Recaps

Ailin intervened in the Seireitei’s conflicts as Aizen revealed his survival and fled to Hueco Mundo with Gin and Tōsen. After the upheaval, the Gotei 13 took over Seireitei’s administration, Rukia accepted a captaincy recommendation, and the captains began considering replacements for vacant posts.

• Ailin punished Gin Ichimaru and Toshiro Hitsugaya for fighting near his home, then separated Toshiro from Hyōrinmaru to force him to improve.
• Zaraki Kenpachi and his allies tried to free Shino Madarame, while Rukia discovered the murdered Central 46 and Aizen revealed that he had survived.
• Ailin rescued Rukia from Aizen, then blocked Yamamoto from reaching Ichigo as Ichigo fought Gin and Esdeath challenged Yamamoto.
• Aizen exposed his role in the Hollowfication incident, took the Hogyoku from Shino, and was confronted by the captains as Gin and Tōsen revealed their allegiance to him.
• Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen escaped to Hueco Mundo through Garganta, while M Matsumoto Rangiku watched Gin depart and the Seireitei learned the scale of the killings.
• At the captains’ meeting, Ailin confronted Yamamoto over the punishment of commoner Soul Reapers and demanded equal accountability for Tokinada Tsunayashiro.
• Ailin rescued Uryu Ishida from Mayuri Kurotsuchi’s laboratory, and Rukia accepted his recommendation that she become Ninth Division captain.
• The Gotei 13 assumed Seireitei’s administration, and Ukitake nominated Kaien Shiba and Rukia for vacant captaincies while Ailin rejected several candidates for the Third Division post.

Rukia became the Ninth Division captain, Ailin took command of the Fifth, and the Seireitei defeated the Bounts while Gin remained with Aizen. As Tenkai Shusuke settled into the Third Division, Shunsui investigated his hidden past and Kifune Ri’s uncontrolled attack left Soul Reapers dead.

• Kaien Shiba resigned to live with Miyako, while Rukia challenged Ailin and impressed the captains with her ice powers before becoming Ninth Division captain.
• Ailin became Fifth Division captain and, during a Human World visit with Haruko, discovered that Aizen was using the Bounts to distract the Seireitei while merging with the Hogyoku.
• Ranshiro threatened to detonate the Pure Realm Chapters, but Ailin and the captains fought the Bounts, killing their leaders and defeating their forces.
• Ailin met Ichigo and Uryu after the fighting, warned Uryu about the danger of his Quincy bracelet, and returned to manage the Fifth Division and support Momo Hinamori.
• Ailin trained Izuuru Kira and helped Tenkai Shusuke establish himself as Third Division captain, while Kira remained vice-captain and Kifune Ri resented the decision.
• Tenkai took on Fifth Division rescue assignments, and Shunsui Kyōraku told Ailin he would investigate Tenkai’s identity despite Ailin’s warning about the risks.
• Kifune Ri killed a Gillian-class Menos, then lost control of Reppū and wounded and killed Soul Reapers and Hollows.

Ailin’s schemes reshaped the conflict between the Seireitei and Aizen, while Ichigo confronted his inner powers and Orihime went to Hueco Mundo. The arc ended with Aizen fused with the Hogyoku and both sides preparing for battle in Karakura Town and Las Noches.

• Tenkai Shusuke joined the Kasumiōji Clan’s plot, but Yamamoto defeated him after learning he was Kisaragi Taiho’s son, and Ailin destroyed the Moyao Blade and imprisoned him.
• Byakuya Kuchiki killed the nobles gathered in Central 46, while Ruri Chiyo returned to the Seireitei under his protection.
• Ailin trained Momo Hinamori and Ichigo Kurosaki, helping Ichigo understand his inner spirits and awaken his twin Zanpakuto blades.
• Aizen sent Hollows to Karakura Town and Ulquiorra to take Orihime Inoue, but Ailin allowed Orihime to go to Hueco Mundo so she could grow stronger.
• Ichigo, Uryu Ishida, and Yasutora Sado entered Hueco Mundo to rescue Orihime, while Ailin warned Karakura Town’s spiritually powerful residents to leave before the coming battle.
• Orihime helped the Hogyoku complete its fusion, healed Loly Avene and Menoly Mallia, and was taken away by Enkidu as Aizen prepared to merge with the Hogyoku.
• Gin Ichimaru took the Hogyoku from Lias and presented it to Aizen, who absorbed it and ordered the Espada to prepare for battle.
• Aizen sent Stark, Baraggan, and Holi Bell to the Human World, while Unohana defeated Rudborn’s Execution Squad and Grimmjow charged toward Ichigo with Luppi Antenor.

Aizen’s invasion of Karakura Town drew the Soul Reapers, Visored, and Arrancar into battles while Ichigo fought his way through Hueco Mundo to reach Orihime. As Ailin confronted Urahara’s group and Inaba’s Reikaku copies spread through Seireitei, the war continued with Yamamoto facing Aizen and Wonderweiss.

• Grimmjow fought Ichigo while Luppi attacked Ichigo’s friends, until Nel awakened as Nieniel and erased Luppi with Cero Duet before reverting to her child form.
• Aizen entered the Human World with three groups of Arrancar, and Yamamoto’s forces and the Visored engaged them as Ailin admitted to Urahara’s group that he favored Aizen.
• Ichigo defeated Grimmjow and fought Ulquiorra above Las Noches, eventually overwhelming Ulquiorra’s Segunda Etapa and sparing him before returning toward the Human World with Unohana.
• Ailin fought Urahara’s group over the Hogyoku and the world’s fate, then stopped attacking after Urahara surrendered and explained that he had been testing Ailin’s humanity.
• Inaba delayed the returning captains and unleashed Reikaku duplicates across Seireitei, where Rukia, Renji, and Byakuya fought their doubles while Byakuya sought help from Mayuri and Urahara.
• The Soul Reapers battled Aizen’s Arrancar in Karakura Town as Hitsugaya froze Holi Bell, Ailin destroyed Aaroniero and struck down his Fracción, and the captains confronted Starrk and Baraggan.
• Tōsen defeated Komamura with his Resurrección, then fought Hitsugaya, who grievously wounded him before Tōsen healed and trapped him inside Enma Korogi.
• Yamamoto entrusted Ailin with rescuing the Gotei 13 and attacked Aizen with Inferno Hell, but Wonderweiss absorbed the flames and released his spiritual pressure.