Originally posted by Demonic Phoenix
a) What makes you think there isn't? Most characters (that we see fighting properly in both arcs) have become stronger in this arc.
Remember, everyone has been training in preparation for this war. Byakuya may be an arrogant snot, but even he would train to get stronger.
Because i have my doubts being who are hundreds of years old would get much stronger than their current level within a few months.
I've been doing some thinking. And it's occurred to me.
"All the captains got stronger" or any statement which resembles this. Is wrong.
We all agree that Bleach is inconsistent strength-wise. So because it;s the captains that seemed to have become buffed we label them as inconsistent. But that assumption is wrong.
"The simplest solution is most often the right one"
Ichigo.
The only person that allows us any insight that makes us think the captains became stronger in order to fight the espada is Ichigo.
I work on the basis the less you have to change in a problem to make it correct would be the simplest. So when i thought about All the captains got a power boost, even Kenpachi who we saw lazing on his butt it didn't seem simple. But in one sentence i found a plausible solution.
Ichigo got weaker.
If that's true, everything fits.
My theory is simply that while his Hollow was fighting him for control his powers were drained. After gaining his mask back he began to learn to use his powers again, thus climbing the ladder back to where he was before.
And before you say it, this does have some backing to it
http://www.onemanga.com/Bleach/218/20/
It was after Ichigo attained Bankai did Shirosaki make his first appearance as Ichigo. I theorise after learning BanKai that is when Shirosaki became stronger then Zangetsu, and starting screwing with Ichigo's power.
And before you say, Ichigo's got stronger even after he got his mask. It's been shown his mask has been changing, that is likely the cause of that.
At the very least that makes more sense than random power boosts for all captains because they did a ickle bit of training.