We have the cover of The Death Save the Strawberry novel! Rukia, as we were predicting! She's so cute! Albeit so purple! Perhaps Sensei was hitting the cough syrup during his prolonged illness? We wish Kubo-sensei a full recovery.

Kubo is listed first before Makoto-san as author on the cover. http://www.amazon.co.jp/BLEACH-Death-Save-Strawberry-BOOKS/dp/4087032728/ Kubo-sensei came up with the title, and the title made the editor cry. (Ah, Syn is now telling me that indeed it was Makoto-san who cried!) For more about the novel's contents, see translation by TruantPony here: http://deathberry.com/index.php?topic=404.msg20650#msg20650 The novel will cover the time period of those 17 months when Ichigo had no powers and follow the making of the sword which was to restore his shinigami powers. We've already had an excerpt translated in which we saw Rukia's hair-cutting scene! I can't wait for more!