Kibune Goes to War! The Violent Wind that Rages

is the one hundred seventy-second episode of the Bleach anime.

Izuru Kira begins to get depressed over the fact that the 3rd Division members like Makoto Kibune more than him.

Summary
After spending a lot of time chasing a missing cat in Soul Society, Izuru and the other members of the 3rd Division discuss how they’ve been doing a lot of menial tasks lately. When Kira goes to talk to Captain Shūsuke Amagai about it, he’s initially caught off guard by how Amagai calls him by his given name because it reminds him of how Gin Ichimaru used to do the same. In any case, Amagai’s reasoning for the menial tasks is that he’s trying to restore the trust lost by the men due to Ichimaru’s betrayal, and he explains his desire to create a new division with himself, Kira, and Kibune as the three pillars of support. In the days that follow, Amagai tries more team-building training exercises, but he puts Kibune in charge instead of Kira because he is more familiar with the concept.

This leads the men to feel that Kibune is more reliable than Kira, and Kibune catches Kira eavesdropping on the men talking. Kira doesn’t want to do anything about it, and he’s quick to snap back at Kibune when Kibune tries to point out Kira’s accomplishments. That night, Kira gets drunk with Lieutenants Tetsuzaemon Iba and Renji Abarai and tells them about how the division is changing, and he gets depressed over the talk of Kibune replacing him. Elsewhere, Captains Amagai and Shunsui Kyōraku are also out to have a drink, and when Amagai proposes better cooperation between the divisions, Kyōraku suggests talking with Captain Jūshirō Ukitake about it.

The following day, Kibune and Kira are alerted to a report of a suspicious shadow near Soul Society’s Execution Grounds’ ruins. When they arrive, they find an unseated member of the division waiting for them by a large pit. Suddenly, the ground gives way, causing all three to fall into the pit. Kira saves the unseated member from the fall, and afterwards, he and Kibune look for an exit at the bottom. To Kira’s surprise, there are cages down there filled with Hollows, and all of the Hollows are somehow released. Kira and Kibune have no trouble handling these weak Hollows, and when the unseated member from earlier starts getting absorbed into a Hollow, Kira rushes to act.

Kibune gets there first though and releases his Zanpakutō. This weapon cuts through many Hollows, but when Kibune aims for the Hollow that’s absorbing the unseated member, Kira gets in the way because he wants to save that person. This causes Kibune to point out how the unseated member was unable to fulfill his duty, and he calls the unseated Shinigami worthless trash. Kibune goes on to accuse Kira of being too soft, and blames Kira’s attitude for being unable to prevent what happened with Ichimaru. He then throws his weapon at the Hollow again, and Kira blocks it again, but this time, the clash of their powers vaporize all the Hollows around them.

Amagai and more members of the 3rd Division arrive, and in the aftermath, Kira notices that his Zanpakutō is now chipped. When preliminary investigations of what happened turn up evidence of tampering, Kira stares at Kibune, but neither tell Amagai about what happened. As it turns out, the Hollows were the experiments of Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who is angry that someone had released them. Elsewhere in Soul Society, the gate to the Human World at the Kasumiōji House opens, and Rurichiyo Kasumiōji sneaks through.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
Captain Byakuya Kuchiki is about to talk to Ichigo Kurosaki about addressing him properly when their conversation is interrupted by Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi, who pops out from under a trapdoor in the floorboards. Yachiru explains that she had "messed around with Bya-kun's house" and had created secret tunnels all around the estate. She offers to show the tunnels to Ichigo, and the two disappear. This greatly surprises Byakuya, who had his eyes closed the entire time.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Inose
 * 2) Aida
 * 3) Kanō
 * 4) Izuru Kira
 * 5) Makoto Kibune
 * 6) Gin Ichimaru (flashback)
 * 7) Shūsuke Amagai
 * 8) Shinta Seko
 * 9) Renji Abarai
 * 10) Tetsuzaemon Iba
 * 11) Shunsui Kyōraku
 * 12) Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * 13) Nemu Kurotsuchi
 * 14) Rurichiyo Kasumiōji

Fights

 * Kira's Concern, Kibune Goes to War

Powers and Techniques Used
Shinigami techniques:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai: