lol, yeah i was really sort of shocked when i heard it, i was really expecting it to go to a flashback arc after this, but w/kubo its hard to tell what his scenes will actually mean when better translated. it does look like karin will have an expanding role in the manga, but it doesnt look like she's going to be butting ichigo out of his spot, in fact i think its going to be critical to him getting his power back, my guess is she will become a hostage or trapped somewhere or something life threatening like that and he will somehow find a way to bring his powers back to save her, although that whole plot line has already been beat to death in this manga in a way(soul society=save rukia)( hueco mundo= save orihime)(final batlle w/aizen=save the rest of his friends).
this is the best spoiler out right now, some of the wording might end up a bit different but its a confirmed rough script from reputable sources.
Translation by saladesu of MH:
Karakura Town, 7am, Monday
Kurosaki Ichigo/17 years old
Hair Color/Orange
Eye Color/Brown
Occupation/High School Student
As for spirits, I can't see them (TN: this is exactly the same as the first chapter of Bleach, save for his age and inability to see spirits)
Ichigo wakes up, saying "I'm sleepy"
Center color looks similar to the one from the first chapter - Ichigo is in front, with numerous characters in the background (such as Tatsuki and Ishida), but everyone is facing towards the bacl.
Ichigo changes into his school uniform. When he goes to the kitchen, Yuzu appears in her uniform and goes "ta~da!". She has her hair tied back in 2 pigtails.
However, Ichigo doesn't give much of a reaction to that and just asks her to pass the soy sauce. Yuzu gets angry with him over that as she passes him the soy sauce.
"I went through all that effort to keep what I look like in my new uniform a secret, and now that I'm showing it to you, you won't even look at me! I've never seen a brother like that," Yuzu passes Ichigo the rice.
At that, Ichigo murmurs, "I'm looking alright, and your zipper's open"
Karin watches this exchange, and pokes her chopsticks at the glasses of a spirit that is hovering around her. Ichigo does not see this at all.
Isshin appears, calling Yuzu's name loudly, asking which bowtie he should wear with the suit he is wearing to her entrance ceremony.
Yuzu: "Yeah, it's alright, either one is fine", she doesn't seem interested at all. isshin is shocked.
It has been 17 months since that battle, a little over a year. Ichigo has become a third year student.
With regards to his Shinigami powers, when Ichigo was sleeping, Chad and the rest had told Keigo and the rest all about it, seeming to trust them with it.
Ichigo says that he's happy that they had accepted it without saying anything.
Mizuiro is waiting for him outside when he leaves the house, he has a new hairstyle with his ears hidden by his hair, a little like Rukia.
Karin and Yuzu go to the middle school with Isshin. Ever since Ichigo lost his spiritual powers, Karin's has gotten stronger, and Karin now has hi-spec spiritual disposition.
She doesn't discuss it with Ichigo, so it seems they have reached some sort of mutual understanding on the matter.
When they reach school, Keigo comes dashing towards them. Ichigo does a pro-wrestling move as he greets him.
It seems Mizuiro is now in a different class, so he heads to his own class saying "see you at lunch"
Inside a classroom labeled 3-3, Tatsuki asks if Ichigo has brought the Tekken (TN: fist? it's also the name of a game). Karin (TN: I think this might be a typo. 69ruma might mean Tatsuki) hair is now as long as Kuukaku's.
Ichigo opens his bag saying "I brought it, I brought it". In his bag is the old Shinigami replacement identification. Ichigo passes the Tekken to Karin (TN: Tatuski?)
He didn't get a chance to return the shinigami replacement identification , and since he lost his powers it has stopped working as well, it's just a wooden plank now that it can neither serve as an alarm, and now normal people can see it too.
But it is also the only remaining proof that Ichigo was once a shinigami.
Ichigo absently plays with the badge even during lessons. Suddenly, there is a voice, "Ishida! Where are you going!"
Ishida runs away shouting "Nurse's office!" (it's not clear whether they are in the same class)
Now Ishida has taken on the role of Hollow purifications. It seems the afro dude is even more unreliable than expected.
And since that day, Rukia has not come by Karakura town even once.
Ichigo talks about university choices on the roof with Keigo. Keigo: "Ichigo, your grades had been good when we first entered high school, but somewhere in the middle of the first year you started failing"
Ichigo: "I was busy with all sorts of things then, and I'm still above average"
Keigo murmurs: "I wonder how Rukia-chan's doing"
Ichigo: "Why are you suddenly bringing up Rukia?"
Keigo: "She's so cold, she hasn't even shown her face since that day"
Ichigo: 'That's to be expected, she's no longer in charge off Karakura town."
Keigo: "Aren't you lonely?"
Ichigo: "No way"
Ichigo: "Only from the time when I was 16, did I finally get to live a normal life. I'm fine if I could live peacefully like this until I die."
Keigo: That's true, I don't want to feel that sort of fear again"
Ichigo: "I never felt superior just because I could see spirits. I never thought of making a living off that either, and neither did I think of helping others with that power. I longed for a life where I couldn't see spirits, and it's come true"
A guy carrying a bag slips past Ichigo, Keigo, Mizuiro, who are on their way back to the classroom. A hefty guy is chasing after the other guy.
Ichigo passes his bag to Mizuiro and chases after the guy who is running away.
He catches up to the guy and punches by the guy when he turns around. The guy who falls to the ground stands up again and pulls out a knife to counterattack, but Ichigo manages to catch the knife's blade between his fingers and stop the hand holding the knife and punch him again.
The body and reflexes he had trained as a shinigami in order to win are still with him, also another of the proofs that he was once a shinigami.
Ichigo returns the bag to the owner, who is the tall guy. His hair is all swept back, and he thanks Ichigo, and humorously says that he'll even treat Ichigo to ramen.
Ichigo rejects the offer and walks away, adding that he'll get into trouble so keep it a secret that he'd hit someone.
Guy: "I see, that's a pity"
After Ichigo leaves, he opens the zipper of his bag, and just like Ichigo, he is holding onto a replacement shinigami identification.
Guy: "He's a surprisingly wary one, isn't he, that Kurosaki Ichigo"
BLEACH 424. The Lost Agent
The disappearance of the Shinigami Replacement arc.
