Spirits Ain't Always WITH US

Ichigo flips through a magazine's astrology page, grumbling that psychics prey on gullible hopes, and refuses to credit the forecast of a rotten week for his star sign even after a string of small misfortunes. Around him, Isshin and Yuzu are glued to the television, copying the crossed-arm pose and laugh of Don Kanonji, the celebrity medium whose weekly show pulls in a quarter of the nation. Karin, who can perceive spirits herself, remains unimpressed by the act, and Ichigo recalls that she once glimpsed the Hollow that attacked their family. The broadcast then announces that Kanonji's program is heading to their own town to investigate an abandoned local hospital, leaving Ichigo stunned.

The next day his classmates cannot stop mimicking the host's signature gesture, and even the stoic Sado silently strikes the pose. Keigo is aghast that Ichigo intends to skip a taping happening in his own neighborhood, though Ichigo points out that Keigo actually lives in a different city. That Wednesday evening the whole group gathers outside the derelict hospital, and Ichigo turns up with his family in tow, having come only so his father and sister would not attend alone.

While waiting in the crowd, Ichigo senses a presence and asks whether a lingering soul might be nearby. Rukia explains that ruins like this hospital are often haunted by a fixed-location spirit that camouflages itself so well that Soul Society's instruments cannot register it. She adds that such an entity can only be flushed out when a living person trespasses on its ground. On cue, a crew member steps onto the property carrying a lighting rig, and a chilling, unearthly wail rings out, confirming that the site is truly occupied.

The chapter introduces the running gag of Don Kanonji's variety show, given as Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip, and establishes the concept of an earthbound spirit that will drive the volume's arc. It was adapted into the anime's tenth episode, Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip! Viz published the chapter under the slightly altered title Spirits AREN'T Always With Us. It forms part of the fourth volume of the series.