Assemble! The Gotei 13

 is the twenty-fourth episode of the Bleach anime.

As Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends begin their preparations to get into the Seireitei, the Gotei 13 captains assemble for a meeting.

Summary
With Ichigo Kurosaki stunned to learn that she is a fireworks expert as he stands with his friends in front of her Kakaku Taihō, Kūkaku Shiba affirms her statement before looking up and commanding Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko to raise it. Outside, a crank rises in front of Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko, who each grab one side as they begin to enthusiastically turn it in unison. When the floor beneath them begins shaking, Ichigo and his friends realize that they and the Kakaku Taihō are rising.

The smokestack behind Kūkaku's house shatters and crumbles as the Kakaku Taihō rises up through it, and the ceiling above Ichigo and his friends begins pulling back in two halves to create a circular opening, to their disbelief. Turning the crank faster and faster, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko come to a stop and point to the Kakaku Taihō upon fully raising it above ground while Ichigo and his friends can only stare in astonishment. As she inquires if they are scared, Kūkaku declares that this is her fireworks stage.

When Ganju Shiba excitedly tells Ichigo and his friends the name of the Kakaku Taihō, an annoyed Kūkaku kicks him over and admonishes him for saying it before her, which he meekly apologizes for while lying on the floor. However, when he and his friends are teased about being speechless by Kūkaku, Uryū Ishida assumes that she is joking and asserts that she could not possibly fire them into the Seireitei with the Kakaku Taihō even if she is a fireworks expert, only for Kūkaku to suddenly hit him in the face by the Reishūkaku, breaking his glasses, as it spins before launching itself into a confused Ichigo's hands while Uryū collapses.

Looking at the Reishūkaku, Ichigo questions what it is, prompting Kūkaku to reveal its name and instruct him to channel his Reiryoku into it while he holds it, only for Ichigo to attempt to squeeze it for several seconds before asking Kūkaku how one channels their Reiryoku. Perplexed by this, Kūkaku indicates what she is referring to by creating an orb of energy in her left and points out that Ichigo should know how to use Kidō if he is a Shinigami. Upon being informed by Yoruichi Shihōin that Ichigo is an inexperienced Shinigami who cannot use Kidō, a surprised Kūkaku bemoans this and orders Ganju to demonstrate instead.

Ganju agrees and attempts to take the Reishūkaku from Ichigo, who repeatedly moves it out of his reach in response. Angered by this, Ganju demands to know if Ichigo wants to fight, and as the latter proclaims that he would rather die than be taught by Ganju, an irritated Kūkaku hits them both in the head and tells them to cut it out while they meekly apologize. After getting to his feet, Ganju holds the Reishūkaku in his hands and imbues it with his Reiryoku, causing it to glow blue, and grunts with exertion before using the Reishūkaku to create a spherical barrier around his body, to the astonishment of Ichigo and his friends.

As she taps the barrier with her hand to demonstrate its solidity, Kūkaku refers to it as the cannonball and explains how the wall surrounding the Seireitei is made of Sekkiseki, an ore rare even in Soul Society, which she places a fragment of on the floor before slamming her hand into it, resulting in a spherical area around the Sekkiseki being destroyed while the fragment and the small portion of the floor it is sitting on remain intact. Kūkaku reveals that this is due to Sekkiseki breaking down Reiryoku on contact, which makes it impossible to bore through the wall with Reiryoku, and picks up the fragment, causing the intact floor it was sitting on to crumble.

Detailing how Sekkiseki also emits a wave that breaks down Reiryoku from all sides even when cut, Kūkaku informs Ichigo and his friends that this surrounds the Seireitei in a spherical barrier extending high into the sky and deep underground, known as the Shakonmaku. With Ichigo and his friends stunned by this, Kūkaku declares that this is where the cannonball comes in, and when a visibly fatigued Ganju complains about his exhaustion, Kūkaku orders him to keep maintaining the barrier before elaborating that Ichigo and his friends all infusing the Reishūkaku with Reiryoku at once will create a cannonball that can break through the Shakonmaku.

After concluding with her intention to fire that cannonball out of the Kakaku Taihō so it can pierce through the Shakonmaku, Kūkaku asks Ichigo and his friends if they have any questions. Though Ichigo attempts to ask one, Kūkaku tells them that they are dismissed and instructs them to practice concentrating their Reiryoku in the dojo before ordering Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko to take them there, which they comply with by grabbing one Ryoka in each hand, to their bewilderment. Watching this unfold, Kūkaku informs Ichigo and his friends that losing their concentration while using the Reishūkaku will cause an explosion, shocking Ichigo.

While Ichigo points out that she should have told them about this earlier, Kūkaku simply tells him and his friends to practice hard as Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko carry them back to her house. Turning to a collapsed Ganju, Kūkaku tells him that he did a good job and requests that he help teach Ichigo and his friends how to use the Reishūkaku. As he gets to his feet, Ganju asks Kūkaku if she is really going to help them, and when she questions what he means, Ganju asserts that he is against helping a Shinigami because he does not know what he would say to his brother, Kaien Shiba, only for Kūkaku to coldly remind him that he is never to speak of that.

Kūkaku orders Ganju to go if he understands and to never show such a weak face in front of them, prompting Ganju to jump off the platform and run toward the house as well. Meanwhile, in the Seireitei, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai walks along a corridor with 7th Division Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba and puts on his lieutenant's badge while noting that this is the first time he has ever had to wear it. After admitting that this is the first time he has been forced to wear it too, Iba recalls the order all the lieutenants received to put on their badges and wait in the second conference room, which he observes is interesting, as he and Renji reach their destination.

When Renji and Iba open the door to the conference room, 5th Division Lieutenant Momo Hinamori greets them while sitting against a wall. Upon being asked if no one else has shown up yet, Hinamori confirms this as 10th Division Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto enters the room and observes that the lieutenants are all working diligently across Soul Society, which will likely prevent them from all coming together for around half a day. Rangiku walks across the room while complaining about her inability to contact her captain, Renji inquires who her captain is, and when Iba reminds him that it is Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Renji wryly comments on him being the genius boy.

Suddenly, Hinamori asks Renji if he has seen her captain, Sōsuke Aizen, which he nervously denies, and tearfully explains how he has been acting strange recently while refusing to tell her what is going on. Unnerved by this, Renji moves closer to Hinamori and assures her that there is nothing to worry about because this summons will likely be cancelled soon. Internally, Renji recalls his earlier meeting with Aizen and wonders what is going on. Back in the dojo underneath Kūkaku's house, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko attempt to instruct Ichigo on how to properly channel his Reiryoku into the Reishūkaku, but Ichigo continues to struggle while his friends watch.

Holding Reishūkaku of their own, Orihime Inoue, Uryū, and Yasutora Sado question the instructions Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko are giving while Ichigo angrily demands that they explain it better. As he watches this from the corner of the room, Ganju scratches his nose and sighs. Outside, with dusk approaching, Kūkaku finishes pouring two cups of sake and apologizes for deciding to help a Shinigami like the one who killed him as she picks up one of the cups. However, Kūkaku observes that he would likely scold her for not helping them if he were still alive because he loved Shinigami and died as one before drinking her cup of sake.

Back in the dojo, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko have each of the Ryoka form a barrier with the Reishūkaku: Orihime forms a perfectly spherical barrier, which Shiroganehiko praises her for, Uryū forms a slender and oval-shaped barrier that draws in Reishi, which Shiroganehiko notes likely reflects his body shape, and Sado creates a barrier that lightly fluctuates in size, which Shiroganehiko praises as unstable but powerful. However, when told to make a barrier as well, Ichigo can only cause a small amount of energy to emerge from the Reishūkaku despite his great exertion, leading Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko to begin berating him for his failure.

With Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko concluding that he has no talent at all, an enraged Ichigo hits Shiroganehiko in the face with the Reishūkaku and begins beating Koganehiko up while demanding that he be taught something useful. Later that night, an exhausted and sweating Ichigo remains unable to use the Reishūkaku properly and kneels in front of his concerned friends. Opening the door to the dojo, Taichi Miyamoto informs Ganju that dinner is ready, and when Ganju passes this on to Ichigo and his friends while noting that they must be hungry, Uryū realizes this is true as Ganju explains that they were not fed in the Rukongai because its denizens do not use Reiryoku.

Though Ganju tells them to go eat, Ichigo's friends are uncertain, but when Ichigo assures him that he will join them after he finishes his training, Uryū and Sado decide to do so. However, when Uryū asks her if she is coming as well, Orihime claims that she will wait down here because she is not hungry at all, only for her growling stomach to disprove her immediately. While Orihime tries to cheerfully brush this off as her not realizing how hungry she is, Ichigo insists that she go eat because he will be fine. Orihime attempts to claim that she wants to practice some more, only to change her mind and grow quiet when Ichigo solemnly requests that she leave.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Orihime agrees due to Ichigo himself asking her and pushes Sado and Uryū out of the room, to their surprise, before closing the door behind them, leaving Ichigo and Ganju in the dojo. Attempting repeatedly to use the Reishūkaku with varying results, Ichigo eventually drops it on the floor, where it rolls away, as he pants heavily. With Ichigo cursing his failure, Ganju picks up the Reishūkaku and begins spinning it on his finger while inquiring if the Shinigami that Ichigo intends to save is really that important to him. When Ichigo denies this, Ganju expresses confusion as Ichigo grabs the Reishūkaku back from him.

Upon learning that Ichigo did not promises to save Rukia Kuchiki, Ganju assumes that she must have promised to pay him a lot of money if he saved her, but an annoyed Ichigo points out that he cannot use money from Soul Society in the Human World. However, when Ganju demands to know why he is so determined, he is stunned by Ichigo stating that he owes Rukia. Ichigo explains how Rukia saved his life, which he has not repaid her for yet, by giving him her Shinigami powers so he could save his family even though they had just met. Revealing that this is why she was arrested and sentenced to execution, Ichigo asserts that he is not pathetic enough to turn his back on her.

With Ganju left staring at him, Ichigo inquires what he is looking at. Suddenly, Ganju grabs the Reishūkaku out of Ichigo's hands, and as the latter tells him to give it back, Ganju walks to the other side of the room while claiming that he is going to practice and ordering Ichigo to not look at or listen to him. Noting that he is going to be reviewing his personal trick for using the Reishūkaku, which surprises Ichigo, Ganju holds the Reishūkaku up to his chest and details how he visualizes a dark and heavy circle in his mind that he proceeds to jump into, and as a spherical barrier forms around his body, Ganju tells a stunned Ichigo that this is the basis of all Kidō.

As he lets the barrier fade, Ganju holds up the Reishūkaku and declares that it is a very easy technique which he did not even need to practice before tossing the Reishūkaku back to Ichigo. Walking out of the room, Ganju apologizes for bothering Ichigo and shuts the door, leaving an embarrassed Ichigo to criticize his terrible acting. After stepping into the center of the room, Ichigo prepares to use Ganju's visualization technique. Meanwhile, as he and Sado finish their meals in the dining area, Uryū expresses his thanks, only to notice that Orihime has barely touched her food and inquire if she is done. Orihime attempts to confirm this, but her growling stomach interrupts once more.

After punching her stomach repeatedly, Orihime tells an unnerved Uryū and Sado that she is full, prompting Uryū to assure her that she does not need to go this far and that they will not tell anyone. When Orihime admits that she was planning on bringing it to Ichigo, Uryū realizes that he still has not come up from the dojo. Suddenly, the three of them feel an intense Reiatsu permeating the area as Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko see one of the stone arms holding up the banner outside beginning to crack and break apart, leading them to believe that it will fall over. With Orihime recognizing it as Ichigo's Reiatsu, Uryū decides that they should go to him.

In the hall outside the dojo, Kūkaku runs up to a stunned Ganju, who is sitting against the wall, and demands to know what is happening, prompting Ganju to apologize to her because he only showed him the technique once and did not expect this to happen. As Orihime, Sado, Uryū, Koganehiko, and Shiroganehiko watch in astonishment from another part of the dojo, Kūkaku opens the door and is shocked to see Ichigo generating a large and powerful barrier with the Reishūkaku while sweating. Upon being instructed by Kūkaku to condense his Reiryoku, Ichigo manages to shrink his barrier down to a normal size and looks around before declaring that he did it.

However, when Orihime congratulates him and Ichigo turns his head to thank her, a small section of his barrier begins to distort, and Kūkaku berates him for losing his concentration as the barrier cracks and explodes, shaking the Kakaku Taihō with its force. Afterwards, Kūkaku angrily reminds him of her warning about a loss of concentration resulting in an explosion while stepping on an incapacitated Ichigo's head, which he meekly acknowledges, and when Ganju attempts to claim superiority over Ichigo for his mistake, Kūkaku punches him in the face and declares that he is just as guilty before deciding that neither of them get dinner tonight, to their shock, while Orihime smiles.

Meanwhile, in the First Division barracks in the Seireitei, [33rd Division]] Captain Gin Ichimaru stands outside the doors to the captains' assembly hall, which open to reveal almost all of the other captains standing on either side of the room - 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Hitsugaya, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, 4th Division Captain Retsu Unohana, 2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng, Aizen, 7th Division Captain Sajin Komamura, 9th Division Captain Kaname Tōsen, and 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, with Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto sitting on the other end of the hall.

As Yamamoto acknowledges his arrival, Gin walks into the hall and comments on how all the captains who control Soul Society have been assembled just for him, only to notice that 13th Division Captain Jūshirō Ukitake is absent. With Gin wondering if something happened to him, Tōsen states that he has fallen ill again, and as Gin expresses sympathy for him, Kenpachi berates him for joking around and reminds Gin of how he fought the Ryoka by himself earlier before demanding that he explain why he failed because a captain should have no trouble with four or five Ryoka. However, Gin merely acts surprised about them not dying, to Kenpachi's confusion.

Gin asserts that he thought the Ryoka were dead and claims that his intuition has gotten dull, but Mayuri admonishes him for pretending to not know and reminds Gin that captains can sense the disappearance of a being's Reiryoku. With Hitsugaya complaining about two old men bickering again, Gin observes that Mayuri is making it sound like he let the Ryoka go on purpose, which Mayuri confirms is what he is saying. Telling Mayuri to shut up, Kenpachi declares that he is the one questioning Gin right now. As he and Mayuri approach each other, Kenpachi questions if the latter wants to be cut up by him, leading Suì-Fēng to call them stupid.

While Shunsui notes that tempers are running high again and Byakuya remains silent, Yamamoto orders Kenpachi and Mayuri to stand down, which they do, and notes that Gin is likely aware of why he has been summoned now before inquiring what his defense is for acting alone and letting his target escape. However, Gin simply states that he cannot defend this, to Yamamoto's confusion, and claims that he made a simple mistake for which there are no excuses, but as Gin promises that he will accept whatever punishment Yamamoto decides on, Aizen steps forward and reveals that there is something he would like to ask Gin, who merely grins widely in response.

Suddenly, an alarm begins sounding as an announcer informs the Gotei 13 that an intruders have been spotted in the Seireitei and all the divisions need to assemble. With the captains surprised by the alert and wondering if the Ryoka have returned, Gin is left smiling. Within the Shishinrō in Senzaikyū, Rukia looks outside and says Ichigo's name.

Next Episode Preview
Yoruichi Shihōin declares that four students and one cat are entering the Seireitei, and as Ganju Shiba tells his sister that he is departing, Kūkaku Shiba calls attention and reveals that the cannonball will be shot soon before warning the Ryoka to take their seats or else, prompting Ichigo Kurosaki to admit that he is very worried.