Reunion, Ichigo and Rukia

 is the forty-first episode of the Bleach anime.

Ichigo Kurosaki arrives at the White Tower and reunites with Rukia Kuchiki.

Summary
Inside a secret room within Sōkyoku Hill in the Seireitei, Ichigo Kurosaki rests on a mat surrounded by a healing field as Yoruichi Shihōin, and when Ichigo opens his eyes and realizes he is not dead as he wonders where he is, Yoruichi approaches him while noting that he is awake, leading Ichigo to realize that Yoruichi saved him and thank the latter, only for Yoruichi to assert that he should thank his own incredible life force for allowing him to survive his wounds.

Picking up on Yoruichi's mention of his wounds, Ichigo recalls his fight with 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki and admits that he was cut up pretty badly, only to open his eyes in shock upon remembering something. As he startles Yoruichi by bolting up, Ichigo finds his stomach wound reopening and doubles over in pain. Though Yoruichi admonishes him for moving like this despite how badly he is hurt, Ichigo insists that he needs to save Yasutora Sado and tries to stand up.

However, Yoruichi pushes Ichigo back down by slamming into his eyes and assures him that Sado, Orihime Inoue, and Uryū Ishida are all fine, to Ichigo's astonishment. After explaining that Sado was lucky to fight his last opponent and is injured but alive, Yoruichi notes that Orihime and Uryū concluded their battle with hardly any injuries. With Ichigo acknowledging this, Yoruichi instructs him to stay within the healing field for a while before pushing over a white object, which Yoruichi cites as the sole reason Ichigo was not cut in half in addition to having half his internal organs crushed due to having it in his pocket. Looking over, Ichigo is shocked to see a damaged Hollow mask.

As Yoruichi admits surprise that he was still carrying this around, Ichigo inquires if he really had the mask on him, and when Yoruichi is left confused by his wording, Ichigo elaborates that he wanted to keep it after it saved his life during his battle with 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai. In the past, while Ichigo and Ganju Shiba walk out of the room they stayed in within the canal network, 4th Division 7th Seat Hanatarō Yamada runs up to Ichigo and snatches the Hollow mask away from him before insisting that they throw it away since it makes him feel uncomfortable, only for Ichigo to remind him that the mask saved his life and state that he wants to keep it as a good-luck charm.

Despite this, Hanatarō throws the mask into the water of the nearby canal, to Ichigo's disappointment. In the present, Ichigo concludes that the mask sank to the bottom of the canal, and while Yoruichi turns to him in shocked silence, Ichigo clarifies that Hanatarō is a member of the Fourth Division who healed the wounds he received from Renji. Picking up the mask, Ichigo wonders how he can still have it even though it seemed to be gone forever after Hanatarō threw it away. Upon being told by Yoruichi that the latter will hold onto the mask, Ichigo begins to protest due to only just having gotten it back, but Yoruichi glows with Reiatsu and demands that he hand it over.

An intimidated Ichigo slowly places the mask in front of Yoruichi, who mentally asserts that they cannot be too careful even if the scenario envisioned is very unlikely. When Ichigo admits that Yoruichi is amazing regardless, the latter questions what he means, prompting Ichigo to point out how Yoruichi carried him all the way here despite having such a tiny body, only to be told that this was easy in Yoruichi's original body. Upon registering what he has just been told, a stunned Ichigo picks up on the mention of Yoruichi's original form, and after realizing that Ichigo and his friends have not seen it before, Yoruichi decides that there is no point in hiding it any longer now.

With Ichigo watching in astonishment, Yoruichi walks over to the entrance to the hidden room and declares that she will reveal her true form as steam emanates from her paws, causing her to transform into a tall, naked, dark-skinned woman with purple hair, leaving Ichigo visibly bewildered as he sits up. Smirking, Yoruichi notes that she cannot blame Ichigo for being so surprised because everyone assumes she is a man due to how she speaks in her cat form and walks over to Ichigo while mocking the foolish reactions she receives whenever she reveals her true form, which she takes great pleasure in eliciting, only for Ichigo to still be shocked that she is not a cat.

After reminding Ichigo that cats cannot speak, to his shame, Yoruichi crouches in front of him and begins to explain how she brought him here, but a blushing Ichigo looks downward and interrupts her to demand that she put some clothes on. Yoruichi pulls on a shirt while noting that she has not worn clothes in a long time and teases Ichigo about being so prudish when it comes to seeing a naked woman. With a still-blushing Ichigo reiterating his request for her to get dressed as he looks away, Yoruichi inquires if he is sure that he does not want to take this chance due to it possibly being his last opportunity, prompting a flustered Ichigo to glare at her and tell her to stop.

However, Yoruichi merely pulls up her shirt to reveal her crotch, causing a shocked Ichigo to clutch his abdomen as his stomach wound reopens, and instructs him to not scream so much because it will continue to reopens his wounds as Ichigo loudly insists that she put on her pants first like most people, only to reopen his wound yet again. After getting dressed, Yoruichi notes that clothes are so uncomfortable as Ichigo examines the bond wand she was showing him earlier and reiterates her explanation of having used it to transport him here via flight, which Yoruichi affirms while declaring that it is a unique artifact even within Soul Society.

While Yoruichi comments on how awesome it is, Ichigo wonders why she has such a valuable object, to her confusion, and points out how she changes forms, heals wounds, and possesses a priceless artifact, leading him to inquire just who she is. Suddenly, before Yoruichi can answer, she and Ichigo experience the crushing sensation of 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki's Reiatsu. With Ichigo recognizing this as belonging to the man who destroyed his Shinigami powers and took Rukia Kuchiki away, a sweating Yoruichi observes that the Reiatsu is coming from Senzaikyū, and when Ichigo begins running toward the entrance, Yoruichi tells him to wait.

When Ichigo reveals that Ganju and Hanatarō are headed toward the Senzaikyū, Yoruichi question what he can do in his condition, but Ichigo declares that no one else is going to save them and holds out the bone wand as he infuses it with his Reiryoku, causing the shaft to wrap around his arm while the mouth opens and the four protrusions expand into a large wing, before bursting through the hidden entrance and flying out into the air outside, leaving Yoruichi to angrily call him a fool. Meanwhile, on the bridge leading to Senzaikyū, Ganju stares down Byakuya, who explains that he came to investigate upon sensing a slight Reiatsu moving toward the Shishinrō.

Having assumed that this was a powerful enemy concealing their Reiatsu, Byakuya expresses disappointment at it only being a bug like Ganju. Behind Ganju, a shocked Rukia attempts to run up to Ganju, and as Hanatarō grabs her by the arm and insists that she cannot do this, Rukia demands that he let her go because she needs to stop Ganju before he is killed, only to suddenly collapse while Hanatarō expresses concern. With Rukia realizing that her stay within the Sekkiseki cell has weakened her and left her unable to move, Ganju mentally admits that just facing someone as powerful as Byakuya is making him tremble and that cheap tricks will not work against him.

Mentally declaring that it is now or never, Ganju rushes toward Byakuya and yells before attempting to use one of his "Tears of Blood" smoke bombs, only for Byakuya to appear behind him and tell Ganju to disappear because his sword is not for crushing vermin as Ganju's arm is slashed from his shoulder to his wrist, causing a large amount of blood to spurt into the air while Rukia looks on in astonishment. With Ganju grunting in pain as he falls to his knees, Byakuya resumes his approach toward Rukia, but stops when Ganju demands that he halt while getting to his feet, leading him to reiterate his command for Ganju to get out of here.

However, Ganju proclaims that a man of the Shiba Clan would never run in fear like this, and as Byakuya turns to face Ganju in surprise upon picking up on his mention of being a Shiba, a stunned Rukia mentally expresses fear toward what is about to happen. As he draws his Zanpakutō and holds it vertically in front of him, Byakuya apologizes for going easy on Ganju prior and declares that he will not leave here alive. Though Ganju is confused as to what Byakuya could do from so far away, Rukia begs him to stop as Byakuya releases his Shikai, Senbonzakura, causing the blade to separate into a thousand pink blade petals that scatter around Byakuya.

Rukia warns a bewildered Ganju to run away, but as he stands on the bridge in anticipation of Byakuya's next attack, Ganju finds himself suddenly slashed across multiple areas of his body and collapses backward as a large quantity of blood spurts from his wounds. Seeing Byakuya turning to a stunned Hanatarō, Rukia moves in front of the latter and pleads with Byakuya to not continue his assault. Suddenly, as Byakuya gathers the blade petals of Senbonzakura and moves to attack, 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake appears behind him and grabs his wrist before he can complete his swing. After commenting on how dangerous it is here, Ukitake suggests that Byakuya stop here.

While Ukitake greets an astonished Rukia and notes that she looks thinner, Byakuya questions what he is doing, only for Ukitake to turn the question back on him as he points out how releasing one's Zanpakutō within the Seireitei is a high-class offense even if it is for the purpose of expelling Ryoka. Upon learning that a wartime exemption permitting this has been issued, a surprised Ukitake wonders if the Ryoka infiltration has really become so serious and if one of them killed 5th Division Captain Sōsuke Aizen. However, the conversation is interrupted when Byakuya and Ukitake experience a powerful Reiatsu enveloping the surrounding area.

Observing that it is a captain-level Reiatsu, Ukitake admits that he does not recognize it, and as Rukia realizes who it belongs to, Ichigo hurtles into the air above the bridge with the aid of the bone wand wing, to the shock of those present. After landing in front of Rukia, Ichigo allows the bone wand to return to its normal form and stands up, only to walk past a stunned Rukia and apologize to Hanatarō for letting him go on ahead into such a dangerous situation. With Hanatarō assuring him that he is fine, Ichigo approaches Rukia and declares that he has come to save her. When he sees Rukia looking at him with tearful eyes, Ichigo demands to know why she is wearing such an expression.

With Ichigo reminding her that he came here to save her and instructing her to look happier, Rukia recalls her tearful command for Ichigo to never come after her when she left him bleeding out in the Human World and berates him for not listening to her as she begins to cry. Looking at an unconscious Ganju, Ichigo acknowledges that Rukia is right and gives her permission to yell at him as much as she wants after he beats Byakuya, whom he turns to face. As a concerned Rukia approaches him, Ichigo inquires if she wants him to leave after coming so far already and refuses to do so even if she wants to be executed before proclaiming that he is ignoring all her opinions from now on.

Bewildered by Ichigo not listening to the one he is rescuing, Rukia demands to know what kind of tyrannical rescue this is, prompting Ichigo to assert that the rescued should not complain as he instructs Rukia to tremble in a corner and beg him to save her. Angered by the idea of trembling, Rukia glares at Ichigo while he sticks his tongue out at her, only for them both to suddenly calm down as a smiling Rukia observes that Ichigo has not changed at all and still does not listen to anything he says. Ichigo questions what she expects and claims that she only ever worries about him rather than about herself as he assures her that he has gotten a bit stronger.

Upon being asked by an astonished Ukitake who Ichigo is, Byakuya clarifies that he is just an ordinary Ryoka rather than the man Ukitake is remembering and promises to end this trifling fight by killing Ichigo while walking forward, with Ichigo approaching him in turn. When Ichigo points out how Byakuya did not attack while he was talking to Rukia as he grips the handle of his Shikai, Zangetsu, Byakuya inquires whom Ichigo believes he is talking to and questions if the latter believes Byakuya needs to look for an opening in order to kill him, leading him to warn Ichigo to not be so confident as he exerts his Reiatsu on the surrounding area.

As an intimidated Ichigo braces himself, Rukia falls to her knees and confirms with Hanatarō that he is alright. Seeing Ichigo draw Zangetsu, Byakuya notes that he has improved considerably if he is not perturbed by this Reiatsu and admits that he does not know how Ichigo acquired Shinigami powers once more before admonishing Ichigo for coming here to throw away his saved life rather than live peacefully in the Human World. However, Ichigo declares that he is not throwing it away and will leave after he beats Byakuya, who reiterates that Ichigo should not be so confident as he disappears with Shunpo, to Ichigo and Rukia's surprise.

Suddenly, with Byakuya moving behind him and attacking, Ichigo blocks his stab at the last second with the broad side of Zangetsu, shocking Byakuya, and asserts that he can see Byakuya now. Breaking their clash with a swing of Zangetsu that pushes Byakuya back, Ichigo asks Byakuya what he thinks of his movements being readable, and when Byakuya tells him to not think so highly of himself after a lucky blow, Ichigo suggests that they test if it was really luck as he rushes toward Byakuya, who disappears with Shunpo once more before Ichigo can reach him. Coming to a halt, Ichigo sees Byakuya moving behind him and swings Zangetsu to intercept his attack once again.

As sparks fly from their clash, a grinning Ichigo begins repeatedly crossing blades with Byakuya while a stunned Hanatarō expresses amazement over the two of them clashing as equals. Despite admitting that Ichigo's reading of Byakuya's Shunpo was impressive, Rukia mentally asserts that Byakuya's power extends beyond his skill with Shunpo, which is child's play to him, and that she needs to stop the fight before Byakuya starts taking it seriously and kills Ichigo. Ichigo leaps back from his last clash with Byakuya and lands as the latter acknowledges that Ichigo has improved more than he expected before concluding that he is left with no choice.

Holding his Zanpakutō up in front of his face, Byakuya decides to show Ichigo the power gap that he could never bridge in a thousand years before his newfound skill goes to his head, and as Rukia begs Ichigo to run, Byakuya begins to release his Shikai once again. Suddenly, Yoruichi binds the blade of Byakuya's Zanpakutō with a long strip of cloth and appears on the bridge in front of him while pulling the cloth tight. With those present shocked by her arrival and with Byakuya recognizing her, Yoruichi stands up and observes that it has been a long time since the two of them last met.

Next Episode Preview
Upon being asked by Ichigo Kurosaki and Ganju Shiba how she transformed into a cat, Yoruichi Shihōin claims that she simply wore a costume, and as Ichigo and Ganju claim that this makes sense, they are left astonished upon actually processing what she said.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Ichigo Kurosaki
 * 2) Yoruichi Shihōin
 * 3) Kenpachi Zaraki (flashback)
 * 4) Hanatarō Yamada
 * 5) Ganju Shiba
 * 6) Byakuya Kuchiki
 * 7) Rukia Kuchiki
 * 8) Jūshirō Ukitake

Events

 * Bankai Training

Powers and Techniques Used
Hohō Techniques:

Other Techniques:
 * Feline Transformation

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Music

 * 01:26 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 16 - BL_92
 * 03:32 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 04 - BL_75
 * 04:47 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 01 - BL_29
 * 05:50 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 18 - BL_33
 * 06:36 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 11 - BL_995
 * 07:35 - No Official Release
 * 08:35 - Bleach OST 1 - 08 - Raw Breath Of Danger
 * 10:13 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 03 - BL_73
 * 11:07 - No Official Release
 * 13:48 - Bleach OST 1 - 21 - Number One
 * 15:05 - Bleach OST 1 - 13 - Burden of the Past
 * 16:23 - Bleach 5th Anniversary Box CD 1 - 11 - BL_995
 * 18:19 - Bleach OST 4 - 20 - Number One's One Else
 * 20:13 - Bleach OST 1 - 09 - Enemy Unseen

Anime Notes
Removed Content:
 * Ichigo Kurosaki expressing relief that Yoruichi Shihōin is alright, and Yoruichi in turn downplaying this as being in better shape than Ichigo is.
 * Yoruichi questioning what Ichigo is so worked up about after the latter bolts upright and reopens his stomach wound.
 * Yoruichi telling Ichigo that he is of no use to his friends in his current condition.
 * Yoruichi saying "Wait" before requesting that Ichigo hand the Hollow mask over to her.
 * Ichigo grumbling about Yoruichi taking the Hollow mask back from him so rudely.
 * Ichigo mentioning the Seireitei crawling with captains when bringing up how impressive it was for Yoruichi to carry him so far as a small cat.
 * Yoruichi criticizing Ichigo's sense of humor and claiming that others must find him boring.
 * Yoruichi revealing that the bone wand is what allowed her to transport Ichigo.
 * Ichigo mentally cursing Yoruichi for making light of his stomach wound reopening.
 * Yoruichi questioning what Ichigo is going to do when he begins to run off after experiencing Byakuya Kuchiki's Reiatsu.
 * Byakuya expressing his disappointment at only finding Ganju Shiba upon reaching Senzaikyū.
 * Hanatarō Yamada telling Rukia Kuchiki that Ganju must have a brilliant plan if he is facing Byakuya so confidently, and the two of them subsequently being shocked when Ganju rushes in without a plan.
 * Ganju revealing that he was attempting to trick Byakuya by rushing in without using any tricks prior to pulling out one of his smoke bombs.
 * Ganju mocking Byakuya's status as a famous nobleman when refusing to run from him.
 * Jūshirō Ukitake wondering who the Reiatsu he is sensing belongs to and where it is coming from when Ichigo approaches Senzaikyū.
 * Rukia remembering Kaien Shiba and closing her eyes in sorrow when Ichigo assures her that he has gotten stronger.
 * Hanatarō asking Rukia if she is alright after Byakuya's Reiatsu forces both of them to their hands and knees.
 * Ichigo bringing up Byakuya's accusation of him being overconfident after blocking the latter's attack.

Added/Expanded Content:
 * A flashback to Ichigo's fight with Kenpachi Zaraki.
 * Ichigo acknowledging Yoruichi's explanation of his friends being alright and stating that she is right when she instructs him to stay inside the healing field.
 * Ichigo questioning if he really had the Hollow mask on his person.
 * An expansion of Ichigo's recollection of his first Hollow mask getting thrown into the river after his battle with Renji Abarai, where Ichigo reiterates his reasoning of wanting to keep it as a good-luck charm, only for Hanatarō to shoot this down and throw the mask away anyway.
 * The process of Yoruichi transforming from her cat form into her original form, consisting of her releasing a cloud of steam from her paws, standing up on her two hind legs as her purple hair forms, and growling larger as her furred cat limbs transform into hairless human limbs.
 * Ichigo being astonished that a cat could transform into a human and Yoruichi reminding him that cats cannot speak.
 * Yoruichi deciding to stop bringing out surprises for now as she crouches in front of Ichigo and the latter turning red as he looks down while she is preparing to explain the bone wand to him.
 * Yoruichi pulling up her shirt while not wearing pants to further tease Ichigo.
 * Ichigo reopening his stomach wound once more when yelling at Yoruichi to put on pants.
 * Yoruichi remarking that she finds clothes uncomfortable.
 * Yoruichi inquiring what Ichigo thinks he can do in his condition when he runs off to save his friends.
 * The blade petals of Senbonzakura swirling toward Byakuya when he prepares to attack Hanatarō.
 * The bone wand shrinking and returning to its normal form after Ichigo stops using it.
 * A flashback to Rukia's demand that Ichigo not come after her prior to leaving the Human World.
 * Rukia briefly protesting when Ichigo refuses to leave without saving her.
 * Rukia getting mad at being told to tremble and beg for help as Ichigo sticks his tongue out at her.
 * Rukia saying Ichigo's name in awe after he tells her to worry about herself for once.
 * A brief fight scene between Ichigo and Byakuya after the former blocks the latter's first attack, where Ichigo inquires how he did, Byakuya claims this was due to luck, and Ichigo invites him to test if this is true before repeatedly crossing blades with him while Hanatarō establishes them as fighting evenly and Rukia mentally notes that Ichigo is only holding his own because Byakuya is not yet taking the fight seriously.
 * Yoruichi greeting Byakuya by observing that it has been a long time since they last met.

Censorship:
 * When Ichigo bolts upright in chapter 116, his stomach wound spurts out blood upon reopening; here, it merely stains his bandages.
 * Ichigo's wound does not spurt more blood when Yoruichi pushes him back down.
 * In the manga; the cloud of steam obscuring a nude Yoruichi's breasts and crotch barely covered her nipples and had gaps in the area over her pelvis; here, it is much broader and hazier, completely obscuring both sections of her body.
 * The grievous injuries inflicted on Ganju by Senbonzakura are retained, but the scene shifts to a black-and-white style at the moment of the attack so the copious amount of blood spurting from Ganju is black for the duration of the scene.
 * Ganju is covered in and surrounded by less blood when Ichigo looks at him here than he is in the manga.

Changes:
 * In the manga, Yoruichi admits she is surprised that Ichigo is still carrying around his Hollow mask, then Ichigo is shocked to learn that it was in his pocket; here, the order of the two lines is reversed.
 * In the manga, Ichigo says he threw the Hollow mask into the canal at Hanatarō's insistence; here, Hanatarō takes it from Ichigo and throws it in himself.
 * Ichigo's reiteration of Yoruichi's line about her original form before comprehending what she said is slightly lengthened to include the term "original form" itself.
 * Upon seeing Yoruichi's true form, Ichigo manages to say the word "woman" in his astonishment, whereas in the manga he could not even speak a full word.
 * Ichigo demanding that Yoruichi put some clothes on is slightly lengthened to have him repeat himself in his flustered state.
 * In the manga, Ichigo's stomach wound spurts more blood when he demands that Yoruichi put some clothes on while she is teasing him, though he does not notice it in his frustration; here, it reopens when he sees her lift up her shirt while not wearing any pants, which he does notice and is left in pain by.
 * In the manga, Ichigo reprimands Yoruichi for not putting on pants first when she is getting dressed, and Yoruichi then brings up Ichigo constantly reopening his stomach wound after getting fully dressed and revealing that she used the bone wand to transport him; here, the order of the two lines is reversed, with Yoruichi mentioning Ichigo's stomach wound before getting fully dressed and a disgruntled Ichigo yelling at her to put on pants in response.
 * In the manga, Ichigo reiterates Yoruichi's explanation of how to use the bone wand while examining it; here, he instead reiterates what she used it for prior to him waking up, and the method for using it is left unstated.
 * In the manga; Yoruichi concludes that Ichigo should be grateful to be handling an artifact as rare as the bone wand; here, she instead calls it awesome.
 * The order of Ganju's mental notes of Byakuya's power and the physical trembling it instills in him is reversed from the manga.
 * In the manga, after reaching the bridge and apologizing to Hanatarō, Ichigo asks him where Ganju is and Hanatarō tearfully explains the situation to him; here, he does not ask about this and Hanatarō calmly assures him that he is fine.
 * Yoruichi appears in front of Byakuya rather than on his left side when she binds his Zanpakutō.
 * Ukitake does not refer to Yoruichi by name when recognizing her.

Errors:
 * When Ukitake intercepts Byakuya's attempt to attack Hanatarō, the handle of Byakuya's Zanpakutō is roughly twice as long as it should be, reaching past Ukitake's wrist.