User blog comment:Marijuanna/Rare Zanpakutou/@comment-1393830-20130117171523/@comment-28861328-20130119191112

God is right. Hitsugaya was also the same. He's been in communication with his Zanpakutou long before he became a Shinigami, while he was still a young child. He didn't have an Asauchi either. The fact is that Asauchi make it easier to materialize a Zanpakutou, but it is not absolutely necessary.