Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-27458826-20180127131846/@comment-27458826-20180217025732

It functions in the same way as a zanpakuto because the process Aizen used to make white was similar to the way the Asauchi are made and both are made from the souls of soul reapers. Shouting bankai is likely a plot device used in the same way as using a release command is. They do it but it isn't necessary. White Ichigo is Zangetsu. To obtain bankai one is supposed to force them to materialize out of their inner world and submit. Both parts are generally required for one to obtain bankai but there have been some exceptions to this ( kenpachi and Mayuri). Above all else Nimaiya said he knew the state and location of every zanpakuto/Asauchi he ever made and Ichigo didn't have one. How does he have a bankai the 2nd release of a zanpakuto when he never had a zanpakuto until the last arc?