Bleach Episode 4 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

Cursed Parakeet

Harutoki Ide brings a cursed parakeet to a construction site, and after an I-beam falls, Sado Yasutora shields his friends and is injured. The parakeet, revealed as Yūichi Shibata, carries a soul pursued by Hollows. Ichigo and Rukia gather to protect it, Sado is taken to the Kurosaki Clinic after a collapse, and Rukia fights Shrieker while Ichigo rushes to rescue the child.

• Cursed parakeet introduced

  Harutoki Ide offers the cursed parakeet to Sado, and an I-beam falls toward the three teenagers at the construction site.

• Sado shields friends and meets Yūichi

  Sado catches the I-beam and is injured, and the parakeet introduces himself as Yūichi Shibata.

• Ichigo and Rukia learn of the Plus

  At school Rukia and Ichigo discuss the Plus inside the bird, and Sado appears with Yūichi after a motorcycle accident.

• Sado collapses at the clinic

  Sado's clawed back wound is treated at the Kurosaki Clinic, and he disappears from his room the next morning.

• Hollow pursuit and Rukia's fight

  Sado is attacked in an abandoned factory, Karin collapses, and Rukia confronts Shrieker, who is unharmed by her Hadō #33.

Recent Timeline

• Ichigo becomes a Shinigami and defeats Fishbone D (Episode 1)

  After Fishbone D threatens his family, Rukia pours her powers into Ichigo through her Zanpakutō, making him a Shinigami. He cuts off the Hollow's arm and leg and slashes through its mask, destroying it and saving Karin and Yuzu. The event marks Ichigo's transformation into a Shinigami and his first major victory against a Hollow.

• Hexapodus destroyed in the park (Episode 2)

  Ichigo cuts off the front legs of Hexapodus to save a Plus boy, then pierces its face with his Zanpakutō, destroying it. He performs Konsō on the boy, who passes on in blue light. Ichigo chooses to act despite Rukia's reminder that Shinigami must treat all spirits equally, which exposes the tension between his instincts and Soul Society's rules.

  In the same stretch, Sora Inoue, Orihime's deceased brother, is seized by two Hollows and taken to Hueco Mundo. Trapped there, he transforms, growing a tail and a muscular body and gaining a Hollow mask, and becomes the Hollow known as Acidwire.

  Acidwire then bursts into Ichigo's bedroom. Ichigo cuts his arm and slashes his face, shattering the mask over his left eye. Acidwire retreats to Hueco Mundo, and Ichigo learns the face beneath the mask belonged to Orihime's brother.

• Acidwire attack and his purification (Episode 3)

  Acidwire attacks Orihime and Tatsuki in her apartment, then Ichigo and Rukia in the street. Ichigo is wounded, Orihime is caught in Acidwire's grip, and Acidwire is finally defeated after Orihime shields Ichigo from his bite.

  Sora Inoue, who was turned into a Hollow, chooses to be purified with Ichigo's Zanpakutō so he can pass on to Soul Society before losing his sanity completely, ending the Acidwire arc.

  Rukia then uses her Kikanshinki on Orihime to erase the memories of the attack and replace them with new ones, so Orihime tells her classmates that a sumo champion attacked her apartment.

• I-beam falls on construction site (Episode 4)

  A large I-beam falls from the top of a Karakura Town construction site toward Gitano, Harutoki and Sado. Sado shields them with his body and is injured. Yūichi thanks him and reveals his name, after which Sado's injuries are completely healed.

• Sado collapses at Kurosaki Clinic (Episode 4)

  Isshin finds a large claw-shaped wound on Sado's back that looks like a burn. Sado tries to leave despite the blood loss and collapses, and the Kurosaki family prepares a bed for him.

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.

Ichigo Kurosaki

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.

• Shinigami powers

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

• 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.

Isshin Kurosaki

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.

• Household

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

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Family, Mixed)

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

• 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.

• 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.

• Yuzu Kurosaki (Family, Mixed)

  Younger twin sister who worries about her lack of reaction.

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.

Acidwire

Hollow

A Hollow that attacked Ichigo and Rukia in the Kurosaki house and is revealed to have the face of Orihime's brother beneath its mask.

• Identity

  Beneath its mask is the face of Orihime's brother, Sora Inoue.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Other, Hostility)

  Hollow that Ichigo wounded and whose mask he shattered.

Rukia Kuchiki (Rukia)

Shinigami

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.

Now in the Human World after losing most of her powers; she transferred into Ichigo's class and is stuck in a Gigai.

• 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.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Pact, Colleague, Mixed)

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

  Shinigami who demands that Ichigo perform Shinigami duties until her powers return.

• Fishbone D (Other, Hostility)

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

Tatsuki Arisawa (Tatsuki)

Karakura High School

Orihime's close friend at Karakura High School who is blunt and teasing with Ichigo.

• Role

  Brings Orihime food and comments on her habits.

• Orihime Inoue (Friend, Affinity)

  Close friend who looks after her and brings her food.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Colleague, Hostility)

  Classmate who she scolds and teases.

Yasutora Sado (Sado)

Karakura High School

Ichigo's classmate who offers to help the Kurosaki family clean up.

• Role

  Offers help to the Kurosaki family after the house was damaged.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Colleague, Affinity)

  Classmate who offers help.

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.

Ichigo's classmate who can see spirits; now protected by Ichigo and Rukia after her brother Acidwire attacks 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.

• Tatsuki Arisawa (Friend, Affinity)

  Close friend who brings her food and walks with her through the school halls.

  Friend who stands by her at school and backs up her story after the attack.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Colleague, Neutral)

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

• Sora Inoue (Family, Affinity)

  Brother who died and became a Hollow; she mourns him and wears the hairpins he gave her.

Sora Inoue (Acidwire)

Deceased · Plus · Hollow

Orihime's deceased brother who was seized by Hollows and transformed into a Hollow.

Orihime's brother Sora Inoue, a Plus taken over by a Hollow; in Hollow form he is called Acidwire, claims Orihime as his own and targets Ichigo. When his mask shatters, Sora's face is revealed and he purifies himself with Ichigo's Zanpakutō.

• Fate

  Gave Orihime the hairpins on the day he died; they had fought that day, and she never saw him alive again.

• Sibling bond

  Raised and protected Orihime after their parents abandoned them when she was three; his Hollow form resents her forgetting him.

• Orihime Inoue (Family, Mixed)

  Her only family, who she loved and who died three years ago.

  Younger sister he raised; as a Hollow he claims her as his own, and when his mask breaks she sees Sora's face.

• Ichigo Kurosaki (Other, Hostility)

  Hollow who attacks Ichigo as his target, and Ichigo fights him to protect Orihime.

Shrieker

Hollow

A Hollow who hunts Shinigami souls, finding them especially tasty, and pursues the soul in the parakeet.

• Hunting

  Has devoured two Shinigami who tried to perform Konsō on the child.

• Rukia Kuchiki (Other, Hostility)

  Targets Rukia as prey, declaring he will devour her soul; Rukia fights him with Kidō.

World Memo

• Return to Soul Society restricted

  Only Shinigami can return to Soul Society, and a Shinigami who has lost their powers cannot do so until they regain them.

• Two types of spirits

  Spirits come in two kinds: Pluses, the normal spirits that living people such as Ichigo can see, and Hollows, evil spirits that attack both the living and the dead to devour their souls.

  All Hollows were once Humans. Pluses who hold onto grudges and regrets are hard to perform Konsō on; they linger alone and become Hollows on their own or are devoured by other Hollows, and the devoured then become new Hollows.

• Hollow origin from unguided souls

  Hollows are fallen souls that were not guided to Soul Society by a Shinigami or protected from Hollows, and they become Hollows themselves.

• Hueco Mundo reached by dark portal

  Hollows can retreat into Hueco Mundo through a portal of darkness.

• Shinigami visible only to spiritual beings

  Shinigami are spiritual beings that can only be seen by other spiritual beings, so ordinary people cannot see a Shinigami in Shinigami form.

• Plus controlled after being devoured

  A Plus that is devoured by a strong Hollow is subsequently controlled by that Hollow.

• Chain of Fate keeps soul tied to body

  The Chain of Fate connects a soul to its body, and while it remains intact the soul is prevented from dying.

• No return to former state for Hollows

  Hollows can never return to what they were previously.

• Hollow purification by one blow

  Purifying a Hollow means attacking it from behind and splitting its head in one blow; this minimizes the Shinigami's injuries and keeps them from discovering the Hollow's identity.

  Purifying a Hollow is not killing it; the Hollow's soul is cleansed so it can enter Soul Society, which is why Shinigami exist.

• 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.

• Hollows hide between worlds

  Hollows usually hide in the space between worlds until they appear to devour souls, so they cannot be located in advance and only show up in the Human World when they attack.

• Reiraku visible to high-level Shinigami

  Reiraku, visible ribbons of Reiryoku, can be seen only by high-level Shinigami.

Clue Board

• Car that hit Orihime drove away (Episode 3)

  The car that struck Orihime at the intersection drove away without stopping, and Orihime admits this when asked where the car is.

  Orihime theorizes that Acidwire pulled her leg to get her out of the way of the car, suggesting he protected her from being hit.

• Why Hollows seek Ichigo (Episode 3)

  Rukia suspects Ichigo's power began pouring out through contact with the dead girl and that the Hollows sensed his power through her, making him their real target. Rukia admits this is only conjecture and unconfirmed.

  Rukia explains that the Hollow that took over Sora was the one after Ichigo, but that powerful Hollow remains unidentified.

• Cursed parakeet's previous owners (Episode 4)

  All previous owners of the parakeet were killed by terrible things happening to them, and the cause of this bad luck is left unexplained.

• Soul inside the parakeet (Episode 4)

  The parakeet houses a soul named Yūichi Shibata who can speak and think; Rukia suspects it is a lonely Plus, but its nature is not established.

• Child's mother's murder (Episode 4)

  The soul inside the parakeet holds a memory of seeing his mother murdered in front of him, which is his strongest memory, as relayed by Karin.

• 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.

Battle Record

Shrieker, who has been hunting the Soul inside the parakeet, ambushes Rukia on the street, and she fights back with Kidō. The fight is still going on when the episode ends.

Acidwire attack on Ichigo's bedroom

Hollow breaks into the Kurosaki Clinic · Episode 2

Location: Ichigo's bedroom at the Kurosaki Clinic

Trigger: Hollow alert received by Rukia

Shinigami vs Hollow

• Shinigami — defender: Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki
• Hollow — attacker: Acidwire

Outcome: Acidwire retreats into Hueco Mundo with the mask over his left eye shattered

Aftermath

• Ichigo learns the face under Acidwire's mask was that of Orihime's brother
• Acidwire's damaged mask regenerates in Hueco Mundo

Acidwire attack at Orihime's apartment

Acidwire's assault on Orihime · Episode 3

Location: Orihime's apartment and the street outside

Trigger: Acidwire, Orihime's brother, targets Ichigo and then turns on Orihime and Tatsuki

Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki vs Acidwire

• Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki — defenders: Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki
• Acidwire — attacker: Acidwire

Outcome: Acidwire's mask shatters and Sora Inoue purifies himself by impaling himself on Ichigo's Zanpakutō

Aftermath

• Orihime is left grieving and tearful beside Rukia
• Tatsuki is left unable to see or hear the spirits and is later made to forget the night's events

Rukia vs Shrieker street battle

Karakura Town street · Episode 4– (Ongoing)

Location: Karakura Town street

Trigger: Shrieker pursues the Soul inside the parakeet and attacks Rukia, whose soul he finds delicious

Shinigami vs Hollow

• Shinigami — combatant: Rukia Kuchiki
• Hollow — combatant: Shrieker

Outcome: ongoing

Ability Table

Music Releases

• *~Asterisk~ (OP)
• Life is Like a Boat (ED)