Ichigo vs. Ulquiorra, Conclusion!

Ichigo vs. Ulquiorra, Conclusion! is the two hundred and seventieth-second episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: May 25th, 2010
 * English Airdate:
 * Opening Song: ChAngE
 * Ending Song: Stay Beautiful
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 352, Chapter 353
 * Kanji: 一護VSウルキオラ、決着！
 * Romaji: "Ichigo VS Urukiora, kecchaku!"
 * Arc: The Fake Karakura Town Arc

Summary
Rukia Kuchiki, Yasutora Sado, and Renji Abarai continue their battle against Rudobōn inside Las Noches with Rudobone creating more of his subordinates using Calaveras. Sado shoots an El Directo against Rudobōn, but Rudobōn uses his subordinates to create a shield against the attack and then explains that his powers have no limit. Rukia comments that she never thought Rudobōn would use his own subordinates as a shield.

Rukia proceeds to explain her plan to Sado and Renji: she’ll use Hakuren to freeze Rudobōn’s warriors, then Sado will attack the frozen solders, and Renji will finish Rudobōn off with Zabimaru. With that said, they act. However, when Renji uses Hikotsu Taiho with Zabimaru against the now-vulnerable Rudobōn, Rudobōn creates more of his solders to stop the attack and cause Renji’s bankai to collapse. Rudobōn comments that it was an excellent effort, but explains again that with an infinite number of warriors, no one can reach him. However, when Rudobōn is about to finish off the three, he is caught by Rukia’s ice and his body begins to freeze from the bottom up. Rukia explains that the real plan was to keep Rudobōn’s attention away from herself as well as his weakness. Rudobōn curses his opponents as his body if fully encased in ice. Almost instantly, an enraged, but injured, Yammy Riyalgo rises and finishes off Rudobōn.

Renji and Sado are surprised by this outbreak with Renji asking if this is the Arrancar that Toshiro Hitsugaya warned them about. Sado responds with a yes, but speculates that there is something different about Yammy. Sado proceeds to explain that he fought Yammy once in the living world, but his size was not nearly as huge back then. Yammy yells at the top of his lungs that he will get his revenge on Uryū Ishida, who defeated him earlier.

Meanwhile, a red Cero is blasted downwards through the roof of Las Noches, creating a huge explosion within Las Noches. Ichigo Kurosaki in his new Hollow form throws Ulquiorra Cifer, now unconscious with more than half of his body blown away from the explosion, to the ground. Ichigo slowly walks towards Ulquiorra and prepared to finish him off, but Uryū stops Ichigo by grabbing his wrist. Uryū tells Ichigo to stop since the battle is over and attempts to explain to Ichigo that if he goes through with it, he will no longer be considered human. After countless pleads from Uryū to stop, Ichigo throws his zanpakuto into Uryū's stomach. Ichigo tells Orihime that he will protect her as well as hinting that it does not matter who gets in the way, friend or foe.

As Ichigo approaches Uryū, Orihime blames herself for Ichigo's transformation, that she called out to him to protect; and asks herself why she keeps relying on Ichigo regardless of how many steps she has taken to protect herself and her friends. Ichigo proceeds to charge a Cero on Uryū, but Ulquiorra appears behind Ichigo and severs one of his horns, causing a huge explosion as well as shattering Ichigo's mask which returns him to human form. As Ulquiorra watches Ichigo fall to the ground, in thought, he explains that his body is regenerating, but it is only a front and the internal organs that were blown way will not regenerate.

Ichigo's reiatsu flows out of his body, and then back in to repair the hole in his chest. Ulquiorra, in surprise, questions if that was instant regeneration. Ichigo wakes up and is horrified that his zanpakuto is stuck in Uryū's stomach. Ulquiorra pulls Ichigo's zanpakuto from Uryū and tosses it to Ichigo, demanding to finish the fight. Ichigo questions if that, as well as the cause of Ulquiorra's severe injuries, were his own doing. Ulquiorra stays silent to the question. Ichigo then requests Ulquiorra to cut off his own arm and leg, so that the fight will be fair to which Uryū exclaims his concern to Ichigo. Ulquiorra complies, but as he is about to proceed, his body begins to turn to ash. Realizing that he is finished, Ulquiorra requests that Ichigo finish him off immediately, or else the fight will never be considered finished. Ichigo declines and exclaims that he did not want to win this way. Ulquiorra woefully states that even to the very end, Ichigo never does what Ulquiorra wants or expects and expresses his growing interests in humans.

The Cuatro Espada reaches out and asks Orihime the same question he asked while they were alone in the fifth tower: if whether or not she was afraid of him. Orihime responds that she is not afraid, but before Orihime can grab hold of it his hand, it begins to dissolve into ash. From her gesture he finally realizes what a heart is, believing that there in his disintegrated hand is a heart. Ulquiorra fades entirely into the wind.

Quincy Encyclopedia
Uryū's father, Ryūken Ishida, is outraged as he finds out that his son has been stabbed by Isshin Kurosaki's son. Ryūken takes it out on Isshin and demands compensation, but Isshin responds that it is not his fault. Ryūken fires a barrage of arrows towards Isshin, while Isshin desperately offers Ichigo for compensation when this is all over and begs Ryūken to stop. Ryūken continues to attack Isshin which eventually causes the hospital they are in to explode.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Rudobōn
 * 2) Rukia Kuchiki
 * 3) Renji Abarai
 * 4) Sado Yasutora
 * 5) Yammy Riyalgo
 * 6) Ichigo Kurosaki
 * 7) Ulquiorra Cifer
 * 8) Uryū Ishida
 * 9) Orihime Inoue

Fights

 * Rukia Kuchiki &amp; Sado Yasutora &amp; Renji Abarai vs. Rudobōn
 * Ichigo Kurosaki & Uryū Ishida vs. Ulquiorra Cifer: Final Fight

Powers and Techniques Used
Techniques used: Hollow techniques: Zanpakutō released:
 * El Directo (巨人の一撃 (エル・ディレクト), eru direkuto; Spanish for "The Direct", Japanese for "The Strike of the Giant")
 * Tsugi no mai, Hakuren (次の舞・白漣, Next Dance, White Ripple)
 * Hikōtsu Taihō (狒骨大砲, Baboon Bone Cannon)
 * Calaveras (髑髏兵団 (カラベラス), Karaberasu; Spanish for "Skulls", Japanese for "Weathered Skeleton Soldiers")
 * Cero (虚閃, Hollow Flash)
 * Sonído (響転, Sound Ceremony)
 * Lanza del Relampago (雷霆の槍, Lance of Thunder and Lightning)

Shikai:
 * Sode no Shirayuki (袖白雪, Sleeved White Snow)

Bankai: Resurrección used Other powers
 * Hihiō Zabimaru (狒狒王蛇尾丸, Baboon King Snake Tail; Viz "Baboon King")
 * Tensa Zangetsu (天鎖斬月, Heaven Chain Slaying Moon)
 * Árbol (髑髏樹 (アルボラ), Arubora; Spanish for "Tree", Japanese for "Weathered Skull Tree")
 * Murciélago (黒翼大魔, Black-Winged Great Demon)
 * Resurrección: Segunda Etapa (刀剣解放第二階層, Sword's Release: Second Level)
 * Brazo Derecha de Gigante (巨人の右腕 (ブラソ・デレチャ・デ・ヒガンテ), buraso derecha de higante; Spanish and Japanese for "Right Arm of the Giant")