Awesome episode, Kaien is definitely the coolest one shot character (or plot device character, if you prefer) so far. Then again, being voiced by Toshihiko Seki, that's a given. It's too bad we didn't see his soul slayer before he died. Stupid hollows, fucking up everything all the time...

I honestly think Rukia is being pretty stupid. "Blah blah I don't deserve to be saved". Kaien fucking THANKED you, he was HAPPY. Get it through your mind you apathetic moron. Anyway, great stuff, I really love Ukitake, it's too bad that the coolest guys always have a handicap (he reminds me a lot of Ukyo from the Samurai Shodown games, similar looks - and they both cough blood).