User blog comment:Godisme/Pure Speculation Thread/@comment-452405-20100410061858

@Stryker - Your theory that Ichimaru's bankai is composed of many blades merged into one makes sense as he said himself as a kid that he was known as the 100 Swords. Why the plural if it is supposedly a single blade.

Along with the fact (I've already mentioned this bit) that the 400 Chapters celebration page has Ichigo surrounded by many blades could also support this to an extent. At first I thought the page symbolised all of the opposition Ichigo was to face but with only 2 foes left I can't see that being true.