When a soul has committed irredeemable sins, it is removed from the cycle of reincarnation monitored by the Soul Society, and the gates of Hell open to condemn the soul to eternal damnation. From this place from where no one has ever come back, three tormented souls who refer to themselves as Sinners of Hell burst in Karakura Town, where a ruthless fight involving them against the substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends ensues. In the aftermath of the fight, Ichigo's sisters are abducted, with the aforementioned group's leader Shuren hoping to lure Ichigo to be finally freed from the chains of Hell. Helped by a Sinner named Kokutou, Ichigo and his friends head to Hell for a rescue mission. However, the Soul Society opposes the journey, in fear of threatening the balance between worlds. As the lines between friends and foes get blurred, Ichigo will have to face his most challenging dilemma yet—a decision that may well engulf the three worlds into chaos.

When a life ends, its soul departs to its final resting place known as the Soul Society. However, if a soul is left to wander in the human world for too long, it ends up turning into a corrupted Hollow that feeds on other souls. In such cases, spirits called Soul Reapers are needed to eliminate the Hollows and guide the lost souls to the Soul Society. Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki are two Soul Reapers who are used to dealing with Hollows that appear in Karakura Town. But when they encounter the hostile Blanks—souls devoid of memories and immune to the soul burial used by Reapers—they are thrown for a loop. Senna, a fellow Reaper that neither Ichigo or Rukia are familiar with, comes to their rescue and manages to fend off the Blanks. The mystery deepens when a mirage of the human world suddenly appears over Soul Society. What could be the reason behind the strange phenomena, and how is it connected to Senna, who avoids any questions about her identity?

Assigned to protect a royal procession transporting a powerful artifact called the Ouin, Squad 10 gathers in the human world as Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto observe the area cautiously. However, the caravan is suddenly struck by a group of assailants who wreak havoc on the procession, stealing the Ouin in the process. After a brief clash with one of the attackers, the distraught Hitsugaya pursues the escaping thieves, leaving behind Matsumoto and the disoriented squad. Following the incident, the Seireitei brands Hitsugaya a traitor for abandoning his post and puts Squad 10 on indefinite lockdown. In the human world, Ichigo Kurosaki is investigating a spiritual abnormality when he stumbles across the injured Captain, but is caught off guard when Hitsugaya suddenly flees. Soon learning of the situation, Ichigo, Rukia Kuchiki, Renji Abarai, and Matsumoto set off to prove Hitsugaya's innocence and uncover the truth behind the theft of the Ouin. Meanwhile, a ghost from Hitsugaya's past haunts his thoughts as he chases down the true culprit.

Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki spends his days fighting against Hollows, dangerous evil spirits that threaten Karakura Town. Ichigo carries out his quest with his closest allies: Orihime Inoue, his childhood friend with a talent for healing; Yasutora Sado, his high school classmate with superhuman strength; and Uryuu Ishida, Ichigo's Quincy rival. Ichigo's vigilante routine is disrupted by the sudden appearance of Asguiaro Ebern, a dangerous Arrancar who heralds the return of Yhwach, an ancient Quincy king. Yhwach seeks to reignite the historic blood feud between Soul Reaper and Quincy, and he sets his sights on erasing both the human world and the Soul Society for good. Yhwach launches a two-pronged invasion into both the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, the home of Hollows and Arrancar. In retaliation, Ichigo and his friends must fight alongside old allies and enemies alike to end Yhwach's campaign of carnage before the world itself comes to an end.