Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-7313057-20130413202738/@comment-5675229-20130414001806

No. His Shikai and Bankai merely changed shape- the powers still remained the same. It will always be the same spirit, except it grows stinger- e.g. when Ichigo first had a Zanpakuto, it was nameless, but Zangetsu lied within. He had to "awaken" it, thus "changing" it. The power is still the same, just a new look.