Summer! Sea! Swimsuit Festival!!

is the two-hundred-twenty-eighth episode of the Bleach anime.

The characters take a break on the beach.

Summary
The members of the Shinigami Women's Association are shopping for new swimsuits. Lieutenant Nanao Ise holds up a purple bikini and wonders whether she's allowed to show off a bit or not. Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto asks her why it's giving her such a hard time because she doesn't have any breasts to show off anyways. Nanao tells her to leave her alone.

Yoruichi Shihōin holds up an orange and green bikini with interest, saying she'll get it. Captain Suì-Fēng states that she'd expect that from Yoruichi, as she is so refined. Yoruichi walks over holding a pink swimsuit saying that it's perfect for her, and Suì-Fēng looks at it in horror, debating inside her head whether she should stand up for herself or not. Before she can say anything, however, Yoruichi is already buying it for her.

Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu is then seen looking at a flowery swimsuit, complaining that there are no cute swimsuits for tall people such as herself. Co-3rd Seat Kiyone Kotetsu then walks over to her, holding up a grey and revealing swimsuit, saying that it is perfect for Isane. Isane panics and says there is no way she would wear that. Captain Retsu Unohana then walks over, commenting on how lovely the swimsuit is. She holds up the swimsuit she is going to wear, which Isane and Kiyone regard with horror. She then says that Isane should get the grey swimsuit, when Isane refuses, Unohana then glares at her and repeats what she said. Isane apologizes and agrees to get it.

The group is then seen at the beach in their brand new swimming costumes. Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi, Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki, and Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi have also appeared with the group. Nanao explains to Ichigo that they are here because the pool they had secretly been building had been destroyed by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura because they had built it in the middle of his yard. Byakuya then also appears next to Ichigo, saying that they invited him to pay him back for building the swimming pool in the middle of his yard. Captain Jūshirō Ukitake, Lieutenant Renji Abarai, 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame, and Co-3rd Seat Sentarō Kotsubaki also appear walking towards the group on the beach. Ukitake states that he has been feeling better, before fainting in front of everyone.

Ukitake is then seen being fanned by Kiyone and Sentarō in the shade. Ichigo and Renji go to get some ice from the shack where they find Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryū Ishida working there. Renji tells Ichigo that Unohana asked them to do this for them and that they're renting the beach for the entire day. Orihime then calls out to Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya for some ice, Tōshirō is then seen sitting up and groaning. He states that he is not with the rest of the group because he hates the heat so much. Tōshirō uses Hyōrinmaru to make a pillar of ice for Ukitake, Ichigo says that it is too big. But Orihime agrees to take half of it for a recipe she is making, Sado comments that the recipe sounds dangerous.

The group then are seen lined up, Ukitake is now up and says that he is feeling a lot better. He then announces that this is the First Annual Beach Art Competition and that everyone should compete to make the prettiest sand sculpture. Unohana says that she will be the judge, and Ukitake tells everyone to split up into groups of two or three. Everyone is reluctant at first, but Ukitake says that the winners will get a cash prize from the Captain-Commander. Everyone rushes off to get started, Byakuya says that he isn't in it for the cash prize, but that it's a good chance to show off his and Rukia's art skills. They both walk off to get started. Ukitake states that he hasn't seen Suì-Fēng or Yoruichi for a while now, Nanao replies that they had left this morning to go on a fishing trip.

Meanwhile, Orihime is looking around the beach for a bucket so that she can wet down some sand. Rangiku states that they do not need buckets and that they can squeeze their cleavage together and carry the water with that. Orihime likes this idea and they both start practicing it. Nanao sees them and says that it's inappropriate for them to be doing that in broad daylight. Rangiku replies that she is just jealous that she can't do it herself. She then proceeds to tackle Nanao and then pulls out some pads from her bikini. Nanao yells at her to not tell anyone.

Renji, Ikkaku and Ichigo are busy building a castle sand sculpture. Renji and Ikkaku state that they are going to play a game to see who can get through the castle gates the quickest. Ichigo says that he is not into kiddie games like that. Ikkaku asks him if he is just scared to lose, which prompts Ichigo to join in. They all jump into the sand at the same time, kicking their legs and shouting. Yachiru sneaks up on them and places a crab on Ikkaku, who starts screaming in pain. Ichigo asks him what's wrong, and he and Renji start digging him out of the now collapsed sand castle.

Rukia and Byakuya are silently working on their own sand sculptures. Rukia comments on how loud Ichigo's group is and wonders why they can't work a bit more quietly. Byakuya tells her to concentrate on her own masterpiece, apologizing she turns her attention back to it. She thinks to herself how good it's starting to look. But then she glances at Byakuya's sculpture and is instantly amazed. His sculpture is of the Wakame Ambassador. She thinks to herself that she has a long way to go compared to him and that she should work quickly so as not to slow him down. Isane, who has been watching them, states how similar the two of them are. Nemu is then seen standing on top of a cliff, tentacles suddenly protrude from the water in front of her.

Elsewhere, Ukitake shields his eyes from the sun, saying that he may faint again if it carries on like this. He tells Sentarō that he is going to take a nap. Kiyone runs back from going to the toilet to find Sentarō building a sand wall around the Captain. When she asks him what he's doing, he tells her he's protecting Ukitake from the salty breeze. Kiyone retorts that it's the sun that's the problem, not the wind, so she runs off to pick some flowers to protect him from the sun. Sentarō also runs off, but to get some incense so that the captain can sleep more soundly. Isane, Unohana and Nanao are seen looking down at something, which turns out to be Ukitake sleeping in a flower-filled sand coffin, with incense burning. Orihime, Sado and Uryū walk over carrying lunch and spread it out beside the 'coffin'. Nanao notes how it looks like a funeral, and Unohana states that Ukitake's team is clearly the winner. While debating whether or not Ukitake was even, competing vine-like tentacles creep up behind their ankles.

Meanwhile, Ichigo and Renji are trying to wake up Ikkaku, who is slumped out cold in the sand. When they hear screaming, however they look up in alarm. Nanao and Isane are then seen being grabbed by the tentacles and being risen in the air. They scream how the tentacles are touching them in inappropriate places. The creature rises up out of the water. Unohana says that she was afraid that it would turn up, and that there have been rumors that a high-Reiatsu Hollow had been haunting the beach. Uryū fires a Quincy arrow and Sado fire's El Directo, but the Hollow absorbs both of attacks. Nemu states that Reiatsu based weapons are no use as the creature absorbs Reiatsu and so only physical attacks will work on it. Ichigo says that he has forgotten his Substitute badge and fake soul pills, Rangiku and Rukia have also left their Zanpakutō and soul candy. Renji produces Zabimaru and jumps up to attack, before he can, however, he is grabbed around the ankle and thrown out to sea by the Hollow. The Hollow then grabs Orihime, who cries out for Ichigo. Uryū shouts to Ichigo that he and Sado will sort things out here while Ichigo goes to get his badge. Ichigo runs towards the beach shack only to be blocked by a tentacle bursting through the sand. Another Hollow bursts out of the sand nearby. It grabs him around the waist and prepares to attack, but Yoruichi appears and kicks it's head, breaking right through to the other side. Suì-Fēng then uses Suzumebachi to disintegrate the Hollow that is holding, Nanao, Isane and Orihime, who all fall to the ground.

Yoruichi tells Ichigo that Renji had fallen on her and Suì-Fēng while they had been chasing down a shark, so they had come to find out what was going on. Ukitake then wakes up and looks at the Hollow excitedly, asking whether they'd started whacking watermelons already. Orihime licks the red liquid on her arms and says that it does indeed taste like watermelon. Byakuya appears behind Rukia and says that they'd finally noticed. Unohana explains to everyone that it was a new whack-a-melon game that she, Ukitake, and Byakuya had come up with. She also says that she made up the whole story about the rumors to excite everyone. Nemu says that it is a special type of watermelon made by the department of Research to destroy Hollows. Suddenly more watermelons pop up out of the sand and Nemu states that she brought enough for everyone.

While Hitsugaya is eating ice cream in the beach shack, Rangiku pops her head round the entryway and says that he's missing out on all the fun. He yells at her that he hates the heat.

Shinigami Zanpakutō Introductions
Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto introduces Hyōrinmaru, the Zanpakutō of her captain, Tōshirō Hitsugaya. She finishes the introduction by referring to Hyōrinmaru as "A feeble, useless Zanpakutō that can't do much besides make ice." Hitsugaya, enraged, says she is the only one in the universe who would call it "feeble".

Fights
None.

Powers and Techniques used
Techniques used: Fullbring used:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:
 * (flashback)

Other powers: