Unbeatable Enemy

Unbeatable Enemy is the ninth episode of the Bleach anime.

Ichigo Kurosaki battles against Grand Fisher.

Summary
As Grand Fisher prepares to devour Yuzu Kurosaki because she is noisy and he only needs one hostage, Ichigo Kurosaki appears and cuts through the tentacle holding her aloft before grabbing her out of midair as she falls to the ground. Landing, Ichigo turns around to face Grand Fisher with Yuzu in his arms and glares at him. Suddenly, Karin Kurosaki begins screaming as Grand Fisher grabs her and holds her up while laughing and mockingly declaring that he still has his hostage.

Ichigo leans an unconscious Yuzu against a headstone and calls out to Karin, who says his name before falling unconscious as well. Upon joining Rukia Kuchiki behind Ichigo, Eikichirō Saidō sees Karin in his hand and curses him. Laughing, Grand Fisher stands with the girl from the day Masaki Kurosaki died standing in front of him, to Ichigo's shock.

While the girl laughs, Ichigo asserts that she is the girl from the riverbank six years ago and demands to know what she is doing here, prompting a surprised Rukia to take note of Ichigo mentioning six years ago. Ichigo confirms that the girl was the one he tried to help as a child and grits his teeth as he recalls how she was gone and his mother was dead when he woke up. Admitting that she does not remember things from six years ago, the girl states that this is interesting and chuckles as her head splits open, revealing a bone-like carapace underneath that shoots out a tentacle before shedding the rest of the girl's body and attaching itself to Grand Fisher, who laughs.

As Ichigo looks on in shock, Rukia identifies Grand Fisher and describes how he hides himself and gives his Lure a Human appearance, which he uses to attract individuals with high Reiryoku that he attacks and increases his own power by devouring. Noting that Grand Fisher has defeated the Shinigami for over fifty years in this manner, Rukia reveals that his favorite target is women, leading Ichigo to realize that his mother was Grand Fisher's target all along. Grand Fisher chuckles at Ichigo having survived seeing him before and theorizes that he may have initially target Ichigo for his high Reiryoku before declaring that women always taste more delicious.

While an angered Saidō states that he has not seen a Hollow so disgusting in a long time, Ichigo, now visibly trembling with rage, yells as he leaps into the air above Grand Fisher, where he calls out to Karin before slashing downward toward Grand Fisher. As Grand Fisher jumps back at the last second, Ichigo's Zanpakutō hits the ground, breaking off shards of stone, as Rukia tells him to not be so careless as she runs toward him. Ichigo looks behind him and leaps away as Grand Fisher extends his arm to slam into the pavement where Ichigo had been standing. Landing on a nearby brick wall, Ichigo looks up to see Grand Fisher's fur extending from his body.

Grand Fisher's fur surrounds and binds Ichigo as Grand Fisher pulls himself closer. While Rukia calls out to him and Saidō grimaces, Ichigo declares that Grand Fisher is one enemy whom he will never forgive as Rukia uses '''Bakudō #9. Geki''', causing Grand Fisher's body to glow red as he groans in pain and is briefly immobilized. However, Grand Fisher quickly overpowers the spell and tells Rukia to not interfere as a tendril of his hair lashes out and crashes into her, sending Rukia flying into a headstone. As Rukia falls to the ground while bleeding from the head, Saidō looks at her in concern while Grand Fisher tells Ichigo that he is going to devour Karin.

Asking Ichigo what he will do, Grand Fisher begins to move Karin toward his mouth, only to stop when Ichigo begs him to and ask if Ichigo will allow himself to be eaten instead. Grand Fisher laughs as he prepares to devour Ichigo, but Saidō appears and cuts off Grand Fisher's right hand, freeing Karin and prompting an angered Grand Fisher to grab Saidō with his teeth and throw him to the ground. As Karin and the severed hand land several meters away, Ichigo cuts himself loose from the fur binding him and lands on the ground in front of Grand Fisher, whose fur ripples before separating into several tendrils that quickly hurtle toward Karin, to Ichigo's shock.

Suddenly, Saidō lands in front of Karin with his Zanpakutō held in front of him, and the fur tendrils split around the blade to impale him and the ground several times, stunning Ichigo and Rukia. As a green-tinted apparition of Masaki appears in Grand Fisher's parted fur for a split second, Ichigo cuts through the fur tendrils, causing Saidō to set his Zanpakutō down as blood drips from his wounds. When Ichigo demands to know why he would go this far, a grinning Saidō asserts that Shinigami must always fight and never forgive Hollows because only an empty feeling is left behind when they take someone precious to people, which he cannot allow to happen.

Telling Ichigo that he has to protect, Saidō collapses and does not move, prompting a shaken Ichigo to claim that he cannot have died if he is a Shinigami. As she explains that even Shinigami are not immortal and that death exists in a different form for them, Rukia falls silent as she sees Saidō is snoring, leading Ichigo to note with disbelief that Saidō has just fallen asleep before angrily telling him to get up and stop distracting them. Kon runs up to them in Ichigo's body while carrying his plushie body and notes that this looks pretty bad upon seeing Saidō before being ordered by Rukia to take Karin and Yuzu away from the battlefield.

As he picks up Karin and Yuzu, Kon asks Rukia what she will do, only to run away when she reiterates her order. It begins to rain as Rukia tells Ichigo to back her up as support, but Ichigo leaps ahead to confront Grand Fisher up close and tells Rukia to stay back this time so he can do this himself, to Rukia's surprise. When Rukia reminds him that Grand Fisher is strong and has been defeating the Shinigami for over fifty years, Ichigo tells her to shut up and asks her to not interfere as he asserts that this is his fight with his Zanpakutō held high. While Grand Fisher roars and his fur flares out, Ichigo screams and runs toward him to resume their clash.

Meanwhile, at the local shrine, Isshin Kurosaki stands near Kon, who is keeping watch over Karin and Yuzu. When he hears Karin stir, Kon asks her if she is okay in a serious manner, and after a few seconds without a response, he mentally agonizes over having to keep such a serious expression on his face and wonders how Ichigo manages to do it all the time. Elsewhere, Ichigo screams as he runs through the forest, where dozens of tendrils of Grand Fisher's fur snake between the trees, and slashes at Grand Fisher's mask, only to be shocked when it disappears. Grand Fisher's mask reappears behind him as he criticizes Ichigo for being slow.

Landing on the ground, Ichigo leaps away as three tendrils slam into the area where he was standing and continues to outpace dozens of other tendrils targeting him until he reaches a clearing, where Grand Fisher confronts him. When Grand Fisher claims it was gutsy of Ichigo to tell his friends to not interfere when this is the limit of his strength, Ichigo tells him to shut up and clutches his side while mentally noting that he does not know how much Yuzu grieved or how lonely Karin felt after their mother died. As he recalls Saidō telling him that he needs to protect, Ichigo adjusts his grip on his Zanpakutō while declaring that he decided to protect.

While Rukia runs up toward the clearing, Ichigo proclaims that he is going to destroy Grand Fisher as they charge toward each other, only for Grand Fisher to disappear as Ichigo swings his Zanpakutō toward him. Reappearing behind Ichigo, Grand Fisher reminds him that Rukia told him to not be careless and extends his remaining hand toward Ichigo, who blocks it with his Zanpakutō. Grand Fisher points out how many times Ichigo has jumped headlong into danger without any real plan, and as Rukia looks on in shock, he declares that this is why Rukia called him careless as the talons on his hand extend around Ichigo's Zanpakutō and pierce his chest.

As a stunned Ichigo coughs up blood, the talons retract, leaving him to plunge his Zanpakutō into the ground and lean on it for support. While blood drips from Ichigo's wounds, Grand Fisher asserts that Ichigo is far too rash for pushing away his allies in the heat of the moment and jumping right into his enemy's lair before promising that Ichigo will simply die while being toyed with as his right hand regenerates. Rukia calls out in concern to Ichigo, who tells her once more to stay back and declares that he will defeat Grand Fisher even if his arms and legs are ripped off, prompting Grand Fisher to state that this is why he says Ichigo will die.

Grand Fisher explains that Ichigo being young means he loses his temper easily, which distracts his heart, which dulls his blade. Proclaiming that Ichigo is far too young to be fighting him, Grand Fisher closes his hand around the face of his Lure before opening it to reveal Masaki's head, shocking Ichigo. As Rukia recognizes Masaki, Grand Fisher details how even the most cold-blooded Shinigami have one person whom they can never kill, which he believes is a certainty, and reveals that this is how he has been able to defeat every Shinigami he has faced until now before asserting that this is the one for Ichigo as his Lure speaks to Ichigo with Masaki's voice.

As she calls out to Ichigo, Rukia suddenly recalls Jūshirō Ukitake telling her that she could save him with her aid at the cost of destroying his honor and explaining that there are two types of battles which they must be careful to distinguish - the battle to protect life, and the battle to protect honor. Looking at Ichigo, Rukia realizes that this is a battle to protect honor and that she cannot lend him her strength. Physically restraining herself and shaking, Rukia mentally tells herself to not help him and Ichigo to not die as Ichigo assumes a battle stance. Back at the cemetery, Saidō wakes up and gets to his feet as he realizes he fell asleep again before running off.

In the clearing, Grand Fisher asks Ichigo if he can really draw his sword against Masaki as he laughs, but an enraged Ichigo merely asks him if he knows what he is doing and declares that he can never bring out his mother's image in a place like this as he rushes toward Grand Fisher. Suddenly, the Lure floats in front of Ichigo and insists that he put down his sword and not hurt his mother, only for Grand Fisher to appear behind her and form his fur into a thick tendril that impales Ichigo through his right shoulder. As the tip of Ichigo's Zanpakutō hits the ground, Ichigo gasps in pain while standing still as Rukia and Saidō, having just arrived, look on in shock.

Reminding Ichigo of his words about anger dulling his sword, Grand Fisher declares that it will be over with the next blow as the talons on his left hand extend before hurtling toward Ichigo, whom he proclaims was the youngest, rashest, and weakest of all the Shinigami he ever faced. However, the Lure suddenly starts radiating light and electricity, to Grand Fisher and Ichigo's shock, and Saidō merely grins as the Lure becomes a non-menacing version of Masaki. When Saidō theorizes that Masaki's thoughts are manifesting themselves, a stunned Rukia asks if this means that the Lure recorded Masaki's thoughts at the time of her death.

Ichigo wonders what this could mean as Saidō reveals that he caught a glimpse of this earlier and asserts that there is no telling how this battle will end yet. Now wearing Masaki's clothes and surrounded by light, the manifestation of Masaki tells Ichigo that she is proud of him and glad that she was able to meet him and the rest of his family. Asking Ichigo to live with strength and kindness, the manifestation of Masaki thanks him as it ascends into the light, which disappears along with it. Wondering if this is what Masaki was thinking at the time of her death, Ichigo grips the fur impaling his shoulder and tightens his grip on his Zanpakutō.

As Grand Fisher notices this, Ichigo gets to his feet and admits that anger may indeed dull the sword, but proclaims that a dull sword is all he needs to beat something like Grand Fisher as he pulls the tendril out of his shoulder and pulls himself closer to stab Grand Fisher in the side. In Karakura Town, as Tatsuki Arisawa bids her farewell, Orihime Inoue walks down the street with an umbrella while wondering if she could connect two hearts like the rain connects the never-intersecting sky and earth. Thinking of Sora Inoue, Orihime mentally tells Ichigo that she believes she has come to understand him a bit more while looking up at the sky.

Back in the clearing, Ichigo yells as he tears his Zanpakutō through Grand Fisher's side, releasing a torrent of blood as Grand Fisher screams in agony. Hobbling away, Grand Fisher declares that he will never forgive Ichigo as he flees into the sky, and Ichigo demands that he wait as he leans on his Zanpakutō. Rukia runs up to Ichigo and declares that the battle is over because neither of them can fight anymore. As he proclaims that it is not over because Grand Fisher is not dead yet, Ichigo collapses into Rukia's arms, prompting her to lower him to the ground and thank him for not dying as Saidō watches silently from the side.

Saidō expresses his admiration for Ichigo's power and notes that a Shinigami's Reiryoku is their life energy before asserting that this means Ichigo could become a monster. Standing up, Saidō states that it is time to go home and assures Rukia that he is not so heartless as to break up a serious couple. After teasing Rukia again about coming of age, which she reprimands him for, Saidō casually notes that his superiors will find out when they find out and bids Rukia farewell as he walks away. As Rukia looks back down at Ichigo and the rain clears up, Karin and Yuzu rest inside the shrine as Kon walks out to look up at the moon alongside a smiling Isshin.

Some time later, Ichigo, now back in his body, stands in front of Masaki's grave and apologizes for not getting revenge. Suddenly, Isshin walks up and asserts that Masaki will be relieved on the other side if Ichigo presents himself looking fit and healthy like this. As Ichigo tells him to not eavesdrop on his own son, Isshin pulls out a pack of cigarettes and lights one, prompting a surprised Ichigo to state that he thought Isshin quit. After taking a drag and exhaling, Isshin explains how Masaki said he looked cooled with a cigarette when they first started dating, which he realizes now was the only time she ever complimented him, which is why he only smokes once a year on this day in front of her.

Hanging his head, Ichigo demands to know how Isshin can keep smiling and why no one blames him before claiming that it would be so much easier if they did, prompting Isshin to ask why they would blame him. While Ichigo looks at him in surprise, Isshin states that Masaki would scold him if he blamed Ichigo for her death and asserts that no one is responsible for her dying as he describes her as the woman he loved who would give her life to save her own child. As he turns to look at Ichigo, Isshin reminds him that he is the man whom the woman he loved protected with her life. Walking past a speechless Ichigo, Isshin whirls around and knees him in the back.

Ichigo doubles over in pain as Isshin walks away while telling him to live well, grow old well, go bald well, and die after him, which he should do laughing if possible, as Isshin will not be able to face Masaki otherwise. Asserting that Ichigo should shake off his depression, Isshin claims that he is too young to be burdened with something cool like sadness before stating that he will be waiting below as he leaves. As he asks Rukia if she is listening, Ichigo requests to continue his Shinigami duties a while longer because he wants to become stronger, protect people from Hollows, and defeat Grand Fisher because he will not be able to face his mother otherwise. Coming out from behind a tree on the cliff nearby, Rukia looks at Ichigo with visible happiness over his decision.

Next Episode Preview
Kon notes that Grand Fisher was a scary Hollow and admits he was pitiful in this episode before promising to display his prowess next time for Rukia's sake, only for Ichigo to reveal that he does not have any scenes in the next episode, to Kon's shock.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Yuzu Kurosaki
 * 2) Grand Fisher
 * 3) Ichigo Kurosaki
 * 4) Karin Kurosaki
 * 5) Rukia Kuchiki
 * 6) Eikichirō Saidō
 * 7) Masaki Kurosaki
 * 8) Jūshirō Ukitake (flashback)
 * 9) Isshin Kurosaki

Fights

 * Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Grand Fisher (concluded)

Powers and Techniques Used
Kidō used:

Hollow techniques used: