The Reviving Lion

 is the fiftieth episode of the Bleach anime.

The Karakura Superheroes come together once more and fight a Hollow.

Summary
While three children in Karakura Town catch a cicada resting on a pole outside with a butterfly net, Kon sits on Yuzu Kurosaki's windowsill in the Kurosaki Clinic alongside two of her other stuffed animals as Yuzu herself sews an outfit with a ribbon and a frilly skirt for him. Addressing Kon as Bostov, Yuzu promises to stitch colorful threads onto the skirt, but quickly realizes that she does not have the colors she is envisioning and runs out of the room to buy them after telling Kon to wait here until she gets back.

With Yuzu gone, Kon muses on how it has been a while since he has become a stuffed animal in the Kurosaki Clinic, and as he considers having to wear Yuzu's outfit in addition to being forced to play house with her other stuffed animals, Kon angrily declares that he cannot take this anymore and that he will run away, only to realize that his hands have been sewn together with the hands of the two stuffed animals he is holding hands with, causing him to express astonishment at having been bound by red thread as if by fate itself before angrily proclaiming that he cannot take this anymore.

Outside the Kurosaki Clinic, Don Kanonji steps out of his limo after it pulls up and attempts to recite his signature catchphrase, only to be interrupted when one of the three children who caught the cicada explains how he drank the liquid that came out of the cicada's rear end even though he is not supposed to while running behind Don Kanonji with his friends. Angered by his line being interrupted, Don Kanonji attempts to recite it once more, Don Kanonji is suddenly hit in the face by a soccer ball kicked by Karin Kurosaki, who admonishes Don Kanonji for parking his limo in front of her house once again and potentially obstructing her family's business.

When Don Kanonji addresses her as Karakura Red and asserts that it has been a long time, a slightly embarrassed Karin dismisses this and questions what he wants. Though Don Kanonji calls this cold due to them being comrades who protect the love and peace of the world, Karin points out that he should be working right now because it is the middle of the day. Startled by this, Don Kanonji admits that she makes a good point and details how shows are taped weeks in advance of the broadcast in addition to scheduled programming being halted during the Bon Festival, which means he is off work, but Karin concludes that his show has been cancelled.

With Don Kanonji caught off-guard and unable to reply to this, Karin theorizes that Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip did not receive high enough ratings to be continued, offending Don Kanonji, who demands to know what she is trying to say before revealing that he came here so Karin could participate in a special training session. As Karin expresses confusion at this, Don Kanonji asserts that they need to train hard in order to protect Karakura Town from bad spirits while rapidly performing curl-ups on the ground, and after narrowly avoiding a passing truck whose wheels drive over the area where his head was lying, Don Kanonji invites Karin to train alongside him.

However, while Don Kanonji performs his signature pose and laugh, Karin wonders if he is hiding something, leading a dejected Don Kanonji to admit that he has suffered plummeting popularity lately, though he refuses to let it be the end of him and plans to make a comeback no matter what it takes by appealing to the heart of the masses with the reformation of the Karakura Superheroes. Despite this, Karin merely enters her house and closes the door behind her as she calls this a waste of time, and upon registering her words, Don Kanonji begins clawing at the glass doors while begging Karin to come back and resume her role of Karakura Red.

Above Don Kanonji, Kon opens the window in Yuzu's room and basks in his newfound freedom, only to realize that the other two stuffed animals tied to his hands are heavy, causing him to fall off the windowsill and onto the ground behind Don Kanonji. Brushing this off, Kon declares that he can do whatever he wants once he is gone and prepares to leave while he can, but is paralyzed with shock when he realizes Don Kanonji has propped himself up and seen him talking as the latter greets him. Though Kon initially pretends to be a robot while slowly walking away, Don Kanonji pretends to have seen a 100-yen coin, prompting Kon to frantically search for it and expose his true nature.

Don Kanonji observes that Kon is no ordinary stuffed animal, and as Kon dances alongside the other two stuffed animals in an attempt to seem automated, Don Kanonji assumes that he is a bad spirit. After quickly putting on the outfit that Yuzu made for him, Kon claims to be a sailor stuffed animal named Bostov with companions named Buri and Puri before trying to run away from Don Kanonji, who quickly catches up and grabs Kon by the head. When Don Kanonji begins sniffing him, a mortified Kon tearfully demands that Don Kanonji stop breathing on him, only for Don Kanonji to drop him and determine that Kon's smell is strange, but not bad.

With Don Kanonji concluding that he is not a bad spirit, Kon angrily berates him for assuming Kon is a Hollow while Don Kanonji details how a mascot is a necessity when forming a group of superheroes, meaning that the future of the Karakura Superheroes will be bright if Kon joins them. However, when Kon admonishes him for deciding such a thing on his own, Don Kanonji realizes that he was thinking out loud again and assumes that this is due to his brain getting weak in his old age, to Kon's further irritation, before offering to make Kon a hero of justice, stunning Kon. As Don Kanonji reiterates his offer, Kon envisions being praised by the girls of Karakura High School.

While Kon relishes the idea of being squeezed between their breasts, Don Kanonji asks him if he will join the Karakura Superheroes, Kon casts off his outfit and the two other stuffed animals so he can introduce himself as the Karakura King, to Don Kanonji's delight. Shaking Kon's hand, Don Kanonji welcomes him as a new member of the team, only to be startled when Yuzu calls out to him from a few feet away, having come back from the store. When Yuzu cheerfully performs his signature pose and laugh, Don Kanonji does as well and repeats it in unison with Yuzu, leaving Kon astonished. After Don Kanonji greets her, Yuzu inquires if he came back to film for his show.

Upon being told by Don Kanonji that he is going to embark on a journey with the new member of his team, Yuzu is left puzzled by his mention of a new member, and as Don Kanonji introduces him to Yuzu as the Karakura King, Kon is left paralyzed in fear and sweating profusely at the prospect of revealing his true nature to her. Despite this, Kon manages to return Yuzu's greeting and shake her hand after she assumes that he is not Bostov, delighting her with his ability to talk, and Don Kanonji invites Yuzu to join them as well under her mantle of Karakura Yellow, which Yuzu readily agrees to do before pulling out an outfit that she made for Bostov's groom to wear and offering it to Kon.

Though initially trembling at the thought of another outfit from Yuzu, Kon is actually impressed by the colorful costume and realizes that she had only been dressing him in frilly clothing because she thought he was a girl. With Kon putting on the outfit and hesitantly inquiring how he looks, Don Kanonji and Yuzu clap enthusiastically over his new look. While Yuzu swings Kon around by his arms despite his protests, Don Kanonji notes that he has managed to acquire one member for his team and now only has to pull the rest out of the ground like a bunch of potatoes. When a perplexed Yuzu wonders what he is talking about, Don Kanonji frantically assures her that it is nothing.

Meanwhile, in the sky above Karakura Town, a large, centipede-like Hollow coils above the clouds and begins flying downward upon spotting something. Soon afterward, as Don Kanonji, Yuzu, and Kon walk through Karakura Town, Yuzu observes that Karin turned down Don Kanonji, who dismisses this as alright and instructs her and Kon to turn left when they reach a dusty lot. Suddenly, Yuzu begins screaming in surprise while pointing at the back of Kon's head, but as a sweating Kon assumes that she finally figured out who he is and asserts that this was inevitable due to having the same face and shape, Yuzu merely expresses amazement at Kon being able to walk.

Don Kanonji attributes this to Kon being a hero of justice, and Kon capitalizes on his luck by proving that he can jump-rope as well, to Yuzu's further amazement. Admitting that her Bostov just sits around silently all day, Yuzu claims to know Bostov is thinking about having a girlfriend or pretty girls' clothes, which Kon emphatically asserts is not what he was thinking about. However, as Don Kanonji proclaims that believing is a beautiful thing and that those who believe shall be saved, to an irritated Kon's confusion, he is knocked down by a bag of trash thrown from the Urahara Shop behind him while Kon is blasted with water from a hose by Ururu Tsumugiya.

With Jinta Hanakari opening a window on the second floor of the store and admitting that he did not know that someone was out front when he threw the bag of trash, Kon pushes himself up and realizes where they are. Shortly afterward, Yuzu wrings the water out of Kon's body into a bowl, to his displeasure, and Ururu tends to Don Kanonji as Jinta expresses confusion at the idea of training. When Don Kanonji requests that he and Ururu join the team and poses, Yuzu copies his request and pose, causing Kon to fall into the bowl of water. However, Jinta angrily reveals that he received a huge scolding after the last time he helped Don Kanonji and his team, to Yuzu's concern.

Assuring Yuzu that this was not her fault, Jinta declares that he is not taking any more orders from Don Kanonji, only to change his mind when Yuzu questions if he really means it. After cursing his change of heart, Jinta puts on a helmet and proclaims that he will be Karakura Red once again, but when Ururu reminds him that Tessai Tsukabishi would not take kindly to them goofing off again while rubbing Don Kanonji's face with a broom, Jinta clutches his crotch as he remembers Tessai applying pressure there with his foot. Despite this, Yuzu encourages Jinta to help them with this because keeping the peace of the town is a good thing, which convinces Jinta to join in.

Upon being asked by Jinta to join as well since it will make them equally guilty and they will thus receive half the punishment, Ururu is uncertain of this, only to also change her mind when Yuzu requests her help. With Ururu putting on a red helmet that Jinta admits looks good on her, a stunned Kon internally asserts that this is a nightmare. Kon describes Don Kanonji as the guy with glasses, Jinta as the violet kid, Ururu as the space cadet, and Yuzu as his nemesis, all of whom he envisions torturing him, before proclaiming that this is too much for him and attempting to walk away, leading Don Kanonji, Jinta, and Ururu to leap in front of him before he can get far.

As Yuzu joins them and inquires alongside her new teammates where he is going, Kon envisions her asking him to come train with a devilish face and quivers in fear as he thanks his mother and father for the tempura. Shortly afterward, the Karakura Superheroes gather in a park and have Kon balance on the nozzle of a water fountain spigot with his mouth, where Kon responds to being asked if he is ready to begin training by demanding to know what he is doing right now. While Yuzu and Ururu prevent Kon from getting off the spigot, Jinta rapidly counts down from ten and cranks the valve on the side several times, causing a jet of water to burst out.

With Kon sent hurtling into the sky by this, the Karakura Superheroes declare that the first training session is done. Afterwards, Kon is clothed in a large, frilly dress that is taller than Don Kanonji, to his immense annoyance, and as he questions what the point of this is after spitting out water, Yuzu and Ururu praise him as looking cool, though Kon points out that this does not answer the question. The other Karakura Superheroes dance while proclaiming him as cool, further irritated Kon, and Yuzu finds a string, which she pulls on as she asks Ururu what it is. When Ururu notes that she should not pull on it yet, an alarmed Yuzu states that Ururu should have said this first.

Asserting that Yuzu should not have pulled on the string before asking her this, Ururu and the other Karakura Superheroes back up as the dress flares open to reveal a firework tower underneath that fires multiple small fireworks into the air around them before one lands on a complaining Kon. Though Don Kanonji proclaims that this is marvelous, Ururu considers it a failure and clarifies that it would have been prettier at night, prompting a burnt Kon to declare that this is not the problem. Upon deciding that he cannot put up with this training any longer, Kon runs off despite the protests of the other Karakura Superheroes, who are left in shock by his departure.

Back at the Kurosaki Clinic, Karin sits at the dining room table with some juice and clutches her forehead as she experiences a headache, leading her to wonder if it is going to rain. When she goes upstairs to look for Yuzu, Karin finds their bedroom empty and clutches her head in pain once more. Elsewhere, Kon walks down the street and tearfully begs Rukia Kuchiki to come back soon so she can hold him in her modest bosom. Suddenly, Kon looks up and screams in fear at what he sees as a shadow grows larger around him. Meanwhile, the other Karakura Superheroes look for Kon on the streets, in trashcans, and under pavement stones, only to not find him.

Don Kanonji narrates that things were going just fine until his mascot disappeared and that his perfect plan is at an end without Kon here, leading Jinta to comment that he talks to himself a lot. When a startled Don Kanonji asserts that they cannot give up, Jinta and Ururu observe that they have been unable to find Kon despite searching the entire area. However, the Karakura Superheroes hear Kon crying out for help, and upon looking up at the sky, they see him being carried between the teeth of the centipede-like Hollow. Though Don Kanonji identifies this as a bad spirit and Jinta corrects him on it being a Hollow, Yuzu merely praises Kon as amazing.

With Don Kanonji confused by this, Yuzu claims that Kon is amazing for being able to fly through the air, leading Don Kanonji to remember that she cannot see spiritual beings. After proclaiming that this is where he comes in due to the situation being tense and terrifying, Don Kanonji poses with Jinta and Karin as he informs them and Yuzu that this is the first mission of the new Karakura Superheroes, which Yuzu affirms while posing as well. Nearby, the Hollow crashes into a forest with a screaming Kon, whom she drops onto a rocky outcropping, but when Kon inquires if she plans to eat him and promises her that he only has cotton stuffing inside, the Hollow denies this.

Astonished at the Hollow being able to talk, Kon demands to know what she plans to do with him, which prompts the Hollow to extend her tongue and curl it around Kon's neck while revealing that she intends to take him home and love him, to Kon's immense displeasure. Though Kon protests this plan, the Hollow lifts him up and promises that he does not need to be afraid since she is a professional, and Kon tearfully bids farewell to Rukia, Orihime Inoue, and all the beautiful women he has yet to meet as the Hollow prepares to place him in her mouth. Suddenly, the Karakura Superheroes arrive and order the Hollow to stop, surprising her while Kon expresses joy at his rescue.

However, upon seeing each of the Karakura Superheroes performing different poses as they declare their intention to rescue him, Kon is embarrassed by their lack of coordination. While Don Kanonji performs his signature pose and catchphrase, Jinta and Ururu leap past him, leaving Yuzu to wonder what she should do, and land in front of the Hollow on the rocky outcropping, where Jinta declares that he is Karakura Red and Ururu introduces herself as Karakura Pink. After climbing up to the outcropping, Yuzu inquires what is wrong before seeing Kon held before her. The Hollow asserts that the Karakura Superheroes should know better than to interfere with their love and healing.

With the Hollow referring to him as "Flat-face", Kon is stunned by already having been renamed as the Hollow proclaims that anyone interfering with her love life gets sliced and stabs one of her talons into the rocky outcropping directly in front of Yuzu. While Jinta and Ururu leap away, Yuzu is confused by the ground splitting underneath her, which reminds Jinta and Ururu that she cannot see the Hollow. Realizing this as well, the Hollow extends another talon and brings them both down on Yuzu while proclaiming that they will tear her flesh, leading Jinta and Ururu to leap toward Yuzu as Don Kanonji calls out to her, only for Karin to run up and grab Yuzu.

Leaping out of the dust cloud resulting from the Hollow's attack with Yuzu over her shoulder, Karin lands on a different part of the outcropping and deduces that this is why her head has been hurting as she sets a surprised Yuzu down. When Don Kanonji welcomes Karakura Red coming back, Jinta angrily insists that he is Karakura Red, prompting an incredulous Karin to comment on them still being part of the Karakura Superheroes. Jinta claims that he was asked to do so and that this is for a good cause, and as Yuzu draws their attention to him, Kon attempts to quietly walk away from the Hollow, where Karin wonders if he is Bostov and Ururu clarifies that he is Karakura King.

Upon being asked by Yuzu to help Kon, Karin remains uncertain while the Hollow hurtles toward Kon, who runs away in shock as the Hollow begins repeatedly jabbing her talons into the ground behind him. Jinta decides that he will go after the Hollow and orders Karin and Yuzu to stay back, but as Jinta runs off, Karin angrily runs after him despite Yuzu's protests. With Karin running alongside him, Jinta questions why, leading Karin to admit that she does not know before asserting that she cannot leave this up to him since he is the one who put Yuzu in danger, which a stunned Jinta responds to by telling Karin to shut up because she is a girl.

Fueled by their mutual anger, Jinta and Karin run even faster, outpacing the Hollow, who is left shocked, and scaring Kon, who surges ahead in speed while his pursuers match his pace. When the Hollow attempts to grab Kon around them, Jinta and Karin leap into the air and kick the top of her head in unison while demanding that she not interfere. Continuing to argue and insult each other over their involvement in this, Jinta and Karin are interrupted when the Hollow slams a talon into the ground between them, leading Jinta to pull out his Muteki Tekkon and repeatedly bash the Hollow with it as Karin repeatedly kicks her and trades insults with Jinta.

While Jinta and Karin continue to bicker, the Hollow rises up behind them and slams her talons into each of them while declaring that she cannot stand this any longer, sending them both skidding along the ground. The Hollow decides to unleash her twister and begins coiling her body around the area, creating a vortex of air currents that lifts Karin and the Karakura Superheroes into the air. Upon seeing Yuzu floating unconscious, Jinta and Karin attempt to reach out to her, only to be dazed when their heads collide. As she deduces the location of the center of the rotation, Ururu catches Kon, who questions why she is here, and leaps out of the vortex.

After landing on the ground outside, Ururu concludes that she must unleash a powerful attack and removes a screaming Kon's limbs until only his head remains. Within the vortex, Jinta orders Ururu to do it, to Karin's confusion, and Karin throws Kon's head into the vortex, where he begins bouncing off several rocks. Telling Karin to follow his lead, Jinta uses his Muteki Tekkon to perform Jinta Home Run and send Kon's head flying at Karin, who kicks him downward with enough force and energy to imbue him with Reiryoku. Upon seeing this, Don Kanonji attempts to name it as the Karakura Ultimate Buster, but is hit in the head by a box.

With Kon proclaiming that he can see eternity, his head hurtles down into the ground and creates a massive explosion of energy on impact, dispersing the vortex and destroying the Hollow, who is shocked by it ending like this. As he lands in front of Ururu, Jinta inquires where the others are, prompting Ururu to point upward as a laughing Don Kanonji carries Karin and an unconscious Yuzu with a sturdy parachute allowing them to drift safely down, though Karin demands to know what he is doing. Some time later, a dazed Kon sees someone holding him and assumes that he is in heaven with an angel, only to realize this is not the case as Yuzu picks him up.

When Yuzu asks him if he is okay as Karin and the other Karakura Superheroes stand by, Kon observes that he seems to be alive, leading a relieved Yuzu to explain that she thought he sacrificed himself to save everyone, though Kon mentally asserts that this is the opposite of what happened. While Don Kanonji proclaims that this is the result of their training, the box that had been present during the confrontation inches closer as a camera lens reveals itself in the opening on the side. Later, Don Kanonji holds a press conference and shows off footage of the events while detailing how he followed the Karakura Superheroes into the mountains for shock and suspense.

Don Kanonji and the enthralled audience perform his signature pose and laugh, and as she watches this on the television in the Kurosaki Clinic, Yuzu directs Karin's attention to it while she is lying back on the couch nearby. Alerted, Karin sees herself kicking Kon's head and wonders when Don Kanonji recorded this as Don Kanonji asserts that Kon may be a sad spirit. Pondering on the fate of Karakura King, Yuzu looks at Kon, who is wearing his sailor outfit and has been tied to the other two stuffed animals, and addresses him as Bostov before revealing that she is making another outfit for him, leading a tortured Kon to internally beg for mercy while Yuzu smiles.

Next Episode Preview
Performing his signature laugh, Don Kanonji promises those afflicted by bad spirits that the Karakura Superheroes can take care of their problems, and as he suggests that those interested call now to take advantage of the free consultation and prepares to perform his signature laugh alongside the audience, Ichigo Kurosaki assures those listening that they are getting back to the main story in the next episode.

Powers and Techniques Used
Other Weapons:

Music

 * 01:33 - Bleach OST 1 - 24 - Peaceful Afternoon
 * 02:12 - Bleach OST 1 - 10 - Will of the Heart
 * 04:09 - No Official Release
 * 06:04 - No Official Release
 * 08:21 - No Official Release
 * 08:37 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 15 - BL_35
 * 08:59 - Bleach OST 1 - 03 - Comical World
 * 10:28 - No Official Release
 * 10:50 - No Official Release
 * 11:17 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 07 - BL_40
 * 12:56 - Bleach OST 1 - 09 - Enemy Unseen
 * 14:00 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 08 - BL_60
 * 15:29 - Bleach OST 1 - 21 - Number One
 * 16:24 - Bleach OST 1 - 09 - Enemy Unseen
 * 17:21 - Bleach OST 1 - 06 - Ditty For Daddy
 * 18:21 - Bleach OST 1 - 08 - Raw Breath Of Danger
 * 19:02 - Bleach OST 1 - 20 - Storm Center
 * 19:52 - No Official Release
 * 20:01 - Bleach OST 1 - 22 - Going Home
 * 20:37 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 07 - BL_40