With his training not working out, Ichigo returns to the world of the living and runs into his father, Isshin, who reveals secrets about his mother and the way she died.

Ichigo and company are one step closer to saving Rukia from the Soul Society, but for their plan to work, Ichigo must control the spiritual energy that wells within him. Meanwhile, the Soul Society dispatches a delegation to "welcome" their visitors.

Ichigo and company meet their first obstacle on the road to saving Rukia from the Soul Society. It is Jidanbô, the monstrous gatekeeper who hasn't let anyone enter the gate he guards in over 300 years, but Ichigo just sees that as an extra challenge. Anything less would be boring!

With the Soul Society under attack from the mysterious Vandenreich, General Captain Yamamoto must defeat the Vandenreich's king in order to save the day.

"With Ichigo trapped in Hueco Mundo, the Soul Society comes under attack by a mysterious group of warriors calling themselves the Vandenreich. The Soul Reaper captains valiantly stand up to the invaders, but this is a battle they might not be able to win!" -- Publisher's web page.

Kubo continues his ongoing manga series, which has been translated into seven different languages. "Bleach" follows the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, who has always been able to see ghosts. Fighting Hollows, evil spirits that prey on humans who display psychic energy, Ichigo learns that his job is to both protect the innocent from the Hollows and to help the spirits themselves find peace. "Ichigo Kurosaki thought that Soul Reapers were the only ones...

Ichigo Kurosaki was born with the ability to see ghosts, and is now a Soul Reaper, dedicated to protecting the innocent and helping tormented souls find peace. In this volume, Ichigo is surprised when his friend Nel Tu reverts to her true form to shield her human protectors, and unforeseen changes put Ichigo and his friends at the mercy of the enemy.

Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see ghosts, but this ability doesn't change his life nearly as much as his close encounter with Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper and member of the mysterious Soul Society. While fighting a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans who display psychic energy, Rukia attempts to lend Ichigo some of her powers so that he can save his family; but much to her surprise, Ichigo absorbs every last drop of her energy.

...

"Ichigo knows that to retrieve Rukia from the Soul Society, he'll have to enter that world himself. But his fight with Rukia's brother Byakuya showed, in no uncertain terms, that Ichigo still has a great deal of rigorous study and training ahead of him. Deep beneath Kisuke's Urahara Shoten, Ichigo practices his fighting and hones his spiritual energies, and now he must face the most daunting challenge of all: prevent his Chain of Fate from consuming...