A New Enemy! The Materialization of Zanpakutō

'''A New Enemy! The Materialization of Zanpakutō''' is the two-hundred thirtieth episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: July 28, 2009
 * English Airdate:
 * Opening Song: Shōjo S
 * Ending Song: Mad Surfer
 * Manga Chapters: None
 * Kanji: 新たなる敵！斬魄刀実体化
 * Romaji: "Arata naru teki! Zanpakutō jittai-ka"
 * Arc: Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc

Summary
A group of ryoka, led by a mysterious man, attacks Soul Society. Meanwhile, the Gotei 13 members feel a strange disturbance occurring within their Zanpakutō. The group of ryoka first appear at the entrance to the 1st Division barracks. The first to encounter them are Vice-Captain Chōjirō Sasakibe and Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Immediately after the encounter, an emergency meeting is called by Captain Yamamoto at Sōkyoku Hill. Captain Kenpachi Zaraki would not attend, claiming that he was too bored. With all of the Captains and Vice-Captains waiting for Yamamoto's appearance, Vice-Captain Chōjirō Sasakibe suddenly appears before collapsing in front of everyone.

A mysterious ryoka, calling himself Muramasa, appears before them, claiming that Yamamoto would not be attending the meeting. An incensed Captain Sajin Komamura releases his Bankai, even while Muramasa claims that his Zanpakutō attacks will not work. When Komamura attacks anyway, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō instead attacks its wielder. Confused, Komamura can only watch his Bankai disappear, just before Tenken's true form appears before him physically and attacks, causing him to collapse after losing a short battle.

When Muramasa cries blood, explosions promptly occur in the nearby housings and other manifested Zanpakutō spirits, in their true form, attack the other Shinigami. This includes Shūhei Hisagi's Kazeshini, Rukia Kuchiki's Sode no Shirayuki, Ikkaku Madarame's Hōzukimaru, Momo Hinamori's Tobiume and Rangiku Matsumoto's Haineko. Then, all of the manifested Zanpakutō spirits gather on a raised area on top of the Sōkyoku Hill, where Muramasa claims that the Zanpakutō will now control the Shinigami; effectively declaring revolution. In addition, the materialized forms of Tōshirō Hitsugaya's Hyōrinmaru, Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi's Ashisogi Jizō appear seemingly out of thin air and walk past their former masters in order to stand at Muramasa's side.

Trivia

 * This is the first episode of the filler arc being called, or, informally, the Zanpakutō Rebellion arc.
 * The Zanpakutō Strange Tales arc is also the first filler arc in which Tite Kubo is said to be giving technical advice; most likely on the appearance of the manifested Zanpakutō spirits. It can then be inferred that the appearance of the manifested Zanpakutō spirits is how Kubo intends them to appear if he ever decides to focus on them, no matter how briefly, in future manga chapters.