Imprisonment?! Senbonzakura & Zabimaru

''' Imprisonment?! Senbonzakura & Zabimaru''' is the two hundred and sixty-third episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: March 23, 2010
 * English Airdate:
 * Opening Song: Anima Rossa
 * Ending Song: Tabidatsu Kimi e
 * Manga Chapters: None
 * Kanji: 幽閉？！千本桜＆蛇尾丸
 * Romaji: "Yūhei?! Senbonzakura & Zabimaru"
 * Arc: Beast Swords arc

Summary
Several members of Division 6 are chasing a hammer carrying Tōjū through the streets of Seireitei. He manges to lose them by ducking into a large urn, but Saru and Hebi spot him and manage to bring him down. While they are busy being praised by the Shinigami, the Tōjū recovers and manages to trap them in a pile of dirt. The Tōjū defeats the Shinigami and is about to hit Zabimaru when Senbonzakura arrives and dispatches it, saving them.

A little later, fed up with being constantly compared to Senbonzakura, Zabimaru head off to deliver a broken Tōjū to the Shinigami R&D Institute. Upon arriving they find the place deserted, the entire staff having gone on a field trip. They manage to break inside by muscling the bars of a window open. Once inside they encounter Senbonzakura, also delivering a Tōjū, who broke in through the door, leaving a gaping hole in it. The three walk together into the Tōjū confinement facility within the lab and find an empty container into which they insert the Tōjū brought by Zabimaru. Senbonzakura however begins to toy with the device's remote, which triggers the alarm and sets off a large fortified glass barricade dropping over them.

Senbonzakura attempts to break the case with his Shikai but fails. Saru tells him they are just going to have to wait until the members of the 12th Division return. Senbonzakura agrees but after several seconds loses his patience and begins to throw a fit inside the barricade. Saru and Hebi try to hold him back when a door opens and Ashisogi Jizō floats into the room. Senbonzakura and Zabimaru try to get him to set them free, but Ashisogi Jizō exerts to much power while pushing the button and breaks the remote. In his rage, Senbonzakura frightens Ashisogi Jizō away.

Senbonzakura, unable to stand the wait any longer, releases Bankai and breaks the barricade open, destroying the entire confinement area along with it. The security system meant to contain the Tōjū is tripped and the three have to out run the closing doors, eventually arriving at a surveillance room through which the 12th Division monitors the private lives of everyone in Seireitei. Senbonzakura begins pressing buttons at random causing minor disasters across Seireitei. While Senbonzakura argues with Saru, Ashisogi Jizō enters the room in Bankai form.

Saru and Hebi retreat from Ashisogi Jizō's path, but Senbonzakura stands his ground, saying he accepts the latter's challenge, he releases his own Bankai. Zabimaru, angered by Senbonzakura's irresponsible behavior, release their own Bankai and break the fight between the two captain Bankais using Hikōtsu Taihō. The attack misses Senbonzakura, who flash steps away, but hits Ashisogi Jizō, effectively ending the fight. Unfortunately it also spells the end for the R&D institution, and the entire affair is attributed to Zabimaru's recklessness. Upon thinking about it, they realize they have no evidence to back up their claim that Senbonzakura was the real culprit.

Enraged, Zabimaru's master, Renji, confines them to the barracks and assigns hundreds of forms for them to sign to keep them out of trouble. Saru and Hebi wonder how Senbonzakura can be so different from his master, but Captains Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake say he actually reflects Byakuya's true nature very well. When news arrive that Senbonzakura is leading the search after a new Tōjū, Zabimaru immediately set off to protect Seireitei from him, despite their master's protest.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
Chōjirō Sasakibe, dressed in his new costume designed by Uryū, arrives just in time to save Seireitei from the Tentacle Tōjū. The relieved Shinigami thank the mysterious stranger and Uryū states that his project was a success, but as Ichigo points out, the Shinigami don't know the identity of the masked man who saved them, leaving Sasakibe in the shadow once more.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Hammer Tōjū
 * 2) Zabimaru
 * 3) Senbonzakura
 * 4) Renji Abarai
 * 5) Tōjū Pair
 * 6) Tentacle Tōjū
 * 7) Ashisogi Jizō
 * 8) Yasochika Iemura
 * 9) Tetsuzaemon Iba
 * 10) Izuru Kira
 * 11) Shūhei Hisagi
 * 12) Kazeshini
 * 13) Nanao Ise
 * 14) Gegetsuburi
 * 15) Marechiyo Ōmaeda
 * 16) Rangiku Matsumoto
 * 17) Haineko
 * 18) Soifon
 * 19) Yoruichi Shihōin
 * 20) Kiyone Kotetsu
 * 21) Isane Kotetsu
 * 22) Yachiru Kusajishi
 * 23) Momo Hinamori
 * 24) Byakuya Kuchiki
 * 25) Tatsufusa Enjōji
 * 26) Sōgyo no Kotowari
 * 27) Jūshirō Ukitake
 * 28) Sentarō Kotsubaki
 * 29) Retsu Unohana
 * 30) Minazuki
 * 31) Tobiume
 * 32) Shunsui Kyōraku
 * 33) Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * 34) Nemu Kurotsuchi

Powers and Techniques used
Techniques used

Zanpakutō released

Shikai: Bankai: