Bleach Episode 10: Assault on Trip at Sacred Ground!

Don Kanonji makes a flamboyant entrance, a cape-wearing showman dropping from the sky to the cheers of a crowd. His catchphrase, 'Spirits are always with you!' resonates not just with his audience, but even with Orihime, Keigo, Mizuiro, and Chad back at school. Ichigo is predictably unimpressed, while even Rukia eventually succumbs to the charm of the 'Boh-hah-hah!' pose. It sets up the central conflict: the widespread belief in a showman versus the reality of spiritual threats.

The camera pulls back to the abandoned hospital, a stark contrast to Kanonji's bright stage lights. Ichigo finds himself there with Orihime, drawn by his family's enthusiasm, despite his own skepticism. He senses the underlying tension, the foreboding presence of the building itself. Rukia arrives, adding her own warning about the dangers brewing.

Rukia explains the 'Jibakurei,' an earthbound spirit, haunting the hospital. She reveals the 'Chain of Fate' on its chest, slowly eroding, a terrifying countdown to its transformation into a Hollow. Even spiritually sensitive people like Chad and Karin sense the growing unease, while the crowd dismisses the spirit's real cries as mere sound effects. The spirit itself appears, a pale, distressed figure, agitated by the humans and their noise.

Don Kanonji, blinded by his showmanship, approaches the distressed spirit with his staff, declaring a purification. To Ichigo and Rukia's horror, Kanonji's theatrical stab into the spirit's chest does not purify it; it accelerates its painful transformation. As dark energy leaks, Rukia's soul-phone confirms the catastrophic damage. Ichigo tries to intervene, shouting at Kanonji to stop, but security tackles him, the crowd thinking it is part of the show.

Just as Ichigo is pinned, Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi appear. Urahara casually taps Ichigo's back with his cane, instantly knocking his soul out of his body. Freed in his Soul Reaper form, Ichigo races towards the hospital. The Jibakurei's body glows, vanishing, only to reappear moments later as a grotesque, frog-like Hollow on the hospital roof, roaring its monstrous arrival.

Ichigo confronts the newly born Hollow, his large sword ready, but Don Kanonji tries to 'help,' his presence making the fight clumsy and dangerous. The battle spills inside the abandoned hospital. Rukia questions Urahara about Kanonji, who reveals the showman possesses genuine, albeit unrefined, spiritual power. Ichigo tries to explain the truth to Kanonji, but the medium remains trapped in his persona, even as the Hollow crashes through walls around them.

Cornered by the Hollow, Don Kanonji reveals his driving force: his 25% viewership and the children who see him as a hero. He cannot show cowardice, believing it would betray their dreams. Ichigo, briefly stunned, sees the sincerity beneath the showman's antics. As the Hollow attacks again, nearly pinning Ichigo, Kanonji jams his staff into the creature's mouth, buying Ichigo a crucial moment.

Kanonji, with surprising spiritual power, fires a 'Kanon-ball' into the Hollow's mouth, momentarily disorienting it. Ichigo seizes the opening, leaping high, his blade glowing. He brings Zangetsu down in a decisive vertical slash, cutting through the Hollow's mask. The monster dissolves into smoke, the threat finally neutralized. Kanonji watches, awestruck, as the boy he just met defeats the creature he helped create.

As the Hollow fades, the ghostly form of the original Jibakurei briefly appears before passing on. Kanonji is devastated, finally understanding his 'exorcisms' were torment. Ichigo explains the nature of the Chain of Fate and the loss of a spirit's heart. Kanonji weeps, his flamboyant confidence shattered, but Ichigo urges him to pull himself together. He tells Kanonji that his desire to protect was real, inspiring the medium to return to the crowd. Afterward, Kanonji sincerely thanks Ichigo, declaring him his 'Number One Disciple,' much to Ichigo's protest.

The episode concludes with a preview for future events, teasing the arrival of Uryu Ishida. Don Kanonji's boisterous voice can still be heard in the background, boasting about his new apprentice, a testament to his quick recovery and resilience. Ichigo is shown back at school, attempting to ignore the continuing fallout from the night, while Uryu adjusts his glasses, preparing to challenge the newly-minted protector.