Breakthrough! The Shinigami's Encompassing Net

'''Breakthrough! The Shinigami's Encompassing Net''' is the twenty-ninth episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: April 26, 2005
 * English Airdate: April 15, 2007
 * Opening Song: D-tecnoLife
 * Ending Song: Houkiboshi
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 92, Chapter 93.
 * Kanji: 突破せよ! 死神包囲網
 * Romaji: "Toppaseyo! Shinigami hōimō"
 * Arc: Soul Society: The Sneak Entry arc

Summary
Jirōbō Ikkanzaka agonizes in pain as Orihime continues to stare at Ishida in awe, saying that he seems a totally different person from the one fighting Hollows with Ichigo that day. Ishida asks Jirobō if he is feeling any regret after meeting him, a fellow projectile user, but Jirōbō calls him insolent, getting up abruptly. Two arrows fly past his face and land just next to his feet, one on each side. Ishida tells him that he had missed on purpose just now, and the next most certainly wouldn’t miss. Jirōbō then praises him as incredible – his speed, power and accuracy are all better than his. He never imagined that he would face this calibre of opponent – he has been utterly defeated, so he tells him to take him and do with him as they pleased. Ishida puts away his bow, and Jirōbō asks if that means he is letting him go, but Ishida replies that he is a Quincy with no sympathy for Shinigami, although he does not enjoy tormenting the weak. He tells Jirōbō to disappear quickly, as his bow disappears as well, before he changes his mind. Jirobō says that he sees that Ishida is a kind man, but… that will be his death. He suddenly stands once more, but Ishida is faster than him, pre-empting what he will do, saying that if Jirōbō is unable to beat him, he will at least kill Orihime or take her hostage.

Jirōbō is stunned, but Ishida, putting a hand to the pins on his glove, says that although he dislikes tormenting the weak, he doesn’t mind unmasking cowards, like him – all along, he had been after Orihime and not him. He draws his arrow, ready to fire, as he adds that attacking a woman by surprise is a heinous attack not everyone can do, and a man with real pride certainly would not, because it is the coward’s way of fighting. Ishida tells him that time for regret would be wasted on him, and shoots two arrows that blow Jirōbō all the way back. As he puts away his bow, Orihime thanks him, but he says that he needs no thanks. Orihime asks if he meant to say that he did nothing special, and when Ishida blushes somewhat, she smiles, then asks if Jirōbō is dead. Ishida says that he is not dead, just that his Chain Link and Soul Sleep, crucial points responsible for generating spirit power, have been shot out such that when he wakes, his spirit power will be nill and he will be unable to return to being a Shinigami. Ishida says that it was a good way to end a fight, and asks if they shall go now.

Orihime remembers Yoruichi telling her that Quincys fight by collecting the spirit energy around them, thinking that the glove Ishida wears must amplify his ability to collect spirit energy. However, because it was so excessively powerful that it would cause them injury, he had trained alone. She remarks that he is so amazing to have mastered it so well in just 10 days all by himself. She asks herself what she had been doing those 10 days, and being lost in thought, slips, but Ishida catches her. She thanks Ishida, but he just says that it is nothing and continues to walk on. She suddenly hears Tatsuki’s voice in her head, telling her not to give up, and, starting to tear now, says out loud that she had made a promise. Ishida starts to get worried, waving his arms frantically in the air as he asks her if Jirōbō had hurt her anywhere. She starts to wave her arms as he had before her and says that she’s alright, just that she was looking at the sun, and somehow tears had come. She asks if he has ever had the same experience, or when he was sneezing, or when at a bookstore wanting to go to the bathroom, or when biting an apple and his gums starting to bleed. He merely blinks and looks at her as she walks off cheerfully. She turns and tells him that she will do her best, too, and he asks her if she is sure she wasn’t hit anywhere.

Ganju is still running from his chasers, asking himself why he is the only one having to endure this. His pursuers start calling him ugly, and Ganju says that Yumichika had been a pretty-boy type, but the ones chasing him now and calling him ugly were as ugly, if not uglier, and have no right to call others ugly. But they continue to call him ugly, and Ganju starts to cry, saying that he couldn’t possibly win an argument against that many. Suddenly, he sees Ichigo appear from around the corner, and thinks he is here to help him, saying that he came just at the right moment. That was before he saw the equally large number of Shinigami chasing Ichigo as well. Ganju says that there was now no point in them joining up since he also has such a lot of pursuers. Ichigo is waving his hand at Ganju, and Ganju asks him to stop doing that because he is getting the people behind him all worked up. Ganju yells at him not to come this way, but Ichigo starts beating up people on both sides, shouting for Ganju to get down.

Members of the 4th Division, units 1, 6 and 14 are about to arrive at the scene (don’t know which) and their leader, Lemura, tells them to hurry up. Ganju screeches at Ichigo that swinging his Zanpakutou around all of a sudden was dangerous and asks if Ichigo is stupid. Ichigo reminds Ganju that he had told him to get down, but Ganju argues that Ichigo had swung Zangetsu too soon after he said it. The Shinigami look at them arguing, and Ganju asks what they should do now, since the previous attack had worked because Ichigo had caught them by surprise, and they don’t look like they’re going to retreat just because Ichigo’s shown some power. Hanatarou Yamada looks around, wondering what he should do now that he is totally late, contemplating going back now, but thinking of Lemura asking him where he was, he puts off the idea. Yet, if he doesn’t go, he’ll get into more trouble. He wonders where everyone could be, and he suddenly sees the mob of people surrounding Ichigo and Ganju, deciding that he’ll ask them. He starts to introduce himself, but trips over a tile that is jutting out, and accidentally pushes all the way through the throng and right in front of Ichigo and Ganju. Ganju smiles deviously and tells Ichigo that he has an excellent plan to help them get out of here easily. Ichigo says they must think alike, and Hanatarou stares at them, asking them if they might be the two Ryoka. They ignore his question and grab him by his Shihakusho (kimono), Ichigo putting Zangetsu to his throat and demanding that they clear a path for them if they value Hanatarou’s life.

Zaraki is seriously getting pissed at Yachiru, asking if she’s absolutely sure that this is the way to go, which she says she is – probably. He flares up at the word “probably” and she says that he is annoying, and “okay then, that way”, which Zaraki also flares up at because she used the words “okay then”. Yachiru says that all he does is complain, saying that in that case, he can decide for himself. He decides to listen to her advice anyway and runs in the direction she tells him. A topographic map of the Seireitei show them running in a totally opposite direction from where Ganju and Ichigo are. Hanatarou tries to wriggle and shout at them to let him go, as the rest of the Shinigami just watch on. Ichigo thinks that they might not have heard him, and they repeat themselves in very clear voices. Ichigo even gets Hanatarou to scream, but to no avail, as one of the Shinigami ask if they and Hanatarou even look like buddies. Ichigo asks Hanatarou if they are, and Hanatarou replies that he is from the 4th Division and they from the 11th. The Shinigami say that Ichigo must be the Ryoka, since he doesn’t know anything. One of them tells Ichigo that in order that he may be placed on a higher level than Hanatarou, he will tell Ichigo this: although there are 13 Divisions protecting the Seireitei, the 11th holds the strongest warriors among them all. Ganju comments that it is true that all the 11th Division-ers have weird hairdos, Hanatarou’s is normal, which Hanatarou thanks Ganju for saying. The earlier Shinigami adds that the 4th Division is a rear Division specialized in relief and supplies, calling them the gathering of “pansies too weak to hold a sword to save their life” - the weakest, dead-weight Division of the thirteen that piss him off and the whole 11th Division… they all chorus: “Hate their guts!”, welcoming Ichigo to kill Hanatarou, as that would be equivalent to two birds with one stone for them.

Ganju says that they are going overboard by not caring what happens to him just because they hate his guts. The 11th Division-ers charge at them and Ichigo holds out Zangetsu, saying that they’ll have to use force after all. There is suddenly a bright light and an explosion at the wall, and Ichigo and Ganju, Hanatarou slung over his shoulder, taking their chance whilst there are only half the Shinigami, break through the Shinigami and run off. Chad emerges from the hole in the wall, saying that he was sure the spirit force he had felt earlier had been Ichigo’s, but, from the wake of destruction left behind, he must have just missed Ichigo. The 11th Division-ers demand to know what’s up with his clothes, if he did that to the wall, and if he’s friends with “those two”. Chad says that he probably is, and they say that they (Ryoka in general) have taken the 11th Division too lightly, telling Chad not to expect to leave here alive, as they will crush him in five minutes. Chad apologizes, saying that he cannot meet that expectation as he clenches his fist and walks over to them, his arm seemingly on fire (blue fire) - saying it won’t even take five minutes: all he needs is two.

From a hole in a wall at the 4th Division General Relief Station, we can see Mayuri and his lieutenant, Mayuri asking the patient – Ikkaku - if he’s sure he doesn’t want to spit it out. A nurse pops her head in at the door, asking Mayuri to stop it, as semi-hostile acts are forbidden within the station. Mayuri interrupts her by blowing a hole through the wall by which she stands. Nemu, his lieutenant, tries to put in a word, but Mayuri tells her to shut up as she’s getting annoying too, unless she wants to be taken apart again. Nemu apologizes, and Ikkaku looks at her, then away, saying that he knows nothing – not the Ryoka’s goal nor destination. Mayuri asks if that means he crossed swords with the Ryoka and yet just got beat down and came back without a single piece of information, and Ikkaku confirms so, adding that he also did not see the face nor hear the voice of the Ryoka.

Mayuri wriggles his fingers menacingly, saying that Ikkaku will receive his just desserts for his failure, and raises his hand in the air. His wrist is grabbed suddenly by another hand – Zaraki’s. Zaraki says that it is a surprise to see that Mayuri has the authority to deal with men from other Divisions. Mayuri pulls his hand away and says that since Zaraki is here, he has no choice and obligation to interrogate him, and, calling to Nemu, he leaves. Zaraki appears on good terms with his men, remarking that Ikkaku sure got knocked around, and Ikkaku asks if he had come specially to see him. Yachiru appears on Zaraki’s shoulder and says that they had just gotten lost and it was just by random coincidence that they came here, though they were, of course, worried. She asks if he is okay, calling him “Q-ball”, which pisses Ikkaku off. He asks her to quit calling him that, and she suggests “Q-Q-ball” instead, and then “Q-Q-Q-ball” when Ikkaku says that he (Zaraki) will hear. Zaraki says that he heard that Ikkaku lost, and Ikkaku apologizes for returning despite being shamed by surviving a defeat. Zaraki is more interested in knowing if Ichigo is strong and Ikkaku says that he is – looking like a Shinigami on the outside, with short orange hair and a hilt-less, guard-less Zanpakutou as tall as he is. His destination is the Shrine of Penitence, cell 4-deep, and is aware of Zaraki’s appearance and has been warned. If Ichigo remembers Ikkaku’s words, then wherever Zaraki meets him, he should be able to have a most enjoyable fight, because Ichigo is strong and his strength is probably increasing, and might be even stronger when he meets Zaraki. Zaraki smiles demonically, asking for this Ryoka’s name.

Meanwhile, Yamada Hanatarou is introducing himself to Ganju and Ichigo, and the two say that the name is hard to remember, although Hanatarou is a very ordinary and easy name to remember. Hanatarou exclaims that everyone tells him that his name is nice-sounding and easy to remember. Ichigo says that might be the case if his name was Yamada Tarou (a live action) or Yamada Hanako (famous solo female comedian), but not when it is Hanatarou. Ganju points at him and asks if he isn’t their enemy and if so, why he is calmly introducing himself. Hanatarou agrees, somewhat, and Ichigo asks Ganju why he brought Hanatarou along in the first place, Ganju replying that he had no choice as Ganju was beside him and he just picked him up without thinking. Ichigo asks Ganju if he picks up everything he sees lying on the ground, and Ganju retorts that even Ichigo only just realized Hanatarou’s presence. Hanatarou tries to stop them, saying that they need not argue over him, to which both say that they aren’t. Hanatarou mentions that if they raise their voices, they might be found, so Ichigo and Ganju immediately speak in hushed tones, Ichigo saying that even if Ikkaku is correct and Rukia is in the white tower, they have no idea how to get there.

Remembering that he had brought a map, Ganju pulls out a rather crudely drawn one, saying that they don’t want to encounter any Captains, and wishing that they knew all their locations. Ichigo complains about there not being any roads on the map and exclaiming that this map is a hand drawn one, Ganju retorting that it is better than nothing. Hanatarou tries to say something, but the two cut him off, telling him to go home if he wants, but Hanatarou’s words catch Ichigo’s attention: He asks if by “Rukia” they meant Kuchiki Rukia, the death-row prisoner and sister to 6th Division Captain Kuchiki Byakuya. Seeing that he is right, he goes on to say that the “white tower” must be the Shrine of Penitence, to which he knows a way.

Zaraki is running along the roof with Yachiru on his back as usual, the latter commenting that the former seems extraordinarily happy. Zaraki says that she’s probably right, since this guy had both fought with Ichimaru and survived, and fought Ikkaku and won. In addition, Ikkaku had said that he was strong and would get stronger – he calls out to Ichigo (who can’t hear it anyway) that he, Zaraki Kenpachi, is waiting for him.

Kon-sama's Ultimate Shinigami Illustrated Guide
The featured character is Kaname Tōsen.