Kyoraku wagers his own heart to bring Aizen to the surface, and a careless guard learns the deadly nature of Muken's restraints. Above, Ichigo shields the arm-god Mimihagi and hurls Yhwach from the palace, refusing to be the weapon his blood was meant to become.
Main Characters (6)
Summary
Kyoraku turns two more keys in the seals on Aizen's eye and ankle, and the two spar in words over whether Aizen truly wishes to leave. When Aizen observes that no one who wanted him to stay would arrive with a key buried in his own body, Kyoraku concedes, parting his kimono to show the surgical scar where the key to Muken now sits inside his heart, the price Central 46 set for this release. Aizen notes that his death would seal the prison forever, then falls silent as Kyoraku presents a carrying chair and attendants to bear him upward.
One attendant rushes in to bind Aizen, only for his fingertips to be erased on contact, leaving him screaming over ten bleeding stumps. Aizen explains that the restraints do not remove his Reiatsu but compress it against his body, vaporizing any living matter that draws near. He questions whether Kyoraku truly expects him to fight for Soul Society, and Kyoraku answers only that he believes their interests align.
Up in the sovereign's shattered hall, Yhwach trades blows with Mimihagi and prepares to obliterate both the shadow and the ruler, convinced no trace of the king's will remains inside it. Ichigo Kurosaki seizes his arm to break the attack, and Yoruichi Shihoin darts past to surround Mimihagi and the Soul King with her sheets, casting Sankotsu no Jufu to fix the arm in place as the new sovereign. Yhwach mocks Ichigo for defending a king he was made to slay, but Ichigo answers that another person being able to stop Yhwach would never excuse his own inaction, then blasts the invader clean out of the palace with a Getsuga Tensho. Yhwach only replies that Ichigo's eyes will decide whose will he serves.
Key Events
Kyoraku reveals he has hidden the key to Muken inside his own heart to secure Aizen's partial release. An attendant is killed by proximity to Aizen's compressed Reiatsu. Yoruichi begins solidifying Mimihagi as the Soul King's replacement, and Ichigo drives Yhwach out of the palace while rejecting his claim of control.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Dark Arm in Bleach?
The Dark Arm is the chapter's title for Mimihagi, the shadowy arm-god that Yoruichi solidifies as the Soul King's replacement, its single eye opening on the palm of a vast dark limb.
Where did Kyoraku hide the key to Muken?
Kyoraku parts his kimono to show the surgical scar where the key to Muken now sits inside his own heart, the price Central 46 set for releasing Aizen.
Why does an attendant die when approaching Aizen?
When an attendant rushes in to bind Aizen, his fingertips are erased on contact, because Aizen's restraints do not remove his Reiatsu but compress it against his body, vaporizing any living matter that draws near.
How does Ichigo drive Yhwach out of the palace?
Ichigo Kurosaki seizes Yhwach's arm to break his attack on Mimihagi, then blasts the invader clean out of the palace with a Getsuga Tensho, rejecting Yhwach's claim of control over him.
What does Yoruichi do with Mimihagi in chapter 618?
Yoruichi Shihoin surrounds Mimihagi and the Soul King with her sheets and casts Sankotsu no Jufu to fix the arm-god in place as the new sovereign.
Sources & Information
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View on FandomThis content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Bleach anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Rights holders
- Created byTite Kubo
- Published byShueisha
- Animated byStudio Pierrot
All rights belong to their respective owners.
Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Headquarters, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:
- Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Studio Pierrot and the production committee.
- Game pages: official box art for the Bleach console and mobile games, credited to Bandai Namco and other publishers.
- Manga chapter pages: Jump Comics volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Tite Kubo.
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