The 

Bleach anime series adapts Kubo's manga but also introduces several original, self-contained
story arcs. In Karakura Town, a 15-year-old high school student Ichigo Kurosaki becomes a
substitute Soul Reaper (死神, Shinigami, literally, "Death God") when Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper,
cannot fulfill her duties after engaging in battle with a particularly powerful Hollow. Although initially
reluctant to accept the heavy responsibility, he begins eliminating Hollows in Rukia's place and
during this time discovers that several of his friends and classmates are spiritually aware and have
powers of their own: Uryū Ishida is a Quincy who can use spirit particles, Orihime Inoue possesses a
group of protective spirits known as the Shun Shun Rikka and Yasutora Sado ("Chad") has strength
equal to the Hollows encased in his tough right (and occasionally left) arm.
When Rukia is sentenced to death for her transgressions in the human world and taken back to the
spirit world of Soul Society, Ichigo seeks out the assistance of Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin,
who unbeknownst to him are two exiled Soul Reapers, to allow himself and his friends to save
Rukia. After Ichigo and his friends battle many Soul Reapers, it is revealed that high-ranking Soul
Reaper Sōsuke Aizen framed Rukia for the crime and has been illegally experimenting on Soul
Reapers and Hollows. Aizen plans on taking over Soul Society via the use of the Hōgyoku, a
legendary substance that can turn Hollows into half Soul Reapers and vice versa, increasing their
powers greatly. He escapes into Hueco Mundo, the realm of the Hollows, and later abducts Orihime
as she is instrumental in creating the Oken, a power that will allow him to kill the Soul King, the ruler
of Soul Society.
After being trained by the Vizards, other exiled Soul Reapers who were unwilling subjects of Aizen's
experiments and developed Hollow powers, Ichigo and his friends travel into Hueco Mundo to save
Orihime, and the world. Facing Aizen's army of Arrancars, who are Hollows given Soul Reaper
abilities, led by an elite group known as the Èspadas which are composed of ten Arrancars with
exemplary strength. These Arrancars are referred to as Espadas and are mini-bosses, in Aizen's
army they serve as commanders and each has its factions of weaker Arrancars. Along with
Aizen, Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen, the Èspada as a group possess comparable strength to
Soul Society's Gotei 13 Soul Reaper captains. After finally reaching Orihime, Aizen reveals her
kidnapping was a distraction to allow him to take Karakura Town, as its spiritual energy is what is
needed for the Oken. After receiving final training from his father Isshin, another exiled Soul Reaper,
Ichigo and the Soul Reapers face off against Aizen, the Soul Reapers who aligned with his cause
and his most powerful Èspadas, resulting in Aizen's surrender and the loss of Ichigo's Soul Reaper
powers as he uses a secret technique to seal Aizen away for good.