Short Summary
A year and a half after the Winter Battle, Ichigo is living a normal life after the loss of his power. He is then approached by a man named Ginjo who leads him to an organization called "Xcution", a group of people with Fullbringer powers (i.e: powers gained when their mothers were attacked by Hollows), who offer to help Ichigo gain his own. However a rogue member has his sights set on Ichigo and his friends as well.Main Summary
The Lost Agent Arc has the following tropes
- Adaptation Expansion: As the arc was fairly short in the manga, the anime expands on some thing, specifically the Xcution characters.
- Arc Villain: Ginjo.
- Brought Down to Normal: Ichigo at the start of the arc due to having used all his power to stop Aizen. However, he clarifies that his reflexes remain amazing due to all the fighting he's done as a Shinigami.
- Call-Back: When Ichigo comes to the Soul Society he runs into Renji - in the same place they have fought so long ago when Ichigo came to save Rukia from execution. This time, however, Ichigo freely passes and attends the meeting with the captains of Gotei 13. Shows how far Ichigo has gone from an intruder and a perceived enemy to a hero acknowledged by the highest ranks of the Soul Society.
- Double-Meaning Title: The Lost Agent at first seems to refer to Ichigo no longer being a Substitute Shinigami, thus being a "Lost Agent". In reality it refers to Ginjo, another former Substitute Shinigami who's been stringing along Ichigo to awaken and steal his power. That the title could refer to either of them sets them up as foils to one another.
- The Heavy: While Ginjo is the Big Bad of the arc, Tsukishima is the one who does most of the heavy-lifting in the villainy department. He (seemingly) injures Uryu, frequently attacks Ichigo, and most disturbingly infiltrates and manipulates his family and friends. It's no wonder Ginjo keeps him close to his side.
- Heroic BSoD: Ichigo faces an opponent who can re-write memories by attacking his targets with hit power. His friends and family are affected by the power, leaving Ichigo alone and isolated in a world that has turned completely hostile to him. It's the only thing in the story that ever breaks him.
- He's Back!: During the Lost Agent Arc, Ichigo's friends and family are brainwashed against him, and the one ally remaining to him turns on him, stabs him and steals his power. Ichigo is left on his knees, powerless and sobbing. The Shinigami turn up to restore his Shinigami power in the same fashion as Chapter 1. His resolve returns in full force and he thrashes the Arc Villain.
- Only Sane Man: A very dark example, Ichigo (also Uryu) is the only one who knows that Tsukishima is the bad guy when everyone in his life has been brainwashed.
- Time Skip: Seventeen months have passed off-page between the end of the Arrancar Arc and the beginning of the Lost Agent Arc, making it mostly about half a year from then to the current point in the story. It's not a long one, but most of the characters have aged significantly.
- Unwitting Pawn: Xcution was just stringing Ichigo along to bring out his Fullbring power, then steal it and boost their own power. Ginjo specifically wants it to get back at Soul Society.
- What the Hell, Hero?: As Ichigo attacks Tsukishima in front of his family and friends, they call him out and tell him to stop. What makes it worst is that Ichigo was trying to protect them.
