Flash Goddess Yoruichi, Dances!

 is the forty-second episode of the Bleach anime.

Yoruichi Shihōin saves Ichigo Kurosaki and decides to help him attain Bankai.

Summary
As he rests in his cell with his arms restrained, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai is confronted by his Zanpakutō Spirit, Zabimaru, who berates him for still not being fully recovered. With Renji bemoaning this being the first thing Zabimaru has said to him in a long time, Zabimaru asserts that they are fully recovered and ready to fight any time, which means Renji must follow suit and heal quickly so they can fight Zangetsu once more.

However, while Zabimaru confidently declares that they will win next time, Renji reveals that Ichigo Kurosaki is no longer the one he intends to fight, and when a surprised Zabimaru inquires about who his enemy is now, Renji clenches his fists and remains silent, leaving Zabimaru to dissipate as Zabimaru stops glowing red. Meanwhile, on the bridge leading to Senzaikyū, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki attempts to finish off Ichigo by releasing his Shikai, Senbonzakura, only for Yoruichi Shihōin to suddenly appear with Shunpo and bind his blade before he can complete the release, shocking those present.

Upon hearing Byakuya say Yoruichi's name, a confused 4th Division 7th Seat Hanatarō Yamada wonders who she is due to having never heard this name before, though Rukia Kuchiki realizes that she has heard of Yoruichi. Byakuya identifies Yoruichi as the former Commander-In-Chief and Corps Commander of the Onmitsukidō before admitting that he thought she was dead after spending a hundred years in hiding. Thanking Yoruichi for coming to save him, Ichigo asks her to step aside so he can defeat Byakuya, but Yoruichi scoffs at the idea of him doing so and appears in front of Ichigo with Shunpo as she jabs her hand into his stomach wound.

With those present astonished by this, a stunned Ichigo wonders what Yoruichi is doing and loses consciousness, leading Yoruichi to catch him on her shoulder after pulling her hand out alongside a large amount of blood. As he observes that Yoruichi shoved a powerful anesthetic like Gaten or Hōten directly into Ichigo's organs in order to knock him out, Ukitake questions what she intends to do with him. However, Byakuya interrupts and asserts that her intentions do not matter because she cannot escape from here, and when Yoruichi makes fun of his attitude and reminds him that he has never beaten her at a game of tag, Byakuya invites her to try once more.

When Yoruichi moves behind him with Shunpo while carrying Ichigo over her shoulder, Byakuya destroys the cloth binding his Zanpakutō and slashes at her, only for Yoruichi to dodge with Shunpo and reappear several feet away on the bridge. Upon seeing Byakuya appear behind her, Yoruichi moves several feet away from him before the two of them perform Shunpo leaps toward each other, resulting in Yoruichi bypassing a surprised Byakuya. However, as she smirks and lands on the far end of the bridge, Yoruichi is astonished to find herself crouching next to Byakuya, who mocks her for thinking she could escape with such slow Shunpo while slashing her across the chest.

Suddenly, Yoruichi's falling body transforms into a cut piece of fabric as the real Yoruichi lands on a stunned Byakuya's outstretched arm and mocks him for believing that he could stop her with such slow Shunpo. After moving to the roof of a nearby building, Yoruichi promises to make Ichigo stronger than Byakuya in three days and declares that she will not be caught by the likes of Byakuya if he chooses to pursue her before vanishing with Shunpo and rapidly leaping across the Seireitei with Ichigo. With Ukitake noting that they have gotten away, Byakuya begins walking away from the bridge, leading Ukitake to inquire where he is going.

Byakuya responds to Ukitake pointing out how he came here to capture the Ryoka by claiming to have lost interest and giving Ukitake permission to do as he wishes while leaving. As Ukitake comments on his moody nature, Rukia loses consciousness and collapses behind him, and as a concerned Hanatarō runs to her side, Ukitake realizes that it must have taken all her strength to stay upright while Byakuya was here, which he does not blame her for. Upon being called out by Ukitake, 13th Division 3rd Seats Sentarō Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu land on the bridge in front of him and kneel as they acknowledge his call, with Hanatarō tensing up upon seeing them.

When Ukitake observes that they followed him and questions how long they have been here, Sentarō reveals that they have been present since Ukitake first arrived on the bridge and explains his disobeying of Ukitake's order to not follow him by claiming to have felt obligated to come along due to how much he respects Ukitake. Expressing irritation at this, Kiyone asserts that she also followed due to how much she respect Ukitake, leading her and Sentarō to begin arguing over which of them is more devoted to Ukitake. Embarrassed by this, Ukitake dismisses the matter and instructs Kiyone to contact the Fourth Division to send an advance relief squad for Ganju Shiba.

After Kiyone affirms this and Ukitake orders him to take Rukia back to the Shishinrō, Sentarō complies and walks over to Hanatarō, who is holding Rukia, before commanding him to move. As Hanatarō refuses to do so due to not wanting Rukia to be taken back, Sentarō grabs him by the collar and angrily demands to know if Hanatarō thinks he is doing this because he wants to. Throwing an intimidated Hanatarō back, Sentarō gently picks up Rukia and promises to appeal to the higher-ups alongside Ukitake so they can get her out. As Sentarō begins carrying Rukia back to her cell, Kiyone claims she worries about Rukia more than he does.

Kiyone runs in front of Sentarō and assures Rukia that she and Ukitake will get her out, and when an annoyed Sentarō questions why she keeps copying him and reminds her to contact the Fourth Division, Kiyone proclaims that she was just about to. While Ukitake approaches the wounded Ganju Shiba, Hanatarō gets his attention, leading Ukitake to assume that he wants to know why Ukitake is helping him. With Hanatarō confirming this, Ukitake states they cannot kill the Ryoka yet due to them possibly being involved in 5th Division Captain Sōsuke Aizen's murder, but notes Hanatarō attempting to protect one of his subordinates is why Ukitake will not let him be killed.

Elsewhere in the Seireitei, Orihime Inoue and Uryū Ishida stand before 9th Division 20th Seat Toshimori Umesada while dressed in Shinigami shihakushō as Orihime claims to have not found any of the Ryoka in a nearby area. Acknowledging this, Toshimori orders the Shinigami under his command to search a nearby street and warns them that the cunning Ryoka will try to evade them, prompting the Shinigami to affirm this as they run past him. With Orihime winking at a relieved Uryū, Toshimori notes that he has never seen the two of them before and inquires if they are new around here while Orihime introduces herself as being on her first term of duty.

After Uryū meekly introduces himself in turn, Toshimori looks between the two of them before noticing Orihime's breasts and leering at them as he places his hand on her shoulder and invites her to come to his residence tonight. As Orihime expresses confusion at this, Toshimori describes himself as one of fifteen 20th Seats within the Ninth Division and the most successful of his comrades before promising to treat her right. Suddenly, Uryū removes Toshimori's hand from Orihime and stands between them as he points out how Toshimori should not have time to proposition women with a wartime exemption issued and Ryoka on the loose within the Seireitei.

With Toshimori angrily grabbing Uryū by the collar and demanding to know if he is lecturing him, the Shinigami under his command call out to him and reveal they have not found anything as they await further orders. Belligerently setting Uryū down, Toshimori promises to make him pay for this once the conflict is settled while walking off toward the other Shinigami, leaving Uryū to sarcastically give him permission for this due to planning on being long gone by the time this conflict is settled. When Orihime thanks him for his intervention, Uryū downplays his actions and states he simply does not like men like Toshimori, but blushes upon hearing Orihime call it incredible.

Uryū adjusts his glasses and bashfully claims he was not that great, only to realize his error when Orihime finishes her sentence by reveling in how well her plan worked, which leads Uryū to smile as he recalls how they got here. In the past, Uryū crouches behind a hedge with Orihime as he expresses disbelief at her plan of stealing clothing from the Shinigami. Admonishing Uryū for being so loud, Orihime clarifies that they are simply borrowing clothing because they look similar to the Shinigami aside from their outfits and will be able to move around more easily if they dress like the Shinigami as well, concluding they need to borrow clothes as Uryū understands what she is saying.

Upon seeing two Shinigami, one male and one female, running down the alley toward them, Orihime tells Uryū to jump out at her command. With the Shinigami approaching their location, Orihime gives the command and leaps out before knocking out the two Shinigami as Uryū remains crouching behind the hedge and realizes that he forgot to jump out. Soon afterward, Orihime and Uryū bring the two unconscious Shinigami to a warehouse, where Orihime removes their clothing and gathers it up in her arms. As Uryū gets her attention, Orihime offers him his clothes, but Uryū expresses his surprise at her knocking out the two Shinigami without using her Shun Shun Rikka.

When Uryū notes that she is surprisingly strong, Orihime giggles and details how Tatsuki Arisawa taught her some karate before revealing that the latter said she could easily reach the rank of first dan, prompting a stunned Uryū to look away and nervously adjust his glasses. Suddenly, Orihime declares that they should get changed and begins removing her shirt, shocking Uryū, who backs up and blushes furiously as he protests this. Realizing her mistake, an apologetic Orihime acknowledges that boys and girls cannot get changed in the same room while admitting that she thought she was with Tatsuki, leaving Uryū stammering in embarrassment.

Orihime quickly prepares a changing room for Uryū with a fabric cover slung over a piece of rope in front of some crates, leaving him to begin putting on a shihakushō behind it as he observes with confusion that it is normally supposed to be the other way around. Upon being asked by Orihime if he is ready, a startled Uryū tells her to wait and finishes putting on the shihakushō. In the present, with Uryū blushing as he remembers this, Orihime pulls out a notebook that she begins flipping through as she recounts how she got the two Shinigami whom they borrowed their outfits from to tell her about Senzaikyū, which she assumes her friends are already headed toward.

With Orihime concluding that Ichigo is probably already there with a happy expression on her face, Uryū asserts that they should hurry up and get there to help him before Ichigo screws everything up on his own. As they begin walking off, Orihime and Uryū discuss which division they should claim to belong to since they will need to have the same answer right away if anyone asks them about it. Behind them, on the steps near where they were standing, 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi makes himself visible and watches them depart. Meanwhile, inside the secret room within Sōkyoku Hill, Yoruichi sets Ichigo down in the healing field on the floor.

Falling to one knee as she pants in exhaustion, Yoruichi notes that she is breathing hard after only two hundred consecutive Shunpo movements because she has been out of action for one hundred years and criticizes herself as weak for it. Yoruichi sits against the wall across from a sleeping Ichigo as night falls, and some time later, Ichigo opens his eyes to find Yoruichi standing over him. As he sits up and wonders where he is, Ichigo recalls Yoruichi knocking him out earlier and angrily grabs her by the collar before shoving her against the wall and demanding to know why she brought him back even though he had the best chance of surviving out of anyone on the bridge.

When Ichigo claims that his friends will all be killed now, Yoruichi berates him for being so vain and asserts that no one on the bridge had any chance against Byakuya. With Ichigo only growing angrier at this, Yoruichi flips him onto his back with Taketonbo, where he begins coughing in pain. Yoruichi instructs Ichigo to not move if he does not want to reopen his wounds, and as Ichigo curses her while rolling over, Yoruichi explains how she could only escape from Byakuya while carrying one person, only for Ichigo to question why she did not take Rukia instead. Acknowledging this, Yoruichi reiterates that no one on the bridge had any chance of defeating Byakuya.

However, Yoruichi reveals that Ichigo alone has the potential to defeat Byakuya, which is why she brought him back. As Ichigo expresses shock at this, Yoruichi elaborates that Ukitake would never blindly kill anyone who came to save Rukia even if they are Ryoka because he is her superior and has a strong sense of obligation. Yoruichi assures Ichigo that he can grow stronger here without worrying as he gets to his feet, and after promising to train him so he can defeat Byakuya, Yoruichi tells Ichigo to go back and save everyone with his own hands, which fills him with resolve. Shortly afterward, Ichigo and Yoruichi stand in the middle of a rocky cavern.

Upon being asked by Yoruichi how his pain is, Ichigo admits that it is much better than before, prompting Yoruichi to state that they do not have time to wait for him to fully heal and that he must do this despite the pain he will be in, which Ichigo affirms. When Ichigo looks around the cavern and observes that he has never seen this area before, Yoruichi reveals that he is the first outsider whom she has ever brought here and describes the area as impressive, though Ichigo does not comment on this and instead draws his Shikai, Zangetsu, while pointing out how they should get started due to the limited time they have left to train, to Yoruichi's bemusement.

Agreeing with this, Yoruichi asks Ichigo if he is aware that Zangetsu is already in its released form, leading a surprised Ichigo to compare this to the state of 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki's Zanpakutō before realizing this is why it is shaped different from sealed Zanpakutō and never transformed when he called its name. As she notes he was not aware of it after all, Yoruichi asserts that he also does not know that Zangetsu has a second level of release, shocking Ichigo. Yoruichi explains that this is true of all Zanpakutō and that the first release is called Shikai, while the second release is called Bankai, the performance of which is a requirement for all captains.

After observing that all but one of the captains in the history of the Gotei 13 have achieved Bankai, Yoruichi reveals that Kenpachi is the only Shinigami to ever become a captain without achieving Bankai or even knowing the name of his Zanpakutō due to how much the Gotei 13 values his fighting prowess and power, though she notes that Ichigo should already know this from fighting him. Upon being informed that a Zanpakutō's Bankai is generally five to ten times more powerful than its Shikai even though it is dependent on a Shinigami's talent and training, Ichigo is astonished by this level of increase in power being possible.

When Yoruichi concludes that this power requires even seasoned Shinigami to train for at least ten years in order to master, a shocked Ichigo reminds her that he does not have this much time, only for Yoruichi to reveal that he will instead be using a dangerous method that will allow him to attain Bankai in just three days, leaving Ichigo stunned as she grins.

Next Episode Preview
Upon being asked by Orihime Inoue what division they should claim to be from, Uryū Ishida wonders if each division has a unique characteristic, and when Orihime affirms this while asserting that there are divisions which love flowers, have musical talent, or tell great jokes, Ichigo Kurosaki notes that she does not understand the work of the Shinigami.

Events

 * Bankai Training

Powers and Techniques Used
Hohō Techniques:

Hakuda Techniques:

Other Techniques:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Anime Notes
Removed Content= Added/Expanded Content= Censorship= Changes=
 * Renji Abarai sarcastically telling Zabimaru that it is nice to see them too.
 * Jūshirō Ukitake identifying Yoruichi Shihōin when she appears on the bridge.
 * Byakuya Kuchiki declaring that he will not allow Yoruichi to heal Ichigo.
 * Hanatarō Yamada wondering if Sentarō Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu are enemies when they appear.
 * Sentarō crying as he carries Rukia Kuchiki back to her cell.
 * Toshimori Umesada telling his men to search every square inch of the street he is sending them to.
 * Toshimori demanding to know what Uryū is doing when the latter confronts him.
 * The male and female Shinigami lying bound, gagged, and awake in the warehouse under a sheet and Orihime apologizing to them.
 * Orihime noting that Tatsuki Arisawa praised her skill in karate.
 * Yoruichi telling Ichigo to wake up so he can get stronger by learning about the true power of Zangetsu.
 * Yoruichi declaring that Ichigo specifically had no chance against Byakuya.
 * An extended flashback to Renji's rematch against Ichigo.
 * Renji clenching his hands and Zabimaru fading away after asking Renji who he intends to fight now.
 * Yoruichi mentioning how long it has been since she and Byakuya last met after arriving on the bridge.
 * Byakuya identifying Yoruichi by name.
 * Byakuya severing the cloth binding his Zanpakutō and later destroying the remainder covering it.
 * The Shunpo duel between Yoruichi and Byakuya is expanded to have Yoruichi dodge more attacks and movements from Byakuya before moving to the end of the bridge.
 * Yoruichi carrying Ichigo away from the battle is expanded to show her leaping across several different parts of the Seireitei.
 * Ukitake smiling at Hanatarō before addressing his 3rd Seats.
 * Kiyone calls Sentarō "Mt. Fuji-head" during their argument over who is more dedicated to Ukitake.
 * Sentarō throwing Hanatarō back after berating him and picking up Rukia.
 * Orihime winking at Uryū in relief over their disguise ploy working.
 * Toshimori looking between Orihime and Uryū before noticing Orihime's breasts.
 * Orihime thanking Uryū for intervening is extended by having him blush and smile when Orihime seemingly praises him, only to realize she was actually referring to her plan to disguise the two of them as Shinigami.
 * Uryū reiterating Orihime's plan to steal Shinigami clothing and Orihime reiterating that they are borrowing them before she knocks out the two Shinigami.
 * Uryū realizing he did not jump out on cue after Orihime knocks out the two Shinigami.
 * Uryū getting Orihime's attention and her offering him his clothes.
 * An illustration of Tatsuki training Orihime in karate with them both wearing gi.
 * Uryū attempting to say something while blushing after Orihime explains that she attempted to take off her shirt because she thought she was with Tatsuki.
 * Orihime calling out to Uryū while he is changing into his shihakushō and him asking her to wait as he finishes putting it on.
 * Uryū affirming an additional time while discussing what division he and Orihime should claim to belong to.
 * Yoruichi greeting Ichigo when he wakes up, as well as Ichigo questioning where he is and remembering Yoruichi's actions in the bridge before confronting her.
 * Ichigo cursing at Yoruichi after she throws him to the ground.
 * Yoruichi asking Ichigo how his pain is and him affirming that it is not as bad as it was.
 * Ichigo noting that he has not seen the underground training area before and Yoruichi revealing that he is the first outsider whom she has ever brought to it, with Ichigo reacting with uncertainty to her description of it as cool.
 * An extended flashback to Ichigo's fight with Kenpachi when Yoruichi is describing how Kenpachi is the only captain in the history of the Gotei 13 to not attain Bankai.
 * Yoruichi shoving her hand into Ichigo's stomach wound draws less blood than it does in the manga.
 * Yoruichi seemingly being cut down by Byakuya results in the same amount of blood loss as it does in the manga, but her left hand is not depicted as being severed in the process here.
 * Renji's Zabimaru is glowing with red Reiatsu while Zabimaru is talking to him and returns to its sealed state when Zabimaru disappears; in the manga, it remains in Shikai and does not glow for the duration of their conversation.
 * In the manga, Rukia is the one to identify Yoruichi as the former Commander-in-Chief and Corps Commander of the Onmitsukidō; here, Byakuya does so instead.
 * In the manga, Byakuya sheathes his Zanpakutō after Yoruichi arrives prior to their short skirmish; here, he keeps it drawn until she leaves.
 * Yoruichi withdrawing her hand from Ichigo's wound causes more blood to spurt out here than it does in the manga.
 * In the manga, when he appears next to Yoruichi prior to attacking her, Byakuya is facing in the opposite direction; here, he is facing her directly.
 * Ukitake mentions the Ryoka when questioning why Byakuya is leaving, unlike in the manga.
 * In the manga, Rukia attempts to speak and falls over with her eyes open when she loses consciousness; here, she remains silent and closes her eyes before collapsing.
 * In the manga, Sentarō and Kiyone emerge from underneath the bridge when Ukitake calls them out; here, they fall down onto the bridge from above instead.
 * Unlike in the manga, Sentarō mentions Ukitake stopping Byakuya when revealing how long he and Kiyone have been present.
 * In the manga, Sentarō promises to get Rukia out of her cell while carrying her back to it; here, he tells her this after picking her up and before he starts moving.
 * In the manga, Kiyone copies Sentarō's promise while running after him and Rukia; here, she gets in front of him and Rukia before making this claim.
 * In the manga, Toshimori directs at least five Shinigami in the search for the Ryoka; here, he only directs three.
 * In the manga, Uryū suddenly appears in front of Toshimori while he is hitting on Orihime; here, he firmly removes Toshimori's hand from Orihime's shoulder and moves in front of him from the side instead.
 * Toshimori lifts Uryū into the air when angered by him instead of merely grabbing him by the collar as he does in the manga.
 * Uryū does not stick his tongue out when mocking Toshimori's threat to deal with him once the conflict is over as he does in the manga.
 * The male Shinigami whom Orihime knocks out and steals clothes from has a different hairstyle here than he does in the manga.
 * In the manga, Uryū mentions Orihime's speed when describing how she knocked out the two Shinigami; here, he mentions that she did so without using her spiritual powers.
 * In the manga, upon learning that Orihime has the skill of a black belt in karate, Uryū makes a mental note to never fight her; here, he instead looks away and adjusts his glasses nervously.
 * When Orihime recounts learning about Senzaikyū from the two Shinigami they borrowed clothes from, Uryū is standing rather than sitting on the nearby steps as he was in the manga, and Orihime is flipping through the pages of her notebook instead of writing in them as she was in the manga.
 * The hidden room Yoruichi brings Ichigo to after the confrontation on the bridge is the same one inside Sōkyoku Hill that she brought him to after his fight with Kenpachi Zaraki instead of a barren, featureless room, leading to her sitting against a polearm rack rather than a wall while he sleeps.
 * The events of chapter 120 begin with Ichigo and Yoruichi already standing in the underground training area before a flashback details their conversation after Ichigo woke up; here, the events are shown in chronological order.
 * In the manga, Ichigo wakes up while it is still daytime outside; here, he wakes up in the evening.
 * Yoruichi does not specify that Ichigo might have a chance to beat Byakuya in three days when explaining her motive for saving him as she does in the manga.
 * When reminding Ichigo that Ukitake was present on the bridge, Yoruichi does not precede it by mentioning that Byakuya was not alone as she does in the manga.
 * Yoruichi does not mention the three-day timespan when declaring that she will train Ichigo as she does in the manga.
 * In the manga, Ichigo silently draws Zangetsu as he prepares to begin training; here, he notes that they do not have much time and should get started, which a smiling Yoruichi acknowledges.
 * In the manga, prior to revealing that she has a dangerous method for Ichigo to attain Bankai in three days, Yoruichi clarifies that the minimum of ten years required to master Bankai is the result of normal training; here, she instead assures him that there is a way for him to attain Bankai faster.