Part-time student, full-time Soul Reaper, Ichigo is one of the chosen few guardians of the afterlife.

Ichigo Kurosaki never asked for the ability to see ghosts-he was born with the gift. When his family is attacked by a Hollow-a malevolent lost soul-Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper, dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping the tortured spirits themselves find peace. Find out why Tite Kubo's Bleach has become an international manga smash-hit!

Ichigo Kurosaki thought that Soul Reapers were the only ones hunting Hollows, but he was wrong. Enter Uryu Ishida, a Quincy, and possibly the last member of a powerful clan that died out over 200 years ago. Unlike Soul Reapers who strive to cleanse Hollows of their sins and send them to the Soul Society, Quincies adopt a more direct approach--they kill Hollows without hesitation. To demonstrate the supremacy of the Quincies' ways, Uryu challenges Ichigo to a contest--bait is spread around the city, attracting a large number of unstable Hollows. Whoever defeats the most wins, regardless of the danger.

Also, Orihime and Chad, confronted with a host of Hollows terrorizing their friends, awaken to their own psychic abilities. Who is the strongest? Find this out and more in the action-packed fifth volume of Tite Kubo's Bleach!