Bleach 309

[DarthEnderX]

That might have been correct and acceptable if Ichigo didn't literally self-destruct by clinging to that assumption. Or if Aizen was gradually getting stronger and Ichigo was in a pinch he wouldn't get out without going into Chiaotzu mode. It would have been a good time to make Ichigo use it when Aizen got at or above his level and Ichigo needed to kill Zangetsu for a huge power up (also in terms of epicness).

But as it was, he barely did enough damage with the FGT to trigger Urahara's plan. If he's waited until Aizen evolved to be almost as strong as him, it might not have even done that much.

Conversely, if he'd started the fight with the FGT instead of letting Aizen evolve twice first, it might have actually obliterated him and he wouldn't have even needed to rely on Urahara.

I agree it certainly wasn't the most tense final showdown as a result, but I think he actually avoided one of the big complaints people always have with Shounen manga. The way characters could easily win fights in one attack if they skipped right to their big attack, but characters always start with their weakest attacks and work their way up during a fight, until, their most powerful attack always ends up being their "desperate final attack".

To me, this felt like Ichigo being uncharacteristically genre savvy going, "You know what, this guy has already crossed the bishounen line like twice, I know nothing but my final attack is going to work, I'm just gonna skip to the end."