10th Division's Death Struggle! The Release of Hyōrinmaru

'''10th Division's Death Struggle! The Release of Hyōrinmaru''' is the one-hundred-fourth episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: November 22, 2006
 * English Airdate: March 7, 2009
 * Opening Song: Rolling Star
 * Ending Song: Baby It's You
 * Manga Chapters: None
 * Kanji: 死闘十番隊！氷輪丸を放て
 * Romaji: "Shitō jū ban tai! Hyōrinmaru o hanate"
 * Arc: Bount Assault on Soul Society arc

Summary
Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Rangiku Matsumoto find the defeated Shinigami and realize that they are after the Bount that Izuru Kira faced in the Human World. It is when Renji Abarai also arrives on the scene that Hitsugaya gets acquainted with the modified soul - Kurōdo - used to track the Bount. The captain borrows Kurōdo so that he can search for Gō Koga, and Matsumoto directs their troops using Hell Butterflies. For now, Koga lowers his spiritual power and goes into hiding in the sewers. His goal is to find Jin Kariya, but he is hindered by the fact that the Shinigami are searching everywhere for him. Upon learning that one of the Shinigami groups has suddenly encountered Daraku, Hitsugaya and Matsumoto go to help, but Koga soon disappears again. Kurōdo helps them track Koga down and alert a group of Koga’s presence. Having noticed that there are Hell Butterflies being used for communication, Koga has Daraku destroy them all at once. He then goes out to attack one of the Shinigami groups.

Hitsugaya and Matsumoto eventually discover their fallen, but still alive men. The captain decides to go after Koga by himself and quickly finds the Bount. He first has to face Daraku, but she proves to be no match for him as he is able to cut her apart and freeze her. By using his Shikai, he is able to free himself when she traps him inside her body. A concerned Koga tries to get his doll to stop, but she is not about to give up. The captain manages to dodge one of her attacks, but is kicked in the gut by Koga himself. Hitsugaya responds by using his Shikai to completely swallow Daraku and shatter her to pieces. He is confused about why Koga does not die after Daraku is gone. At first, Koga does not answer him and instead explains that his duty was to discipline and train the young Bount. But the answer to why he is still around is because Daraku is not really dead. Koga is able to form her shattered body into a large battle axe, and he claims that she is still alive inside the metal.

Hitsugaya activates his Bankai and clashes with the charging Koga. The captain then takes to the sky and rains down icy pillars towards Koga, though the Bount is able to dodge them all. Koga cuts down one of the pillars and uses it to jump up towards Hitsugaya, but the end result of this attack has Koga going head to head with an ice dragon. A weakened Koga recovers by sucking up some soul particles and charges one last time. Hitsugaya slashes through Koga and shatters the Daraku axe. With Koga realizing that he has lost, Hitsugaya questions what Koga was going to do by following Kariya. Koga answers that there was nothing he could do and that the problem was between him and Kariya. When Hitsugaya asks where he was trying to go, Koga simply responds that it towards a future without conflict. He then collapses and blocks of ice fall on his body.

Characters in order of appearance

 * 1) Gō Koga
 * 2) Rangiku Matsumoto
 * 3) Tōshirō Hitsugaya
 * 4) Renji Abarai
 * 5) Kurōdo

Powers and Techniques used
Dolls summoned: Techniques used: Zanpakutō release:
 * Dalk
 * Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash steps)
 * Zanjutsu (斬術, Cutting Technique)

Shikai: Bankai:
 * Hyōrinmaru (氷輪丸, "Ice Ring")
 * Daiguren Hyōrinmaru (大紅蓮 氷輪丸, "Grand Crimson Lotus Ice Ring"; Viz "Great Roaring Coldly Shining Moon")