My hypothesis; Isshin was the first wielder of the final Getsuga

[Chaos Shepherd]

It would still be a zanpakuto.. but like one of the ones shinigami trainees have that dont have a soul in them, or something.. or one that just isnt awakened.. like that.. kinda

Or it could be engetsu still, its just hes not there anymore.. because he lost his zanpakuto instead of his powers.. Along those lines.. Its a possibility, anyway.. i just want to see what others think about it. It could be the reason why he didnt release.. besides that he is still too weakened to. He didnt even go shikai.. I had always thought that to use a zans power you have to at least be in shikai mode.. which he did it while he wasnt in shikai.. I believe, anyway.. Although, aizens shikai powers make me wonder a bit about that.. but his is so hax and works completely different than isshin/ichigos..

Well, think of it more like its engetsu still, but without his soul in it.. That or hes dormant or something similar..

[LeaT]

this is kinda stating the obvious if you ask me

Nothing is obvious without facts. Kubo has surprised us before.

[Judau Ashta]

He might lose his shinigami powers, but doesn't he still have his hollow powers? Might not be as reliable, but he's not going to be full human. Maybe he'll become an arrancar and that's how the higher ups will get involved?

[jacki183]

^that would be an interesting twist

[ChaosMaster]

Now that I think about it, Ichigo's inner hollow and his shimigami power, that is Zangetsu, are both ment to be one being. If Ichigo is to lose Zangetsu, then wouldn't he lose his hollow as well?

Isshin's history prob hasn't even been thought out yet by Kubo so there's prob no point in thinking about it.

[drgnx]

It seems more to me that before Ichigo, he was the "last" user of the technique..

Now that I think about it, Ichigo's inner hollow and his shimigami power, that is Zangetsu, are both ment to be one being. If Ichigo is to lose Zangetsu, then wouldn't he lose his hollow as well?

As you say "hollow" powers and "Shingami" powers. It's already been shown he can use his Shinigami powers without his hollow powers, and in 2 separate filler arc's it was shown he can use his hollow powers without his shingami powers...(I think those arcs are a prelude of things to come...)

[Lord Namvel]

Nothing is obvious without facts. Kubo has surprised us before.

it is "obvious". it's not like this is a "shinigami" technique, it's something more related to Isshin's royal bloodline. plus, Isshin is the father and Ichigo is the son, so yeah, it is "obvious" Ichigo's powers down to the moves would've been used first by his father.

DUH!.

[Electros]

Isshin has not regained his powers. Source:

Spoiler!

[King Of Soul Society]

Isshin has not regained his powers. Source:

Spoiler!

he has not regained his powers but was able to use his getsuga tensho, open a senkei gate and able to do what ever he did to keep ichigo controlled during ichigo's training session in lost space....... ok intelligent input

[Electros]

he has not regained his powers but was able to use his getsuga tensho, open a senkei gate and able to do what ever he did to keep ichigo controlled during ichigo's training session in lost space....... ok intelligent input

Did you ever think that just because you lose your shinigami powers doesn't mean you become a feeble human? Maybe he has permanently transcended shinigami, which is what my take of it is.

Everyone seems to think you get to use this ability once and then you're a weak normal human forever. I don't understand why? It could be a permanent power-up with some heavy disadvantages as well.

Aizen himself has said ichigo has transcended both shinigami and hollow, because aizen can no longer sense ichigos reiatsu since ichigo is in a higher plane.