Ichigo Kurosaki & Don Kanonji vs. The Demi-Hollow is an altercation between Ichigo Kurosaki and a Demi-Hollow. The TV personality Don Kanonji involves himself in the situation.
Prelude
Kanonji attacking the Demi-Hollow.
Don Kanonji decides to bring his extraordinarily popular show, Ghost Bust, to an abandoned hospital in Karakura Town. This brings much joy to many of the locals, but not Ichigo. When he gets there, the entire town gathers to watch the celebrity ghost hunter at work, including Rukia Kuchiki and a reluctant Ichigo. As soon as the filming crew starts treading into the hospital's vicinity, the The Demi-Hollow therein starts howling to try and drive the Humans away. Rukia assures Ichigo they need not fret about the Demi-Hollow, as it still has a long time before becoming a full Hollow.[1] Arriving on the scene, Kanonji, fearlessly approaching the Demi-Hollow, ignores his empty threats and, shoving his Super Spirit Stick into the Demi-Hollow's half-opened Hollow hole, starts twisting it.[2] In addition to causing the Demi-Hollow tremendous pain, it hastens his Hollow transformation. Though Ichigo manages to reach Kanonji and stop him, he arrives too late, as the Demi-Hollow's body dissipates.[3] Soon after, his body recomposes as a Hollow on the hospital's roof, right above Ichigo and Kanonji.[4]
Battle
Ichigo blocks the Hollow.
Shortly after his body recomposes, the Hollow begins to feel the ravenous hunger typical to Hollows. Recognizing both Ichigo and Kanonji as possessing high Reiryoku, they immediately become his targets. When the Hollow lunges, Kanonji, pulling Ichigo back, orders him to run away. When he challenges the "bad spirit" to attack, armed only with his Spirit Stick, Ichigo saves his life by blocking the Hollow with his Zanpakutō and throwing him back. While Ichigo and Kanonji argue about which of them should run away, the Hollow tries a surprise attack, which Ichigo blocks.[5] As the Hollow attacks again, Ichigo forcefully pushes Kanonji out of harm's way. Missing the two, the Hollow breaks through a wall. For a second, it seems as though the Hollow is stuck, and Kanonji spots a "golden chance" to attack, but the Hollow frees himself, and Ichigo grabs the medium in order to make a retreat into the hospital.[6]
Kanonji-Style Final Super Attack: Kan'onball.
A few minutes later, the Hollow cuts another argument between Ichigo and Kanonji short by breaking up through the floor. When Ichigo attempts to draw his sword, the bulky weapon gets lodged in the narrow corridor's ceiling. To make matters worse, the Hollow uses his adhesive saliva to glue Ichigo's hands to the handle. Undeterred, the Substitute Shinigami, challenging the Hollow, says he can defeat him using only his legs. Lunging forward, the Hollow is blocked by Kanonji, who, jamming his Spirit Stick into the monster's mouth, admits though he is not strong enough to defeat the Hollow, he was impressed by Ichigo's ideals of thinking of the safety of others first. Therefore, he asks to be allowed to die while protecting Ichigo.[7] Despite Ichigo's protests, Kanonji, pushing the Hollow away from Ichigo, uses his Kan'onball attack to release Ichigo's Zanpakutō from the ceiling. When Ichigo attacks, the exhausted Kanonji, moving out of the way, wishes Ichigo all the best.[8]
Ichigo defeats the Hollow.
Finding it hard to fight with his hands glued to the hilt of his sword, Ichigo manages to cut through the Hollow's shoulder, but this only serves to make him angrier. Breaking through a window, the Hollow climbs to the roof of the building, with Ichigo and his sword still dangling from his shoulder. On the roof, the Hollow manages to release the blade from his shoulder, but here Ichigo can finally use his sword with greater ease. The Hollow attempts an attack, which Ichigo evades. The fight seems all but over when Kanonji, having revealed to his public the "bad spirit" escaped to the roof, arrives and distracts the Hollow. Unable to run and facing an attack, Kanonji depends on Ichigo to save him, which Ichigo does by sideswiping the Hollow and slashing through his mask, purifying him.[9]
Aftermath
After the Hollow is defeated, his body begins to dissipate. As Ichigo and Kanonji watch, his mask disappears. and Kanonji, seeing it was the Demi-Hollow from before, asks Ichigo what it means, and Ichigo explains the process in which a Soul becomes a Hollow. Kanonji realizes he has not been sending spirits to heaven, but instead turning them into Hollows all along. Seeing Kanonji has learned enough to mend his ways, Ichigo says him his public is waiting for him. Hesitating for a second, Kanonji responds with his signature pose, which the crowd cheerfully emulates. When Kanonji, thanking Ichigo and complimenting him on a superb battle, asks him to lend him a hand from that day on, Ichigo says he might every now and then. As they shake hands, Kanonji tells Ichigo he is now his #1 disciple, proving he still does not fully understand the situation and annoying Ichigo.[10]
The next day Ichigo, Rukia, Tatsuki Arisawa, Orihime Inoue, Keigo Asano, Mizuiro Kojima, and Yasutora Sado are summoned by Kagine to the principal's office to be told off for the embarrassment they caused Karakura High School by interrupting Kanonji's show, though they all manage to escape punishment.[11]
References
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 27, pages 9-20
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 28, pages 18-19
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 29
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 30, pages 3-11
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 30, pages 13-18
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 31, pages 1-3
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 31, pages 14-19
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 32, pages 1-4
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 32, pages 6-14
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 32, pages 16-21
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 33, pages 3-8