User blog comment:Mrlmm0605/Let's Talk Bleach!: Part 11- Kenpachi Zaraki/@comment-26091912-20160401095757

Bleach, and I suppose, all Shonen manga suffer from this problem. They add or subtract a character's power level just to keep people interested. Like how Superman's power was changed time and again to keep readers interested (and i guess to a certain extent all major comic-book characters, where their lives we're devoid of any normality until the arrival of Watchmen.)

Honestly, I can't see logically why Kenpachi would have any difficulty with Gerard even without his Shikai and eye-patch off. It's all buildup nonsense to make this "fight" more dramatic, rather than just have a proper fight showcasing both character's powers and abilities.

His fight with Nnoitora was probably one of his best fights and best benchmark. Not only were they fighting evenly most of the time, but they were fighting properly; no interruptions, no cheap tricks, no BS monologues and dialogues in the middle of battle about whatever nonsense characters seem to annoyingly do now. And, it pushed Kenpachi to what was his limit at the time.

Whereas in this arc, if he's not slicing up fodder, he's up against obscenely powerful opponents and getting his arse kicked. Or in the case of Gremmy, only winning by default. Such a waste.