Bleach: The Hell Verse

is the fourth feature film based on the Bleach manga. It was released in Japanese theaters on December 4, 2010. It is directed by Noriyuki Abe, while the screenplay was written by Natsuko Takahashi. Tite Kubo is the production director and character designer is Masashi Kudo. Kubo has stated that he has been involved from the planning and scenario stage. Bleach: Hell Chapter's ending theme is "Save The One, Save The All" by T.M. Revolution.

To promote the movie, Tite Kubo published a special manga chapter called Imaginary number 01. the unforgivens and the anime's 299th episode, Theatre Opening Commemoration! Hell Chapter・Prologue, was a special episode to promote the movie. Additionally, an official invitation book called "Bleach: The Hell Verse" was also released.

Summary
A flashback appears of the battle between Hollow Ichigo and Ulquiorra Cifer on Las Noches. As the Cuarto Espada soars through the skies of never-ending night, Hollow Ichigo roars and charges, meeting Ulquiorra head on in a clash between claw and sword. Both combatants loop around once more and continue to battle, parrying each other's strikes until Hollow Ichigo abruptly catches Ulquiorra's wrist. Ulquiorra lashes out and kicks the hollowfied Substitute Shinigami into one of Las Noches' pillars and shoots after him. Hollow Ichigo regains his footing and swings his sword, sending the shockwave of the swing towards Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra flies away, but Hollow Ichigo appears behind him and promptly tears off both his left arm and wing with a single stroke. Ulquiorra falls out of the sky and struggles to rise as Hollow Ichigo lands, managing to regenerate both his lost limbs before quickly forming Lanza del Relampago and throwing the attack headlong into Hollow Ichigo's powerful crimson Cero. A massive explosion rips through the sky, which Ulquiorra flies out of before coming under assault from his enemy and getting hurled into a pillar, leaving him helpless before the Inner Hollow's Cero. As the battle comes to a conclusion a mysterious hooded figure in Hell is awakened by the battle and screams as he regains his mortal body which causes an explosion to erupt from the ground.

Meanwhile in Karakura Town, Ichigo picks a fight with three guys who, on purpose, knocked a vase with flowers that was left for the spirit of a young boy. After Ichigo finishes he heads for his home where he's greeted by Isshin by attacking him. Ichigo delivers a blow to the face with his bag which knocks Isshin into a wall. Isshin is joining the Resident Clinic Committee and leaves Ichigo in charge of to take care of Yuzu and Karin while he is gone. Later, when Ichigo goes out to bring flowers the young boy, he is confronted by Rukia and Renji, who were coming back from a impromptu mission. But they didn't come to see him, they were on a mission. Ichigo offers to help, but Rukia said that Byakuya didn't want him to get in their way. So, Rukia and Renji leave, promising to send the young boy's spirit if they find him.

Ichigo goes to school and is greeted by Orihime and Chad. While they are chatting, a rattling is suddenly heard, and with scarcely any warning the entire metal scaffolding outside the school gives way and crumbles. A girl is about to get crushed by one of the falling metal sections, but Chad saves her by blocking it with his own body. While the students discuss the incident, Uryu comes to see Ichigo. They don't say a word, but Uryu makes a sort of sign, which Ichigo understands. Later, the group examines the structure to see what Reiatsu caused it to collapse. Ichigo is unable to detect any reiatsu whatsoever, but Uryu discovers small traces of it, noting how it came from a sort of enemy they have never faced before. Then, another rumbling occurs and Reiatsu explodes inside the school. Rukia and Renji sense it, but Rukia soon detects another one. They split up, with Renji heading to assist Ichigo and Rukia investigating the second source.

Ichigo (in his shinigami form), Orihime, Chad, and Uryu arrive in the classrom and see Tatsuki and other students wounded from the explosion. Suddenly Ichigo is attacked by a fat masked figure clad in a black cloak, who recognizes Ichigo. Ichigo is somewhat confused as to how he knows who he is, but is soon embroiled in combat. As they are fighting, the masked foe proves more of a match than an ordinary Hollow to Ichigo so he unleashes his Getsuga Tenshō, but to their astonishment the attack hardly even scratches their foe. Ichigo unleashes Bankai and attacks, but suddenly a three pointed glaive flies from an unseen location and forces Ichigo back. Another masked figure catches the glaive and launches a furious attack on Ichigo. Soon a third, hulking figure joins the fight and soundly beats Sado. Uryu has similar troubles with their first foe, as the figure is absorbing every arrow he uses and throwing each one back as a storm of purple energy bolts. Uryu is beaten, and just as all seems lost Renji calls out, and a great skeletal serpent crashes down upon the one that defeated Uryu.

Renji asks Ichigo if he's alright, while the enemy who he attacked comments that the Shinigami will be a problem. Renji mutters "Those guys..." to himself, causing Ichigo to ask if he knows who they are. The Lieutenant of the 6th Division confirms it, saying things are getting out of hand. He then states that another with reiatsu like theirs has appeared, and it's now at Kurosaki Clinic, shocking the Substitute Shinigami. Renji says that Rukia went their earlier, but he has doubts about her being alright. Ichigo exclaims that that means Yuzu and Karin are in danger, so Renji gets ready to battle his enemies, and Ichigo races towards the clinic. The masked enemies intend to stop him, but barely move an inch before Uryu cuts them off with a barrage of arrows. The enemy with the glaive attacks, but Renji uses his Bankai to battle him. His target quickly retreats, and another enemy intercepts, catching Hihio Zabimaru and using his bare hands to pry the jaws open, but only ends up being smashed into a wall. In the midst of all this, Ichigo jumps away. The fat figure exclaims angrily that the Substitute got away.

Much to Renji's surprise, the masked hulk is shown to have fared well against the attack and yanks on the skeletal serpent, pulling Renji towards him and allowing him to strike the Lieutenant with a powerful punch. The one wielding a glave attacks Renji, declaring him finished, when suddenly Uryu blasts arrows at him, and one successfully hits, breaking his mask to pieces. The fat one shouts for him to put his mask back on, but before the now unmasked figure can do so, chains materialize around his body. A gale begins to whip up, and the surroundings are bathed in uneartly green light. Uryu, Chad and Renji can only watch in surprise as the Hell Gate suddenly manifests, opening and pulling the unmasked figure inside it. The blade extends, and the chained one screams in terror just before being hit by the blade and seemingly obliterated. Then his remains drift into the Hell Gate, which promptly closes. The remaining two figures decide to retreat, and disappear just as Uryu fires arrows at them.

Elsewhere, Rukia is having similar problems. Two figures clad similarly to the ones that Uryu, Chad and Renji fought a couple moments ago stand before her, the taller one whipping her with tentacles from his chest. In each tentacle in the place of an arm is one of Ichigo's sisters. Rukia demands that he release them, to which he replies that she cannot order him to do so. His companion tells him that it's time to finish Rukia off. The masked figure with tentacles, who his companion refers to as "Gunjō", declares that they have no time to "play with her" and attacks. Rukia attempts to stop it with Hado 33: Sokatsui, but the tentacles pierce straight through the blast of fire.

Suddenly, Ichigo arrives and cuts the tentacles quickly. He demands for Gunjō to release Yuzu and Karin, and for them to tell him what he wants with them. Gunjō comments that it appears that "Taikon" and his comrades had failed. But then the other masked figure walks forth, offhandedly saying it'll all end the same way. Then he demands that Ichigo come with them, saying they need the Substitute to accomplish something for them. Ichigo refuses, and repeats his request for Gojo to release his sisters. However, the masked foe replies that he cannot do so. The other one suddenly causes flames to materialize in his hands similar to swords, telling Gunjō to "go back first". He then attacks Ichigo and quickly proves himself to be a powerful fighter, smashing Ichigo out of the sky and onto a building. The flame wielder praises Ichigo for his power and says that they are looking for such power. But then Ichigo sees something else: Gunjō is walking backwards into a rift with flaming edges. Ichigo chases after him, but his foe stops him with another battle. Meanwhile, the rift is closing quickly.

Suddenly, blue light explodes from the rift, and it opens wide. All the ones present express surprise; clearly Gunjō and his companion were not expecting this. Gunjo shouts as one of his arms is cut off, releasing Karin. Then a figure with black bandages wrapped around his head grabs Karin. Ichigo and Rukia wonder who he is, while the two masked ones appear to remember him in an ill light. The mysterious figure says that he is tired of watching them do whatever they please, and both of the figures attack him. The newcomer easily handles all of their attacks. The flame wielder shouts for Gunjo to fall back, and the rift appears once again, closing significantly faster than before. Ichigo quickly rushes towards the rift as the newcomer gives Karin to Rukia. Ichigo has a brief scuffle with the flame wielder before going after the rift, but is unable to rescue Yuzu before it closes.

Then the remaining one attacks him from behind, but is blocked by a chain dangling from the bandaged newcomer's wrist. The masked figure pauses briefly when he sees the chain before the newcomer slashes him. Rukia gasps, realizing what the chains mean. The newcomer pulls the bandages off his nose and mouth, asking if the flame wielder wants to continue the battle, to which his adversary curses him, placing a hand over his cracked mask. Ichigo shouts that he return Yuzu, but is forced to dodge a flame bolt. Unfortunately, said flame bolt is rushing towards Rukia and Karin. A sudden appearance by Chad saves them, but he is horribly burned in the process. Renji and Uryu appear afterwards and voice concern about Chad.

The flame wielder suddenly calls Ichigo's name, referring to him and his comrades as Togabito from Hell. He then says if Ichigo wants to rescue Yuzu, he must help them break free from Hell, because he requires Ichigo's power to achieve this. However, Ichigo spots him and attacks. The Togabito blocks Ichigo's sword swing and declares that Ichigo must destroy Hell's Gate if he wants Yuzu back before disappearing into flame. Ichigo immediately presses the man in bandages for answers, demanding who the masked figure was, where they took Yuzu, and what was going on with the Hell Gate. The bandaged man tells him to calm down and slow down with asking the questions. But Ichigo immediately shouts for him to answer now. Rukia tells him to calm down and that they must tend to their injuries at this point.

That night, Orihime begins to heal Chad, and Rukia questions the bandaged man about who he is. When asked if the chain he has is Hell's Chain, he confirms this and introduces himself as Kokuto, also adding that he is a Togabito as well. Rukia asks why he helped them against the masked Togabito from earlier, if he's from where they are from. Kokuto replies that he's not helping them, and he merely dislikes those Togabito. Ichigo immediately demands that Kokuto take him to Hell, saying "Yuzu might..." Kokuto finishes with "...die, right?" He explains that Hell's air cannot be breathed safely by Humans, so Yuzu will die if she stays in Hell. After a brief description of Hell, Kokuto asks if Ichigo still wants to go. Ichigo maintains that he has to go to save Yuzu. Kokuto agrees to go with them to teach the Togabito from earlier a lesson. Renji asks why he fought the Togabito, to which Kokuto responds to by repeating that he dislikes them, and in Hell, disliking one creates enemies. After a question from Rukia, he says that he deserves to be in Hell for things he's done in his life, and then sadly adds that some people fall to darkness for people they love.

Quickly changing the topic, Kokuto says that they should get going to Hell. Renji asks Ichigo if he really trusts Kokuto, to which Ichigo says he'll trust him if it means getting Yuzu back. Renji continues by saying that entering Hell would allow the Togabito to toy with him, but Ichigo still maintains that he must go. Rukia then states that they will go as well. Kokuto tells them to hurry up; he's opening Hell's Gate. Rukia quietly talks to Renji, and trusts him to use "that" to get everyone out of Hell if it goes wrong.

In Hell, Yuzu is locked in a cage. A Togabito talks to someone called "Shuren", saying that it appears that Ichigo and his friends entered Hell. Shuren asks if "Murakumo" is back, but apparently, he is not as he is taken by Kushanāda and has sinked th the depth of Hell. In order to revive him, they will need a tremendous amount of time; therefore, the Togabito is instructed to intercept the intruders along with "Taikon" and "Garogai".

Ichigo, Renji, Rukia, Uryu, and Kokuto enter a section of Hell which resembles a city, except the buildings are little more than blocks, and blue roads hover over a void. Renji comments that he never thought that Hell would look this way. Uryu asks if it's Renji's first time here, because he thinks Hell is under jurisdiction of the Shinigami. Rukia replies that it is only under their surveilance. Renji comments that it feels nauseating in Hell, and anyone with low Reiatsu would have fainted by now. Kokuto reveals that the Togabitos' base is at the lowest level of Hell, and they descend to the road. As they begin to run, Ichigo notices that people are staring at them. Kokuto says that they are Togabito as well, and they gave up fighting. He begins to talk about how Togabito keep their abilities in Hell so they can fight Hell's guards; however, this is merely to make them despair, for the guards are practically unbeatable. All this causes them to be "brain dead" and makes them want to die. But some people resist anyway, fueled by their resentments and memories, keeping them the way they are.

Suddenly, Kokuto says that "they" discovered the group. From out of the void, a massive creature with an elongated skull mask and samurai armor on his right shoulder rises, eyes focused on them. It raises a hand towards them as Kokuto introduces them as the Kushanāda, Hell's Guardians. The Kushanada eats several Togabito (though according to Kokuto, they reincarnate afterwards) and proceeds to plow through everything to attack the intruders. The group attempts to flee from it, only to run into another Kushanada, and even though they jump over it, more and more Kushanada pour in from the walls to pursue them. Rukia, Renji, and Uryu attack one Kushanada, but it fails. Ichigo activates Bankai and tries to use Getsuga Tensho to defeat the Kushanada, but his Hollow mask suddenly materializes on his face. Ichigo falters for a bit before using his attack to destroy all the Kushanada.

Rukia berates Ichigo for using his Hollow mask without warning them. Uryu agrees and states that they almost got caught up in the attack as well. Ichigo apologizes and stares bewilderdly at his hand. Rukia notices this and asks what the matter is. Ichigo explains that he did not call for the mask, and it donned itself upon his face without him calling for it. Rukia is shocked by this. Kokuto inquires if that was Hollow power. Ichigo confirms it. Kokuto then asserts that Hell's miasma must be affecting Ichigo strangely. The air in Hell could possibly bring out Ichigo's dormant Hollow power, and could even cause that power to run out of control. After a moment of silence, Kokuto moves on, and soon after Ichigo follows him. Uryu, Rukia, and Renji stay behind for a moment, the latter two questioning Uryu on what was wrong. Uryu recounts that he had seen Ichigo's Hollow power run out of control before, and comments that if Hell is exactly how Kokuto claimed it is, then Ichigo is in much graver danger than they originally imagined.

The group runs around several corners before coming to a road leading into empty space. Ichigo comments on this, but Kokuto informs them to ignore that and just jump. They all jump into the vast smoky chasm below and plunge through the clouds into Hell's next level: an endless expanse of sea with many small stone islands circling the equator. The group lands on one shaped like a flower. Uryu wonders what this place is; Renji stares up at a large skeletal statue in the likeness of a Kushanada, and wonders if this is a grave. Ichigo asks Kokuto if this is where Yuzu is, but before the Togabito can respond somebody informs them that there is nobody there. They whirl around to see the tall Togabito with whip-like tentacles from earlier, and also the hulking one with large fists. Ichigo demands that they give Yuzu back, but then a voice from above that he can have her and the overweight Togabito from earlier crashes down upon the skull of the statue, which Ichigo was previously standing upon. The overweight Togabito then tells Ichigo the catch to the deal: the Substitute Shinigami would have to help them out first.

Renji scoffs at the idea while the figure jubilantly exclaims that he can finally take off his uncomfortable cloak. He whips it off and introduces himself as Taikon. The tentacled Togabito slips out of his cloak and introduces himself as Gunjō, and their third member takes off his cloak, revealing his name to be Garogai. Gunjō states that this is a precarious environment, and asks the uninvited to leave. Ichigo once again demands for them to give back Yuzu as he unleashes a Getsuga Tensho upon Taikon. Suddenly, Garogai drops down from above and attempts to crush Ichigo, who jumps back. However, he barely has finished moving when Gunjō rushes him, only to be intercepted by Renji and Zabimaru. The Lieutenant unleashes a counterstrike, only for Gunjō to evade it. He and Garogai then dodge Rukia's Hado . Taikon then lands behind Ichigo and attempts a strike of his own but is immediately shot down by Uryu's Ginrei Kojaku. However, lips suddenly appear on Taikon's skin and they swallow up the lingering energy from the arrows. The Togabito thanks the Quincy for the treat. Rukia lashes out with Sokatsui, only for Taikon to swallow that up too. With a motion similar to blowing a kiss, Taikon sends the energy flying back at them, forcing them to dodge and creating a heart-shaped crater in the ground behind Uryu. Garogai then lands in the crater, forcing him to jump out of the flower and land on the edge. Kokuto lands beside him and warns him that here, unhindered by their cloaks, they are much stronger than they were in the World of the Living. Uryu asks why, but before the Togabito can answer, Garogai attacks again, forcing them to jump away.

Ichigo leaps out of the flower as well and runs along the rim, with Gunjō in hot pursuit. Before they can go too far, bright blue Kido blasts rain down between them and force Gunjō to stop for a moment. Rukia and Renji close in, but Taikon then reveals that he absorbed all the reishi from Rukia's attack and returns fire, destroying a large amount of the flower structure. Ichigo, Rukia, and Renji land on the crumbling rock face, and wisely decide to retreat as the rocks around them crash into the water. Garogai suddenly rises out of the water, hefting a giant circular stone slab, and throws his improvised weapon into the water to create a huge tidal wave that crashes down towards the group. Rukia stops running and turns to face the wave, plunging her sword into the ground four times to activate Tsugi no Mai: Hakuren and freezing the wave and the surface of the water solid.

Undaunted, Taikon and Gunjō blast through the ice and the latter smashes into Ichigo, sending both combatants into another stone flower, where they fight a tremendous battle. Uryu lands and is about to help, but before he can do anything he is forced to jump away as Taikon blasts him again. Rukia looks up and calls Ichigo's name in concern, but is distracted when Garogai approaches, shooting his fist towards her. Rukia dodges, and Garogai retracts his fist as he closes in. Before he can attack her, however, Rukia shoots a Kido bolt of her shoulder and into the Togabito, sending him crashing through a number of rocks until he actually breaks into the stone flower Ichigo and Gunjō are fighting in. Ichigo growls and prepares Getsuga Tensho, but once again his Hollow Mask manifests without him calling for it, and after a split second's hesitation blasts his foe with the extra power granted by his mask. Ichigo then flies out of the resulting explosion, landing on the rim of the flower as Kokutō lands beside him, informing the Substitute Shinigami that his sister is further away. Hearing this, Renji tells Ichigo to go on and leave the Togabito to them. Rukia agrees and tells Ichigo that the two of them and Kokutō would run ahead. Ichigo reluctantly agrees, and the group rushes ahead. The three jump off the edge and Kokutō plunges into the water, but suddenly Gunjō runs up, stating that he would not let them escape, and Rukia stays behind to hold the Togabito back as Ichigo plunges in after Kokutō. Elsewhere, Uryu stands across from Taikon, who asks if the Quincy honestly intends on fighting him, and that if so, he must be tired of living. Uryu disagrees and is willing to bet his honor as a Quincy that he won't lose to the same person. As they begin their fight, Renji stands across from Garogai and releases his Bankai, suggesting that the two finish the fight they started in the World of the Living.

Ichigo and Kokutō plunge through the bottom of the sea and descend upon a large wasteland with many pools of yellow liquid all about. Kokutō states that once they pass through this area, they will be at their base. Also, Kokutō adds, since Shuren's cronies are currently battling Ichigo's friends, their base's defenses will be at their weakest, making it perfect for them to attack. As they descend, however, a giant fist bursts out of a yellow pool and a Kushanada reaches for them. Kokutō pushes Ichigo out of the way and tries to attack the Kushanada, but is hurled painfully to the ground. Kokutō glances at his arm, which is burning from where some of the liquid got on it, and grimaces. The Kushanada punches its fist into the ground and then seemingly grasps chains out of thin air. The chains then shed their invisibility and reveal their linkage to Kokutō, who cries out in fear. Before the Kushanada can do anything more, however, a hollowfied Ichigo cuts through its arm and then cuts the entire guardian in half with a Getsuga Tensho. Ichigo then flash-steps over to where Kokutō is lying, spirits off his mask, and then flash-steps away with Kokutō in tow just before the yellow liquid cascades over the spot they just occupied.