Bleach Episode 5 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

Beat the Invisible Enemy!

Ichigo, Rukia, and Sado confront Shrieker, who holds Yūichi Shibata hostage; Shrieker's leech-bombs and tongue pulses wound Rukia, Ichigo intervenes and severs Shrieker's tongue, and Shrieker is impaled and sent into the Gates of Hell, after which Rukia confirms Yūichi's Chain of Fate is severed and Yūichi agrees to cross over.

• Shrieker's ambush and aerial chase

  Shrieker dodges Rukia and Sado through the streets, using Targets and an exploding leech attack to pin them down, while Sado tosses Rukia to reach him and Shrieker's Target-leech traps injure her.

• Yūichi Shibata's hostage and backstory

  Shrieker reveals he holds Yūichi in a cage and explains that he killed Yūichi's mother and promised to revive her if Yūichi evaded him, which enraged Ichigo.

• Ichigo's defeat of Shrieker

  Ichigo blocks the leeches, rips out Shrieker's tongue, and slashes his mask, after which Shrieker is consumed by the Gates of Hell and impaled from behind.

• Yūichi's crossing over

  Rukia confirms Yūichi's Chain of Fate is severed, Yūichi thanks Sado, and Ichigo prepares to perform Konsō as Karin thanks him that night.

Recent Timeline

• Hexapodus destroyed and Acidwire's first attack (Episode 2)

  Ichigo destroys Hexapodus in the park by cutting off its front legs and piercing its face with his Zanpakutō, then performs Konsō on the Plus boy it had seized. He acts despite Rukia's insistence that a Shinigami must treat all spirits equally. Orihime's dead brother Sora Inoue is seized by two Hollows, taken to Hueco Mundo, and transformed into the Hollow Acidwire, with a tail, a muscular body, and a mask. Acidwire bursts into Ichigo's bedroom, where Ichigo cuts his arm and slashes his face, shattering the mask over one eye. Acidwire retreats, and Ichigo learns the face beneath the mask belonged to Orihime's brother.

• Acidwire's attacks and his purification (Episode 3)

  Acidwire attacks Orihime and Tatsuki in her apartment, then Ichigo and Rukia in the street. Ichigo is wounded and Orihime is caught in Acidwire's grip. Orihime shields Ichigo from Acidwire's bite, and Acidwire is ultimately defeated. Sora chooses to be purified by Ichigo's Zanpakutō so he can pass on to Soul Society before losing his sanity completely, which ends the Acidwire arc. Rukia then uses her Kikanshinki on Orihime to erase her 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 the 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.

• Shrieker destroyed and Yūichi departs (Episode 5)

  Ichigo cuts out Shrieker's tongue and slashes its mask, after which the Gates of Hell open beneath it and an arm impales it from behind, ending its existence. Rukia explains that the gates are reserved for Souls and Hollows who sinned in life, while the Zanpakutō only washes away sins committed after death. Yūichi's Chain of Fate is severed, so Rukia cannot return him to his body. Ichigo points out that he will be able to see his mother again by crossing over, and Yūichi departs after thanking Sado.

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.

Hollow who killed Yūichi Shibata's mother as a living serial killer and later pursued Yūichi as a Hollow with his soul in a parakeet.

• Hunting

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

• Past identity revealed

  Confirmed to have been a serial killer when alive who killed Yūichi's mother, his last victim, after she chased him onto the veranda.

• 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.

• Plus controlled after being devoured

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

  Once a soul's Chain of Fate is completely severed, the soul cannot be returned to its body.

Clue Board

• 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.

• 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.

• Child's mother's murder (Episode 5)

  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 confirms he killed Yūichi's mother as a serial killer, and that Yūichi's fall from the veranda followed his own mistake.

• Revival promise is a lie (Episode 5)

  Shrieker promised to revive Yūichi's mother if he evaded him for three months, but Ichigo notes Shrieker has no actual way of doing it.

• Soul inside the parakeet (Episode 5)

  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.

  Shrieker reveals he put Yūichi's soul into a parakeet after becoming a Hollow, tying the parakeet to Yūichi's pursuit.

Battle Record

Shrieker is defeated: Ichigo cuts his tongue and slashes his mask, and the Gates of Hell impale and destroy him. Sado and Rukia fight alongside Ichigo; Shrieker's Targets and leeches are used throughout.

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 Kuchiki vs Shrieker street battle

Shrieker's final defeat · Episodes 4–5

Location: town street

Trigger: Shrieker hunting Rukia Kuchiki and holding Yūichi Shibata hostage

Sides

• Shinigami side — fighters: Rukia Kuchiki, Yasutora Sado, Ichigo Kurosaki
• Shrieker side — hollow: Shrieker / summoned units: Targets

Outcome: Shrieker is destroyed; the Gates of Hell claim him

Aftermath

• Yūichi Shibata's Chain of Fate is severed and he is set to cross over to Soul Society

Ability Table

Music Releases

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