Flash Goddess Yoruichi, Dances!

Yoruichi, Goddess of Flash, Dances! is the forty-second episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: July 26, 2005
 * English Airdate: July 21, 2007
 * Opening Song: D-tecnoLife
 * Ending Song: Happypeople
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 118, Chapter 119, Chapter 120.
 * Kanji: 瞬神夜一、舞う!
 * Romaji: "Shunshin Yoruichi, mau!"
 * Arc: Soul Society: The Rescue arc

Summary
We begin the episode with Renji Abarai handcuffed and his Zanpakutō, Zabimaru, taunting him about how he is slow in recovering. Zabimaru expresses interest in taking on Ichigo's Zangetsu once more, but Renji tells him that Ichigo Kurosaki is no longer his enemy. After asking Renji who he will fight now, and receiving no answer, Zabimaru disappears.

Back at the Shrine of Pentinence (the white tower where Rukia is being held), we see the continuation of Ichigo and Byakuya Kuchiki's battle. Byakuya begins to release the power of his Zanpakutō, although Rukia tells Ichigo that he has to run away. Just as Byakuya begins releases his Zanpakutō, Yoruichi Shihōin stops him. Yoruichi and Byakuya talk as if they know each other, and it is revealed that Yoruichi was once a respected military leader in another part of Soul Society. Ichigo thanks Yoruichi for coming to help him, but says that he needs to take Byakuya down on his own. Yoruichi knocks Ichigo out by punching an anaesthetic into the wounds on his stomach. Byakuya claims that there is no way that she can escape, and after they play cat-and-mouse with Shunpo (Flash Steps), Yoruichi escapes promising to make Ichigo stronger than Byakuya in three days.

Byakuya decides to leave, claiming that he's bored, and Rukia passes out. Jūshirō Ukitake calls out his subordinates, Sentarō Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu. After they reveal that they followed him and then insult each other, Kiyone is told to call the fourth division to tend to Ganju, and Sentarō is told to put Rukia back in her cell. Kiyone and Sentarō promise to work with Ukitake to release Rukia from her cell. Hanatarō sees Ukitake going to Ganju to tend to him, and Ukitake tells Hanatarō that he cannot kill him, because on the grounds that Ganju may have information about Aizen's death, and he tried to rescue Rukia (Rukia is a subordinate of Ukitake).

Meanwhile, Orihime and Ishida pose as Shinigami so as not to get caught. They pass another Shinigami who is leading a team of Shinigami in a hunt for the Ryoka (Ishida and Orihime). Although the man questioning them does not recognize them, he comes on to Orihime due to her "assets". Ishida steps in to protect her, and the man is called away by other Shinigami before a confrontation ensues. Orihime praises herself for her great idea, and we find out that she knocked out the Shinigami they stole the robes from. (Evidently Tatsuki taught her some karate, and she is easily at the level of a black belt). Orihime and Ishida decide that they need to hurry so as to catch up with Ichigo and company, so that Ichigo does not get into trouble. As they leave, Mayuri Kurotsuchi comes out of a wall, as he is following them.

Back in the cave, Ichigo chews Yoruichi out for not saving Rukia from the battle with Byakuya, and Yoruichi reveals her strategy for saving only Ichigo as he is the only one who has potential to defeat Byakuya. She tells him that she knows that everyone is safe, as Ukitake is very kind (and Rukia's captain), but that he should heal himself and become stronger so as to defeat Byakuya. She takes him to an area under Soul Society, which looks like the basement under Kisuke Urahara's shop. Yoruichi explains to Ichigo Shikai, or the first release, and Bankai, the final release of a Zanpakutō. She mentions that Zangetsu is constantly in Shikai, but Ichigo must work to achieve Bankai, which will give him a power boost of about ten times his current power. She reveals that although it usually takes ten years to achieve, she knows a method that will require only three days for Ichigo to achieve Bankai, and that she will have him achieve Bankai with this method.

Kon-sama's Ultimate Shinigami Illustrated Guide
The featured character is Yumichika Ayasegawa.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Renji Abarai
 * Zabimaru
 * Jūshirō Ukitake
 * Ichigo Kurosaki
 * Byakuya Kuchiki
 * Rukia Kuchiki
 * Hanatarō Yamada
 * Yoruichi Shihōin
 * Ganju Shiba
 * Sentarō Kotsubaki
 * Kiyone Kotetsu
 * Orihime Inoue
 * Uryū Ishida
 * Toshimori Umesada
 * Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * Kenpachi Zaraki (flashback)
 * Yumichika Ayasegawa (omake)

Powers and Techniques used
Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:
 * (flashback)