The Encounter, Renji Abarai!

The Encounter, Abarai Renji! is the sixteenth episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: February 8, 2005
 * English Airdate: January 12, 2007
 * Opening Song: *~Asterisk~
 * Ending Song: Thank You!
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 52, Chapter 53, Chapter 54.
 * Kanji: 取り戻せ! 死神の力!
 * Romaji: "Abarai Renji, misan!"
 * Arc: Agent of the Shinigami arc

Summary
Rukia Kuchiki decides to leave Ichigo Kurosaki. As she runs from the Kurosaki Clinic, two Shinigami appear in the night sky. The red-haired one observes her and remarks that he has found his target.

As Rukia runs, she reminisces on her experiences in the Human World and her encounters with the many people she has met during her stay. She realizes that she has become too close to Ichigo and his friends and has developed feelings that would only be weaknesses for her as her job as a Shinigami.

Pulling Rukia out of her reverie, a voice calls down to her from an electric wire post. It is the red-haired Shinigami who appeared in the previous episode. Renji Abarai suddenly leaps down and thrusts his sword down to the ground, just barely missing Rukia and sending green light and sparks into the air between them. He remarks that she has gotten far too soft.

Then shouldering his sword, Renji demands to know where the Human who took her powers is. Rukia attempts to lie her way out of her situation, telling him that just because she is in a Gigai, she has not necessarily lost her powers. Renji, however, knows the truth.

Renji says that Rukia is just another kid from Rukongai like him and she was lucky enough to have been taken in by the noble house of Kuchiki. She should be one of the elite Shinigami, not someone wearing a Gigai. Renji asks Captain Byakuya Kuchiki if he agrees. The second Shinigami appears behind Rukia. Rukia calls him brother. Rukia is stunned with his presence as he simply looks down at her. Renji leaps forward and slashes at Rukia with his sword. Rukia barely manages to stay on her feet, albeit with a large cut on her right cheek and with one hand on the ground holding her up.

Renji then reminds Rukia that transferring her Shinigami powers to a Human is a felony and informs her that he and Byakuya have come to arrest her and kill the one who took her powers. Renji demands to know the location of the person, but as Rukia remains stubbornly silent, Renji tells her that the first two strikes were purposely meant to threaten - not kill - but the next attack would be for real. Renji attacks again with much more force and again, Rukia manages to barely get away. This time, her arm is injured and she falls to her knees.

However, before Renji can make another attack, a blue arrow streaks passed Renji's ear. Renji turns to face an approaching Uryū Ishida, who admonishes the two Shinigami for attacking an unarmed girl. Renji is surprised that Ishida can see them at all and asks who the stranger is. Ishida simply replies that he is a classmate - one who hates Shinigami and was simply passing by on his way home from a sewing supply store. Impatient at being ignored, Renji slashes Ishida's bag in two and once again demands to know who Ishida is. Ishida tells Renji his name, and then says that it is the name of the man who will defeat him. Renji becomes angry and states that he will kill Ishida first.

Back at the Kurosaki home, Ichigo is still awake even though it is about 2 a.m. He's getting annoyed at the fact that Rukia has not returned. Ichigo hears strange noises in the bathroom. A short investigation finds Kon gagged and bound to the back of the toilet. Once Kon is free, he is quick to inform Ichigo that Rukia has left. As proof, he shows Ichigo the goodbye note she left behind. Ichigo is still clueless about why Rukia left so suddenly, but Kon repeats part of her message to them - to burn the letter after reading and to hide out for a while. In other words, something happened between Rukia and Soul Society, and Rukia only wants to protect those around her by leaving.

Despite this, Ichigo decides to go as a Shinigami and follow Rukia. Since this means that Ichigo will have to reach for the Soul Candy in Kon's mouth, Kon protests and runs away. Kisuke Urahara appears at Ichigo's window and offers to use his cane to separate Ichigo's soul from his body, thus freeing his Shinigami form.

Ishida falls to the ground, defeated by the two Shinigami. Before Renji can land the finishing blow, however, a massive force breaks the concrete before him. Renji leaps back to avoid the blow and asks who the newcomer is. Ichigo identifies himself. Renji looks closely at Ichigo's clothes and recognizes the Shinigami attire. He spots Ichigo's Zanpakutō and is shocked at its sheer size. He remarks that the size of one's Zanpakutō is relative to the size of one's spirit power.

Then Renji realizes that Ichigo is the one who took Rukia's powers and lunges forward to attack him. Ichigo raises his sword to block the attacks and even attempts to land a blow himself. However, Renji leaps aside and, before Ichigo even realizes it, slashes Ichigo's shoulder. Rukia attempts to stop Renji from going any further but Ishida manages to stop her before passing out again.

As Renji stands over Ichigo, he tells Ichigo that once he kills him, Rukia will regain her powers and then will be taken back to Soul Society to die herself. Renji continues to abuse Ichigo with his words, telling Ichigo that an overnight Shinigami could never even scratch a true Shinigami like himself and Byakuya. Ichigo, however, does not take it lying down and swipes his Zanpakutō upwards, leaving a large cut on Renji's chin. He stands up again, ready to fight.

Byakuya then speaks up for the first time to lightly scold Renji that he relaxed too much. He informs Renji that he received a report on a certain Shinigami named Kurosaki Ichigo who inflicted a sword wound on a Menos Grande and sent it back to Hueco Mundo. Renji laughs at this, saying that he cannot believe such a story as Ichigo cannot even control his own spirit energy and does not even know his Zanpakutō's name.

Renji suddenly takes his Zanpakutō and releases it, calling out, "Howl, Zabimaru!" The blade instantly changes into one with smaller blades spiking out along its sharp edge. Renji then makes another attack and lands another blow on Ichigo's left shoulder. As Renji pulls his blade back, each of the smaller blades jutting out from his sword slashes the wound even further. The blow is so strong that Ichigo's sword falls to the ground.

Rukia watches Ichigo helplessly from the sidelines as Renji waves his sword to strike again. Ichigo, stunned, falls to his knees.

Kon-sama's Ultimate Shinigami Illustrated Guide
The featured character is Gin Ichimaru.

Powers and Techniques used
Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:
 * Zabimaru (蛇尾丸, Snake Tail)