Short Summary
Aizen makes his move to wipe out Karakura Town for his own plans. But the Gotei 13 meet him just as he steps out into the living world and put a barrier around him to keep him and his lieutenants at bay, as well as creating pillars so the real Karakura Town won't be damaged in the fight. No sooner do they do so, than the rest of the top ten Arrancar and their Fraccion meet the Shinigami head on, leading to a major clash around the city.Main Summary
Aizen has finally gotten his butt off that throne in Las Noches and is invading Karakura town, with Ichigo, his companions, and four Captains stuck in Hueco Mundo. Fortunately, Head Captain Yamamoto isn't as easily fooled as Ichigo was, and he has a plan- face off against Aizen directly, in a replica of Karakura Town created by Mayuri and swapped for the real one courtesy of Urahara. Four pillars keep the fake in place, and Yamamoto keeps Aizen, Gin, and Tousen from interfering by trapping them in a barrier of fire, courtesy of Ryujin Jakka. While Aizen is out of commission, Barragan, the Segunda Espada, takes command and orders his Fraccion to take the pillars out.
Of course, Yamamoto isn't stupid enough to leave the pillars undefended, so the Fraccion have fights with several Lieutenants/seated officers on their hands. Ikkaku loses his fight and his pillar because of his unwillingness to reveal his Bankai, but the others do better. Komamura saves Ikkaku from Poww, using his Bankai to match Poww's massive resurrecion form. Kira's power to increase the weight of anything his sword strikes comes in handy against Abirama Redder's avian release, and Hisagi is able to overpower Findorr Callius. Yumichika almost loses to Charlotte Chuhlhourne before Charlotte rather inadvisably traps him in a completely isolated area, allowing him to utilize his taboo Kido-based release without the threat of ostracization from the 11th.
With the pillars safe for the moment, Sui Feng and Omaeda face off against Barragan's last two Fraccion. Sui Feng appears to struggle with Ggio, but in actuality she's just trying to get as much information as she can on Arrancar resurrecions prior to facing Barragan, and swiftly kills him when she gets serious. Omaeda reveals that his Upper-Class Twit behavior was actually Obfuscating Stupidity- he was actually appointed as Sui Feng's lieutenant out of merit, he just likes to take his opponents off-guard by acting otherwise.
Rangiku and Hinamori face the Tres Bestias, Harribel's fraccion, but are defeated when the three use their left arms to create a monstrous creature called Ayon. While the lieutenants all struggle against it, Yamamoto steps in and finishes the fight for them. In the meantime, Hitsugaya and Kyoraku fight Harribel and Staark. And back in Hueco Mundo, Ichigo fights Ulquiorra to protect Orihime.
Fake Karakura Town Arc has the following tropes:
- Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: The battle against Poww turns into this when he reveals his power to grow large forcing Komamura to step in and use his Bankai, an equally large being, to fight him.
- Deus Exit Machina: Villainous version. Yamamoto uses Ryujin Jakka to trap Aizen, Gin, and Tosen in a barrier of flames, preventing them from taking part in the battles.
- Mirror Match: A lot of the opening fights are pitting the Shinigami against opponents with similar abilities and philosophies.
- Orcus on His Throne: Barragan has his underlings make a literal throne out of bones for him, and he sits on it while sending his fraccion out to fight.
- War Arc: The touted "Winter War" in which the Gotei 13 fight against Aizen's Arrancar army to keep him from razing Karakura Town to create the key needed to reach the Soul King's dimension.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Iba to Ikkaku for not going all out against Poww in their fight and putting his pride before his duty when it resulted in one of the pillars getting destroyed.
