Isshin explains that in the Dangai, time goes 2000 times slower. Things inside such as Koutotsu and restrictive current get rid of anyone inside. But now Koutotsu isn’t here and the restrictive currents can be stopped, so it’s the perfect time to gain some time and train. The way to stop the currents is realm fixation, it usually involves many low ranked soul reapers pooling their spiritual pressure together, but Isshin can do it alone and hold the current for about 2000 hours, nearly 3 months. He wants Ichigo to use that time to learn the final getsuga tenshou.

In real Karakura, Keigo is running around like a headless chicken until he is knocked to the ground by Tatsuki. Keigo gets back up and wouldn’t shut up resulting in a second punch, and then he quietens down.

In the Dangai, Ichigo is trying to concentrate to see zangetsu again. And soon enough, he enters his inner world.

Karakura again, Tatsuki fills Keigo in on what she’s found out as the two carry Honshou and Ogawa to school. The outskirts of the town are cut off and beyond that are only mountains. She believes that the town has been moved and is sure that Ichigo is involved somehow, but is sure that Ichigo will fix it. At that time on another side of town, Aizen steps in.

Ichigo sinks into a deep ocean in his inner world and tries to swim out. But a stranger pulls him back and reminds him that he should be able to breathe. Ichigo asks who he is as only old man Zangetsu should be here. The stranger takes off his hood, reveals himself as Tensa Zangetsu and attacks.

Outside Isshin says that Ichigo should be careful as Zangetsu won’t go easy on him, apparently it was the same with his Engetsu as their zanpakuto’s don’t want them to learn this move.

Zangetsu refuses to teach Ichigo the final Getsuga Tenshou and reminds him that what he wants to protect is not what Ichigo wants to protect.

In Karakura again, a random person is somehow awake and sees Aizen, but disappears as soon as Aizen walks past him. Aizen and Gin then spots Tatsuki and the rest and remembers them as Ichigo’s friends.

Inner world now, Zangetsu tells Ichigo to look around him. The old skyscraper inner world is now replaced by what looks like Karakura. And a perpetual rainfall sank it below an ocean. This is Ichigo’s lost hope. Zangetsu says that he can’t leave Ichigo in this despair and pulls out hollow Ichigo’s second form from inside him who takes off his mask and greets Ichigo like an old friend.

Karakura once more and Tatsuki and Keigo fells Aizen’s spiritual pressure as he approaches. Aizen is impressed that they can keep their existence even though they’re this close to him. He says that killing them will further Ichigo’s skills to perfection and points his sword at Tatsuki. Keigo runs off another street. But a new person appears.

So someone appears! Even without having read the manga I’m sure everyone can guess who’s here by the sheer novelty of his glasses. But for those who still can’t guess I won’t spoil it for you, but it’ll be fun, in a good way.

With this episode comes the return of the endless switching of scenery. I mean okay, this time it’s not as bad as a Karakura in Ichigo’s inner world under an ocean switching to a normal Karakura in soul society is somewhat a nice switch of scenery. But still, it got annoying near the end when the switching wouldn’t stop and neither side of the story was advancing that quickly. Still, it got quite a bit done which I’m happy about.

So… Isshin’s gonna be standing there like a statue for 3 months huh…? He’ll be hell bored by the end of it, might drive him mad. Either that or he can space out for that long, I love spacing out, but I can’t do more than ten or so minutes at one time. Reminds me of those random statue people you see on big shopping streets, but I doubt even they can handle being there for 3 months. Good luck Isshin, you’ll need it, you should’ve brought a book or something to read. Oh well, the time will fly by…

After all this time going into his own inner world you’d think Ichigo would know that he can surely breathe inside himself…  As I remember he could stand sideways in his old world. Well I guess being in water your first instinct would be ‘argh I can’t breathe’, even if it is inside yourself and it’s impossible to die unless your other selves aren’t happy with you…

Who was Isshin talking to? Himself? If he didn’t realise, telling Ichigo stuff when he’s in his own world doesn’t help… But we do find out his sword’s called Engetsu. Wonder if that name means anything, in relation to Ichigo’s Zangetsu that is.

I think Isshin’s implying that he knows the final Getsuga? I wonder why he didn’t do it against Aizen. He’s obviously more powerful than Ichigo anyway, would’ve been over if he did it. I hope this isn’t just something that’s conveniently forgotten so Ichigo’s the one to finish Aizen.

That random old guy in a suit… I wonder how he survived the sleep attack thing? He doesn’t even have any spiritual pressure awareness or anything. Was it luck? Or rather bad luck considering he met his end pretty quick.

Bad news, next episode seems like a filler, from the preview at least. Well you know what happens by now. And it was going at a nice pace too… maybe it’s a Christmas special or something, I guess it’s not so bad if it is.

Also I’ll do my season preview very soon, and I’ll try and get it up on Christmas eve or maybe even on Christmas day. It’s this time of year and I’m relentlessly revising, apart from Christmas day, so still I can’t promise a certain day for any blogs, but it’ll definitely be up before the new season starts properly.

One last note, part of the reason Raven hasn’t been blogging is because his laptop has died. Another part is because he’s just too lazy… but of course his laptop dying is the more important part…