Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-6673698-20130222170324/@comment-8986886-20130501171342

Godisme wrote: Asauchi are only a shortcut to developing a Zanpakuto. People like Ichigo and Zaraki solidified their reiryoku into the form of a sword, bypassing the need for an asauchi.

Just to clarify that Ichigo is a unique case in this matter. In manga ch.529 Nimaiya said:

"All Shinigami are given an Asauchi and with hard training they make it their own Zanpakuto. That's the origin and the basics of the relationship between Shinigami and Zanpakuto.

It's absolute. Soldiers and of course Captains, the Zanpakuto of the Zero division too and even scoundrels like Kenpachi Zaraki can get their hands on an Asauchi by stealing it from some corpse.

I know all of them. Ever since the beginning of Soul Society, not one Shinigami was able to awaken their Zanpakuto without one of my Asauchi. Not even one."