@ this discussion about Ichigo: really he has two issues.
a) he's become a grab-bag of powers, ruining all uniqueness and lessens the extent to which we the reader can even identify with him. "Shinigami powers? Oh cool, that's the hook of the series. Vizard? Mmm still cool, could work for some nice angst. Fullbring? Why is hell is he dressed as a power ranger? Quincy? for fuck's sake"
b) the story controls him, and not the other way around. Protags like Luffy declare things on their whims and pull the story as a result, but in every arc, I shit you not, someone is pulling Ichigo's strings. Aizen, Urahara, Ginjou, Tsukishima, Bach….where does it end? Saving his friends seems more like a chore he has to go through rather than something earnest. He really doesn't have a goal other than "protect my friends", which can be done well, but it's kinda the MO for every shonen hero. Sometimes, less is more, but at one point, he should be getting real sick of everyone manipulating him.
@Xanegoh:
but remember: Aizen wanted to trap Kenny in Hueco Mundo because he was scared of his power the most. Wouldn't it be the same or more so for unohana?.
And wouldn't Yoruichi/Urahara give Ichigo a firmer warning when traversing the Seireitei to save Rukia?
I myself really don't like the Unohana = 1st Kenpachi plotline, mainly because in an effort to cross off two plotpoints at once, Kubo combined Kenpachi's upbringing with Unohana's past. To add on what you said, there is no panel in the manga where the two even interact; the closest we get are 11th Division members cowering in fear at their stay at the 4th.
Her being the 1st also doesn't make much sense: did she pass the torch onto some guy to be #2? Did braiding her hair and taking up healing really fooled people into thinking "weird, this strong savage lady is gone, oh well, I'm Kenpachi then!".