Revival! Substitute Shinigami･Ichigo Kurosaki!

 is the three hundred and sixty-second episode of the Bleach anime.

Summary
Ichigo Kurosaki powers up a Getsuga Tenshō and fires it in Kūgo Ginjō's direction. The attack misses, but leader of Xcution stands stunned by the overwhelming power as the attack slices his mansion neatly in half. Dazed, he looks to Ichigo, who apologizes for his attack being inaccurate, but assures him that the next time he uses it, he won't be.

Kūgo is shocked further by his words and seeing the resolution in Ichigo's eyes, decides to turn and flee the battle, realizing that he must regroup with his comrades. However, Ichigo easily catches up with him, grabs him by the shoulder and asserts that he will not let him escape. He then casts Kūgo to the ground and the two continue to battle one another, cutting a felled tree in half in the process.

They continue to clash, taking their battle to the sky as Kūgo wonders if giving him a Fullbring has increased Ichigo's innate abilities. Kūgo fires his green energy blade at Ichigo, but he easily blocks that attack with his Zanpakutō. Ichigo then charges another massive Getsuga Tenshō and directs it at Kūgo, who tries his hardest to block it, insisting that it will take more than that attack to defeat him. However, he is soon overwhelmed and falls to the ground as the attack dissipates. Left alone, Ichigo reflect on how his powers feel very different, staring at his hand as he clenches and unclenches it.

The Shinigami appear behind him, as Renji Abarai asks him if he feels the change. Ichigo deduces that not only can he feel the powers of those present, but every Shinigami he has ever encountered in his dealings with Soul Society including his father, Isshin Kurosaki. Rukia Kuchiki confirmed that he now possesses all of their powers. Ichigo reminds them that transferring their powers to a Human is a terrible crime in the Soul Society. Renji smirks and informs him that they did not have a choice as they were ordered to give some of their power.

In a captain's meeting, Kisuke Urahara had brought the special sword to plead the case to give Ichigo his powers back using their own. To the shock of Retsu Unohana, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto ordered a break in the tradition due to the debt they owe Ichigo for saving the Soul Society; he ordered that all captains and lieutenants were to place some of their power into Urahara's specially designed sword so that Ichigo could regain his abilities. The knowledge stuns Ichigo and Renji asks him if he agrees that it was nice of Yamamoto to make such a decision.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya disagrees with Renji and asserts that the decision was not one you would expect a sane leader to do and go against the rules. He insists that in the past, Yamamoto would never have made a decision like that. The difference is that now, Yamamoto recognizes the changes that Ichigo's actions and battles have made on the once rigid rules of the Seireitei; that receiving part of everyone's power was a result of his actions and he should accept the power with honor.

Hitsugaya's words are interrupted by a violent explosion of purple Reiatsu behind Ichigo, stunning him. Hitsugaya advances and explains that Kūgo was the second reason Yamamoto granted Ichigo their power. He explained that long before Ichigo ever invaded the Soul Society, there was another Substitute Shinigami who had emerged, causing for the badge and law regarding them to be created. As a transformed Kūgo emerges from the Reiatsu, Hitsugaya confirms that Kūgo was the original and only other Substitute Shinigami.

Byakuya Kuchiki interrupts Hitsugaya and asserts that they leave explanations for later and to concentrate on dealing with Kūgo. Kūgo maniacally agrees with Byakuya's words, confirming there would be a problem if Ichigo wasn't focused on defeating him. He goes on to thank Ichigo, maintaining that had he not stolen his powers, he would not have survived Ichigo's last massive Getsuga Tenshō. The only two Substitute Shinigami in existence stare at each other, Ichigo calmly returning Kūgo's gaze.

In the forest, Yasutora Sado and Orihime Inoue rush towards the scene of the battle. Orihime is still under the influence of Shūkurō Tsukishima's abilities and wonders why Ichigo was crying when he is Tsukishima's friend as well. Rushing to the scene, she begins crying over how things have turned out, wondering why Ichigo has turned against their friend. She remembers that Tsukishima was the one who had always protected her when she was growing up, before she met Ichigo and that she would do anything he said. However, she cannot fathom why it hurts so much to see Ichigo crying after making himself Tsukishima's enemy.

She asserts that seeing him cry hurt in almost every part of her body, in her mind, in her heart and in the pit of her stomach. Shedding tears her own painful tears, she mentally tells Ichigo, over and over, not to cry anymore before screaming the words as well. When she arrives on the scene, she sees that Ichigo is no longer crying and feels a massive amount of relief at this. Orihime then spots the other Shinigami that are present in the area and expresses joy that her friends from the Soul Society have arrived to stop Ichigo from mistakenly killing their mutual friend, Kūgo.

Sado catches up with her and realizes something is amiss with the situation as the Shinigami are standing with Ichigo, facing Kūgo and not the other way around. Sado deduces that they have, in fact, come to the World of the Living to defeat Kūgo, not Ichigo. Smirking, Tsukishima appears behind them and asks the stunned teenagers if they are having doubts about their past. He reminds Orihime that he was the one who protected her from when she was a baby, replacing her brother Sora with himself in her memories, insisting he raised her. He reminds Sado that he was the one who had given him his treasured pendant, taking the role of Sado's beloved Abuelo in his past.

Both Orihime and Sado begin to sense that something is very wrong with their memories, as Tsukishima crams more memories into their pasts. They begin to shake violently and sweat profusely, unsteadily admitting that while they trust Tsukishima and care for him, they feel that something is very terribly wrong in the pits of their stomachs. Kūgo tells Tsukishima to stop cramming their minds with memories before they become unusable. He reminds Tsukishima that he has ruined too many of their human tools doing just that. Just then, to Tsukishima's utter surprise, Urahara and Isshin arrive on the scene. They knock the two struggling friends unconscious and catch them.

Isshin moans that he has the wrong end of the deal, having to hold Sado who is much heavier than Orihime. Urahara joyfully thanks Tsukishima for carelessly overloading the minds of Sado and Orihime, thus making it a lot easier to knock them out. He asserts that now that they are unconscious, they no longer have to suffer any more than they already have. He also reveals that they have acquired Tsukishima's other victims and brought them to a safe location where they will be safe. They intend to take Orihime and Sado to the other victims so that Ichigo can fight without cause for concern over their wellbeing.

The remaining members of Xcution arrive and demand to know why Kūgo has not shared Ichigo's powers with them, as he had previously promised. Despite this, Riruka Dokugamine insists that she does not want Ichigo's powers, but Kūgo slashes them all anyway, transferring a portion of Ichigo's powers into each one of them, causing their powers to greatly increase and their attire to change as well. Riruka is the only one who is upset by this, her head remaining lowered and her arms folded across her chest in an insecure fashion when their powers receive an upgrade.

Giriko Kutsuzawa proclaims that the enhancement provided by Ichigo's Fullbring feels wonderful, as if the power of youth is flowing through his body. Yukio Hans Vorarlberna grumbles that Giriko is making comments that are stereotypical of an old man. Tsukishima approaches Kūgo and asks if he is going to give some of Ichigo's power to Moe Shishigawara, but Kūgo declares that he is enough trouble as it is without the enhancement, ordering Tsukishima to kill him when the battle is over. Tsukishima expresses regret at this, mentioning that he thought Moe had an interesting ability.

Giriko challenges Ichigo to come and feel the power he has given them. Ikkaku Madarame steps forward to accept the challenge whilst mocking Giriko's cockiness. However, Ichigo insists that since his powers have done this thus he will be the on to go. He lands on the ground and Giriko berates him for trying to take on them all alone. Without replying, Ichigo swings his sword at them all, causing a large explosion of Reiatsu behind him that blasts the members of Xcution away from the area, injuring them all. Ichigo states that he went easy on them and they should all be alive.

Instead of admitting defeat, Yukio calmly asks Ichigo what he is talk about. He declares Ichigo to be a joke for thinking that he had dealt with them all so easily and believing himself to be that cool. The world around Ichigo and his fallen enemies begins to digitally distort, much like it would do inside the screen of Yukio's game console, revealing every one of them to be unharmed. Yukio declares that Ichigo did not achieve a knock out, but in fact, his enemies had all evaded his attack.

Yukio elaborates that he was able to use his new Digital Radial Invaders abilities in the Real World because he had been given some of Ichigo's Fullbring. He goes into further details by explaining that because Ichigo's Fullbring powers were physically worn and emitted outward, it allows him to expand the area of incursion of his own Fullbring, Invaders Must Die, beyond the screen of his game console. He was thus able to create the illusion of where the members of Xcution were, fooling Ichigo into attacking the wrong beings.

Ikkaku intervenes, declaring Ichigo to be too soft, using his Hōzukimaru to stab Yukio through the chest from behind. He berates Ichigo for striking at the enemies with the back of his blade, holding up Yukio's body as he does so, telling him to kill them for starting this fight. As he talks, a digital spear almost pierces him from behind, but Hitsugaya shatters the spear and stops the attack. Yukio's body disappears before he reappears, alive and well, in front of the captain, who orders Ikkaku to keep his wits about him.

Yukio compliments Hitsugaya's insight and asks should he give him a bonus point, but the captain declines politely. Moe suddenly appears and tries to punch Ikkaku, but the Shinigami evades the attack which opens a small crater in the ground. Ikkaku demands to know who he is. As the other Shinigami move to get involved, each of their paths is blocked by one member of Xcution, with Yukio commenting that they all paired up nicely and creates and individual room for each pair; Ichigo against Kūgo; Byakuya against Tsukishima; Riruka against Rukia; Ikkaku against Moe; Renji against Jackie Tristan; Hitsugaya against Yukio; and Kenpachi Zaraki against Giriko.

At the last minute, Kenpachi decides that Byakuya's opponent look stronger than his own and tries to get him to swap, but is unable to penetrate the growing barrier between them. Giriko states that he is insulted by his words, since he is insinuating that he is weak. However, Kenpachi tells him to shut up, since cutting down small fry is not entertaining for him. Giriko replied that he is clearly a muscled idiot who needs crushed by force. He activates his new Fullbring, transforming into a green beast, asking Kenpachi what he thinks since his Time Tells No Lies allows him a contract for exceedingly simple increases in power. Giriko declares himself to be more powerful than anyone, but he is swiftly cut in half by a bored Kenpachi, ending his life.

Fights

 * Death & Strawberry: Deathberry Returns (concluded)
 * Kenpachi Zaraki vs. Giriko Kutsuzawa (concluded)

Powers and Techniques Used
Techniques used:
 * Energy Blade
 * Energy Blade

Shinigami techniques

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Fullbring used: