Side Story...Ichigo and the Magic Lamp

Side Story...Ichigo and the Magic Lamp is the two hundred and eighty-seventh episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: September 7th, 2010
 * English Airdate:
 * Opening Song: ChAngE
 * Ending Song: Echoes
 * Manga Chapters: None
 * Kanji: 外伝...一護と魔法のランプ
 * Romaji: "Gaiden...Ichigo to mahou no ranpu"
 * Arc: The Fake Karakura Town arc Part 2

Summary
Ichigo wakes up and finds himself in a place resembling the deserts of Hueco Mundo, he is also dressed in an ambiguously Middle Eastern fashion. Next to him he finds a black cat, resembling Yoruichi's cat form, but the cat doesn't speak and merely meows at Ichigo. Later on he meets with Orihime, Uryū, and Chad next a bonfire, the three are also dressed in a similar fashion as Ichigo and he tries to interrogate them about it. His friends seem surprised and insist that's how they always dress, Chad asks him if he hit his head and addresses him as 'Chigo'. When Ichigo won't acknowledge the name Uryū suggests he might have forgotten his name. Ichigo makes the claim that his name is Kurosaki Ichigo but the others dismiss it as nonsense and soon Chad announces the time has come and they all get to their feet and walk away, before Ichigo is finished talking.

The group travels on the back of Bawabawa (which the others insist is a camel). On their way Uryū tells them he's concerned about their current target and says they will have to be very careful. Orihime assures him that all will go smoothly, as he made the plans; she addresses him as 'Uryo'. Uryo thanks her, addressing her as 'Ori Mei'. He asks Chad if he agrees and addresses him as 'Chaido'. Chigo is quite perplexed at the way his friends have been behaving. When the four arrive to a city Uryo tells Chigo the details of his plan: They are to sneak into the mansion of a man called Ura Vira, a wealthy merchant, in order to steal a one of a kind jewel called the Snow Crystal. Chigo asks if they are thieves, but Chaido claims they are burglars, which is one and the same as far as Ichigo is concerned.

The four sneak into the mansion and enter the treasure room. To Chigo the treasures look as if taken from a dream. Ori Mei agrees with him and Uryo explains that that's because this is all indeed a dream. He instructs the others to focus on finding the Snow Crystal. Chigo asks what the Jewel looks like and Uryo describes it as pure white, shiny and cold as snow to the touch, it's appearance is calming and beautiful. Ori Mei points to a treasure chest in the middle of the room and suggests they look there first. Uryo picks the lock and as the chest opens the four are amazed to find an oil lamp, the body of which is designed like the head of Kon's plushy. Uryo explains that the lamp is not Kon but the lamp of Aladdin of the Arabian Nights which are the basis for the dream. Chigo tries to inquire with Uryo if they are indeed in a dream and Uryo replies that they are, as things would never go this smoothly outside of a dream.

Right after he finishes his sentence the lights turn on and they hear the voice of Ura Vira, who is revealed to be Urahara's duplicate. Ura Vira - accompanied by duplicates of Tessai, Ururu, and Jinta - informs them that they are trapped. Uryo explains that Ura Vira is the richest man in the country and has accumulated his treasures all over the world. Ura Vira tells them he anticipated break-ins and is well prepared for them. He pulls a red chord dangling from the ceiling and releases a huge ball that drives the four burglars away. The next pulls release two dogs and a sheep that chase the four around, shoots arrows and fires laser beams at them.

The four escape into a random room and haul up in it. Having no way of escaping, Uryo says they have to fight. When Chigo remarks they are unarmed, Ori Mei reminds him of the lamp. Chigo is at a loss at first as to how to fight with a lamp but then recalls the legend of Aladdin and starts rubbing the lamp, hoping it is magical. After a few seconds of rubbing the lamp begins to glow and then lets out a plume of pink smoke which reveals a tiny Genie that takes the appearance of Rukia and insists her name is Rukiruki. She takes immediate offense to Chigo and disappears, forcing Chigo to summon her back. When she returns Chigo asks her to take them out of the room, as Ura Vira's crew begin ramming the door. Rukiruki refuses to grant Ichigo's wish, as Genie law prohibits her from granting wises of people with tainted hearts. She also cannot grant wishes to people with dyed hair (as dyed hair leads to delinquency). Chigo eventually manages to persuade Rukiruki to grant them a wish by playing on her pride. Ori Mei wastes their first wish by wishing for cake, but Chigo says even his baby sister knows how to make a cake and insists she proves her powers by taking them out. She does, but lands them in a toilet.

After they exit the toilet Chigo realizes he should have used the wish to wake himself up from the dream. Rukiruki says since she already broke the rules she might as well grant them the third wish. Chigo is about to wish to be woken up, but the other three push him down and wish for the Snow Crystal. Chigo claims since he summoned the Genie the wish should go to him. His friends try to lay a guilt trip on Chigo, but since it is his dream, he believes he can do whatever he wants. While they are arguing, Rukiruki disappears. Ori Mei suggests they settle this with a vote, which of course goes three to one for the Snow Crystal. While Chigo is pinned down with Seele Schneiders Ori Mei grabs the lamp and rubs it, but the Genie that eventually emerges is Renji's duplicate, Ren Jin. He says Rukiruki is about to be executed the next day for breaking the laws of Lamp Society. He implores Chigo to go and rescue her. Before he can grasp this development the other three arrive on a magic carpet and whisk Chigo away through a Senkaimon like portal.

Lamp Society is a copy of Soul Society, except for the most part towers are replaced with minarets and most buildings have onion domes. Chigo is unimpressed as he wonders how he has gotten himself into this situation again. However, since he's already gone that far, he vows to stick to it to the end. All of a sudden he hears Yoruichi's voice who complements him for his words and says that's what she's been waiting to hear. The carpet drops from beneath them and the four (plus one cat) fall to the ground. The carpet falls with them and then changes its shape and turns out to be Yoruichi (the black cat is just a black cat). She explains that Rukiruki will be executed in a place called Solamp that lies deep within Lamp Society. In order to reach it they will have to defeat the 13 Court Lamp Divisions. Yoruichi bids the four farewell, saying they must meet up again, alive. Uryo, Ori Mei, and Chaido all salute Yoruichi and make their exit. Ichigo is left alone, wondering how he is going to land. Yoruichi promises he won't die, as he is in a dream; however, the landing is still very painful.

As soon as he lands Ichigo encounters the duplicates of Ikkaku and Kenpachi (who is a giant). He next finds himself in the Sōkyoku Hill secret training ground, where he picks out the dream version of Zangetsu. At the Solamp the dream version of the Sōkyoku is released, but the bird in this case turns out to be the size of a song bird and its attack consists on pulling at Rukiruki's bang. When Chigo arrives and grabs the bird in one hand Rukiruki berates him for not coming to save her sooner. Chigo senses an attack from behind and blocks it, but instead of Byakuya he finds himself facing the Wakame Ambassador. Before they begin their fight, Chigo asks Byakuya to remove his costume. When he does, Chigo can't hold in his laughter as he finds Byakuya's attire completely unfitting of the real 6th Division captain. Byakuya holds a sword to his throat saying Chigo must like treading on other people's pride. Chigo faces him and the two reenact their final fight, at the end of which Byakuya concedes the fight to Chigo and leaves. Chigo lets out a victory cry before fainting.

When Chigo wakes up he is back in the desert. He believes he has awoken from his dream and is thoroughly surprised to find Uryo, Ori Mei, and Chaido in front of him. After expressing his frustration he is approached by Ren Jin and Rukiruki, who thank him for her rescue. Rukiruki agrees to grant him his third wish. His friends want to wish for Chigo to wake up, but he says he will wake up on his own eventually and so wishes for the Snow Crystal for his friends. Rukiruki summons the precious jewel and it lands in Chigo's hands, where it turns out to be fishcake. Isane Kotetsu wakes up in her quarters from another bad dream involving fishcake. She goes on a walk on which she encounters her captain, Retsu Unohana, having a cup of tea. Flushed with embarrassment, the lieutenant joins her superior.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
Uryū explains that this episode's story is set in an alternate world. He then proceeds to caution the audience that a common way to wander into such a world is to fall down a hole, it would therefore be wise to steer clear of open holes. When Ichigo makes a skeptic remark Uryū rebukes him for not paying attention to his warning, intended for careless people, such as Ichigo. Ichigo begins to protest, saying Uryū is the one who should be careful, but just then a hole opens up beneath their feet and they both fall in.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Ichigo Kurosaki (as Chigo)
 * 2) Yasutora Sado (as Chaido)
 * 3) Orihime Inoue (as Ori Mei)
 * 4) Uryū Ishida (as Uryo)
 * 5) Bawabawa
 * 6) Kisuke Urahara (as Ura Vira)
 * 7) Tessai Tsukabishi
 * 8) Jinta Hanakari
 * 9) Ururu Tsumugiya
 * 10) Rukia Kuchiki (as Rukiruki)
 * 11) Renji Abarai (as Ren Jin)
 * 12) Yoruichi Shihōin
 * 13) Ikkaku Madarame
 * 14) Kenpachi Zaraki
 * 15) Wakame Ambassador
 * 16) Byakuya Kuchiki
 * 17) Isane Kotetsu
 * 18) Retsu Unohana

Fights
References were made to the following fights:
 * Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Ikkaku Madarame
 * Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Kenpachi Zaraki
 * Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Byakuya Kuchiki: Rematch

Powers and Techniques Used
Shinigami techniques:

Techniques used:

Other powers:

Trivia

 * This episode marks the 10 year anniversary of the Bleach Manga.
 * Some characters of Bleach make cameo appearances as some of Ura Vira's treasures in his treasure room
 * Paintings of Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Chōjirō Sasakibe, and Isane Kotetsu
 * A statue of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto
 * A stuffed Sajin Komamura's head.
 * Komamura's Bankai, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō, as a statue.
 * Kon as the lamp Rukiruki (and later Ren Jin) resides in.