Bleach/Release the Death Blow!

Release the Death Blow!
Season 2, Episode 7
Airdate	April 12, 2005
Production Number	27
Written by	Genki Yoshimura Masahiro Okubo Masashi Sogo Michiko Yokote Natsuko Takahashi Rika Nakase
Directed by	Noriyuki Abe
ADR Writer(s)	Carl Macek Liam O'Brien Mark Ryan Michael Sorich
ADR Director(s)	Kirk Thornton Wendee Lee
← 2x06 Formation! The Worst Tag	2x08 → Orihime Is Being Targeted
Bleach — Season Two

Release the Death Blow! is the seventh episode of the second season of Bleach and the twenty-seventh episode overall. Ichigo meats the end of his battle with Ikkaku while the others continue to evade soul reapers on their own.

Co-Stars: Spike Spencer (Hanataro Yamada), Vic Mignogna (Ikkaku Madarame), Kari Wahlgren (Yachiru Kusajishi), David Lodge (Kenpachi Zaraki), Kyle Hebert (Ganju Shiba), Brian Beacock (Yumichika Ayasegawa), Jamieson Price (Yasutora "Chad" Sado),

Plot Overview

Hanataro has finally learned of Rukia being transfered to her new cells and he isn't too happy about not being alerted to the sudden change in holding cells. Rukia, meanwhile, doesn't understand what's happening outside but considers that perhaps Ichigo really has come to rescue her. No matter his intentions, Ichigo is still locked in battle with Ikkaku, who has been bettering him in battle for almost the entire battle. Ichigo regroups briefly but is still knocked down until he announces that he's figured out the secret to Ikkaku's attacks. He shows that he's torn the red tassel from the end of his staff.

Meanwhile, Orihime and Uryu are preferring to avoid conflict and are doing what they can to avoid the pack of soul reaper guards who are desperately searching for them. Uryu considers searching for Rukia on their own, but when he finds that Orihime has disappeared, his thoughts are cut short by rampaging guards that have discovered their location. The two flee from the ever-increasing guards while Chad, in this distance, runs towards what he assumes is Ichigo.

Ichigo has finally returned to form and cuts Ikkaku's blade in half, as well as create a gash down the front of his body. Ikkaku throws the broken part of his staff aside and declares that the only way that Ichigo will win is if he cuts off his arm, preventing him from holding his sword. Ikkaku goes for another attack and Ichigo cuts him up the chest again. The blood loss makes Ikkaku pass out and Ichigo is the clear winner.

The second half of the pair that found Ichigo and Ganju, however, is still after Ganju. Ganju throws down a chile pepper smoke bomb that burns Yumichika's eyes, but the plan backfires and Ganju is affected by the bomb as well. They both stumble over the pit, but hang on at the edge. They both fall in, but it turns out to be nothing more than a garbage dump. Ganju climbs out and puts up chase once again.

Ikkaku awakens to find that he isn't dead and that Ichigo used all of his ointment to close both of their wounds. Ichigo deflects his complains about being denied the glory of death after defeat and demands to know where Rukia is. Ikkaku bursts into fits of laughter which open his wounds over Ichigo trying to rescue someone from execution with only 5 people. He gives up the information Ichigo needs, as he doesn't care what happens to the girl either way. He also warns him about his captain, Kenpachi.

Trivia

The Show

• Closing Credits: The closing animation of this episode features Gin Ichimaru, captain of Squad Three, and his lieutenant Izuru Kira.