User blog comment:Soulreaper1234/What's up with Ichigo and his BANKAI, is it in constant release?/@comment-1405841-20100915151058

Logically speaking, if his Bankai allows for him to remain in that state without draining more of his energy it would be best to STAY in Bankai. If he wastes time before each fighting, going back to Shikai...going to Bankai, going to Shikai...it just doesn't make sense in the end. Especially, as God and Salubri stated, when he has no NEED to use Shikai anymore...

The only reason Shikai is useful now is simply against average Hollows and MAYBE Gillians but that's it. Fighting an Arrancar or god forbid, Aizen, at this level would be foolish...and who is to say they'd give him the chance to enter Bankai?

Shikai had its time...and it has passed, Kubo obviously doesn't care to show it that much anymore and based on the enemies he's facing, Ichigo would be an idiot to try and take any of them on in that state. He's not trying to make him like Goku, who typically (even after becoming a Super Saiyan which we'll compare to Bankai only for the purposes of transformation into something greater) fights his enemies firsthand in "normal mode", then upgrades after a while...and maybe upgrades again but that doesn't matter...Ichigo has no need to go Shikai agains't powerful opponents and it wouldn't make sense for his character, one that is a bit of an analyist and tactician in his own right, to use the form.

I'd be leaning towards the speculative side now to say Kubo is making it Symbolic that he's only using Bankai lately...to show he's levels above other Shinigami of Vice level and even some of the Captains...but I won't put much stock in that one.