Bleach Episode 15 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

Kon's Great Plan

Ichigo's household and friends cross paths with Rukia's secret as Kon is repaired, Urahara's cat is revealed, and Renji and Byakuya find Rukia in a Gigai. Kon is pulled into the classroom and crowd, while Ichigo and Rukia's bond is tested by her unusual silence.

• Morning at the Kurosaki Clinic

  Kon wakes Ichigo with a flower glued to his ear by Yuzu; Ichigo lifts him by it and Kon storms off, while Rukia overhears the news of Ichigo's battle.

• School lunch and Rukia's secret

  At school, Orihime's baseball game, Uryū's bandaged arms, and the lunch group reveal friendship dynamics; Rukia smiles but mentally says she does not belong.

• Renji and Byakuya arrive

  After school Rukia leaves the clinic, and Renji and Byakuya appear, confirming that Rukia is in a Gigai and that they have found her.

Recent Timeline

• Bulbous G destroyed by Sado (Episode 12)

  Sado's punch blows off the arm of Bulbous G, and his later uppercut releases a torrent of energy that splits the Hollow vertically. It is sent into the air, where it disintegrates, ending the threat to Karin and her friends.

• Numb Chandelier destroyed and Ichigo finds Uryū (Episode 13)

  Orihime uses Koten Zanshun with the Shun Shun Rikka to bisect Numb Chandelier from within, and the Hollow disintegrates, ending the seed-control attack on the students and on Tatsuki and Chizuru.

  Ichigo cuts the large Hollow in half just as it prepares to attack Rukia, Kon, and Uryū, then finds Uryū and declares he has finally found him, ending the separate searches for the two.

• Shinigami exterminate the Quincy (Episode 14)

  About 200 years ago the Shinigami exterminated the Quincy, a fact that shocked Ichigo. Urahara explains the decision was made because the Quincy had to be eliminated to prevent the destruction of the universe, since their eradication of Hollows disrupted the balance of Souls between Soul Society and the Human World.

  Sōken Ishida was attacked by five large Hollows and could not defeat them alone. The Shinigami arrived two hours after he began fighting, and he died. Uryū blames this on the Shinigami failing to acknowledge the Quincy's ideals.

• Menos Grande retreats from Karakura Town (Episode 14)

  Ichigo pushes through the Cero of the Menos Grande and cuts it with a massive vertical slash. The Menos Grande retreats by pulling the Kūmon around itself, ending the threat that drew Ichigo and Uryū into the fight.

• Rukia located by Soul Society officers (Episode 15)

  Renji Abarai and Byakuya Kuchiki appear in the air behind Rukia outside the Kurosaki Clinic. Renji analyzes her body and realizes she is in a Gigai, then declares they have found her, ending her hidden stay in the Human World.

Character Graph

Fishbone D

Hollow

Hollow that pursues the dead girl and then turns on Ichigo's family, seeking a soul with high Reiryoku. He is destroyed when Ichigo cuts through his mask.

• Target

  Was drawn by Ichigo's suppressed power, which had been leaking through the dead girl.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Other, Hostility)

  The Human whose power he hunts; he is destroyed by Ichigo.

• Rukia Kuchiki (Other, Hostility)

  Shinigami who wounds him and is wounded in return.

• Karin Kurosaki (Other, Hostility)

  Girl he seizes and threatens to devour.

Yuzu Kurosaki

Human

Younger Kurosaki sister who can see ghosts but cannot interact with them. She tries to keep peace at dinner and is jealous of Ichigo's spirit attention.

• Spirit sight

  Can see spirits but cannot speak to or touch them.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Family, Affinity)

  Older brother she worries over.

• Karin Kurosaki (Family, Mixed)

  Older twin sister who is unconcerned by the family conflict.

Mizuiro Kojima (Mizuiro)

Karakura High School

Ichigo's classmate who sits with him and identifies classes.

• Role

  Identifies Rukia as a transfer student and names the next class.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Colleague, Affinity)

  Classmate who sits with him.

Mod-Soul

Mod-Soul

An artificial soul created for combat that was placed into Ichigo's body after Rukia used a Gikongan to force Ichigo's soul out; he takes Ichigo's form and acts as a fighter with an excitable, flippant personality.

• Origin

  Created under a Soul Society combat program called Project Spearhead; Rukia says such Mod-Souls were slated for destruction under Soul Society law.

• Relation to Ichigo

  Inhabits Ichigo's body while Ichigo's true soul is outside it; Rukia is pursuing him to destroy him and return Ichigo's body.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Other, Hostility)

  The Mod-Soul wears Ichigo's body and is the artificial soul Ichigo must fight to reclaim his body.

• Rukia Kuchiki (Other, Hostility)

  Rukia created the Mod-Soul's situation by using a Gikongan and is pursuing him to destroy him under Soul Society law.

Rukia Kuchiki (Princess of the Rukongai)

Shinigami · Kuchiki Clan

Shinigami sent from Soul Society to exorcise Hollows and send Pluses on. She first appears by purifying a Hollow in town and later forces her powers into Ichigo.

A Shinigami adopted into the noble Kuchiki Clan, formerly known as the "Princess of the Rukongai"; currently in the Human World hunting Hollows and has been delayed in returning to Soul Society.

• Role

  Explains Shinigami duties to Ichigo: sending Pluses to Soul Society with Konsō and purifying Hollows.

• Current state

  Stuck in a Gigai after Ichigo took most of her Shinigami powers.

• Reputation

  Was famous at the Shin'ō Academy under the nickname "Princess of the Rukongai" after her adoption into the Kuchiki Clan.

• Current status

  Keeps receiving orders to purify Hollows and has not returned to Soul Society; has a Denreishinki that alerts her to Hollows, and is hiding her Shinigami identity from Ichigo's family.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Pact, Colleague, Friend, Mixed)

  Partner forced by circumstance; she gave him her power to save his family and bickers with him throughout.

  Met in the Human World; she is wary of his family's safety and shows concern for him, which Saidō teasingly suggests is romantic interest.

• Fishbone D (Other, Hostility)

  Hollow she fights and wounds, and who threatens Ichigo's family.

• Eikichirō Saidō (Colleague, Hostility)

  Fellow Academy student two years behind him; she does not remember him and he is an Onmitsukidō agent sent to question her.

Eikichirō Saidō (Saidō)

Soul Society · Onmitsukidō · Shinigami

A Soul Society figure who plays spinning tops with children and is approached in an alley by an Onmitsukidō member about his next target, Rukia Kuchiki.

A Shinigami who fights Grand Fisher alongside Ichigo and Rukia and holds a close, teasing rapport with Rukia.

• Assignment

  Receives an assignment from an Onmitsukidō member to find out what else lies behind Rukia Kuchiki's offense in the Human World.

• Academy history

  Two years ahead of Rukia at the Shin'ō Academy, and was popular there according to himself, though Rukia does not remember him.

• Mission

  Confronts Rukia about Soul Society Shinigami growing irritated at her delayed return and questions her about her Human World activities; fights Ichigo after learning he is a Substitute Shinigami.

• Conduct

  Fights aggressively, ignores danger in the battle, and is sometimes shown falling asleep unexpectedly.

• Rukia Kuchiki (Colleague, Mixed)

  Fellow Shin'ō Academy alumnus two years behind him; he mocks her romantic interest in Ichigo and threatens to take her back to Soul Society.

  A fellow Shinigami; he teases her about coming of age and assures her he will not break up a serious couple.

Isshin Kurosaki (Isshin)

Human

Father of the Kurosaki household who runs the clinic with his children. He is mourning his late wife and is at odds with his children.

Ichigo's father, who grieves Masaki's death while encouraging his son to move on.

• Household

  Enforces dinner at 7:00 pm and quarrels physically with Ichigo.

• Masaki

  Speaks of Masaki's wishes, including her view of his smoking, and insists that no one is responsible for her death.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Family, Affinity)

  Son he spars and fights with, though he cannot see ghosts.

  His father; he tells Ichigo not to blame himself and encourages him to live well.

• Yuzu Kurosaki (Family, Affinity)

  Daughter who cares for him and the household.

• Karin Kurosaki (Family, Mixed)

  Daughter who is cold toward him.

Karin Kurosaki

Human

Younger Kurosaki sister who is skeptical of ghosts and does not believe in them. She is calm and blunt at home.

Karin has seen monsters like the Hollows before and has been wondering what Ichigo's connection to them is; she identifies Sado as Ichigo's friend and sees the Hollow Bulbous G clearly.

• Disbelief

  Claims ghosts do not exist to her as long as she does not believe in them.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Family, Mixed)

  Older brother she dismisses, and who rescues her from Fishbone D.

  Karin is Ichigo's sister; she comments that his heroic attitude is like Sado's and she has been wondering about his connection to monsters.

• Yuzu Kurosaki (Family, Mixed)

  Younger twin sister who worries about her lack of reaction.

Orihime Inoue

Karakura High School · Human

Ichigo's classmate who is close to Tatsuki and whose only family, her brother, died after a car accident three years ago.

Vows to never forgive anyone who hurts Tatsuki, whose loyalty she repays after being protected by her.

• Family loss

  Her only brother died at the Kurosaki Clinic three years ago after being badly injured in a car accident.

• Brother bond

  Recognized her Hollow brother Acidwire and sacrificed herself to intercept his bite out of guilt over her past neglect of him.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Colleague, Neutral)

  Classmate whom she has not spoken to much; she was the girl crying at the Kurosaki Clinic years ago.

Ichigo Kurosaki (Ichigo)

Human · Shinigami

Fifteen-year-old tenth grader from Karakura Town whose family runs a clinic. He has been able to see ghosts since childhood and ends the episode with Shinigami powers he took from Rukia.

Substitute Shinigami who fights Hollows; this episode reveals the personal reason he fights them.

• Shinigami powers

  Gained Shinigami powers by taking in Rukia's Zanpakutō and power, and now wields a large Zanpakutō of his own.

• Motive for fighting Hollows

  His mother was killed by a Hollow; he wants no one else to suffer as his family did, and aims to protect as many people as possible.

• Rukia Kuchiki (Pact, Mixed)

  The Shinigami who forced him into becoming one; they clash constantly yet cooperate against Fishbone D.

• Isshin Kurosaki (Family, Mixed)

  Father who fights and bickers with him yet shares the household.

• Yuzu Kurosaki (Family, Affinity)

  Younger sister who worries over him.

• Karin Kurosaki (Family, Mixed)

  Younger sister who is dismissive of him and whom he rescues from Fishbone D.

• Fishbone D (Other, Hostility)

  Hollow that hunts him for his Reiryoku and has attacked his sisters.

• Uryū Ishida (Colleague, Mixed)

  Shifts from rivalry to a fragile alliance, though he still criticizes Uryū's plan.

Uryū Ishida (Uryū)

Quincy · Classmate

A Quincy who hates Shinigami and specifically hates Ichigo Kurosaki; ranked first on the final exam and sits in Ichigo's class, where he is in the handicrafts club with Orihime Inoue.

Quincy who fights Hollows and rivals Ichigo; this episode he begins to set aside his hostility toward Ichigo and agrees to join forces.

• Quincy identity

  Introduces himself as a Quincy who hates Shinigami; his Heilig Bogen is Kojaku, formed from the cross on his wrist, and he fires Heilig Pfeil that pierces Hollows entering the Human World.

• Taunting Ichigo

  Taunts Ichigo as a mere Substitute Shinigami who received his powers from Rukia Kuchiki and cannot lift a finger without her permission.

• Awareness of Ichigo

  Has known Ichigo has high Reiatsu since Ichigo entered school and became a Shinigami; has watched Ichigo and Orihime from afar and challenges Ichigo to a duel.

• Master-disciple tie

  Revealed as a child who was taught by Sōken; Sōken's death drives Uryū's hatred of Shinigami.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Other, Colleague, Mixed)

  Uryū openly hates Ichigo, criticizes his ignorance of basic Shinigami matters, and challenges him to a duel to prove who is stronger and that Shinigami are unnecessary.

  Rivals who begin to fight side by side against the Menos Grande after Ichigo points out that it is too hard to do alone.

• Rukia Kuchiki (Other, Neutral)

  Uryū taunts that Ichigo is merely a Substitute Shinigami who received his powers from Rukia and cannot lift a finger without her permission.

• Orihime Inoue (Colleague, Neutral)

  Shares a handicrafts club with Orihime, who knows his name and points him out to Ichigo.

Renji Abarai (6th Division Lieutenant)

Soul Society · 6th Division

6th Division Lieutenant of Soul Society who appears in the air behind Rukia, analyzes her body statistics, and realizes she is in a Gigai.

• Discovery

  Declares that they have found Rukia and grins widely.

World Memo

• Hollows crave Shinigami souls

  Once a Hollow has tasted a Shinigami's soul, it will always crave Shinigami souls because they are exceptionally tasty, and Hollows must keep devouring to fill the emptiness of their existence.

• Gates of Hell reserved for sinners

  The Gates of Hell are reserved for Souls and Hollows who committed sins while alive. The Zanpakutō only washes away sins committed after death.

• Project Spearhead cancelled in Soul Society

  Soul Society once ran a program called Project Spearhead that placed artificial combat souls into dead human bodies to fight Hollows; it was cancelled because it would force corpses to fight, and all Mod-Souls in development were slated for destruction.

• Mod-Souls must be destroyed by law

  Under Soul Society's law, Mod-Souls must be destroyed; these laws exist to protect Humans.

  Soul Society issued the destruction order soon after each Mod-Soul was created, so its death date was fixed the day after creation.

• Substitute Shinigami status as serious crime

  Saidō declares that being a Substitute Shinigami is a serious crime, a status Ichigo revealed to him.

• Reiryoku as Shinigami life energy

  A Shinigami's Reiryoku is their life energy, so its depletion or excess bears on their survival.

• Fixed-location Jibakurei hidden in earth

  Souls that inhabit a fixed location such as a building become fixed-location Jibakurei and assimilate into the earth, which largely keeps Shinigami and Soul Society from detecting them.

• Quincy kill Hollows, Shinigami purify them

  Shinigami purify Hollows and send them to Soul Society with their Zanpakutō, while the Quincy sought to completely kill Hollows, believing they were avenging their loved ones; this belief led to their destruction.

• Hollows emerge from sky tears

  Hollows appear through tears in the sky above Karakura Town, where a distorted sound resonates before they emerge.

• Strong Reiryoku release affects nearby humans

  When a Shinigami releases strong Reiryoku while fighting Hollows, the release affects ordinary humans nearby, even those who did not see the fight.

• Quincy tribe extinct 200 years ago

  The Quincy were a tribe scattered throughout the world that specialized in destroying Hollows; humans with powers like Ichigo's sensed Hollows and trained to fight them, forming the tribe, and the tribe was destroyed about 200 years ago.

  The Shinigami exterminated the Quincy 200 years ago because the Quincy's elimination of Hollows was judged to threaten the destruction of the universe.

• Quincy refusal to cede Hollow management

  A few years after the Quincy were discovered, Soul Society asked them to leave the management of Hollows to the Shinigami, and the Quincy stubbornly refused.

Clue Board

• Shrieker's reason for pursuing the child (Episode 4)

  Shrieker has devoured two Shinigami who tried to perform Konsō on the child and relentlessly pursues the soul, but he refuses to explain why unless Rukia lets him devour her soul.

• Urahara's group identity (Episode 7)

  Urahara and his employees can see and hear Ichigo, which surprises him. Ichigo asks who they are, and Urahara hesitates without giving an answer.

• Rukia's hidden offense (Episode 8)

  An Onmitsukidō member targets Rukia Kuchiki for staying too long in the Human World, but insists something else lies behind the order. Saidō is tasked to find out what it is.

  Saidō says Rukia has committed a serious crime. Rukia refuses to explain it. Saidō doubts her stated reason for not returning to Soul Society, the recurring Hollows and purification orders, and suspects a cover story.

• Ichigo's potential to become a monster (Episode 10)

  Saidō notes that a Shinigami's Reiryoku is their life energy and asserts that Ichigo's immense power means he could become a monster, a possibility left open.

• Missing Hollow after purification order (Episode 11)

  A purification order was received for a Hollow, but no Hollow appeared in the alleyway or after the search. Rukia suspects the Denreishinki may be broken, but the cause is not explained.

• Karin's clear sight of Hollows (Episode 12)

  Karin can see Bulbous G very clearly, has seen a monster like it before, and has been wondering what Ichigo's association with such monsters is.

• Ichigo as the source of Shun Shun Rikka (Episode 13)

  Shun'ō says Ichigo is the reason the Shun Shun Rikka were born, but Tsubaki cuts off the explanation before it is given.

• Rukia's weakening Gigai connection (Episode 13)

  Rukia's hand fails to move properly and her connection with her Gigai has weakened lately, making her body hard to move. Urahara warns she cannot keep faking this forever. The cause is not yet explained.

  Rukia's Hadō #4 Byakurai is deflected by a large Hollow, and she wonders whether her powers have not returned at all; the cause is left open.

• Urahara's reason for binding Rukia (Episode 14)

  Urahara binds Rukia with a Bakudō and says the battle is necessary for both her and Ichigo, but what that necessity is remains unstated.

• Urahara's interest in Ichigo's power (Episode 14)

  Tessai suggests Ichigo's power is why Urahara is interested in him, but the reason for that interest is not stated.

• Rukia's withheld news for Ichigo (Episode 15)

  Rukia insists she is only tired from the previous day's incident and acts solemn and strange all day. After visible internal debate she starts to tell Ichigo something, but Kon interrupts before she can say it. What she meant to say remains unrevealed.

• Unnamed 'they' Yoruichi refers to (Episode 15)

  Yoruichi tells Urahara to stop pretending and says he knows 'they' are here. Urahara does not deny it and suggests discussing it later. Who 'they' are is not named.

Battle Record

Only aftermath and rumination appear: Uryū returns injured and gives a false account, and Ichigo and friends discuss yesterday's fight.

Numb Chandelier's seed assault at school

Karakura High School · Episode 13

Location: Karakura High School grounds and rooftop

Trigger: Numb Chandelier seeds possess students and take control of bodies

Sides

• Numb Chandelier — Hollow: Numb Chandelier, possessed students
• Orihime's side — defenders: Orihime Inoue, Tatsuki Arisawa, Chizuru Honshō, Shun Shun Rikka

Outcome: Numb Chandelier is bisected by Koten Zanshun and disintegrates

Aftermath

• Orihime collapses after using all the Shun Shun Rikka
• Tatsuki and Chizuru are left unconscious and healing

Menos Grande at the Kūmon

Recalled fight · Episode 14

Location: Kūmon

Sides

• Ichigo Kurosaki — combatant: Ichigo Kurosaki
• Menos Grande — opponent: Menos Grande

Outcome: Ichigo scarred the Menos Grande

Aftermath

• Rukia worries the news will reach Soul Society

Uryū's Heilig Pfeil hunt

Injury aftermath · Episode 11– (Ongoing)

Location: park

Sides

• Uryū Ishida — hunter: Uryū Ishida

Outcome: Uryū returns to class with bandaged arms and claims he fell down the stairs

Aftermath

• Classmates do not believe Uryū's fall account
• Ichigo and friends discuss Uryū's strange behavior

Ability Table

Music Releases

• *~Asterisk~ (OP)
• Thank You!! (ED)