Ichigo Kurosaki is a 15 year old boy who can see spirits. As he tries to protect the spirit of a little girl from a hollow, he witnesses a clash between the malevolent spirit and a Soul Reaper. Later, Ichigo is met by the woman again in his room. She introduces herself as Rukia Kuchiki, and explains the basic goal of the Soul Reapers to Ichigo. The hollow returns, attacking Ichigo's home, and Rukia is wounded. In order to save his family, Ichigo takes Rukia’s power into himself and becomes a Soul Reaper.

Ichigo Kurosaki is a 15 year old boy who can see spirits. As he tries to protect the spirit of a little girl from a hollow, he witnesses a clash between the malevolent spirit and a Soul Reaper. Later, Ichigo is met by the woman again in his room. She introduces herself as Rukia Kuchiki, and explains the basic goal of the Soul Reapers to Ichigo. The hollow returns, attacking Ichigo's home, and Rukia is wounded. In order to save his family, Ichigo takes Rukia’s power into himself and becomes a Soul Reaper.

After discovering Rukia has enrolled in his class, she reveals to Ichigo that she has lost her power and tells him to stand in as a substitute. Although he refuses this position at first, Ichigo eventually accepts after realizing he cannot just turn a blind eye if he encounters a hollow.

Ashido reveals that his attack was test of her strength, and he decides to take her back to her friends. Along the way, he relates his past to Rukia, explaining that he was part of a hollow-hunting unit that inadvertenly came to Hueco Mundo. They are attacked by an adjuchas-class menos. Meanwhile, Nel and her friends are held captive by the other adjuchas, and Ichigo, Chad, Ishida, and Renji are searching the area for them. Ashido and Rukia easily destroy the first adjuchas, and another adjuchas prepares up an ambush, in which Ashido is injured while trying to protect Rukia.

Ichigo, Uryū, Orihime, Chad and Yoruichi cross over into Soul Society using the gate. They arrive in Rukongai, where normal spirits reside. Ichigo quickly finds himself in a battle with the gate watcher Jidanbō when he carelessly tries to enter Seireitei, where the Soul Reapers reside. Thanks to Urahara's training, Ichigo easily defeats Jidanbō, but when Jidanbō opens the gate, Ichigo encounters the 3rd division captain, Gin Ichimaru.

Ichimaru uses his shikai and pushes Ichigo back through the gate. After being "shot" out of Seireitei by Ichimaru, Ichigo and his friends must find another way in. While searching for a friend of Yoruichi’s, Ichigo meets Ganju Shiba, a man who claims to be the "number one Soul Reaper-hater of West Rukongai." The two hate each other immediately and begin to fight, but their battle ends abruptly when the clock on the back of one of Ganju's friends goes off.