Byakuya Takes the Field! Dance of the Wind-Splitting Cherry Blossoms

'''Byakuya Takes the Field! Dance of the Wind-Splitting Cherry Blossoms''' is the ninety-fifth episode of the Bleach anime.

Captain Byakuya Kuchiki battles Jin Kariya when Ichigo Kurosaki shows up to help.

Summary
Kariya faces Byakuya in battle and Byakuya notes Kariya's ability to use Shunpo. Kariya suddenly uses wind to attack Byakuya, but he is unable to hurt the captain. Byakuya states that he knows of the Bounts using Dolls to battle and Byakuya asks Kariya if the wind he just used was his Doll. Kariya doesn't confirm or deny his question and Byakuya states that if he's correct he'll cut down his Doll as well. The two of them then continue battling, but neither is able to successfully hit each other. Kariya remarks that Byakuya's strength is even greater than the rumors claim and he tells Byakuya that he's glad he met him. Byakuya is confused and Kariya states that Byakuya is known to be the greatest leader in the history of the Kuchiki Clan and that it would only be natural that he wants to test his strength against him.

Byakuya asks Kariya what his goals are and Kariya states that since Byakuya is the most famous captain in the Gotei 13, Seireitei would be in chaos if he was to defeat him. Byakuya believes that he's talking nonsense, but Kariya tells him that he's quite serious and that he wouldn't have come here to fight him if he wasn't confident in his own abilities. Kariya then notes that Byakuya is a much softer person then the rumors have claimed, since he went and saved his sister from being killed by one of the Bounts and that he even came here to get revenge for what happened. Byakuya informs Kariya that he simply cuts down anyone who disturbs Soul Society and Kariya states that whatever the case may be, he must die here to further the Bounts' plans. Byakuya tells Kariya that he'll be the one to die here and he releases his Zanpakutō, Senbonzakura.

Kariya is immediately enveloped by Senbonzakura, but he is able to break out of the attack unharmed. Kariya remarks that Senbonzakura is a beautiful technique, but it doesn't work on him. Kariya then begins to use the wind to attack and Byakuya remarks that he was correct in thinking that Kariya manipulates the wind. Kariya then uses Windestanz and attacks Byakuya with several tornadoes. Believing his opponent to now be dead, Kariya walks away, but Byakuya suddenly uses Hadō #33 Sōkatsui and gets rid of the tornadoes. Byakuya then uses Hadō #4 Byakurai, but Kariya dodges his attack. The two then begin clashing with each other and Kariya states that since his power is the wind, he can fight without limit, unlike Byakuya's Senbonzakura.

Kariya states that whatever techniques Byakuya uses, he won't be able to defeat him and that he'll be the one to win this match. The two of them then clash with each other and Kariya is able to bring his hand up to Byakuya's neck, while Byakuya is able to bring his Zanpakutō up to Kariya's neck. Byakuya tells Kariya that at this distance he can easily kill him, but Kariya tells him that before he gets the chance he would lose his own head. The two of them then begin battling again and Kariya is able to get himself in the same situation, except this time he is able to grab Byakuya's Zanpakutō. Kariya immediately uses Windestanz, while Byakuya uses Senbonzakura and the two powers clash with each other. As this happens, Ichigo Kurosaki notices the clash from a distance and he fires off a Getsuga Tenshō towards it, stopping both of their attacks. Ichigo asks Byakuya why he's fighting so hard despite refusing his help earlier, but Byakuya doesn't answer.

In another part of the forest, Ichigo's friends sense the battle going on and they suddenly notice that Uryū Ishida is missing. Orihime Inoue guesses that he probably went towards Ichigo and Orihime decides to go as well, but Ganju Shiba stops her. He states that Uryū and Ichigo won't die so easily and that they should just figure out what's happening at Kusajishi. Ganju then asks one of the people from Kusajishi who the new guy at Kusajishi is and he states that his name was Kariya. He explains that Kariya wanted to turn Soul Society upside down and that he was gathering people to help him. He states that he was hanging out at Tōba's place and Ganju thanks the man. He then knocks him out and Ganju states that they're heading towards there. Yasutora Sado notes that it will be dangerous if he has already gathered a bunch of people together and Ganju states that he has no choice, but to use Kusajishi's bull. Taichi Miyamoto tells Ganju that it's too dangerous, but he states that he'll figure something out.

At Tōba's place, Gō Koga tries to convince a bunch of people to join Kariya's cause and attack Seireitei, but the people are skeptical. Koga states that he has a plan, but they must agree to help him before he says what it is. Koga explains that Seireitei is really the ones in control and that there's no excuse for Kusajishi to be in the state it is in. Koga states that they have lived how the people in Kusajishi have lived and that they know how they feel. Koga tells the people that they should want to live a life of happiness and Koga states that Kariya will overturn Soul Society for them. Koga then asks if they'll help him and the other Bounts and they agree, but Tōba asks for proof that he's serious about this. Koga asks Maki Ichinose to unsheathe his Zanpakutō and to try and cut off his arm and Ichinose does so. Ichinose is able to make a deep cut to Koga's arm, but Koga immediately uses the spiritual particles in the air to heal himself. He states that they have nothing to worry about as he's invincible and that they'll overthrow Seireitei and make it the way it should be.

Back at Byakuya and Kariya's battle, Ichigo tells Ririn to stand back and she does so. Ichigo asks Byakuya if he's all right, but Byakuya tells him that he's not needed and that if he interferes he'll consider him an enemy as well. As they talk, Kariya begins using the spiritual particles in the air to heal himself and he states that as long as he's in Soul Society he's invincible. Ichigo activates his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu and he begins battling against Kariya. As they fight, Byakuya activates his own Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi and attacks the two of them. Byakuya tells Ichigo that he's in the way and Ichigo simply smirks at this.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
Ganju introduces his gang to Orihime and Sado, and Orihime asks if he gave them their nicknames. Ganju states that he did, and Sado remarks that he did the same to the boars.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Jin Kariya
 * 2) Byakuya Kuchiki
 * 3) Rukia Kuchiki (flashback)
 * 4) Yoshi (flashback)
 * 5) Ichigo Kurosaki
 * 6) Ririn
 * 7) Ganju Shiba
 * 8) Yasutora Sado
 * 9) Orihime Inoue
 * 10) Kurōdo
 * 11) Noba
 * 12) Taichi Miyamoto
 * 13) Gō Koga
 * 14) Maki Ichinose
 * 15) Tōba

Fights

 * Byakuya Kuchiki & Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Jin Kariya

Powers and Techniques Used
Kidō used:

Shinigami Techniques:

Techniques used:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Bankai:

Dolls summoned:
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)

Trivia

 * During Byakuya's fight with Kariya, when Kariya surrounds Byakuya with four miniature tornadoes and traps him in them, the animation is replaced with a still, sketch-like image of Byakuya from behind as the tornadoes converge on him that is zoomed in on and rotated several times before the animation resumes with him being carried into the air. This may have been a stylistic choice on the part of the animators, but given that it had never been used for Kariya's attacks before or since and implied action with camera movement around the frame rather than proper animation, this may have actually been a storyboard sketch that was used in lieu of an ordinary animation sequence due to time or budget constraints. This also occurred in episode 77 during another battle scene.