Recaps

Kenpachi Zaraki defeated Grimmjow, then fought and overcame Tōsen Kaname when Tōsen emerged from a sealed dimension. Tōsen was captured and sent back to the Soul Society, while Nara Dan learned that Aizen had been in contact with him.

• Kenpachi Zaraki killed Grimmjow and said he regretted that their fight had ended so quickly.
• Nara Dan explained that the group was waiting to capture Tōsen Kaname, and Kenpachi asked to fight him if he appeared.
• Tōsen emerged from the sealed dimension, surrounded the group with his Bankai, and tried to escape while they were deprived of most of their senses.
• Kenpachi adapted to the barrier, protected his companions, and defeated Tōsen with a powerful Spiritual Pressure slash.
• Gin Ichimaru restrained Tōsen, and Nara Dan learned that Aizen had been in contact with him before ordering his return to the Soul Society.

After returning to Soul Society with Tōsen Kaname, Nara Dan confronted Kisuke Urahara and then sought out the weakened Sōsuke Aizen. He asked Aizen to become a scapegoat who would draw attention away from his own plans.

• Nara Dan and his companions delivered Tōsen Kaname to Genryūsai Yamamoto, who pardoned Gin Ichimaru for some past crimes and assigned Nara Dan to supervise him.
• Urahara told Nara Dan he would keep watching him, then discussed the Quincy threat with Isshin Shiba and planned to search the archives.
• Nara Dan reflected on Urahara and Isshin Shiba’s alliance, then decided to visit an old friend.
• Nara Dan used the Hōgyoku to find Aizen hiding in a cave, where Aizen explained that losing the Hōgyoku had left him weakened and struggling against Hollow power.
• Nara Dan told Aizen he wanted someone to draw the Soul Society’s attention, and Aizen recognized that Nara Dan was offering him the role of scapegoat.

Nara Dan used the Hōgyoku and Life Essence to stabilize Aizen’s Hollowfication, then placed a Truth-Seeking Orb inside him and took his Zanpakutō, Illusion, before making him work for him. Later, Renji Abarai collapsed during a gathering with his friends, and Kira Izuru rushed him away to find Nara Dan while warning the others to keep it secret.

• Nara Dan used the Hōgyoku and Life Essence to stabilize Aizen’s powers and bring him into a cocoon-like early stage of evolution.
• Nara Dan implanted a Truth-Seeking Orb in Aizen and sent Illusion into the Void Spirit Realm, leaving Aizen to accept Nara Dan’s request while vowing to claim the throne.
• Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Kira Izuru, Momo Hinamori, Renji Abarai, and Rukia met at a tavern, where they discussed their divisions and Renji’s application for the Fifth Division captain’s exam.
• Renji Abarai told Tōshirō Hitsugaya that learning Bankai required great Spiritual Pressure and a dangerous catalyst that forced communication with a Zanpakutō.
• Renji Abarai suddenly lost consciousness, so Kira Izuru carried him away to seek Nara Dan and urged the others not to tell anyone, especially the Fourth Division.

Nara Dan removed the Blood of Sanction from Renji Abarai and realized Yhwach had awakened early. In the Human World, a weakened, Hollowfied Sōsuke Aizen attacked a Shinigami before Hiyori Sarugaki intervened, unaware of who he was.

• Kira Izuru brought the unconscious Renji Abarai to Nara Dan, who extracted a silver-and-crimson substance he identified as the Blood and Silver of Sanction.
• Nara Dan explained that Yhwach had awakened and targeted mixed-blood Quincies with Sanction, which had nearly killed Renji Abarai.
• Nara Dan sent Renji Abarai back to the Dormitory and wondered whether Ichigo Kurosaki would still be born after events had changed so drastically.
• In the Human World, Sōsuke Aizen devoured a Hollow's corpse and defeated a stationed Shinigami with a powerful Red Flame Cannon.
• Hiyori Sarugaki struck at Aizen with a slipper to stop him from attacking the unconscious Shinigami, while Aizen realized other Vizards might be nearby.

Hiyori Sarugaki fought a white humanoid creature, unaware it was Sōsuke Aizen, but he subdued her with layered Kido and drained her Spiritual Pressure. Shinji Hirako arrived to protect her and clashed with Aizen, whose strength had risen to Captain-level.

• Hiyori Sarugaki tried to avoid involvement with the Soul Society, but Aizen attacked her and blocked her with an incantation-free Six Rods Prison of Light.
• Hiyori Sarugaki used Hollowfication to break through the binding, but Aizen stacked another advanced Kido spell with it and immobilized her.
• Hiyori Sarugaki fired a Cero at Aizen, but he evaded it, revealed himself as Sōsuke Aizen, and drained her Spiritual Pressure until she fell unconscious.
• Shinji Hirako arrived, freed Hiyori Sarugaki by striking Aizen, and accused him of absorbing her Spiritual Pressure.
• Aizen, empowered to Captain-level, fought Shinji Hirako with rapid hand strikes and tried to seize his Zanpakutō while attacking his groin.

Shinji Hirako and Kisuke Urahara confronted Sōsuke Aizen, who had gained Hollow powers but escaped through a Garganta. After they resolved to prepare for his return, Nara Dan watched the battle from Soul Society and considered tipping the scales for the coming conflict.

• Shinji Hirako used his Hollowfication and Ceros to fight Aizen, but Aizen’s injuries regenerated and Urahara arrived.
• Kisuke Urahara identified the creature as Sōsuke Aizen, and Shinji recognized his former enemy and prepared to attack.
• Urahara stopped Shinji from using Bankai and explained that Aizen was protected by a Garganta and had developed Hollow powers, likely through the Hōgyoku.
• Urahara judged Aizen still weak and explained that his evolution required balancing the Shinigami and Hollow powers he consumed, while Soul Society’s reinforced barrier limited his options.
• Aizen escaped to Hueco Mundo, and Urahara and Shinji agreed to prepare for his stronger return.
• Nara Dan watched the battle through a phantom image and considered tipping the scales to make the coming fight more even.

Renji Abarai learned that Yhwach’s return was imminent, and Nara Dan chose him as Soul Society’s best chance to stop the Quincy King. Nara Dan implanted a mysterious jewel in Renji and began a plan to force his rapid growth, while Aizen headed for Las Noches to feed on Arrancar.

• Renji Abarai woke after his power surged and told Nara Dan he had seen a white palace where people lay dead and drained of blood.
• Nara Dan recognized the vision as a sign of danger connected to Yhwach and asked Renji whether he wanted to surpass a captain.
• Aizen arrived in Hueco Mundo, rejected Hollows as a source of power, and headed for Las Noches to use the Arrancar he had once prepared as food.
• Nara Dan told Renji that Yhwach was nearing resurrection and that Renji was his best chance to defeat him, prompting Renji to agree to grow stronger.
• Nara Dan implanted a hazy purple jewel in Renji’s chest, then invoked Yin-Yang Release to begin pushing him toward rapid growth.

Renji Abarai learned that his Bankai was incomplete as Nara Dan manifested Zabimaru and set him a deadly trial to master its full power. Meanwhile, Kisuke Urahara and Isshin Shiba prepared to face Aizen without alerting Soul Society, while Yhwach awakened in the Wandenreich after draining its Quincy and identified Nara Dan as an anomaly.

• Nara Dan manifested Zabimaru as the Baboon King and Zabimaru criticized Renji Abarai for wielding only a fraction of their power through his incomplete Bankai.
• Nara Dan challenged Renji Abarai to earn Zabimaru's recognition by mastering his true Bankai, warning that failure could cost him his life.
• Kisuke Urahara told Isshin Shiba that he suspected Nara Dan had orchestrated Aizen's return, and they agreed to keep the matter from Soul Society because of a possible Quincy attack.
• Kisuke Urahara asked Isshin Shiba to serve as a last line of defense against Aizen, though he hoped not to use the costly power inherited by the Shiba Clan.
• Yhwach awakened in the Wandenreich after draining the power and blood of its Quincy members, sparing only Haschwalth.
• Yhwach recognized Nara Dan as an unknown anomaly in the timeline and resolved to restore his strength quickly.

Yhwach and Aizen pursued their plans as Renji Abarai confronted Zabimaru and the Baboon Woman in a trial beneath the Sōkyoku. Renji embraced his resolve and Hollow mask, but his opponents matched his mask and began their serious assault.

• Yhwach recognized Nara Dan as an existence that obscured his visions of the future and resolved to wait until his power recovered before challenging him.
• Sōsuke Aizen drained an Arrancar in Las Noches, named his evolved form the cocoon, and confronted Szayelaporro, who tried to exploit Aizen's weakened state and missing Kyoka Suigetsu.
• Aizen attacked Szayelaporro with Hadō #90: Black Coffin.
• Zabimaru and the Baboon Woman criticized Renji Abarai for holding back, and Renji admitted he had been running from his weaknesses before resolving to defeat them.
• Renji donned his Hollow mask, but the spirits released Bankai and the Baboon Woman manifested a matching mask before launching the bone serpent at him.

Nara Dan explained that a Zanpakuto existed to protect its Shinigami, and Kira Izuru agreed to try communicating with his own Soul Slayer. As Baboon Woman’s devastating attack struck Renji Abarai, he realized he could still release his blade, and a bone serpent shielded him from the blast.

• Nara Dan told Kira Izuru that a Shinigami needed their Soul Slayer’s recognition, and Kira agreed to attempt his own trial.
• Baboon Woman overwhelmed Renji Abarai and prepared a powerful attack combining the Baboon Bone Cannon with Hollow power.
• Renji Abarai realized he had wrongly assumed his Asauchi could not be released and recalled Zabimaru’s words that they were him.
• Baboon Woman fired the Baboon Bone King Cannon at Renji Abarai.
• A massive bone serpent shielded Renji Abarai from the explosion, leaving him battered but still standing.

Renji Abarai passed Zabimaru’s trial and gained control of his combined powers, while Kira Izuru began his own trial with Wabisuke. In Hueco Mundo, Aizen devoured Szayelaporro and sought Aaroniero Arruruerie as his next sacrifice.

• Renji Abarai earned Zabimaru’s recognition, learned the true name of his Bankai, Twin Kings Zabimaru, and gained control of his Hollow, Shinigami, and Quincy powers through the Hōgyoku.
• Nara Dan spoke with Renji about Kira Izuru’s struggle to communicate with Wabisuke.
• Kira Izuru asked Wabisuke to help him master his power, and Wabisuke told him to defeat him to obtain it.
• Sōsuke Aizen defeated Szayelaporro and sacrificed him to replenish his Spiritual Power.
• Aizen decided to use Aaroniero Arruruerie’s ability to devour and fuse with Spirit Bodies, then confronted him and asked him to sacrifice himself.

Kira Izuru fought Wabisuke, learned the limits of its weapon-weighting ability, and pushed it into revealing its Bankai, Heavy Prison. Wabisuke’s gravity field immobilized Kira as it closed in to strike.

• Kira Izuru tested Wabisuke’s Shikai in sword combat until its ability had made his weapon sixty-four times heavier.
• Kira Izuru discarded his Asauchi and attacked with Six Powers techniques, but Wabisuke blocked his strikes and emerged unharmed.
• Nara Dan explained to Renji Abarai that Kira’s trial differed because Zabimaru was stronger, then warned that Wabisuke had not yet used Bankai.
• Wabisuke activated Bankai, revealed its Heavy Prison ability, and imposed amplified gravity across a thousand-meter radius.
• Nara Dan canceled the gravity affecting himself and Renji Abarai, while Kira Izuru struggled to move as Wabisuke approached and swung at him.
• Kira Izuru braced himself with Iron Body against Wabisuke’s attack.

Kira Izuru endured Wabisuke’s escalating gravity field and learned that its pressure doubled over time, threatening to leave him unable to fight. He opened the Sixth Gate and combined the Eight Inner Gates with Life Return to control its power, but Nara Dan recognized that the technique still could not fully prevent its life-draining cost.

• Wabisuke’s gravity field increased from twofold to fourfold, forcing Kira Izuru down to one knee and consuming Spiritual Pressure at an accelerating rate.
• Nara Dan explained the gravity field’s escalating strength and Spiritual Pressure cost, while Renji Abarai judged that Kira Izuru would need the Eight Inner Gates to break the deadlock.
• Kira Izuru thanked Wabisuke for revealing the field’s duration and declared that he would defeat it by staking his life.
• Kira Izuru opened the Sixth Gate and used Life Return to draw the Eight Gates’ energy inward and rise under the fourfold gravity.
• Nara Dan observed that Life Return let Kira Izuru regulate his power and slow the loss of vitality, but could not fully control it.

Kira Izuru fought Wabisuke under escalating gravity and discovered that the gravity field had a limited range. He escaped its thousand-meter reach with the Seventh Gate, leaving Wabisuke unable to continue the fight within the field.

• Kira Izuru used Six Powers attacks to blast Wabisuke back, but the gravity field weakened their force.
• Wabisuke doubled the gravity to eightfold, while Renji Abarai worried that Kira Izuru had little chance to win and Nara Dan hinted at a possible solution.
• Kira Izuru restrained Wabisuke briefly with Kido, then opened the Seventh Gate and used repeated Shaves to flee the gravity field.
• Wabisuke broke free of the Kido and pursued Kira Izuru, but Kira escaped the field's thousand-meter range before he could catch him.

Kira Izuru defeated Wabisuke by escaping its draining gravity field, accepted its power, and gained Bankai. As the real war approached, Nara Dan visited a recovering Sōsuke Aizen in Hueco Mundo and revealed that he had come to help him, though he kept his true objective secret.

• Kira Izuru recognized that Wabisuke's Bankai consumed Spiritual Pressure continuously, then waited until it failed and declared victory.
• Kira Izuru acknowledged Wabisuke's strength, resolved to use its power, and absorbed it to gain Bankai.
• Renji Abarai called Kira Izuru's new ability unfair, while Nara Dan advised Kira to improve his Spiritual Pressure before the coming war.
• Nara Dan found Sōsuke Aizen in Las Noches, where Aizen had recovered much of his strength by devouring Arrancar and other Hollows.
• Nara Dan asked Aizen to keep drawing Kisuke Urahara and the others' attention, then offered to help him without revealing his objective.
• Aizen deduced that Nara Dan's help would involve either Swordsmanship or an unfamiliar power system, and Nara Dan praised his insight.

Nara Dan gave Sōsuke Aizen three uses of Kyoka Suigetsu-level genjutsu and hinted at humanity’s technological power before leaving him to ponder his limited knowledge. Yhwach set out for Hueco Mundo as Mayuri Kurotsuchi confronted Nara Dan in Soul Society.

• Nara Dan revealed his Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan to Aizen and granted him three uses of powerful genjutsu, provided he made eye contact with his target.
• Aizen questioned where Nara Dan’s power came from, and Nara Dan told him that humans could see the moon and had invented weapons capable of destroying a city.
• Nara Dan ordered Aizen to carry out his tasks, then vanished and left Aizen contemplating what he had heard.
• Yhwach woke, told Haschwalth he was not yet at full strength, and chose to seek help in Hueco Mundo.
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi and the Stealth Force confronted Nara Dan beneath his Garganta and announced his arrest for entering Hueco Mundo and colluding with the enemy.

Nara Dan allowed himself to be detained by the Stealth Force after deliberately exposing his trip to Hueco Mundo, hoping to avoid pointless battles while pursuing his hidden goal. As his monitoring seed on Aizen was cut off, Yhwach approached Aizen in Hueco Mundo and proposed joining forces against Soul Society and Nara Dan.

• Nara Dan surrendered without resistance to Mayuri Kurotsuchi and was taken into Stealth Force custody for entering Hueco Mundo without authorization.
• Kira Izuru calmed the Third Division and took charge of its duties while Nara Dan was absent.
• Soi Fon interrogated Nara Dan, but he dismissed her threats and privately revealed that he had arranged his detention to stay out of the coming war until he achieved his goal.
• Nara Dan sensed that his God Tree-powered monitoring seed on Aizen had been cut off and recognized that a strange convergence had begun.
• Yhwach approached Aizen in Hueco Mundo and proposed cooperating against Soul Society, especially Nara Dan.
• Aizen questioned Yhwach about his plans and demanded that he show sincerity before sharing information about Nara Dan.

Sōsuke Aizen and Yhwach debated whether they could cooperate, then agreed to target Nara Dan for the power and secrets he possessed. They planned to confront him in the Spirit King's Palace, where Yhwach believed they could isolate the fight from outside interference.

• Yhwach offered to remove the methods Nara Dan had placed inside Aizen, but admitted he could not do so without risking alerting Nara Dan.
• Aizen argued that he and Yhwach were natural rivals, while Nara Dan seemed to stand above them as an observer; he concluded that Nara Dan himself was the true prize they should pursue.
• Yhwach agreed to cooperate, and Aizen decided they should leave the methods inside his body in place and use Yhwach's power to suppress them temporarily for five minutes.
• Yhwach proposed the Spirit King's Palace as their target, reasoning that Nara Dan would investigate a new domain if he had never entered it before.
• Aizen asked whether Zero Division could stop them, and Yhwach said only Genryūsai Yamamoto concerned him.

Aizen confronted Urahara and the Visored in the Human World while a Quincy attack struck Soul Society with a colossal Reishi-absorbing arrow. The arrow survived attacks from Soi Fon and Renji, and Byakuya began to counter it as the assault continued.

• Aizen emerged alone in the Human World and faced Urahara, the Visored, and Isshin Shiba, who suspected a Quincy assault on Soul Society and prepared to fight him.
• Shinji Hirako challenged Aizen and clashed with him as Urahara’s group began its plan to test Aizen’s abilities.
• A high-level Ryoka alarm sounded in Soul Society after its defensive barrier was breached, and Yamamoto Genryūsai ordered the divisions to assemble.
• A gigantic azure arrow raced toward Soul Society, growing as it absorbed Reishi, and Soi Fon fired her Bankai at it but only shifted its course slightly.
• Renji Abarai fired three blasts from his Bankai, gouging a crater into the arrow’s tip, as Byakuya Kuchiki began releasing Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.

Soul Society's captains stopped Yhwach's enormous Sacred Arrow, but Yhwach then appeared and challenged Yamamoto Genryūsai. After Yhwach overwhelmed Yamamoto in a clash of Spiritual Pressure, Yamamoto unleashed Bankai and revealed Zanka no Tachi.

• Byakuya Kuchiki and Sajin Komamura combined their Bankai to stop the Sacred Arrow before it destroyed Soul Society.
• Yamamoto Genryūsai gathered the captains, learned that Isshin Shiba had gone to the Human World, and appointed Renji Abarai acting captain of the Fifth Division.
• Yhwach appeared before Soul Society's captains, declared his intent to take revenge, and clashed with Yamamoto Genryūsai.
• Yhwach's Spiritual Pressure overwhelmed Yamamoto's, so Yamamoto ordered the other captains away and Yhwach raised Holy Domain Hymn to isolate their battle.
• Yamamoto released Bankai, compressed his flames into his blade, and revealed Zanka no Tachi.

Shinji Hirako used Sakanade to reverse Aizen’s perception and wounded him repeatedly, but Aizen adapted to the illusion and revealed that his Spiritual Pressure had recovered to its peak. Aizen broke Shinji’s blade and struck toward his heart, leaving the battle at a critical moment.

• Shinji Hirako released Sakanade, reversing Aizen’s sense of direction and perception.
• Shinji Hirako exploited Aizen’s confusion to slash him repeatedly, while Kisuke Urahara warned that Aizen was holding back.
• Aizen caught one of Shinji’s attacks and gradually adapted to Sakanade, making Shinji hesitate.
• Aizen attacked Shinji at high speed and broke his Zanpakutō with ultra-dense Spiritual Pressure.
• Aizen revealed his restored peak Spiritual Pressure and narrowly evaded Shinji’s counterattack as his hand blade grazed Shinji’s heart.

Sōsuke Aizen wounded Shinji Hirako, trapped Hiyori Sarugaki in a Genjutsu-assisted switch, and drained her Spiritual Pressure to evolve beyond the limits of a Shinigami. Kisuke Urahara and Isshin Shiba confronted the newly transformed Aizen, and their coordinated attack began as Aizen invoked Dankū.

• Sōsuke Aizen gravely wounded Shinji Hirako, and Hiyori Sarugaki rushed to catch him.
• Sōsuke Aizen used Sharingan Genjutsu to make Hiyori Sarugaki mistake him for Shinji Hirako, then pierced her heart as Kisuke Urahara recognized the trick.
• Isshin Shiba retrieved the wounded Shinji Hirako while Sōsuke Aizen drained Hiyori Sarugaki's Spiritual Pressure and completed the Cocoon Break evolution.
• Kisuke Urahara and Isshin Shiba realized Aizen's Spiritual Pressure had entered another dimension and agreed to fight him together.
• Isshin Shiba attacked with Getsuga Tenshō as Kisuke Urahara struck from behind with Benihime, and Sōsuke Aizen cast Bakudō #69: Dankū.

Isshin Shiba and Kisuke Urahara fought Sōsuke Aizen, whose immense power overwhelmed their attacks. Isshin unleashed his blood-consuming Bankai to hold Aizen back while Urahara prepared a seal, leaving Aizen trapped as his own uncontrolled spiritual pressure began to consume him.

• Aizen blocked Urahara and Isshin's attacks, struck back with Cero and Five Dragon Destruction, and Isshin severed the five dragons to save Urahara.
• At Urahara's suggestion, Isshin activated Blood-Rebuking Engetsu, using his blood to create flames that enhanced his strength and burned Aizen's blood.
• Isshin and Aizen clashed at extreme speed, but Isshin's Bankai rapidly drained his strength while Aizen continued to fight with ease.
• Aizen gathered his spiritual pressure into a Super Spiritual Pressure Cannon, and Urahara appeared to place an Execution Seal on Aizen's wrist.
• The seal disrupted Aizen's control of his spiritual pressure, causing the expanding cannon to turn against him as Urahara said Aizen would be burned by his own power.

Yamamoto Genryūsai unleashed every technique of Zanka no Tachi against Yhwach, only for Yhwach to reveal that Haschwalth had taken his place and steal the Bankai. Yhwach killed Yamamoto, restrained the other captains, and called on Nara Dan to either challenge him or join him.

• Yamamoto Genryūsai used Zanka no Tachi’s heat and blade to pressure Yhwach, then summoned the dead with Great Funeral Procession of Ten Trillion Fire Dead.
• Yamamoto struck Yhwach with Heaven and Earth Ashes, but the apparent victim was Haschwalth in disguise, while the real Yhwach watched nearby.
• Yhwach used his medallion to steal Yamamoto’s Bankai, then killed him with a sword of light.
• Shunsui Kyōraku and the other captains tried to reach Yamamoto, but Yhwach trapped them behind flames of condensed Reishi.
• Yhwach addressed Nara Dan, declaring that Yamamoto’s death left him as the only remaining opponent and offering him a chance to join.

Nara Dan revealed that he had helped bring about Yamamoto Genryūsai’s death to advance his own plans, then followed the rescued captains to the Spirit King’s Palace. In the Human World, Kisuke Urahara and Isshin Shiba faced a regenerated Sōsuke Aizen as Yhwach arrived, leaving the conflict poised to continue.

• Nara Dan admitted he had hastened Yhwach’s resurrection and pushed Yamamoto Genryūsai’s death forward, revealing he had never sided with Soul Society.
• Nara Dan declared his superiority over Aizen and revealed that Ryūjin Jakka was only part of his objective.
• A pillar of light transported the division captains to the Spirit King’s Palace, and Nara Dan followed them while Yhwach remained behind.
• Kisuke Urahara’s technique forced Sōsuke Aizen to destroy both arms, but Aizen regenerated them and prepared to fight again.
• Yhwach arrived in the Human World and told Aizen that the captains had been rescued and Nara Dan had entered the Spirit King’s Palace.
• Aizen declined Yhwach’s offer to deal with Kisuke Urahara and Isshin Shiba, saying he wanted opponents to remain in the world.