Rangiku's Tears, the Sorrowful Parting of Brother and Sister

Rangiku's Tears, the Sorrowful Parting of Brother and Sister is the one-hundred-thirty-first episode of the Bleach anime.

The Shinigami face off against the Cloning Arrancar.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: June 27, 2007
 * English Airdate: July 4, 2009
 * Opening Song: Alones
 * Ending Song: Tsumasaki
 * Manga Chapters: None.
 * Kanji: 乱菊の涙、哀しき兄妹の別れ
 * Romaji: "Rangiku no namida, kanashiki kyōdai no wakare"
 * Arc: The Arrancar arc

Summary
Despite Yui Toyokawa telling him to run away, Shōta Toyokawa still rushes to her side and is shocked to see the real form of the pseudo-Arrancar appear behind her. Yui pushes Shōta out of the way right before the pseudo-Arrancar tries to crush him, but Shōta still says that he does not want to abandon her again. However, Yui then gets turned back into one of the pseudo-Arrancar’s minions and is sucked up by its true form. When Rangiku Matsumoto tries to fight it, she manages to get in a few hits, but it then sends its minions after Shōta, distracting her long enough for the pseudo-Arrancar to go on the offensive. Tōshirō Hitsugaya also enters the battle by freezing the minions. Faced against a captain now, the pseudo-Arrancar claims that destroying him will cause Yui to disappear too, and although Hitsugaya is not affected by the threat, Shōta is. Shōta’s attempt to stop Hitsugaya gives the pseudo-Arrancar the opportunity to escape into another dimension. While it is gone, the pseudo-Arrancar’s minions fill the skies and are sent out in every direction to consume more souls.

Upon contacting Soul Society for information about the location of their enemy, Hitsugaya learns from the Technological Development Bureau that the transmission source of the sound the pseudo-Arrancar uses to control souls can be determined based on the way its minions are distributed around the city. While they are trying to find it, Rangiku explains to Shōta how the Shinigami are trying to save Hollows as well as souls. She feels that although they could not protect Yui, they can still save her soul, and she wants to work together with Shōta to do it. The Technological Development Bureau eventually discovers that the pseudo-Arrancar is hiding in the area by the river behind a special barrier. Hitsugaya initiates Bankai to destroy this barrier, but he does not succeed until Shōta calls out to Yui and the flute sound suddenly starts up. Shōta can tell where the sound is coming from and helps Hitsugaya direct his attack there, revealing the pseudo-Arrancar. Despite transforming, the pseudo-Arrancar cannot beat Hitsugaya, though it is actually Shōta and Rangiku together who finish the pseudo-Arrancar off.

In the aftermath, Shōta digs up the flute from the ground where the pseudo-Arrancar disappeared and feels that Yui definitely made it to Soul Society. He’s ready to go after her, so Rangiku sends him off after one last hug.