Hiding in the Dangai? Ichigo is Alone?!

 is the three hundred and thirty-fifth episode of the Bleach anime.

After being brought back to the Urahara Shop by Kisuke Urahara, Ichigo Kurosaki heads into the Dangai to retrieve his Reishi.

Summary
Lying helplessly in the rain as Kagerōza Inaba takes Nozomi Kujō away, Ichigo blacks out. Later, he awakens at the Urahara Shop, Urahara having brought him there. As Urahara tells him he has not been out too long - maybe half a day after he had passed out - Ichigo asks how the others are doing. Urahara states they have not fully recovered just yet, but are getting better slowly, due to the efforts of Orihime Inoue.

Asking Ichigo to focus on making a full recovery, Urahara begins to leave the room to make Ichigo some tea. When Ichigo asks if he had lost all of his Reiatsu, Urahara states he did. When Ichigo asks if this means he is now incapable of helping Nozomi, Urahara states he cannot say.

Elsewhere, Rukia Kuchiki and Lieutenant Renji Abarai are told by Captain Retsu Unohana Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto is past the worst of his injuries, but will not be returning to battle anytime soon. They find out Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa's injuries are not only severe, but are showing no signs of recovery. When Renji resolves to go after Inaba, Unohana tells him while she also wants to save Nozomi, the best thing they can do is wait.

Back at Urahara's shop, Ichigo, dressed and preparing to leave, tells Urahara he cannot help anyone just sitting there. Smiling, Urahara asks Ichigo to take a walk with him. During their walk, they bump into Yasutora Sado, Uryū Ishida, and Orihime. Noticing the solemn looks on their faces, Ichigo tells them to not worry about his lost Reiryoku, and even if he cannot fight, he will still help them in any way he can. As Rukia and Renji arrive in Gigai, allowing Ichigo to see them, Renji reveals they came to see how he was doing, but he looked just fine. Apologizing, Ichigo says even though he no longer has his spiritual energy, he still has his soul, and he has not given up. As Renji calls him an idiot and Rukia kicks him, Urahara, Sado, Orihime, and Uryū look on with a smile.

In Soul Society, Inaba is still badly wounded from his fights with Ichigo and Yamamoto. When Reigai-Nanao Ise suggests Inaba get treated, he shoves her away in anger, insisting he start the fusion between Nozomi and himself immediately, and commands her to make the preparations.

Back at the Urahara shop, Uryū tells the group they need to break into Soul Society while Inaba is more focused on Nozomi than on them. When Renji tells Ichigo with or without him, they are still at a disadvantage and to not worry, Uryū, points out they cannot totally disregard Ichigo's absence; for Inaba is wary of Ichigo. Urahara explains Inaba was wary of Ichigo because of his Hollow powers, preventing Inaba from making a Reigai of Ichigo. He further explains this is why Inaba resorted to using the Kōtotsu to attack Ichigo.

Urahara reveals he may know a way to restore Ichigo's Reiatsu: using the Reishi the Kōtotsu took from Ichigo and reversing Inaba's Reigai creation technique to make more of Ichigo's Reiryoku, thus restoring his powers. He says since Ichigo has no Reiatsu, he is the only one who can enter the Kōtotsu and live. Ichigo states since he is unable to think of any other way to save Nozomi, he is willing to take the risk.

In Urahara's underground training room, Urahara, separating Ichigo's soul from his body, gives him a communication device in case of emergencies and a device to detect his Reishi. Kon arrives, upset he is powerless to protect anyone and always has to rely on Ichigo to fight for him. Telling Kon none of this was his fault, Ichigo promises him he will return. When Kon gives Ichigo Nozomi's good luck charm, Ichigo, thanking him, leaves for the Dangai.

Shortly after Ichigo's arrival in the Dangai, the Kōtotsu swallows him up. Navigating through the Kōtotsu's interior, he confirms Urahara's device works. Soon after, the Kōtotsu begins trying to expel Ichigo, and Urahara tells him to abandon the mission. Resolving to finish it, Ichigo, almost losing the Reishi-tracking device, finds his Reishi and absorbs it into the machine. As he is about to flee the Kōtotsu, he, noticing "another him" inside of it, decides to rescue his other self at the last minute.

When Ichigo returns to the Human World, Urahara, expressing his relief, takes the machine from Ichigo to begin the process of restoring his powers. When Ichigo explains to the group about the "other him", Urahara surmises the Ichigo he saw was the one from the past, when Ichigo first had gotten swallowed by the Kōtotsu. As they begin to head back to the shop, Ichigo thanks Kon for the good luck charm.

Meanwhile, in Soul Society, Nozomi is put into a glass chamber, which is filled with pink fluid. Inaba says "both space and time are right", and it is time to begin.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
At the Urahara Shop, Ichigo is reading a magazine when Rukia and Renji come in. Speaking with each other's voices, they are revealed to have swapped Gigai, happy they have fooled Ichigo. When Orihime, Chad, and Uryū, coming in, ask Ichigo who is who, he, realizing what happened, angrily states they are not Gigai.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Nozomi Kujō
 * Kagerōza Inaba
 * Ichigo Kurosaki
 * Kisuke Urahara
 * Kon
 * Rukia Kuchiki
 * Renji Abarai
 * Retsu Unohana
 * Ikkaku Madarame
 * Yumichika Ayasegawa
 * Isane Kotetsu
 * Orihime Inoue
 * Yasutora Sado
 * Uryū Ishida
 * Nanao Ise (Reigai)

Fights
None.

Powers and Techniques Used
Techniques used:
 * Getsuga Tenshō (月牙天衝, Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer) (Flashback only)

Zanpakutō released:

Bankai:
 * Tensa Zangetsu (天鎖斬月, Heaven Chain Slaying Moon) (Flashback only)