Kariya dominates the early fight. His speed, enhanced by the Jōkaishō , allows him to phase through solid objects and strike from multiple angles. Ichigo struggles to land a hit with his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu .
Negative reviews focus on:
The central conflict of the episode is internal. Following his battle with the Bount leader Jin Kariya, Ichigo is uneasy. He realizes that his victory was partly due to luck and that his control over his Hollow mask is tenuous at best. The episode features a sparring match between Ichigo and Ikkaku Madarame, who has been stationed in the living world.