Following his defeat by Kageroza, Ichigo has lost his Shinigami powers. Still determined to save Nozomi, Ichigo and his friends gather at Urahara's shop to come up with a rescue plan. Urahara comes up with a risky plan that involves Ichigo being swallowed by the Kōtotsu to retrieve a sample of his shinigami powers, since he was swallowed before. The plan works and Ichigo gets out of the Kōtotsu. When he meets up with everyone, he states that he saw another him when he was inside the Kōtotsu, leading Urahara to conclude that Ichigo saved himself when he was first swallowed,since there is no time in the Kōtotsu. (thetvdb.com)