I Want to Live...! Nozomi's Zanpakutō

 is the three hundred thirtieth episode of the Bleach anime.

As the remaining members of the Gotei 13 try to recover, Nozomi Kujō decides she wants to help the others.

Summary
Telling his family about Nozomi, Ichigo Kurosaki says Rukia Kuchiki is the only relative she has left following the breakup of her family. Yuzu Kurosaki pleads with Isshin Kurosaki to allow Nozomi to stay with them, likening her story to a movie. Isshin, saddened by the story, grants the request as Karin Kurosaki says she has heard this before. When Yuzu tells Nozomi she can ask her for anything, Nozomi asks her what movies are. As Isshin happily exclaims it feels like he now has four daughters. Karin tells Nozomi they are a loud family, but she should not let this bother her.

After Isshin, Karin, and Yuzu leave to do some shopping, Rukia receives an order about a Hollow on her Denreishinki. Telling Nozomi to stay and watch TV, Ichigo switches with Kon, and they leave. Outside the Kurosaki Clinic, Sado Yasutora and Orihime Inoue see Kon, and Orihime asks if Nozomi is home. Telling them she is probably bored, Kon asks them to keep her company. He walks off, leaving Orihime wondering what is wrong with him.

In Soul Society, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who is receiving treatment from Captain Retsu Unohana, asks Lieutenant Renji Abarai about the situation. As Renji reports they have lost contact with the other captains, Yamamoto recalls Unohana assisting him following his battle with the Reigai, with Unohana urging him to fall back and regroup, as the Gotei 13 would fall apart without him. When Renji, saying it is hard to believe the captains were defeated so easily, suggests the signal Kisuke Urahara had received may have been incomplete, Yamamoto tells him there is no need to comfort him.

Pointing out the only battle-ready people are the lieutenants and Ichigo's group in the Human World, he says they must prepare for an invasion. When Unohana notes she has noticed Hollows appearing in large numbers, Yamamoto, explaining this is due to the power balance between Soul Society and the Human World being disrupted, tells Renji protecting the Human World from Hollows is important, but they must not give Kagerōza Inaba an opportunity to invade. After Renji leaves, Unohana turns to Yamamoto, who tells her she does not have to say it, which she relents to.

In the Human World, Ichigo defeats a Hollow. When 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame and 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa ask him how Nozomi is doing, Ichigo tells them she seems a bit tired. When Rukia asks why they are interested, they do not reply. Meanwhile, Kon, walking through Karakura Town, recalls Nozomi learning she is a Modified Soul, wondering what he can say to her now. When he is given a toy lion as a promotional offer, it comes apart. As Kon goes to throw it away, he stops, stating if it is not going to be made correctly, it should not have been made in the first place. Kon returns home to find Ichigo waiting impatiently for him in his Shinigami form. When he asks him to swap back to their normal bodies, Kon watches Nozomi and Orihime cooking before walking off without changing forms.

At the Urahara Shop, Rukia asks Urahara about Nozomi. Telling her he thought it was unusual he could not sense any Reiatsu from her when they first met, he reveals he became certain she was a Modified Soul when she healed Ichigo, noting her power was similar to Kidō, but different, possibly artificial. They wonder what Inaba wants with Nozomi.

Back in the Kurosaki home, Orihime has finished preparing the meal, one of her specialties, and presents it to the others. While Ichigo and Sado are confused by it, Nozomi states it is delicious. Karin invites Orihime to come back later to make dinner. When she asks if she can, Isshin, agreeing, says he will be a father to them all, earning him a blow from Ichigo. Smiling as she watches, Nozomi goes up to Ichigo's room, where she sees Kon. As the two struggle to say anything to each other, Orihime calls her, and she leaves.

As an injured Inaba awakens from a dream, he, going to the green-haired man, asks him why he is worried, telling him everything is going according to plan. Asking if he is worried about Nozomi, Inaba says it is only a matter of time. Coughing up blood, he, explaining he expected to be injured by the originals, as they are not fools, tells the man he will see to it that the world learns of his wish.

When Rukia walks in on Kon talking about how he is not himself, he, leaping at her, asks to be punched. She kicks him instead.

While Nozomi, Sado, Orihime, and Ichigo are shopping for groceries, they sense a Hollow overhead. Ichigo rushes off to fight it. He finds the Hollow, but without Rukia or Kon to transform him into his Shinigami form, he has to evade the Hollow until Uryū Ishida kills it. After Ichigo thanks him, Uryū notes it was lucky he was passing by. Inviting him over for dinner, Ichigo says Kon needs to be cheered up.

At Ichigo's house, an energetic Kon, in Ichigo's body, eats Orihime's cooking for dinner with the others. Thinking he is Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu comment on his behavior. Upstairs, Ichigo talks with Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika, who want to question Nozomi. When Ikkaku states they know too little about her, Ichigo asks them if him protecting her is not enough. Yumichika tells Ichigo Inaba's invasion force defeated the Gotei 13 captains. With Nozomi listening from outside the room, Ikkaku says they will now have to face this army in Karakura Town. Yumichika states it is ironic, as the Modified Souls were meant to reduce Shinigami casualties, but now many Shinigami have been injured protecting Nozomi. Ichigo tells them as long as someone is born into the world, they have a right to continue existing.

That night, as the members of the Kurosaki household are in bed, Nozomi leaves the house. Reflecting on Nozomi's revelation about being a Modified Soul, Kon, going to talk to her, discovers she has left. While Nozomi is wandering around Karakura Town, a Hollow appears near her. As she tries to run from it, she is attacked. Recalling how the others had been injured protecting her, she wishes she were not alive. Finding her, Kon urges her to hurry up as the Hollow attacks.

When Nozomi decides she wants to protect, her Zanpakutō appears. As she fights the Hollow, she, changing into a Shinigami form, dispatches the Hollow. When Kon states she said she did not have a Zanpakutō, Nozomi tells him she had thought that to be the case. When Kon asks why she was outside, she, falling to her knees, says she is a burden. As Kon tells her not to let them being Mod-Souls stop them from living, she attaches the lion toy to her Zanpakutō.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
As Unohana enters the room, Yamamoto, noting it is time for dinner, changes into a chef's outfit and releases his Zanpakutō's flames. Telling him she has taken care of it, Unohana shows him some bento boxes. When Yamamoto offers to make tea instead, she has that as well. Before he can offer to do anything else, she reveals various utensils. A dejected Yamamoto states she is well prepared.

Fights
None.

Powers and Techniques Used
Techniques used:
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Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:
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Bankai:
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Other powers:
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