Now with the events in the new chapter some things are more common knowledge and a mix of a speculation. Well lets put what we know with what we have just learned and see what we have come up with in this new chapter.
Ichigo takes all the power of his Bankai and compresses it into a small, condensed form. This gives allows him to use Hyper-speed combat, Enhanced strength, enhanced getsuga tensho, enhanced spiritual power, and enhanced bankai duration. As of late all this hasn't been enough to take on his combatants. With the new chapter and the information obtained from it we have seen even greater power from Ichigo then ever before.
- He can sense his sisters blocks away through various buildings and assesses their status.
- He can physically touch Aizen without succumbing to his overwhelming reiatsu at all.
- He can break a fully powered level-90 kido with his bare hand.
- He can grab Aizen's sword with his barehand and sustain no injury and isnt even moved when it destroys the surrounding area while doing so.
- He can decimate a mountain in a single sword swing.
We can note a greater use of spiritual power and greater strength then before. What throws use off is the lack of anyone being able to feel his spiritual pressure. I would speculate no more than to say that this all is a more complete version of his bankai's compression ability. Maybe using the quick method to get bankai only gets you the bankai it doesn't get you the bankai you truly fully should have maybe it takes true natural combat with ones zanpakuto spirit or time of actual training to truly attain ones bankai at full capability. Maybe like some other bankai's there's more then one mode to Ichigo's. We will have to see.
While Aizen surmises that he has thrown it away to gain greater strength, even he admits he doesn't know how he did it. So the normally know-it-all knowledge of Aizen can be thrown at the window as he has proven this chapter that he doesn't know anything or understand Ichigo's power at all. Thats right the great and powerful Aizen is guessing, and guessing wrong might i add. He is stumped. Now we can see through all of his very needless transformation into a big butterfly of all things (wannabe angel) his intellectual persona is being pushed aside for a more megalomanic drunk on his own perceived superiority and power. He states multiple times of his status as having ascended past that of Shinigami and Hollows. To what indications he makes such a boast would have to be attributed to:
- his transformations
- high reiatsu that can kill ordinary-humans by being in his presence.
- His version of high-speed regeneration
- his enhanced strength.
There is nothing more then that at this point that we can draw from to confirm his claims. He seems to think so, but i dont think its true, maybe because its all fueled from an artificially made construct. The Hogyoku. Aizen has largely devolved as much as he has evolved while all the intellectual charms and smug facial expressions have somewhat decressed the amount of arrogance, boasting, taking credit for others actions, maniacal aspects of someone bent on "world" domination is becoming more apparent. He believes in his own power so much that he would over look or explain away and ignore anyone elses. This has been a downfall in manyy stories before. Now we see him almost going on the defensive. He has used melee and it didn't work, he has used kido and it didn't work.
The only next step i can think of is bankai. The issue here is with such a ridiculously overpowered shikai, will his bankai fail to impress. The same issue has come about before. While Soifon's bankai is devastating, its her shikai that is the most deadly aspect. Aizen's zanpakuto possesses no real attack power. Its sole use is deception and manipulation. It would stand to reason that his bankai will fall along those lines as well but will it be something thats actually worthy of the next level or will the shikai stand true as the more useful version. We will see.
Ok so after the new chapter we have a fourth transformation. Now Aizen no longer even remotely looks like himself. I believe in manga everywhere from various storylines this form signals the final moments as he is no longer recognizable as a being one can identify with. Now he has transformed into a creature reminiscent of a Hollow/Arrancar hybrid creature. Not saying he is either one but his physical appearance plays the part. It also seems for nothing as well. Still not able to take out Ichigo though he is now able to harm him. Whats most telling besides fully loosing himself physically is that his transformations or entirely out of his hands. He claims to have transcended and that he is the master of the Hogyoku but he seems to have no control over his transformations. By all indications its entirely in control of the power it allows him and the transformations he takes. So what has he mastered? As it seems more like he is being used by the device rather then the other way around. From his new transformation it also seems to indicate there will be no bankai from Aizen. This sets a dangerous precedent of killing characters off without ever discovering their full capability. Though Aizen maybe a special case as he disregarded his full capability for other power supposedly beyond that some chapters ago. Though there is hope to see it in flashbacks of past times. The there is the Final Getsuga Tensho. Whats the big deal? what will it do? whats the deal with Ichigo's powers hopefully all will become clear soon.
Please no crack theories or fan fiction.