Sayonara...Rangiku

 is the three hundred and eighth episode of the Bleach anime.

Ichigo emerges from his training and forces Aizen into battle away from Karakura Town

Summary
As Gin is stabbed by Aizen, a flashback is shown of a snowy day. Rangiku regains consciousness and remarks that Hakufuku must have been used. At the battle, in Gin’s hand the Hōgyoku disintegrates and then rebuilds itself to take on the shape of a cross much similar to the one in Aizen’s chest. As he reaches for it, Aizen reflects on how he arrived at the solution that was the Hōgyoku even before Kisuke Urahara but it was a failure. Aizen goes on to remember how he curved out the soul of hundreds of Shinigami and residents of Rukongai with Shinigami potential in an attempt to complete the Hōgyoku but how the Hōgyoku was not satisfied. In addition, Urahara's research notes showed that Urahara's Hōgyoku was also incomplete. As a result Aizen decided to take Urahara's Hōgyoku to give it to his Hōgyoku.

Aizen grabs Gin’s wrist before he can take the Hōgyoku; he effortlessly rips off his arm and stabs him through the chest. Looking down at Gin, Aizen says that fear is necessary for the evolution of the Hōgyoku. He thanks Gin for helping him get this far. He has now become something much more powerful than a Shinigami and Hollow. Gin’s fear could have been eliminated at any moment but Aizen needed it to help the Hōgyoku evolve. Aizen then thanks Gin for his efforts. Meanwhile, the Humans in Karakura Town -- still running -- wonder if Gin and Aizen have finished each other off, but they are suddenly interrupted when Gin is thrown through a building. They then see Aizen walk into view; Keigo wonders what he is even when Aizen's Reiatsu paralyzes them as he approaches Gin.

On the brink of death, Gin recalls the memory of a snowy night. He remembers how Rangiku ran out to him in the snow asking him why he has Shinigami clothes and where he got them. Gin wrapped the Shihakushō around himself and replied that he wants to become a Shinigami and change things for her so that she wouldn't have to cry any more. He is pulled away from the memory when he hears Rangiku scream his name as she jumps off the rooftop to him below. As he sees her he thinks how it didn't work and how in the end he couldn't get back what was taken from Rangiku. He thinks how fortunate it was that he apologized in advance. As she realizes that he is near death Rangiku starts crying. From behind Aizen closes in on them, Rangiku continues to grieve not noticing Aizen. Just before he can harm her, Ichigo arrives with his unconscious father slung on his shoulder. He looks different from before with a chain wrapped around his arm.

Ichigo promptly thanks his unconscious father (now sporting a beard) and puts him down. Ichigo's friends notice that Ichigo's appearance is significantly altered. His hair seems longer and he looks a bit taller. Also, his right arm seems to have a black glove on it, which mostly covers his hand and forearm. Also, Tensa Zangetsu has changed as its guard has become more pronounced and seemingly messy looking, almost taped together. Its chain has also increased in length to encompass the whole of Ichigo's right arm, which also has the sleeve of his Shihakushō removed. Ichigo then looks into the distance, closes his eyes and remarks that his sisters are all right. Ichigo then takes notice of all his friends, although he trips up on Zennosuke’s name, calling him "Imoyama-san", leading to a maddened Zennosuke. Ichigo calmly tells them to stay there and he will deal with Aizen. Tatsuki then comments to herself that she can't sense any of Ichigo's reiatsu, whereas Aizen's is overwhelming.

Aizen is shown to be puzzled too, as he asks if he really is Ichigo, to which Ichigo asks what he means. Aizen then remarks that he is disheartened, because he cannot sense any reiatsu from him. He then goes on to say that he gave Ichigo one last chance to evolve and face him but he failed. Ichigo calmly ignores him and looks at a crying Rangiku and a half-dead Gin. Gin remembers Ichigo's many faces of fear in his eyes, but looking at them now quips them as "strong". Silently, he resolves that Ichigo will finish what he could not and eventually defeat Aizen. Aizen then remarks how unfortunate Ichigo's lack of evolution is; however, he is interrupted by Ichigo who tells Aizen that he wishes to fight elsewhere. Aizen states that it doesn't matter, because only a being that can actually fight him should make that proposal. He sneers and goes on to say that Ichigo couldn't possibly do any damage to him. Suddenly, Ichigo grabs Aizen's face forcibly pushing him over a few miles and throws him into the ground -- all with minimal effort. The latter grips his visibly bruised face in disbelief that he was pushed and thrown by brute force alone. Ichigo then tells Aizen to get ready and that he will "end this in a single instant".

Aizen claims to understand Ichigo's "lack of reiatsu", that he hasn't "parted" with it, but instead "thrown it away." Although he does not know how, he postulates that Ichigo converted all his reiatsu into physical power for his spiritual body; be it arm strength, leg strength, grip strength, throw strength, or running speed, all his physical abilities have received rapid growth in exchange for discarding his reiatsu, as he has given up trying to compete with Aizen's. Aizen is undaunted, however, advising Ichigo to forsake all hope -- that despite his new physical prowess, he will still be unable to reach him. He then warps behind Ichigo in an attempt to strike him. The two clash and a mountain in the distance is instantly obliterated. Aizen comments on his ability to shape the earth with a single swing of his sword, that even he didn't expect his power to grow that much; he thanks Ichigo for now he can test his power transcending Hollow and Shinigami to his heart's content. Then the two begin trading blows, destroying much of the surrounding area in the process and they eventually clash their Zanpakutō's against each other.

Aizen comments on the similarity of their Zanpakutō's agglutination with their arms as an evolutionary discovery, that perhaps that is the proper form they should take. However, he says he understands the dimensions of their evolutions are different and that if he wished it, he could destroy Ichigo's in a single blow; he prepares a back-swing only for Ichigo to stop it barehanded as the earth around them shatters. Aizen is stunned; he could understand if Ichigo was to dodge it, even if Ichigo shouldn't be fast enough to do so, but for Ichigo to stop his strike is simply ridiculous to him. Ichigo asks if Aizen is surprised because something he can't understand actually occurred. Aizen pulls back, telling Ichigo not to speak so triumphantly, that he only managed to momentarily exceed his own physical strength and nothing more, something of a miracle. Aizen decides to unleash a full incantation of Hadō #90 Kurohitsugi, so as to prevent any further miracles by crushing him to atoms. Aizen lauds over his perfect casting with his power transcending Hollow and Shinigami, to create a torrent of gravity capable of warping space time, such that a being like Ichigo cannot even begin to comprehend. Ichigo allows the spell to surround him only to shatter it with the swing of his arm. As it crumbles, he notes that Aizen didn't notice, that he is stronger than him right now and that the mountain was obliterated not by Aizen's sword but by his, before rushing in to strike.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
Kon wakes up in the street - inside Ichigo's body. Since he's not sure if it's safe enough to get up he stays there, pretending to still be unconscious. Unfortunately for him he is spotted by the members of the 12th Division, who take great interest in this peculiar phenomenon.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Gin Ichimaru
 * 2) Sōsuke Aizen
 * 3) Rangiku Matsumoto (flashback)
 * 4) Mizuiro Kojima
 * 5) Don Kanonji
 * 6) Keigo Asano
 * 7) Zennosuke Kurumadani
 * 8) Tatsuki Arisawa
 * 9) Chizuru Honshō
 * 10) Ichigo Kurosaki
 * 11) Isshin Kurosaki

Fights

 * Gin Ichimaru vs. Sōsuke Aizen (concluded)
 * Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Sōsuke Aizen

Powers and Techniques Used
Kidō used
 * (flashback)
 * Hadō #90,

Zanpakutō released Bankai: