User blog comment:Xilinoc/Ch. 538 Standing On the Edge/@comment-2120712-20130522211851

I think the Asauchi bowed to Ichigo because Ichigo has fully understood in some form what he is and they see no point in fighting again. Would been interesting if the Asauchi that bowed merged into one to form Ichigo's zan spirit but lets not get into Fan fiction. I am curious as to how Ouetsu creates Asauchi and how he forges the spirits into sword form. While it would be nice to see Ichigo's zan be in sealed mode, I don't think learning about his past also now includes the ability to properly control and restrict his spiritual pressure to the point that his zan can be maintained in sealed form.

I don't know why those members made those statements about the 10th Division being in trouble by having a bankai-less captain. While it is a requirement, I was under the impression that mastery of one the other forms of combat is some form is what set Captains apart as well.

Look at Soifon, while she has no bankai, a bankai that doesn't compliment her fighting style anyway, she still is a proficient Kido practitioner, master at Flash Step and Hand to hand, and if she has access to her shikai, then there is still that two hit kill(providing the enemy doesn't dwarf her in terms of spirit energy.) My guess is that she is probably training with Yorouchi since Yoro fights without the use of her zan at all and is still a mid-tier captain in some people's eyes.

Sajin is probably like Ichigo going back to his roots.

And then of course Zaraki Kenpaichi who never had a bankai as far as we know and his big power up besides breaking the subconscious bonds on his power is gaining shikai, something the bankai stolen captains have mastered at this point.

I wonder if the reforging of the zan will somehow change the zan's shikai and bankai names.