Urahara, you rock.
Yes. Finally we might be getting close to the end of this arc. IF the captains can finish the battles. Kenpachi: off to a good start. Byakuya: yep, I know you can do this. Rukia's at stake. ^^o Unohana: ...what are you doing here? Healing Chad...'kay. Kurotsuchi: ... you just have fun. Psycho scientist vs. psycho scientist. Great.
Why didn't they send Hitsugaya? u.u.... But I can see why they did send these guys. Kenpachi, strongest. Unohana, healing. Kurotsuchi, research. Byakuya... can't stand still when Rukia is in trouble anymore. (I still think he's a cold-hearted jerk, just for the record. ^^o)
BUT! Here is the kicker for me. Urahara indirectly saved everyone! And Soul Society has more contact with Urahara than I previously thought. I figured something was there, but for Yama to give Urahara orders... and that's orders, plural. One order was to work on the passage for the captains into HM. But what are the other 'works' that he has to do, I wonder. ^.^ I look forward to finding out!
Come on, Kubo-san! Restore my faith in your story-telling abilities!