The Commencement of War, Visored and Arrancar

is the one-hundred twelfth episode of the Bleach anime.

Information on the Visored and Arrancar is revealed.

Summary
With the battle over, Kisuke Urahara appears and wonders if Isshin Kurosaki had his revenge. He asks how Isshin feels being in a Shinigami body after 20 years and if Isshin was able to clear his mind. Isshin admits that he didn't have as big a grudge as he said against the Hollow, but if he had a regret for the past 20 years, it’d be his own powerlessness in being unable to save his wife, Masaki Kurosaki, that night. When Urahara then raises the subject of Ichigo Kurosaki, Isshin already knows that the Visored came in contact with his son. He also knows that the Visored are a group of ex-Shinigami who try to gain the power of a Hollow. Both Urahara and Isshin realize that since the Visored contacted Ichigo, that must mean they are preparing for some sort of battle - just like them.

The topic then turns to Grand Fisher. Isshin notes that the Hollow was different from the pseudo-Arrancar they've encountered before. The pseudo-Arrancar hadn't developed much in the past decades, yet since they suddenly became more mature in development, the person responsible must be Sōsuke Aizen. After coming in contact with the pseudo-Arrancar, Aizen is now trying to create true Arrancar with the power of the Hōgyoku. Isshin thinks that Aizen sent out an incomplete Arrancar to collect data on how well it can fight, and once Aizen finishes his research, he’ll bring the true Arrancar along with the forces of Menos to destroy the world. As for what they will do, Urahara thinks that it’ll be something - in this situation both friend and foe will be on the move. This includes the Visored, them, and even Soul Society. In fact, at that moment in Soul Society, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto has convened a meeting with all the captains.

The next day at school, Ichigo is thinking about how Shinji Hirako wanted him to join the Visored, unaware that Uryū Ishida is sitting nearby thinking about his father’s offer. Shinji and Orihime Inoue come in at the same time to greet Ichigo, and former starts quite a scene when he hugs Inoue good morning. Before his classmates can do anything to Shinji, Ichigo drags him out to have a talk. Ichigo thinks that Shinji came to school to recruit him, so there should be no more reason for Shinji to come anymore. Shinji, however, isn't going to give up so easily and promises to keep bugging Ichigo. In fact, he claims that Ichigo is already a Visored, whether he likes it or not. Shinji thinks that Ichigo's inner Hollow will devour him and end up destroying everything, including his friends and himself. Ichigo's inner Hollow is rapidly getting much stronger, and Shinji is offering a way for him to control it. As they were conversing, they were unaware that Tatsuki Arisawa was listening from afar.

On his way home after school, Shinji gets kicked into a telephone pole by a girl with a sword. This girl, who Shinji identifies as Hiyori Sarugaki, starts knocking him around for being too slow with recruiting Ichigo. While she’s assaulting him, the pair are approached by Inoue and Yasutora Sado. Inoue knows that Ichigo wouldn't have told her what was going on, so she came to ask what Shinji and Hiyori are and what they want with Ichigo. Hiyori introduces herself and learns who Inoue and Sado are, but she then prepares to kill them. Before this can happen, Shinji carries her away. Sado keeps Inoue from chasing because he feels that they could really get killed if they did. Shinji ends up running through the sky with Hiyori as they argue, but they both eventually quiet down. When Hiyori admits that she hates Humans and Shinigami, Shinji says that that’s why he wanted her to wait. Meanwhile, Uryū arrives at Ryūken Ishida’s hospital and informs his father that he wants his powers back. Because of this, he swears that he won’t have anything more to do with the Shinigami or their friends.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book
As Lieutenants Shūhei Hisagi, Izuru Kira, and Renji Abarai walk down a hallway, Hisagi notes that he's been getting a lot of greetings from people lately. As they continue walking a person greets Hisagi and Renji asks him who that was. Hisagi states that he's someone from the 7th Division and that they've been friends ever since the Bounts invaded. Kira then tells Hisagi that Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba's been watching him and trying to learn from him as his squad members haven't been treating him with respect lately. Renji is surprised that Iba even wanted respect and Kira tells him that he says some terrible things sometimes.

Fights
None.

Powers and Techniques Used
None.