 7th Seat Hanatarō Yamada, now wearing Human clothes, is surprised by his money not being accepted, and as he assumes that Hanatarō is trying to make a fool of him, the store owner throws him out the door and onto the sidewalk, where Hanatarō lays on the pavement with his kan and compares the owner to the men in the Eleventh Division.

However, Hanatarō is forced to duck down and shield his head when Ichigo and his friends run down the street and leap over him, leaving Hanatarō to call out to Ichigo in astonishment as he disappears into the distance. Ichigo notes Hanatarō seemed familiar somehow, but is urged by Ririn to pay attention, which he acknowledges. Elsewhere, in a parking lot, a truck worker's body crumbles to ash, leaving his clothes sprawled across the ground, as Utagawa restrains a woman in a dress and sun hat as he assures her that her body will not feel any pain. Suddenly, Ichigo demands Utagawa wait and enters the parking lot with his friends while expressing anger at the sight.

Calling this rude, an irritated Utagawa lets go of the woman, who faints and collapses. When Ichigo declares that he has some questions for him, Utagawa permits him to inquire, and upon being asked by Ichigo if he is a Bount, a smiling Utagawa confirms this. Despite this, when asked about what happened to Yoshino, what his objective is, and if he has a plan which he cannot talk about, Utagawa declines to comment and in turn asks Ichigo if he knows whether a Human Soul or a Shinigami Soul is tastier as he licks his lips. Further angered by this, Ichigo puts his hand on the handle of Zangetsu, prompting Utagawa to hold out his pocket watch and summon Fried.

The chain on the pocket watch rapidly lengths and thickens before lashing into the ground multiple times, forcing Ichigo and his friends to evade it as it leaves gouges in the concrete. With Ichigo questioning if Utagawa's ability consists of this strange whip as he assumes a battle stance with Zangetsu, Utagawa clarifies that this is only the beginning and continues to whip the chain around him before it fully transforms into Fried, whom Utagawa expresses slight surprise at being ready so soon. Upon being told by Fried that her summoning was easy this time, Utagawa orders her to show Ichigo and his friends her strength, which she affirms.

As the eyes of Fried glow red, the gouges in the concrete begin emitting blue energy, leading Uryū to warn his friends to watch the ground as he reaches the parking lot. When the energy emission intensifies, Ichigo and his friends retreat to where Uryū is standing and watch in disbelief as gray snakes begin rising out of the gouges. Revealing that Utagawa's direct attack was a trick and that he was laying a trap while seeming to pursue Ichigo and his friends, Uryū theorizes that Fried turns everything it touches into snakes. However, Fried denies this and elaborates that everything Utagawa focuses on in the environment can be turned into a snake.

To demonstrate, Fried turns the strap holding Kurōdo on Orihime's shoulder into another gray snake, which falls to the ground and hisses at Kurōdo while the latter panics due to his fear of snakes. Suddenly, Noba kicks the snake off of Kurōdo and Ririn instructs him to flee with them instead of babble, which Kurōdo complies with. With Fried turning ropes, hoses, and other nearby objects into snakes that slither toward him and his friends, Ichigo fends them off with Zangetsu and Sado punches two away with his Fullbring, Brazo Derecha de Gigante, while Orihime repels two more with Santen Kesshun, causing them to return to their original states.

While Uryū evades two other snakes and moves next to the truck parked at the loading bay, Utagawa questions if he cannot do anything to fight back, and as a startled Uryū falls on his rear and looks up, an unimpressed Utagawa looks him over and realizes who he is, which leads him to comment on how unexpected it is to run into Uryū here as he attempts to bind him with Fried, only for Ichigo to move between them and deflect Fried with Zangetsu as he tells Utagawa to leave Uryū alone. Refusing to do so, Utagawa points out how Uryū is the weakest and most defenseless of the group and notes taking advantage of another's weakness is an established tactic.

Additionally, Utagawa asserts that he would like to find out what a Quincy's Soul tastes like, leaving Uryū disgusted. Meanwhile, at the skyscraper, Yoshino breaks down the door leading outside with a blast of fire and looks around before running out and across the lawn. In the penthouse above, Kariya watches Yoshino and wonders where she believes she is going while calling her naive. Chuckling to himself, Kariya concludes that Karakura Town is truly more beautiful when cloaked in darkness.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
4th Division 7th Seat Hanatarō Yamada presents his resume at multiple businesses and attempts to apply for a job each time, only to be rejected each time as he struggles to explain his strengths as an employee. With his stomach growling, a dejected Hanatarō walks through Karakura Town at night and laments no one being willing to hire him since his captain, Retsu Unohana, assigned him to the Human World in order to learn more about it before collapsing in front of a convenience store, where the manager is surprised to find him outside when he prepares to leave the building.

Fights

 * Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Yoshino Sōma (concluded)
 * Battle against Ryō Utagawa

Powers and Techniques Used
Other Techniques:
 * Snake Animation

Fullbring:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Dolls summoned:

Other Powers: