Pursue Byakuya! The Confused Gotei Divisions

'''Pursue Byakuya! The Confused Gotei Divisions''' is the two-hundred forty-fifth episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: November 10, 2009
 * English Airdate:
 * Opening Song: Anima Rossa
 * Ending Song: Sakurabito
 * Manga Chapters: None
 * Kanji: 白哉を追え！混乱の護廷隊
 * Romaji: "Byakuya o oe! Konran no Gotei tai"
 * Arc: Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc

Summary
As Byakuya Kuchiki and Kenpachi Zaraki fight, Rukia Kuchiki runs towards their battle. Ichigo Kurosaki manages to get away from Senbonzakura. As Byakuya prepares to attack Zaraki again, their battle is interrupted by the arrival of the Bankai form of Ashisogi Jizō, which releases its poison on Byakuya, Zaraki, Rukia and Renji Abarai. Byakuya emerges from the poisonous cloud in front of Ichigo, who is knocked into the poison by Senbonzakura. As Ichigo collapses, Byakuya and Senbonzakura disappear.

Elsewhere, Soifon is having trouble with the faster Suzumebachi, forcing her to allow the Zanpakutō spirit to strike her on different parts of her body rather than be hit in the same place twice. Suzumebachi taunts Soifon about Yoruichi Shihōin, causing Soifon to try to attack her, but her efforts are in vain. Suzumebachi decides to end the fight, and starts flying around Soifon at high speed. As she rushes in to strike one of her Hōmonka, Soifon activates her Shunkō and slices off the Zanpakutō spirit's attack arm. Soifon reveals that she focused her Shunkō on the Hōmonka that Suzumebachi was about to attack in order to prevent the attack from piercing her skin.

Meanwhile, as Ashisogi Jizō examines those caught in his poisonous cloud, it is startled by Yachiru Kusajishi and tries to run away. Yachiru, however, views this as a game of hide-and-seek and follows it. This morphs into a game of tag, and Yachiru eventually grabs onto the Zanpakutō spirit's wings, stopping it. The Zanpakutō breaks free and attempts to release its Bankai, but it is grabbed by Zaraki before it can. Kenpachi complains that Ashisogi Jizō ruined his fight. Mayuri Kurotsuchi arrives and activates a self-destruct system in his Zanpakutō. He tells Zaraki that he has no right to touch Ashisogi Jizō, and that it is Mayuri's duty to punish the Zanpakutō for disobeying its master.

As Soifon decides to hurry back, Yoruichi Shihōin arrives to help the weakened captain. Mayuri tries to treat Ichigo for his poison, but Ichigo refuses his aid as he has heard bad things about Mayuri from Uryū Ishida. When Ichigo frees himself, Mayuri has Nemu Kurotsuchi pin him down so that he can administer his medicine. Ichigo pleads with Zaraki to stop Kurotsuchi, but Kenpachi replies that he does not care what Mayuri does to him, so long as he can still fight him. Jūshirō Ukitake,Shunsui Kyōraku and Retsu Unohana arrive along with a contingent from the 4th Division. Having healed Isane Kotetsu and the others poisoned by Ashisogi Jizō as it roamed Seireitei, she has already developed an antidote to the poison.

The 4th Division members find Izuru Kira and Ikkaku Madarame and are ordered to treat them, while Unohana attends to Ichigo. Kyōraku asks Mayuri about his Zanpakutō. Kurotsuchi explains that he needs the Zanpakutō to help understand how Muramasa's brain-washing works. In the Zanpakutō spirits lair, Byakuya returns to Muramasa, who receives a message via a Hell Butterfly. Byakuya asks him if he is going to the Human World. As day breaks in Seireitei, Zaraki decides to go find Byakuya again so he can finish their fight. Yoruichi tells him that he will not find the rogue captain by simply wandering around. She reveals that she does not know where Byakuya is, but that she has found the location of the Captain-Commander. Muramasa takes Byakuya to see Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who is trapped inside a barrier maintained by Sōgyo no Kotowari, Minazuki and Katen Kyōkotsu.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
In the Zanpakutō hideout, Haineko looks through a clothes catalogue for outfits that will make her look cute since she has taken Human form, while Rangiku Matsumoto does exactly the same in the 10th Division offices. Both find an outfit that they think the other will not like and go to try it on in the shop, only to discover that they have both chosen the same outfit.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Kenpachi Zaraki
 * Byakuya Kuchiki
 * Rukia Kuchiki
 * Renji Abarai
 * Ichigo Kurosaki
 * Ashisogi Jizō
 * Senbonzakura
 * Soifon
 * Suzumebachi
 * Izuru Kira
 * Yachiru Kusajishi
 * Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * Yoruichi Shihōin
 * Uryū Ishida (flashback)
 * Nemu Kurotsuchi
 * Shunsui Kyōraku
 * Jūshirō Ukitake
 * Retsu Unohana
 * Isane Kotetsu
 * Tetsuzaemon Iba
 * Rangiku Matsumoto
 * Momo Hinamori
 * Harunobu Ogidō
 * Muramasa
 * Sōgyo no Kotowari
 * Katen Kyōkotsu
 * Minazuki
 * Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto
 * Haineko (omake)
 * Tobiume (omake)
 * Tōshirō Hitsugaya (omake)

Powers and Techniques used
Kidō used:
 * Hadō #31 Shakkahō (赤火砲, Shot of Red Fire)

Techniques used:
 * Getsuga Tenshō (月牙天衝, Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer)
 * Shunkō (瞬閧, Flash Cry)

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:
 * Senbonzakura (千本桜, "Thousand Cherry Blossoms)
 * Suzumebachi (雀蜂, Hornet)

Bankai:
 * Tensa Zangetsu (天鎖斬月, Heavenly Chain Moon Cutter or Heavenly Chain Cutting Moon)
 * Senbonzakura Kageyoshi (千本桜景厳, Vibrant Display of a Thousand Cherry Blossoms)
 * Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō (金色疋殺地蔵, Golden Leg-Cutting Jizō)