The thirteenth season of the Bleach anime series is based on Tite Kubo's manga with the same name. It is known as the Zanpakutō: The Alternate Tale arc, is directed by Noriyuki Abe and produced by TV Tokyo, Dentsu, and Studio Pierrot. The episodes' plot focus on a new set of events in which the Soul Reaper's swords, zanpakutō, assume human forms and declare war against their wielders, led by a mysterious man named Muramasa, who is a former zanpakutō.
The season began airing on July 28, 2009 until April 6, 2010 on TV Tokyo in Japan. The English adaptation of the Bleach anime is licensed by Viz Media, and this season began airing on November 12, 2011. Aniplex released the season in a series of nine DVD volumes, each containing the first four episodes, from May 26, 2010 to January 26, 2011.
The episodes use five pieces of theme music: two opening themes and three closing themes. The first opening theme, "Shōjo S" by Scandal, and the first ending theme, "Mad Surfer" by Kenichi Asai, are used for episodes 230 to 242. The second opening theme, "Anima Rossa" by Porno Graffitti, and the second ending theme, "Sakurabito" by SunSet Swish, are used from episode 243 to 255. The third ending theme, "Tabidatsu Kimi e" by RSP is used for episodes 256 to 265.
A mysterious man informs a group of strange beings that it is the time to strike. Ichigo Kurosaki… |
Ichigo finds Rukia injured in the world of the living, and that she is being attacked by a strange… |
Rukia rushes back to the 6th Division HQ and is reunited with Renji. However, Byakuya's status… |
Muramasa sends Sode no Shirayuki away, and Ichigo asks why he wanted the zanpakutō to gain… |
Rukia is found by the 4th Division and sent to recover from her injuries. Hisagi and his men patrol… |
Kyoraku and Ukitake discuss the possibility that defeating the zanpakutō spirits will destroy the… |
Hisagi is wounded in a surprise attack by Kazeshini, but Izuru intervenes to help him, and using… |
Ichigo reports his findings of Muramasa's abilities to Ukitake, Shunsui and Unohana. In order to… |
Ichigo continues searching for Byakuya, and encounters the spirits of Tobiume and Haineko, who are… |
Ichigo is still trapped in the ice prison Hyorinmaru imprisoned him in as Toshiro and Hyorinmaru… |
Mayuri experiments on Gegetsuburi, and discovers that the zanpakuto only return to their owners'… |
The shinigami discuss Byakuya's betrayal, and the discovery that if a zanpakuto is killed by anyone… |
Ichigo goes to confront Byakuya, but Senbonzakura intercepts him, and he and Ichigo fight each… |
Soifon fights Tengen and Gonryomaru, making some progress, but then her zanpakuto, Suzumebachi… |
Isane and Iba come face to face with Ashisogi Jizou, Tobiume and Haineko. It is then up to Hinamori… |
Ichigo continues fighting Senbonzakura while Kenpachi fights Byakuya, but Ashisogi Jizo appears and… |
The Captains begin planning on how they're going to rescue Yamamoto, knowing that they're going to… |
Whilst trying to rescue Captain-Commander Yamamoto Kyouraku faces off against Katen Kyoukotsu,… |
Ichigo and the others are trapped in the fires of Ryūjin Jakka, he and the others try to free… |
While Yamamoto, Kyouraku, Hitsugaya and Ukitake deal with Ryuujin Jakka, Kenpachi is finally… |
In a flashback several centuries ago, it is revealed that Kouga was part of the Kuchiki Clan as… |
The 3 elites are gloating over their success when Kōga and Muramasa appear. Kōga kills them, and… |
Kōga Kuchiki sees Byakuya Kuchiki’s scarf and hairpiece and, having never met Byakuya before,… |
After Kouga's defeat, Muramasa becomes unstable, as he had absorbed hollows in order to sustain… |
The Shinigami and their newly deprogrammed Zanpakuto arrive to join the fight against Muramasa.… |
As the dome grows unstable and the Soul Reapers fight the Gillians outside, Ichigo fights Muramasa… |
While Byakuya allows his squad to hold a sakura viewing party at his mansion, two strange attackers… |
In the real world, Ichigo encounters a sword fiend, and he and Hitsugaya fight it, but it retreats.… |
Renji and Zabimaru come to the real world following a sword fiend. Chimpette and Snakey split up to… |
Nanao, Ikkaku and Yamada are all sent to investigate Soul Society's underground waterways following… |
Kazeshini, despite being free of Muramasa's control, attacks Hisagi when he, Ikkaku, Izuru Kira and… |
While Ichigo, Rukia and Urahara investigate a Sword Fiend attacking students, a girl named Kyoko… |
While on a mission with Rangiku to fight sword fiends, Haineko encounters one named Narunosuke,… |
Whilst trying to deliver a recently defeated Beast Sword to the 12th Squad's Barracks Senbonzakura… |
Nanao decides to bond with Kyōraku's zanpakutō, Katen Kyokotsu. While the older one sips sake with… |