The Despicable Shinigami

The Despicable Shinigami is the forty-third episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: August 2, 2005
 * English Airdate: July 28, 2007
 * Opening Song: D-tecnoLife
 * Ending Song: Happypeople
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 120, Chapter 121, Chapter 122, Chapter 123.
 * Kanji: 卑劣な死神
 * Romaji: "Hiretsu na Shinigami"
 * Arc: Soul Society: The Rescue arc

Summary
Orihime Inoue and Uryū Ishida are hiding in an empty storeroom. Orihime has Tsubaki healed while Ishida watches the door. Orihime felt guilty for not using him correctly, but Ishida knew Orihime just didn't want anyone hurt. He believed that she wasn't a fighter. Tsubaki whispers something to Orihime. As they are running, they are seen by a member of the 11th Division, Makizō Aramaki, who is drunk. As Aramaki grabs Orihime and before Ishida is able to react, he is knocked out by one of four Shinigami from the 12th Division. Ishida senses something wrong with the situation and rushes toward Orihime as two members of the 12th Division explode in a pillar of fire. As one bloody Shinigami pleads with Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, he just presses the trigger again, causing him to explode.

Orihime, Ishida, and Aramaki survive. Mayuri takes interest in Orihime after seeing her shield, but tells Ishida he is no longer interested in the Quincy. Ishida covers for the Orihime and Aramaki. Orihime, not liking being forced to run, bites Aramaki on the shoulder, but then gets knocked out by a karate chop. Mayuri shows off his tissue regeneration serum by regenerating his arm. Ishida attacks Mayuri, but they both find they are similarly fast. Mayuri decides to end the fight quickly and releases his Zanpakutō. Mayuri then rushes toward Ishida, but before Ishida can react, Nemu Kurotsuchi uses herself to hold Ishida while Mayuri slashes through her to him. Mayuri then berates Nemu for not holding on harder and proceeds to abuse her.

Mayuri tells Ishida of how he created her with the best of his technology and that he can do whatever he wants to her. Mayuri then turns his attention back to Ishida as he explains his Zanpakutō's power is to paralyze his enemy, but leave the sensory nervous system intact so his victims can feel pain. He stabs Ishida once more then turns his attention on the helpless Nemu, but before he can finish her off Ishida yells at him to stop. Mayuri then tells him how useless the Quincy pride is, how they were all fools, and how he experimented on his mentor. Ishida says out loud he was the grandson of the man Mayuri killed, and he was thankful Orihime didn't have to see what would happen next. Ishida's body is engulfed by a massive aura of spirit energy.