Ichigo`s sword was not in shikai already >>. Where are you getting that? it`s permanentelly Shikai AFTER he adquired said transformation.
Unreleased sword :
http://www.onemanga.com/Bleach/1/51/
Shikai:
http://www.onemanga.com/Bleach/67/09/
When he fought the gillian he did NOT had Shikai. As for the Ichigo got almost killed... so? Ichigo was lightyears weaker than what he is now. You didn`t said we should be surprised but you`re saying Vaizard can kill Gillian like ants as if it`s some sort of achievement at this point. I`m sure "recently adquired Shikai" Ichigo can beat Gillians as if they were ants.
Here`s an analogy for you of what i`m seeing right now: Imagine that at the end of DBZ general tao appears and fights Trunks, Trunks defeated him easily and that is suposed to be a proof of how amazingly strong Trunks has become. The readers inmediatelly thinks "uhmmmmmm that`s not that big of a deal" and you answer "But General Tao was a threat to goku back in Dragon Ball! and Trunks defeated him like an Ant!"
But Ryouga that is exactly what they are at this point of the story, NOTHING. Ice kid defeated Luppi who is undeniably stronger than any Gillian JUST like an ant ages ago.