Gather Together! Group of the Strongest Shinigami!

'''Gather Together! Group of the Strongest Shinigami!''' is the sixty-second episode of the Bleach anime.

Aizen removes the Hōgyoku from Rukia's soul and retreats into Hueco Mundo.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: December 20, 2005
 * English Airdate: May 4, 2008
 * Opening Song: Ichirin No Hana
 * Ending Song: Life
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 176, Chapter 177, Chapter 178, Chapter 179.
 * Kanji: 集結せよ! 最強の死神集団
 * Romaji: "Shūketsu seyo! Saikyō no Shinigami shūdan"
 * Arc: Soul Society: The Rescue arc

Summary
7th Division captain, Sajin Komamura attacks Sōsuke Aizen. When the dust clears off it can be seen that Aizen has blocked Komamura's mighty blow barehanded. Komamura accuses Aizen of betraying the Soul Society and says he will not be forgiven. Komamura then turns his attention to his close friend, Kaname Tōsen, and says this applies for him as well.

A flashback sequence commences, depicting Tōsen and Komamura's first meeting, both of them joining Gotei 13 and serving in the 5th Division under Aizen's command as a lieutenant.

Komamura releases his Tenken and swings a blow at Aizen, who jumps clear of the hit, using the dust cloud to release his Kyōka Suigetsu and appears to land near Tōsen. Komamura follows him, demanding Tōsen explains his actions. Receiving no answer he is about to summon his Bankai, but is flabbergasted to find Aizen standing right beside him. As the illusion Aizen dissipates, Aizen uses Kurohitsugi to attack Komamura, severely injuring and incapacitating him. Gin Ichimaru complements Aizen's ability to use a level 90 Kidō without an incantation, but Aizen replies that the attack only had a third of its potential power, and is therefore a failure. When Aizen is about to continue his explanations, Uryū Ishida, Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, Ganju Shiba and Makizō Aramaki arrive at the scene. Seeing Rukia Kuchiki being held by Aizen, Inoue cries out her name and is about to act, but Ichimaru stops her and the others cold by releasing his Reiatsu.

Aizen describes to Rukia how he massacred the Central 46 once he found her in the world of the living, disproving what was previously believed. He than used his Kyōka Suigetsu to fool everyone into believing the Central 46 were operating normally. He confesses that the orders to arrest Rukia and the decision to execute her were both his and his cohorts' doing. After the two captain meetings, which forced all three captains to leave the Central 46 Compound, Aizen faked his death and hid underground. The execution, he explains, was necessary to remove the Hōgyoku from her body. Because he knew Rukia's Ryoka friends might save her, he knew the execution might fail, he therefore made a backup plan in the form of a special technique, devised by Kisuke Urahara, which "breaks up the soul's cohesion" and allows separation between the soul and the object within it. Aizen pulls a small capsule and, as he opens it, six green spikes break out of the ground around Aizen and Rukia. Aizen's right hand is transformed or covered by the same matter as the spikes, and while a pale pink lightning passes between the spikes, Aizen pushes his left hand through Rukia's chest. Aizen quickly finds the Hōgyoku and removes it. Rukia's body falls to the ground, the gaping hole in her chest slowly closes and she appears unharmed.

Since Aizen now no longer has use for Rukia he orders Ichimaru to kill her. Ichimaru's Shinsō attack is launched and a spray of blood is seen, but to everyone's surprise, the blood comes form Rukia's adoptive older brother, Byakuya Kuchiki, who snatched her from Aizen's hand before the attack connected. Aizen approaches the brother and sister with the intent to kill them, but Jidanbō Ikkanzaka and Kūkaku Shiba drop in on him from the sky, and Shiba attacks with Raikōhō. Aizen dodges but as he lands he is captured by Yoruichi Shihōin who grabs his hilt and Suì-Fēng who holds her sword to his throat. Ichimaru, pondering his next actions, is apprehended by Rangiku Matsumoto. Tōsen is caught by Shūhei Hisagi. As many other Shinigami pour to the scene, including captains and lieutenants, Shihōin assures Aizen that there is no escape for him.

Laughing at this outcome, Aizen apologizes but says the time has come. Sensing a trap, Shihōin calls for Suì-Fēng to back away. A column of Negación ascends from the sky, enveloping Aizen as Yoruichi and Suì-Fēng are thrown back. A huge Garganta opens in the sky above the Sōkyoku, and two Menos Grande peer out of it, many more are seen behind them, and soon they pour into Soul Society. Hisagi spots something else behind the Gillians. Two more Negación columns shoot down on Tōsen and Ichimaru, forcing the Shinigami holding them back.

As the three rogue captains ascend into the Garganta, Komamura wakes up and calls for Tōsen, asking him where his sense of justice is. Tōsen replies that he has always and is continuing on the path of least bloodshed, which is where the justice always lies. Jūshirō Ukitake asks Aizen why he has joined with the Menos. Aizen replies that he needs to keep reaching up, and that soon the place at the top, that has never been occupied will be filled by him. Saying that, Aizen removes his glasses, smashing them in his hand, and by combing his hair back with his hand, he reveals his new appearance. Bidding farewell to Soul Society and to Kurosaki, Aizen and his cohorts enter the Garganta, which closes behind them.

The 4th Division arrive on the Sōkyoku to begin treatment and evacuation under the command of 3rd seat Yasochika Iemura. Iemura makes sure the Ryoka are also treated, saying they now enjoy the status of "Saviors of the Soul Society". Captain Retsu Unohana comes baring news about Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Momo Hinamori, who have escaped death. Iemura reports that the two most severely injured are Byakuya Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki, but Unohana, seeing Inoue's Sōten Kisshun at work, says there is no need to worry about the latter.

Approaching Captain Kuchiki, she tells him he has been reckless. Seeing Rukia Kuchiki near by she calls for her to come. Byakuya tells Rukia the real motive behind her adoption. His wife, Hisana Kuchiki, was her older sister. She had asked him on her death bed to find and look after her younger sister, whom she abandoned. When the orders came for her arrest and execution, he was torn between his promise to his deceased wife and the vow he made at his parents graves to always adhere to the law, a vow he made when he forced his clan to accept Rukia's adoption, which was against the law. He apologizes to Rukia for having chosen to protect his vow over his promise.

Fights

 * Conspiracy Revealed: End Game (concluded)

Powers and Techniques used
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