New School Term, Renji has Come to the Human World?!

Home from Soul Society, Ichigo eases back into ordinary life, weathering his father's ambush wake-ups and reuniting with classmates who almost hear too much when Orihime recounts her time in a sword-carrying, cat-talking town. The routine breaks when Renji shows up outside the school in dated clothes, announcing he has been posted to patrol Karakura Town. Ichigo hauls him off to talk, then purifies a Hollow that threatens his classroom.

As evening falls, the day's smaller threads gather. Sado and Orihime resolve to strengthen their powers so they can keep standing beside Ichigo, a battered Kon complains of neglect, and Orihime dreams of her late brother Sora before waking in tears over memories of Soul Society.

Then her doorbell rings, and Sora himself appears to stand before her, though it is not truly him.

Renji settles in at the Urahara Shop, teased mercilessly for daring to ask for a second helping of dinner. Late that night his communicator sounds a strange order, and he wakes Ichigo for help. Ichigo, sensing the faint spiritual pressure gathering near Orihime's apartment, grasps at once that she is in danger, and the two race off.

Inside, the false Sora coaxes Orihime toward an opening window as a pair of huge skeletal gates materialize outside. She takes his hand just as Ichigo, Renji, Uryu, and Sado arrive to see her drawn screaming into the gates. Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho passes harmlessly through them as they vanish, and the culprits, Ririn, Kurodo, and Noba, watch the group from a nearby fence.

This episode opens the anime-original Bount arc and introduces the Mod Souls Ririn, Kurodo, and Noba, drawing loosely on chapters 183 and 184. Kurodo's shape-shifting lets him impersonate Orihime's brother in order to abduct her.

A Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book segment has Uryu over-restore Kon's plush body with frills and a hidden Quincy cross, to the lion's fury.