 Based on Tite Kubo's "Bleach" manga series, the episodes' plot centers on Ichigo Kurosaki's and his friends' battle against the Espada, the strongest members of former Soul Reaper captain Sōsuke Aizen's army, to save Orihime Inoue.The season aired from December 2007 to April 2008.The English adaptation of the "Bleach" anime is licensed by Viz Media, and this arc began airing on September 26, 2009 and ended November 21, 2009 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.