Ichigo Kurosaki is a fifteen-year-old high school student who lives in Karakura Town with his father, List of Bleach characters#Karakura Town, and younger twin sisters, List of Bleach characters#Karakura Town. He also has the ability to see ghosts, a talent that attracts the attention of a katana-wielding young woman in a black kimono. She introduces herself as Rukia Kuchiki while explaining to Ichigo that she is a Soul Reaper, a psychopomp who guides the departed to the Soul Society and purify those who remained among the living and transformed into monstrous beings called List of Hollows in Bleach. At that time, a Hollow that Rukia was hunting named Fishbone D attacks Ichigo's home after sensing his high spiritual energy. Rukia is wounded in the attempt to protect the Kurosaki family and forced to transfer her powers into a desperate Ichigo so he can defeat the Hollow as a Soul Reaper. After discovering Rukia has enrolled in his class the following day, Ichigo learns that she has lost her power and he must serve as her substitute until he amassed enough Reiyoku energy from defeating Hollows to transfer Rukia's powers back to her.