A New Enemy! The True Nature of the Beast Swords

'''A New Enemy! The True Nature of the Beast Swords''' is the two hundred and fifty-seventh episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: February 9th, 2010
 * English Airdate:
 * Opening Song: Anima Rossa
 * Ending Song: Tabidatsu Kimi e
 * Manga Chapters: None
 * Kanji: 新たな敵！刀獣の正体
 * Romaji: "Arata na teki! Gatana-jū no shōtai"
 * Arc: Beast Swords arc

Plot
An unnamed Tōjū goes to the Human World to look for his master. Ichigo has a short run in with him, but the Tōjū escapes. The 10th Division Captain and lieutenant, Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Rangiku Matsumoto follow him there, accompanied by their respective Zanpakutō, Haineko and Hyōrinmaru. Hitsugaya fills in Ichigo and Urahara about the current situation in Soul Society.

The Tōjū is absorbed by a Hollow and the two fuse together, forming a Zanpakutō/Hollow hybrid. Ichigo battles the creature but is thrown back by a powerful Cero before he can use Getsuga Tenshō. Hitsugaya dispatches it easily by releasing Hyōrinmaru, causing the Tōjū's released Zanpakutō, a spear-like weapon, to break.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
Haineko and Tobiume are curious to find out how Senbonzakura's face looks behind his mask. They peep into the bathhouse only to find, to their dismay, that he has disrobed of everything but the mask.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Contractor
 * 2) Architect
 * 3) Hollow Tōjū
 * 4) Ichigo Kurosaki
 * 5) Keigo Asano
 * 6) Tōshirō Hitsugaya
 * 7) Tessai Tsukabishi
 * 8) Kisuke Urahara
 * 9) Kurōdo
 * 10) Ririn
 * 11) Noba
 * 12) Haineko
 * 13) Rangiku Matsumoto
 * 14) Shunsui Kyōraku
 * 15) Jūshirō Ukitake
 * 16) Sōgyo no Kotowari
 * 17) Katen Kyōkotsu
 * 18) Rukia Kuchiki
 * 19) Sode no Shirayuki
 * 20) Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * 21) Nemu Kurotsuchi
 * 22) A spider like Hollow
 * 23) Hyōrinmaru
 * 24) Orihime Inoue
 * 25) Nanao Ise
 * 26) Momo Hinamori
 * 27) Tobiume
 * 28) Zangetsu

Powers and techniques used
Zanpakutō released Techniques used Hollow powers