Climax! Kyōraku vs. Starrk!

'''Climax! Kyōraku vs. Starrk!''' is the two hundred and seventy-seventh episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: June 29th, 2010
 * English Airdate:
 * Opening Song: ChAngE
 * Ending Song: Stay Beautiful
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 361, Chapter 362
 * Kanji: 白熱！京楽ＶＳスターク！
 * Romaji: "Hakunetsu! Kyōraku VS Sutāku!"
 * Arc: The Fake Karakura Town arc

Summary
Soifon takes careful aim with her Bankai, Jakuhō Raikōben, at Baraggan Luisenbarn and fires. The huge rocket flies at the Espada and detonates on impact. The blast created by the explosion is so powerful that combatants on both sides feel it all over fake Karakura. Marechiyo Ōmaeda is thrown back and smashes against a building where he remains pinned by the power of the blast for several seconds. Soifon herself is held at first by the Ginjōhan she was wearing, she looks back at the impact sight asking herself if her attack was successful. The Ginjōhan, however, is caught up in a railing and is soon torn in two; Soifon is then blown away by the blast, but is caught by her lieutenant who, seeing her plight, freed himself from the impact of the blast and with a considerable effort made his way to where he could prevent a serious injury from his captain. Ōmaeda turns Soifon's attention to the sight of the impact and says her attack was successful. Soifon orders her lieutenant to let go of her, since he makes her sick.

Shunsui Kyōraku and Coyote Starrk continue their battle, only Starrk refuses to actively participate in the fighting and merely avoids Kyōraku's swings, at times blocking halfheartedly, but not responding. When the captain complains about his opponent's lack of attitude, Starrk blocks and the two locks swords before pushing back and separating. Kyōraku inquires if something is wrong and asks if it is concern for his comrades that bothers him. This sparks a momentary memory in Starrk of Lilynette and himself in Hueco Mundo, but he shrugs it and tells the captain not to worry about it. Starrk looks at the remnants of the explosion created by Soifon's Bankai and at Hitsugaya's Hyōten Hyakkasō and asks if all the captains' Bankai are as powerful as this. Kyōraku replies that as a Bankai is a Shinigami's secret weapon, all Bankai must be quite powerful. Starrk then asks if Kyōraku's Bankai is stronger than Hitsugaya's, to which Kyōraku replies that perhaps in a hundred years, Hitsugaya, being a prodigy will surpass him. Starrk says that in this case, Kyōraku is still stronger. Hearing this, Kyōraku smiles and throws his kimono down to Jūshirō Ukitake for safe keeping, saying it seems Starrk is finally ready to be serious. Starrk agrees and says he is curious to see Kyōraku's Bankai now, and with that he sheaths his sword.

Starrk shouts for Lilynette, the Fracción is startled but flies to his side straight away, rebuking him for scaring her when she gets there. When Kyōraku asks why she was summoned, Starrk replies that Lilynette and he are one being. An Arrancar's Zanpakutō is the nucleus of their powers sealed in sword form. To release that seal means to unleash the Arrancar's true power and true form. In the process of evolution, other Arrancar crammed their powers into their swords, while he and Lilynette were different, because instead of dividing his power into body and sword, Starrk's power was divided into two bodies. When they become one again, their powers are released. Starrk places his hand on the top of Lilynette's head and she shuts her eyes as she begins to glow and eventually disappears. Starrk releases his Resurrección, Los Lobos, and is engulfed by a cloud of energy. Kyōraku releases his Shikai, Katen Kyōkotsu and prepares for the fight to resume. Lilynette's Zanpakutō, which Ukitake confiscated, dissolves and adds its power to the release. When the cloud around him dissipates, Starrk emerges holding two pistols and announces that he's ready.

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto stands guard over the Jōkaku Enjō where he imprisoned Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen. Gin is excited to feel the Reiatsu of the Espada as they go into Resurrección and that of the captains trying to oppose them. He wishes he could watch it all directly. He asks if there isn't anything they can do against the technique that surrounds them. Tōsen asks him to wait just a little longer as the moment of their release is soon to come.

Starrk picks up his left pistol and calls for Lilynette to get going. When he gets no response he calls for her over and over with diminishing patience, eventually head butting the side of the pistol shouting at her not to ignore him. Only then does the pistol respond in Lilynette's voice complaining that he'd hurt her and possibly split her skull. Starrk orders her to keep quiet as it is her own fault for not answering when he called her. He claims he doesn't know where her head is during their release. When her complaint continues Starrk holsters the other pistol and starts tapping the back of the gun, effectively spanking Lilynette's behind. Lilynette cries in pain but eventually gives in and apologizes. However, she finds an unlikely savior in Kyōraku, who uses his hat as a distraction for a sneak attack on the Espada. Starrk evades and begins to criticize Kyōraku, but The captain is done waiting and unleashes his Bushōgoma which envelopes Starrk. Kyōraku then attacks from a higher point with Takaoni, but before he can complete the attack, Starrk fires a Cero from his right pistol, forcing the captain to retreat. He then points the other pistol at him so that he can finish his sentence, that such an attack is a desperate act, unbecoming of a captain. Kyōraku confesses he intended to end the fight with the first blow, which Starrk dodged. Kyōraku comments that Starrk release isn't just for show an compliments him on his counter attack.

Kyōraku asks if Starrk's guns shoot Ceros, which Starrk acknowledges. When asked if the guns shoot anything else, Starrk denies it. Kyōraku doesn't believe that. He accuses Starrk of lying and asks what the point is of hiding it at this point. Starrk replies that he is not the one hiding his abilities, since he agreed to show his Resurrección, he now demands to see Kyōraku's Bankai. Following this Starrk starts firing multiple Ceros out of his left pistol, which Kyōraku evades by Shunpo. Lilynette criticizes Starrk's marksmanship skills, but Starrk orders her to stay quiet and fires another shot from his right pistol. Kyōraku evades and tells Starrk maybe he shouldn't waste all those shots firing at a moving target. When Starrk attacks the next time, Kyōraku evades using Shunpo and Starrk informs him he has learned his pattern as he points his other pistol and fires just as Kyōraku emerges from the Shunpo. Unable to evade this time, Kyōraku easily blocks the Cero with his Shikai. Starrk compliments Kyōraku, saying he has to re-evaluate the captain. Kyōraku attempts Bushōgoma again, but Starrk easily destroys it with a Cero and is about to holster his right pistol when Kyōraku approaches him, thinking he cannot use the pistol again before holstering it. Starrk surprises the captain by firing a pointblank Cero at him from the stronger right pistol, which Kyōraku believed could only be fired once after holstering. Starrk says this was an error the captain made. He asks what Kyōraku intends to do now.

The captain replies he intends to do nothing, since the Ceros are not enough to kill him, even though Starrk is now stronger because of his release. In response, Starrk fires his Cero Metralleta, in which he rapidly fires a multitude of powerful Ceros at his opponent. Kyōraku is forced to flee, using Shunpo to evade the barrage of Ceros. Starrk ignores Kyōraku's protests and keeps firing. He asks the captain if he doesn't think this way of shooting a Cero isn't effective. He asks Kyōraku if he'd had enough and demands to see his Bankai again. Kyōraku maintains his evading until Ukitake decides to intervene for the help of his friend. Using his Shikai, Sōgyo no Kotowari he stops Starrk's barrage and fires what appears to be a Cero at Starrk, who evades it. Starrk asks if this was indeed the case.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
After Ukitake joins the fight, Lilynette tells Starrk that their only option is to do "that". Starrk agrees and begins to shoot flags, flowers and birds from his pistols. When Ukitake and Kyōraku applaud, Starrk says that they have lost their will to fight.

Fights

 * Shunsui Kyōraku & Jūshirō Ukitake vs. Coyote Starrk

Powers and Techniques Used
Techniques used:
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Shinigami techniques:

Hollow techniques:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Bankai:

Resurrección:
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