The eighth episode of Bleach, June 17, Memories in the Rain, is on the sad side but still a good emotive episode. I am so glad that I am taking on the series again, episode by episode. It is forcing me to patiently make my way through the episodes and take in so much more. I am listening to the lines and reading the subs ever so carefully. I want to walk away from this with a good collection of quotes and memories. This is really getting me in the mood to watch the upcoming arc, Thousand Year Blood War.

I have timed myself and on average it is taking me little over an hour to watch and write the breakdown of what happens in each episode. As well as put together the quotes, memorable moments and fights, plus research which chapter of the manga fits to the episode. I am noticing things I had barely taken note of before and am rediscovering just how much I genuinely enjoy this series.

I have watched Bleach in dub and sub numerous times and switch between the terms used in both, such as Shinigami and soul reaper. If there is any confusion, please let me know and- I shall clarify.

Arc: Agent of the Shinigami arc / Manga Chapter: 18-20

What happens in Bleach episode eight

The episode starts off with a few shady hollows and then cuts to Yuzu and Karin walking up a hill with Ichigo and their father, Isshin behind them. Their father gets up to his usual shenanigans and gets kicked down the hill by Karin. Ichigo compares their current weather to the weather they had on the day his mother died. Ichigo is surprised to see Rukia at the graveyard.

Rukia asks Ichigo who killed his mother but he denies that he said she was murdered. While Rukia insinuates that it was a hollow that could have been behind it, someone spies on the two of them. Ichigo gets upset at Rukia’s questioning and tells her that there was no hollow there the day his mother died. He tells her that he is to blame for his mother’s death.

We switch to Orihime and Tatsuki chatting. Orihime tells Tatsuki that she thinks Ichigo is a superhero who is out to save the world. Tatsuki then reminisies about the first time she had met Ichigo when they were four-years-old at the dojo. Ichigo had arrived holding his mother’s hand and had the biggest smile on his face. She figured he would not last long at the dojo, and she had made him cry with one punch. He would then cry for each loss afterwards but would stop crying as soon as his mother came to pick him up and he would smile. Tatsuki goes on to explain that when they were nine, his mother died and that after that day, the happy Ichigo she knew was gone.

Back at the cemetery, Rukia is trying to understand what Ichigo had meant and realises that she had been insensitive. Kon climbs out of the backpack Rukia is wearing and they chat a bit before Rukia senses someone’s presence. She approaches the presence she sensed and runs into a fellow soul reaper. Kon realises that the situation could be bad and rushes off to find Ichigo. Meanwhile, Ichigo is remembering the events that led up to his mother dying. Walking home with her in the rain, getting splashed by a car going through a puddle, and being comforted by his mother. On their walk home he saw a girl standing by the river’s edge in the rain and wanted to help her. He did not know that he was seeing ghosts, he was unable to tell the difference between the living and the dead. He rushed to help the girl as his mother called to him to go back to her and telling him to stop. His dad had told him that his name meant ‘he who protects’ and he wanted to protect his mother and sisters, as well as that girl. However, his mother died trying to protect Ichigo from going into the river. He never saw what caused it. Ichigo collapses on a path and cries.

 Ichigo’s sisters are at their mother’s gravestones paying their respects. Karin is talking to her mom and Yuzu is crying. Their dad is being an idiot in hopes of cheering his daughters up. Rukia and the other Shinigami are talking. We find out that Rukia had been adopted into the Kutchki family, which is apparently a noble family. The Shinigami introduces himself to Rukia and asks her a couple questions. She figures out that he is from the stealth force. Kon finds Ichigo and lets him know that Rukia is in trouble.

The Shinigami thinks that Rukia is romantically involved with Ichigo and provides that as an excuse that the Soul Society would have accepted for her delayed return. He insists that he needs an answer from her. Kon and Ichigo arrive just as the Shinigami draws his sword, complicating the matter. The Shinigami is surprised that Ichigo can see him. Even though Rukia tells him clearly not to say ‘it’, Ichigo says he is a substitute soul reaper, instantly complicating things. The Shinigami lets Rukia know that she has made a big mistake. Ichigo learns that Rukia giving him her powers is a crime in Soul Society. The Shinigami decides to kill Ichigo. Ichigo retrieves Kon’s soul-pill so that he can defend himself against the Shinigami and take on his Shinigami form.  He makes it just in time. Rukia tell Ichigo to stay out of this, since it her business, her battle.

Back at the grave, Karin can sense that something is there and tries to find it. Their father has gone to speak to the cemetery director. Unable to see it, but Karin knows something threatening is approaching them. Karin tells Yuzu to run away. Ichigo is fighting the Shinigami, while Rukia and Kon in his body watch. The Shinigami criticizes Ichigo’s fighting style as Rukia gets a notification that a hollow has appeared. The pair stop their fighting and after realising his family could be in danger, Ichigo rushes off with Rukia to find the hollow, leaving Kon with the shinigami. While rushing to his sisters, Rukia and Ichigo have a brief heart to heart and make up from the awkward moment. Meanwhile the other Shinigami is following them and wondering what he should do. The sisters are being attacked, Karin is pinned down and Yuzu is about to be eaten when the episode ends with a ‘to be continued’.

Memorable moments of the episode:

Ichigo wondering the riverbed for days where his mother had died always shatters my heart. Plus when Ichigo tells Rukia to back off. Then seeing Ichigo cry always gets to me. His heart must be hurting so much.  

Fights in this episode:

• Ichigo vs Saidō (Shinigami)

Quotes I like from this Bleach Episode:

I loved my mother so much. I always felt safe as long as she was with me

– Ichigo Kurosaki

Can we trade in our dad, we really need to get a new model

– Karin Kurosaki

All I know, is for you, it’s a deep and jagged wound. And because of that I don’t know what words to say. I don’t know how to ask you about it without dredging up your pain all over again. Without tearing you heart completely apart. I’ll wait for now and when you wanna talk and feel like you’re ready to tell me about it, I’ll be there to listen.

– Rukia