Hitsugaya Howls!

Hitsugaya Howls! is the forty-eighth episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: September 6, 2005
 * English Airdate: September 8, 2007
 * Opening Song: D-tecnoLife
 * Ending Song: Happypeople
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 131, Chapter 132, Chapter 133.
 * Kanji: 日番谷、吼える!
 * Romaji: "Hitsugaya, hoeru!"
 * Arc: Soul Society: The Rescue arc

Summary
The battle between Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Captain Gin Ichimaru begins. Gin tells his lieutenant, Izuru Kira, that he should stand out of the way, as it is dangerous, but Tōshirō tells Izuru he better run as far as he can, because he might killed by accident during the fight. Gin and Tōshirō finally cross blades, and after a little sparring, Tōshirō releases his reiatsu to show Gin how serious he is, they run at each other, and the battle rages on.

Gin taunts Tōshirō while cornering him in a volley of attacks until Tōshirō uses the chain on his sword's hilt to entangle Gin's sword, effectively cutting off the attacks Gin has been aiming at Tōshirō. Tōshirō then takes it up another notch, and releases his Zanpakutō, Hyorinmaru, aiming his power at Gin. Izuru gets caught in Tōshirō's attack and is frozen, and Gin blocks most of Tōshirō's attack, but has his left arm frozen and caught by the chain again. Just as Tōshirō think he's caught Gin, Gin pulls out his ace in the hole and releases his Zanpakutō, Shinsō, which Tōshirō dodges, but then sees it heading straight for Momo. Fortunately, Rangiku arrives just in time and blocks it with her Zanpakutō, saving Momo. Rangiku threatens to fight Ichimaru if he doesn't back down (despite Gin's sword beginning to crack her own), and Gin simply smiles.

In the underground chamber, Yoruichi ponders Ichigo's growth as a swordsman, and makes some calculations about the amount of time that they will have left after Ichigo achieves Bankai, coming to the conclusion that they will have a few days after Ichigo achieves Bankai. However, Ichigo's spiritual growth is not as rapid as his sword skills, and Yoruichi worries that if Ichigo doesn't achieve Bankai in the training' three days limit, it may be too dangerous for his soul to survive. She decides to give it another day, before making a decision. Meanwhile, lost amidst her thoughts, Yoruichi fails to hear/ignores an annoyed Ichigo's calls to her to start the days training.

In the Senzaikyū, Rukia Kuchiki learns that her execution date has moved once more, and that she will be executed the next day.

In the Fourth Division infirmary where Momo lays, Tōshirō and Rangiku are visiting her. Tōshirō thanks Rangiku for saving Momo, and ponders the letter Aizen left. He wonders if it is actually Gin who wants the power of the Sōkyoku. When Tōshirō learns that Rukia's execution date has been changed, he decides that it is time to stop the execution. Another scene shows the same announcement being broadcast all over Seireitei.

Elsewhere, an unseen figure locates Ichigo's reiatsu near his training area. Just as Yoruichi notices someone approaching, the entrance explodes and Renji appears as the dust settles. He taunts Ichigo about sneaking around to do Bankai training, and tells Ichigo and Yoruichi that Rukia's execution date has once again been moved. He says that he followed Ichigo's reiatsu to the underground training ground to finish his own Bankai training, and retreats into a corner to train with Zabimaru. Yoruichi starts to say that it's impossible to achieve Bankai in that time, but Ichigo stops her, saying that he will definitely reach Bankai in time to save Rukia.

Rukia, meanwhile, lies on the floor of the Senzaikyū and contemplates her last wish, which will be to send Ichigo and his friends safely back to the real world. She reflects on the dream from the previous night, in which she held the dead body of a Shinigami as she screamed his name: Kaien.

Kon-sama's Ultimate Shinigami Illustrated Guide
The featured character is Yoruichi Shihōin.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Tōshirō Hitsugaya
 * Gin Ichimaru
 * Izuru Kira
 * Momo Hinamori
 * Rangiku Matsumoto
 * Yoruichi Shihōin
 * Ichigo Kurosaki
 * Orihime Inoue (flashback)
 * Yasutora Sado (flashback)
 * Kisuke Urahara
 * Rukia Kuchiki
 * Sōsuke Aizen (flashback)
 * Nanao Ise
 * Marechiyo Ōmaeda
 * Shūhei Hisagi
 * Tetsuzaemon Iba
 * Zangetsu
 * Renji Abarai
 * Zabimaru
 * Kaien Shiba (flashback)

Fights

 * Tōshirō Hitsugaya vs. Gin Ichimaru (concluded)

Powers and Techniques used
Techniques used:
 * Santen Kesshun (三天結盾, Three Sacred Links Shield) (flashback)
 * Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash steps)

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai: