Leukocyte King

Cello

Gintoki Sakata

Yocchan

Tae Shimura

Sougo Okita

Kagura

Delde

Shouyou Yoshida

Gedoumaru

Daigorou Kitaouji

Kameyama Duuke

Kotaro Katsura

Suekichi

Tendou Soutatsu

Tatsuma Sakamoto

Atsumasuke Watanabe

Saki Hanano

Ayame Sarutobi

Pandemonium

Vanessa

Kyojiro Nakamura

Uchino

Ebina

Kuriko Matsudaira

Life isn't easy in feudal Japan... especially since the aliens landed and conquered everything! Oh sure, the new health care is great, but the public ban on the use of swords has left a lot of defeated samurai with a difficult decision to make concerning their future career paths! This is especially true if, as in the case of Gintoki Sakata, they're not particularly inclined towards holding a day job, which is why Gintoki's opted for the freelance route, taking any job that's offered to him as long as the financial remuneration sounds right. Unfortunately, in a brave new world filled with stray bug-eyed monsters, upwardly mobile Yakuza and overly ambitious E.T. entrepreneurs, those jobs usually don't pay as well as they should for the pain, suffering and indignities endured!<br><br>
(Source: Sentai Filmworks)

Warning this review may contain spoilers.

First impressions, in my life time I have gone through many challenges and trials,
Each more difficult than the last.
But none could prepare me for this mighty challenge that took all my shounen nakama willpower to face, 
And that is watch gintama a shounen I think is over hyped as fuck.
Quick side note I going to talk about the series as a whole so It includes all ginmata 2014 and 2017 shit because I am pretty sure seen enough to see where it going.


Story, 6/10

In a world where 19th century Japan was "visited" by aliens and technology has jumped light years ahead of it time as a result.
Join Gintoki Sakata a former rouge samurai war veteran who dose odd jobs in order that pay the rent on time which doesn't happen very often.

If I where describe the story Of gintama as a whole, 
I would probably conpare it to a calm in the storm.
What I mean of this you ask?

By calm I mean that 85% of the actual story are mostly focused on episodic comedy that manly relines on shounen manga and Japanese culture references for its jokes.
Which for the most part I didn't find very funny.
Like there few episodes that made to laugh, 
For example the one with the turtle assassin and that ep where the one of the cop characters is looking for a place to smoke and my personal favorite so far was the one with the pen friend with the nerdy guy and the nerdy chick.
I thought those episodes where pretty funny,
but other than those examples I was bored to tears and nearly wanting to punch my computer screen to try and end my boredom and suffering.

The storm Which i was referring to earlier is what the other 15% of the story is focused on.
Which in my opinion made this show more likable for me personality.
Is the parts where there very serious and shit is going down.
Which honestly blew me away.
First for shounen standards these serious arcs are amazing like this took be back to my younger years when I used to watch Action movies a lot with hype and excitement.
I mean this pretty much had the cream of the crop,
It had An interesting setting which breeds so much potential, it has the back story's and character relations which helps to care when shit hits the fan, badass fights which mixes samurai with aliens and massive space battle ships, it has the tension and the drama.

So what could possibly go wrong.

Well there is the thing where it basically pisses away most of it story telling potential on episodic bull shit,
And for those asking yes I understand that all series not matter how serious it gets dose need a few cool moments every now and then especially in action shounen like this.
But in all honesty it also what's really holding it back,
Like when It actually has a story and it being serious and what not.
it actually very good.
For example the Shinsengumi Crisis arc or the Yoshiwara in Flames arc,
Those arc showed me that when gintama really wants to it can tell a good story.

If I am being Completely honest That is what makes me feel bad for the story in general because it's not reaching its full potential,
It has all these ingredients and doesn't even use half of them to its full effect.
It's a battle shounen when you strip it to its most basic components and it never wants to fully commit to that or build itself up like say for example yu yu hakasho. 

So in conclusion I think mostly the story is mostly bullshit with a few good arcs that more than makes up for the shit you have to sit through.


Characters, 6/10

The main character Gintoki I think is quite cool-ish, I mean at lest he not another teenager protagonist.
I would describe his personality like the story the calm before the storm,
Generally he very selfish, prevcnted and pretty chill about everything.
But when shits hits the fan you see more of his more intense nature.
I like his back story, 
I think it's quite interesting and probably one of the few highlights of this show.

Side characters,
They all have a sense of personality and they all there gimmicks.
Some of them develop but its mostly the core cast.

But The rest are kind of throw away most of them just stays to there gimmicks,
Like a fly on dog shit So all freshness dies pretty quickly.

Also most of the time I forgot most of characters that actually existed.
I had continue to reminding myself who these people are and what they do, 
But that could be because of the big cast of characters and also the fact that most of these characters I don't give a fuck about.
I think the character interactions where quite fun to watch.
It almost like watching a big family interacting or some sort of gang with very close bonds to each over.
So that quite nice because it give you a reason to care.




Art, 6/10

The animtion is fine, 
it gets more detailed and shiney as the shows goes along.
The fight scenes are quite nice there some very good sword battles.

It has a usual style for most shounen, 
Like for example naruto and dragon ball Z.
It has that feel and look similar to those shows.

The character design look interesting enough,
I really like the robot chick design because it reminds me of chobitts.

Some of the alien design could be better though,
Like with some of these designs I thinking to myself that the person who made this was smoking some high quality shit.
For example there this one race that looks exactly like Humans but the where duck costumes and eat old Nintendo games with rice.


Sound, 6/10

Sense this is a old running shounen it has a lot of op and ending,
Which for the most part I thought where ok.
Nothing much really stands out for me much, except for op 5, 10 , 12 which I quite liked.

The ost was fine as well.
But nothing really got my interest.
There is something here that are worth a quick listen.

Ost was done by some random company which I didn't know about intill writing this review.



Enjoyment, 5/10

When it comes to enjoyment, this was a very mixed bag for me.
Because for the first 100 ep I was pretty much forcing myself to watch it,
Like I was just so bored.
There where a few episodes which keeped me entertained like the examples I mentioned earlier. 
But when it's actually serious it's very good and I am very much entertained and even falling for some of the show charm.
So I hate it lest than I thought I would.

Overall, 6/10

I would like to state that This show is way to over hyped. 
if your in your shounen phase then I guess I can recommend this to you,
But just word to the wise it not as good as the hype makes it out to be.

If your out of your shounen phase then probably stay away unless you want to try watch a shounen again to change it up.
so my advice watch the first 30 ep and if you don't like it then probably leave it alone.

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__`This review of Gintama includes all of the sequels and doesn't contain any spoilers.`__

`Where should I start? Gintama is a must watch for everyone who loves comedy, drama, action.. lets say basically every genre - Why? read this review!`

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/Y0Df5pJ.png">
__`5 / 5`__

`What I like about Gintama is how the Story builds up. Gintama has a slow start I have to admit that but do not make the mistake to stop or to skip!! Every episode shows different situations and storys that slowly leads to a "MAIN STORYLINE". I loved every single episode because Gintama mixed every genre in its episodes. The most present ones are comedy and action, good mix and well executed! You can either binge watch Gintama or just watch it whenever you feel like. That's the kind of anime plot Gintama has! Some "short storys" have 2 or 4 episodes some have up to 6+ and there are also daily storys with one episode. When I had to describe Gintamas plot I would say that it is one of the best I ever had but do not expect the Main story to continue fast! Be patient and enjoy each episode because Gintama actually shows the daily life of the characters which will lead to a common ground.`

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/QAvvk6O.png">
__`5 / 5`__

`At the End of Gintama I'm sure that you'll at least add 2 characters to your favorites. Gintama has so many individual characters but trust me you'll be able to remember every single one of them. I'm in love with each and every character this anime has. There is just nothing more to say, I don't find any words to describe it but I thought in the end there might be characters that are not important, I was wrong.. everyone has a role and that's how an anime should be. You are able to feel in each character oh man I wasted so many tears.. Every character has an individual story you'll get to know. Lets not forget about Sakata Gintoki, the main protagonist, he's one of the main reasons why this anime is on my top 1.`

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__`4 / 5`__

`Gintama has many sequels where the animations improved with each and every year but it still had a pretty good animation in the first place. Some scenes are awesome and just unbelievable how well they animated it considering the mood and situation the scene has. Animation are well done especially the fight scenes are godly animated and a must watch! Lets continue with the Music.. I loved the openings and the endings there is nothing to discuss, always good to hear. What about music during the story? Well I didn't really remember it but there is no need for music because you'll be already entertained with your eyes and ears. There is still music in some situations that I really enjoyed.`

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__`5 / 5`__

`Gintama is a must watch for everyone who loves comedy and action, lets basically say who enjoys anime. You'll make a good choice with Gintama and I guarantee you that you'll love it, if not, you're just too naive to see the beauty that Gintama is. I cried and I laughed, I enjoyed this anime and it is my Top 1. Watch Gintama and you'll realize how good it is. It has everything you wish for!`


_I hope I could convince you to start watching Gintama.

For questions or feedback leave a comment on my profile._
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funny, awesome, great and a must watch for every anime fan!

There are a lot of questionable anime programs that have been released over the years.  To some extent, anime tends to pander quite a bit to the fandom these days, and many programs out there are nothing more than advertisements for a light novel or manga that may be shoveled out.  Many times, there is a whole lot of style and not much substance at the end of the day after reflecting on the more popular anime.  With anime cycles seemingly growing shorter these days, and memes taking over much of the collected consciousness of the fandom, it can be difficult to find shows that stand above the crop and provide something special to the audience other than the latest flavor of the month or best girl argument fuel.

So, what does all this drunken rambling have to do with a show about samurais, ninjas, aliens, and over the top sight gags?    

Gintama is an anime that is difficult to review.  I’ve watched this show off and on for around 10 years now and continue to go back and forth on what my thoughts actually are on it.  This show is unforgettable and it’s one of the anime that I have a deep appreciation for and have gotten countless hours of entertainment value out of.

With regards to the technicals of the show, Gintama is generally well drawn and animated.  The update to HD helped immensely and the switch was a noticeable improvement.  The show is colorful and the setting allows for some interesting alien concepts and technological wonders mixed in with traditional Japanese ryokans and yukatas.  This show has its own brand of style and it grows on you quite well.  

The soundtrack is amazing for this show.  So many of the tunes and songs have a great impact and help to change the mood so well that you can actually feel yourself changing emotional states when the music kicks in.  Each major character has a leitmotif that generally kicks in when they are introduced or are doing something as well.  There are a wide variety of OP and Ending credit songs over the years, and many of them are great tracks as well.  Special mention to Yoruzuya Blues, one of my favorites from the show and a great commentary on the main character as well.  There are even in universe idol performances and rap tracks and other songs as well that range from amusing to hilarious as well.  Music is a high point of this show and it’s hard to hear certain themes from the show without smiling a bit at the nostalgia and meanings.  They stick with you.  

Easy stuff out of the way, the actual difficulty in Gintama lies in its depth and breadth of what it’s trying to do, or what it flails around and actually does.  As mentioned, I’ve watched the show for ten odd years or so and I struggle to succinctly sum up what the hell Gintama is actually about in a few words.  It’s also impossible to figure out if you’re going to like Gintama after only watching a few episodes as things build on each other to such a degree that it can’t be really said to have “started” until 20+ episodes in, and even 50 episodes may be a better milestone.  Many folks aren’t going to make that investment, and while I understand the sentiment, I’m glad that I stuck around to enjoy what the show became after being unsure what all the fuss was about after watching 15 or so episodes.  So what exactly is it about?    

At a broad stroke, Gintama is a story about an alternate history type of Edo Japan around the Meiji reformation era where instead of the samurai putting away their swords because of a change in domestic priorities (read your history folks), it happens instead because aliens invade Japan (Earth) and subjugate everyone with their advanced tech and what have you.  The samurai are to give up their swords and live on, trying to scrape by in a post technological world mixed with 1800s Meiji aesthetics in Japan.  On paper, this doesn’t sound like it makes a whole lot of sense.  In practice, it really doesn’t either, except that it sets the stage for a wide variety of comedic and historical commentary on Japanese culture that one might not find in a more straight-laced historical show.

One of the former veteran samurai, Gintoki Sakata, runs a small odd-jobs business struggling to make ends meet in this new world with his “apprentices”.  The quest for strawberry milk, scoring big at pachinko to pay off the ouya-san, and getting enough cash together for the latest issue of Shounen Jump and a few drinks turns into one heck of a wild ride. As the story expands and we are introduced to more and more of the post war Edo town, the whole thing sort of takes on a whole life of its own and becomes a running commentary on pop culture in Japan with crazy comedic arcs, unforgettable character interactions, pop idols, video games, celebrity gossip of a type, to the point where it’s almost impossible to keep up with the references unless you have a good guide or have lived in Japan for a while.  

Beyond the comedy, oddly enough, are shounen style battle arcs between the political factions that would not be out of place in any of the major shows in the genre as well.  When Gintama wants to get into a serious arc and put on the big boy pants, it can hang with some of the greats in this arena as well.  

There are also arcs and story resolutions that impart some serious wisdom and can even make you shed tears during their resolutions as well.  Gintama is a show that has a surprising amount of depth and can turn on a dime, having you laughing hysterically one moment, on the edge of your seat for a battle sequence the next, and then having you choke up a bit at the heartwarming resolution a few scenes later.  It’s rare that a show can do this and I struggle to think of any other shows that quite match it in this regard.

Also, as a barometer of what’s going on in the general cultural mindset in Japan, Gintama is a great show for cultural jokes and pop culture.  This is going to be the actual things going on in Japan that makes local news, famous celebrities, songs, trends, etc.  While it doesn’t quite require the depth of knowledge about Japan that say, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei requires, Gintama is a great look into what’s going on trend wise in Japan at times.  Tongue is fully in cheek for this show and the fourth wall is shattered quite often, many times to hilarious effect.

Combine the great characters (who almost deserve a separate review), songs, comedy, battle arcs, pop culture references, and emotional moments, and the sum of all the parts add up to something that may be irreplaceable in the anime medium.  While there are shows that do many of these things at a higher level than Gintama, Gintama is much greater than the sum of its parts.

Gintama is one of those rollercoaster rides that once it starts heading downhill is one heck of an adventure.  Rightly deserves a place in the upper echelon of comedy shows and a show that deserves everyone’s time.  It’s one of the few shows that showed me how great the anime medium can be for its sheer variety and creativity, as well as delivering action, emotional scenes, and great characters by the score.  

Unqualified Recommendation. 


Great Comedy, Action, Characters, Cultural Commentary, One of the greats.

This review is spoiler free.

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A wise woman once spoke, “fun things are fun”. Given the way that 2020 has panned out I feel like it is important to take the time to enjoy something fun amidst all of the stress we are experiencing. I know I needed a pick me up with the way things have been transpiring. And that came in rewatching an anime that had previously brought me an immense joy, “Gintama”. I needed to go back to something that had cheered me up in the past and this was the perfect fit. As I make this review I am currently rewatching the other installments of the series, but the focus here is specifically on the first. Based on Hideaki Sorachi’s manga it was produced by Sunrise and ran from 2006 to 2010 spanning 201 episodes. Despite how lofty that sounds, it was actually smooth and easy to complete it again. With its likable cast of characters, wonderful comedy, and ability to handle drama with more skill than one may anticipate it truly was fantastic to see it all again. I understand the length of the anime is intimidating, but trust me once you’re hooked you are not going away. 

“Gintama” takes place in the land of Edo that was once home to the mighty samurai and became overtaken by aliens known as the Amanto. With a ban on swords put in place it appears that the samurai way has died out, but it still lives on in our hero Sakata Gintoki. After encountering a down on his luck teenager named Shimura Shinpachi and Kagura, an eccentric girl hailing from an alien tribe known as the Yato, together they form Yorozuya, a business that will take on any and all odd jobs for a price. “Gintama” has an episodic format so while it does have this general premise at its core, it isn’t operating based on a structured plot like other Weekly Shonen Jump titles do. Some episodes will be our main characters getting caught up in some strange mess or focused on other members of the very large cast.  However there will also be arcs that span several episodes that manage to bring in something more substantial. Through them you may learn a character’s back story or something hinting towards a bigger plot that will be explored later on. First and foremost “Gintama” is a comedy though and the way it keeps its humor fresh and exciting for this long is nothing short of impressive. One might think this premise isn’t enough to justify an anime this long or that the running gags will grow stale with time, but the series manages to keep itself together through its run and even on a revisit the jokes still hit their mark. It really is a testament to Sorachi’s talent that something like this holds up the way it does.

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One area where “Gintama” really stands tall is with its cast of characters. It’s given me some of my favorite characters and despite how many of them there are it doesn’t feel like potential is squandered with any of the recurring cast. Gin is one of my favorite leads in a Shonen Jump series. At first he appears to be an irresponsible slacker who would rather gorge on sweets while reading the newest “One Piece” chapter than perform any heroics, but even in his debut scene there was something more. Something that spoke more to his nature of someone who will step up and protect the ones he cares about. As selfish and amoral as Gin can be he is still someone who chooses to do what’s right even if at his own expense. I love seeing a character who is imperfect, but still does the right thing in the end. And I can’t help but feel a sense of warmth and happiness whenever I see him. Shinpachi is a character I have seen people describe as shrill and I don’t agree with that. Yes he does get stressed out and yell a lot, but it never comes across as annoying to me. He occupies the straight man role in the anime, something the show literally tells you, and him pointing out the absurdity of what the other characters do ends up making him a great audience proxy. Some big laughs came from him drawing attention to how ridiculous the situations were. Plus it’s also worth bearing in mind that Shinpachi is just a teenager and struggling to keep his family dojo afloat so this part of his personality makes a lot of sense. Not only that he is also someone who, despite knowing his limits as a fighter, will still push himself to do the brave thing and I’m a sucker for that. No matter how many times I see this sort of trope at play it leaves me feeling good. Kagura meanwhile is one of the best female characters from a Jump series ever. She’s hilarious and never fails to bring a smile to my face. She’s blunt, she’s strange, and she’s absolutely wonderful. It feels great having our heroine be someone so brash and energetic. And I can’t help but get a kick out of her excessive eating and overwhelming physical strength that does not reflect in her petite design, these are more tropes in anime I appreciate. But beneath that upbeat energy lies something compelling. She’s a fourteen year old girl who wandered the stars and found her way to an unusual, but incredible family unit through Gin and Shinpachi and her giant dog Sadaharu. Given what we discover about her biological family it’s very satisfying to know she did find a place for herself surrounded by people who care for her. These three carry the series so well and we really were blessed to have them.

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Of course the other characters deserve mention as well. The recurring cast is so lively and engaging that I don’t even think there’s a character I can say I come away hating. Even in manga and anime I love there can still be a character that gets to me, but I don’t think I feel that at all with “Gintama”. The Shinsengumi members are some favorites of mine. I just adore seeing Kondo, Hijikata, and Okita’s group dynamic and all the bizarre situations they end up in. I can’t get enough of how much Okita transparently hates Hijikata and will sabotage him in a heartbeat or how Kondo blunders his way through life or Hijikata’s cool guy exterior crumbling the minute he drowns his food in mayonnaise. Many of my favorite arcs were centered around them, those three have a history together that gets explored at various points and it makes for some of the best moments in the anime. Meanwhile Yamazaki, another Shinsengumi member, is just trying his best to keep his mind intact. There’s also Katsura, the beautiful leader of the Joi rebels with a mind that goes beyond mere human understanding. He acts like everything he does makes perfect logical sense when his behavior is nothing short of pure insanity and it’s always funny. Most often seen by his side is pet Elizabeth, an enigmatic individual of few words who may or may not be an old man in a suit. We also have Hasegawa the infinitely unlucky. It’s interesting to watch him because on the one hand you enjoy seeing how low he can go because it is entertaining, but you also want to see his life improve at the same time. And then there’s the female cast. I think “Gintama” has the best female cast of any Weekly Shonen Jump series. There’s Otae, there’s Sacchan, there’s Kyubei, there’s Tsukuyo, there’s Otose, and Tama, and Catherine. The women in come in various forms and occupy roles in the story that are distinct. Young and old, working class and rich, we are not just getting one type of woman and calling it a day. We see them as proactive and forward thinking individuals who are also just as funny as the male characters. They don’t exist to be some no nonsense foil that roll their eyes when the men do something dumb, they come at you with their own brand of comedy that is unique to each character. And we see them regularly, these aren’t characters who appear once and never come back. Having a cast like this makes the anime feel so dynamic and its never a dull moment.

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Something that this anime does with surprising success is how it handles drama. It is a comedy at heart, but it still finds a way to swing around to something more serious and does it amazingly. Some things get hinted at earlier on and don’t appear as anything significant until events unfold and then you realize you’ve been heading down this direction the whole time. Maybe Sorachi had these things planned or maybe he just decided later on to expand on things he already established, but regardless the way it’s done feels so seamless. Early on Hijikata speaks of the wonderful things Kondo did for the Shinsengumi members, Kagura’s father mentions Earth being stifling for their kind, we hear about Gin’s valued teacher and all of that is explored later. It’s a writing style that reminds me in ways of how Eiichiro Oda writes “One Piece”. Sorachi plants these seeds of information and after a period of time you see that come back into the forefront. Some of these moments end up being rather beautiful in ways and others can break your heart and it never leaves me feeling like it’s out of place. Yes we will go from these sad moments to wild and crazy fun in the next episode, but it works. The jokes don’t cheapen these episodes, there’s this harmonious way “Gintama” approaches these two extremes. Those serious moments still mean something to the characters and it leaves them feeling rather rich and more than just outlets for Sorachi’s jokes. You feel for what they go through and become happy knowing things get better for them.

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The jokes, of course, are fantastic. Most famously it will reference other anime and manga. Whether its old school classics like “Ashita no Joe”, “Space Battleship Yamato”, and “Space Pirate Captain Harlock” or crowd favorites like “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure”, “Berserk”, and “Neon Genesis Evangelion”, the references keep coming and it’s always a blast. In fact the referential humor serves another purpose as it can expose a viewer to an anime they might want to try. This anime is what made me watch “Alps no Shoujo Heidi” and it ended up becoming one of my favorites. References aren’t the only style of humor the series offers though. At times sexual and crude, at others sarcastic, but also with a lot of physical comedy, the jokes keep coming and because it doesn’t stick to one particular gimmick it feels very exciting. “Gintama” has a really great energy to itself and it just makes the humor soar. There are also running gags with the characters and no matter how often you see some of them they still work. Sometimes, in other shows, you’ll grow tired of catchphrases and running jokes because you have been exposed to them too often, but “Gintama” finds ways to keep bringing those things back without it feeling monotonous. Something like Hijikata’s love for mayonnaise is used often, but the way it gets used can vary and leads to some big laughs even though you have grown familiar with this part of his character. Keeping things fresh like that is important to comedy and to spend hundreds of episodes and still maintain that is impressive. 

“Gintama” really is a special franchise. It takes a certain kind of star quality to make someone want to come back to your anime and breeze through every episode with ease and it did that for me. I loved it the first time I saw it and I love it even more now. The characters are fantastic, the seiyuu cast is one of my favorites in all of anime, the jokes leave me howling, and the drama leaves me feeling more connected to the characters I’m attached to. Sunrise did a great job working with the material even if there’s a few recaps and fillers scattered through it and Sorachi really deserves a lot of credit for putting something like this out to us. During times such as these I felt like I needed something to uplift me and put a smile on my face each day. “Gintama” succeeds and then some. I always looked forward to getting home and revisiting the episodes even when watching the more sad moments. It warmed me up and made my days feel less stressful because I could unwind with it and enjoy myself. While this is an anime containing some episodes that had me in tears it is also the same anime where Hijikata reenacts the plot to “Dragon Ball Z” because he wants a cigarette and where Gin and Katsura get cursed into cats while Kondo becomes a gorilla through an unrelated incident. The feeling I get from it is that yes there are times and moments where you will hurt and feel sad, but never lose sight of those fun bright days. I had a blast seeing it all again and cannot recommend it enough. “Gintama” is worth every moment and I hope that if you haven’t seen it yet that you’ll give it a try. You won’t regret it.

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"The best way to live a full life is to be a child, no matter what your age." - Sakata Gintoki

How does one describe a journey?

This was the question that flashed through my mind when I came to the end of Gintama's final episode. It's a question that's haunted me every time I try to put my thoughts on this series into words. How the hell do I summarize the experience of watching Gintama into a single review? How do I describe this feeling, this slow ascension into paradise that was falling in love with the Odd Jobs crew and all their misadventures? How do I describe the dawning understanding of just how deeply this world was invested in me and wanted me to be invested in it in return? How do I describe the explosive sense of awe that broke open my perception of what this show was capable of on too many occasions to count? How do I describe the entirety of that experience, starting with the auspicious beginning of Crunchyroll fucking up the player and me having to wait a few more days than I’d hoped to even start the damn show, and ending six months and 367 episodes later with the realization that I'd just found my single favorite fictional property of all time? For as much as I love writing, the words can’t help but escape me here.

Well, perhaps it would be beneficial to take Julie Andrews’ advice and start at the beginning. It is, after all, a very good place to start.

Gintama is a story about people. More specifically, it's a long-running shonen series detailing an alternate-history Japan where instead of being colonized by foreign nations in the nineteenth century, Japan was colonized by aliens known as the Amanto. As the series begins, the ruling Amanto regime is making life pretty shitty for most people in the capital city of Edo. Humans are discriminated against, the power structures are all out of balance, and nobody seems to know how to make things better. And it's here that our protagonist enter the picture: Sakata Gintoki, a boorish former samurai who's taken to eking out a living doing odd jobs for the people in his community. He's lazy and ill-mannered and has no respect for the Amanto's so-called authority; he simply wants to live his life on his own terms. And he doesn't put up with bullshit from anyone, no matter how powerful or presitigous.

That spirit of determination- that "silver soul," as the show's name fittingly translates to- ends up drawing a couple of teenagers into his wake. First is Shimura Shinpachi, the straight-laced dojo student who's older sister runs their family dojo after their parents died. Second is Kagura, a rambunctious alien from the Yato clan who came to earth to experience a life of her own. Against his better judgement, Gintoki ends up taking them in, and they become the central trio the show revolves around. The show is primarily a comedy slice-of-life; most episodes revolve around throwing the characters into a new, bizarre situation and seeing the ridiculous antics that ensue. And rest assured, the comedy is goddamn fantastic. God-tier performances from a murder's row of the best voice actors in the business, completely unpredictable gags that run on a bonkers, making-this-shit-up-as-we-go logic that somehow always perfectly ties together, and winning comedic chemistry from pretty much the entire cast. A lot of the jokes spring from references to other anime, but the punchlines are specific and unique enough that you don't need to have seen the anime it's referencing to lose your shit laughing. I'd best describe it as Anime Deadpool, if that makes sense; it's irreverent and juvenile and constantly breaks the fourth wall, but the comedic sensibilities are all genuinely strong enough to justify the absurdity. There are some jokes from this show I will _never_ forget.

Make no mistake, though, Gintama is far more than a simple historical sci-fi sitcom. In fact, this show has possibly the single most intricate, expansive plot I've ever seen. From the starting point of Gintoki, Shinpachi and Kagura, the show expands outward to slowly rope in more and more characters and factions, all of whom are both comedic gold mines in their own right and have some bigger part to play in the show's story and thematic tapestry. Watching Gintama is akin to watching someone set of the longest chain of dominoes in existence. Each new piece placed makes the world and characters richer, each new miniature arc further complicates the ongoing narrative, each new escalation of the stakes makes you that much more excited for what's going to happen next. And it does this CONSTANTLY. Almost every single episode, no matter how insignificant, offers something new for you to chew over. Whether it's a new set of characters interacting, a new wrinkle in ongoing subplots, a new storytelling trope being toyed with (There's a body-swap arc, a Star Wars parody arc, an arc where the characters fight over their rankings in a real-life popularity poll), or simply a new perspective on events that already occurred, Gintama's story is _always_ moving forward. And with every step forward it takes, it only sucks you in deeper and deeper.

That intrigue of what was to come next hooked me right from the beginning. Sure, the absurd comedy was enjoyable enough on its face, but even from the very first episode, there was an underlying sense of something just over the horizon. Episodic plots touches on themes of colonialism, tradition, futurism, samurai honor, PTSD and regrets of a war lost, how to live fairly in an unfair system and how far one should go to fight back against that system. All fairly weighty concepts for what seemed, on the surface, to be a fairly simple show about a bunch of snarky dipshits chasing down panty burglars and getting their souls sucked out their anuses. For as innocuous as it starts, the underlying sense I got from the first few episodes was: “we can do more”. Not in a condescending way, but in that the show itself seemed to be promising that it still had a full deck of cards left to play. Through the subtle integration of those themes, through the welcome touches of sincerity in its narrative, and through the increasingly inspired comedy, Gintama set itself up to excite. It was built from the ground up with the promise that you were going to want to see what it did next, because it was going to do… something. You weren’t sure yet what that something was, but you were sure there was something.

What you never could have expected- what I never expected, at least- was that “something” would turn out to mean “everything”.

There’s a term in German called Gesamtkunstwerk, or “complete work”. It refers to a work of art that makes use of every tool at its disposal, seeking to incorporate as many elements into itself as possible. I can think of no work that better reflects that ethos than Gintama. Swiftly and surely, moment after dazzling moment, this show proved itself to be a show with no limits. Every time I thought it had exhausted its capacity to surprise me, it reached into its bag of holding and pulled out such an unexpected new flavor of story that I was forced to completely re-evaluate what I knew it to be capable of. From goofy, irreverent comedy, it proved itself capable of meaningful thematic explorations. From meaningful thematic explorations, it proved itself capable of a sincerely touching humanity. From a sincerely touching humanity, it proved itself capable of a mastery of the meta of its own place in popular culture that exceeds any other story I’ve seen. From a mastery of its own meta, it proved itself capable of awe-inspiring spectacle that left me cackling in shock. From awe-inspiring spectacle, it proved itself capable of wrenching character drama that left me sobbing in my seat time and time again. From wrenching character drama, it proved itself capable of bringing all those elements together into a synthesis of storytelling prowess, juggling so many disparate tones and styles and making them all feel part of the same massive, sprawling universe. And from there, it proved it could just as easily just do goofy, irreverent comedy again and still have it carry all the weight of its established internal mythology. Gintama breaks every barrier set before it time and time again, reaching to dizzying new heights of wonder with every phallic thrust.

But its mastery over storytelling extends even farther than just being able to tackle any genre at the top of its game: Gintama embraces the ethos of storytelling with more strength than pretty much any other work I’ve seen. It turns out, its judicious use of meta isn’t just for the sake of an additional streak of comedy running through its veins. Through its understanding of the meta of storytelling and its own perception and position in the grand media narrative, Gintama ends up being perhaps the most genuinely subversive work of art I’ve seen. There is no tired trope it won’t grind into the dust, no salient critique of its own reputation that it won’t incorporate into its narrative. It seeks not just to tell stories, but to tell stories that surprise and delight at every turn, that remind you of when you were less jaded and every new anime was like an undiscovered country that you couldn’t wait to explore. It seeks not just to practice storytelling, but to elevate it. It seeks to tear down the formulas and archetypes we’ve all grown so tired of and replace them with new, more honest idols, to inspire a new generation of storytellers to expand their horizons and stretch the limits on what they, themselves are capable of. I can’t tell you how many times I cheered at Gintama confidently striking down a tired sexist cliche that’s become all too prevalent in modern anime, acknowledging the cruelty of character archetypes we’ve taken for granted, granting its female characters agency and drive that put every other Shonen JUMP story I’ve seen to shame. I felt like I formed an actual connection with this show, like we were both equally excited to see what fresh, invigorating direction it would go next.

As cliche as it sounds, Gintama reminds me why I love storytelling so fucking much. It reminds me why fiction matters, and all the power it can have to change our lives for the better. And it realizes that love with what might actually the best ensemble cast in all of anime, full of eccentric, memorable personalities that all contribute something invaluable whenever they’re on screen. Every single character we meet feels real, with their own goals and motivations and personality quirks that inform their comedy and drama alike, that make you fall in love with them and the poignant humanity at their core. And as all of their relationships intertwine and intersect into an increasingly colossal spiderweb of connections, you come to realize that Gintama isn't just a story about one thing. It's a story about EVERYTHING. It's invested in every single character, from the mains to the most incidental of one-offs. It's invested in every single relationship these characters form. It's a tale not just of people, but of an entire goddamn civilization and each individual person that makes it up. It incorporates countless different elements of the human condition, countless different stories that speak to the endlessly varied experiences of life, and tells them all better than they've ever been told. And it tells them all together as one perfect synthesis of humanity and storytelling's capacity for good alike. Just as every last citizen of Edo stands together to fight off the chains of oppression and change their future for the better, Gintama itself stands against all the worst aspects of storytelling and revolutionizes them until they're capable of piercing the heavens once more.

And then there’s Kagura. God, what do I even say? Kagura is second only to Asuka rom Evangelion as my favorite fictional character of all time. Every single second she’s on screen is instantly the most delightful thing I’ll experience all day. I love her straightforward brashness. I love her ability to cut the bullshit and get to the emotional heart of any situation. I love how endlessly excited she gets for the smallest wonders of life. I love her struggle to rise beyond the shackles of her birth clan, and all the heartache and joy that struggle brings. I love how much she and Gintoki are like father and daughter, finding home with each other where they couldn’t before. I love how for all the incredible battles and massive status quo shakeups in this show, one of Gintama's all-time greatest episodes is a simple, near-wordless tale of Kagura enjoying her new umbrella in the rain. I love this girl more than words can properly express. Everything that is amazing about Gintama, is ten hundred times as amazing about her. And the fact that this show would probably still be in my top 3 even without her is a testament to just how fucking incredible this entire affair is.

I started writing this post with an admission that I wasn’t sure how to truly express the love I feel for this show. Here at the end, though, I think the picture’s become clear. Gintama is a glorious, undaunted, fist-pumping cheer for everything humanity is capable of. It’s our follies and triumphs, our absurdity and our sincerity, our pettiness and our magnanimity, our ability to laugh and cry and groan and smile and shout in equal measure, sometimes all at the same time. It’s an endlessly entertaining ride that constantly reveals itself to be capable of things you never could’ve imagined. It’s meaningful and momentous and massive. And it achieves all that while still being a mostly episodic series about dick jokes, absurd alien worlds, snarky one-liners, and a complete disregard for the fourth wall. Gintama a masterpiece beyond masterpieces, a triumph so impossibly grand you can barely believe it's real. But it's very real, and it's truly deserving of standing as my single favorite fictional property of all time.

If you haven't watched Gintama yet, consider this you call to do so. The final film is FINALLY coming out in 2021, adapting the last few chapters of the manga, so this is the perfect time to get started just in time for the big finish. Don't be intimidated by the length; I promise you, once you get going, you won't be able to put it down. The journey is long as hell, but every single step of the way is worth it. So come join me in running the most rewarding marathon you'll ever run. Come join me in experiencing the absolute pinnacle of this incredible medium.

All you have to do is take that first step.

The greatest anime of all time. Don't let the length intimidate you: it's all 100% worth it.

Tomokazu Sugita

Mikako Takahashi

Hideaki Sorachi

Michiko Yokote

Shinji Takamatsu

Yukiko Ban

Hitomi Takahashi

Akatsuki Yamatoya

Tomoko Kawase

Joe Inoue

Shinji Takeuchi

Hearts Grow

Beat Crusaders

Shigi

Kelun

DOES

Chiaki Kuriyama

Base Ball Bear

Episode 1 - You Guys!! Do You Even Have a Gintama? (Part 1)

Episode 2 - You Guys!! Do You Even Have a Gintama? (Part 2)

Episode 3 - Nobody with Naturally Wavy Hair Can Be That Bad

Episode 4 - Watch Out! Weekly Shonen Jump Sometimes Comes Out on Saturdays!

Episode 5 - Make Friends You Can Call by Their Nicknames, Even When You're an Old Fart

Episode 6 - Keep Your Promise Even If It Kills You

Episode 7 - Responsible Owners Should Clean Up After Their Pets

Episode 8 - There Is Butt a Fine Line Between Persistence and Stubbornness

Episode 9 - Fighting Should Be Done with Fists

Episode 10 - Eat Something Sour When You’re Tired

Episode 11 - Look, Overly Sticky Sweet Dumplings Are Not Real Dumplings, You Idiot!

Episode 12 - People Who Make Good First Impressions Usually Suck

Episode 13 - If You’re Going to Cosplay, Go All Out

Episode 14 - You Only Gotta Wash Under Your Armpits - Just the Armpits

Episode 15 - Pets Resemble Their Owners

Episode 16 - If You Stop and Think About It, Your Life’s a Lot Longer as an Old Guy Than a Kid! Whoa, Scary!!

Episode 17 - Sons Only Take After Their Father’s Negative Attributes

Episode 18 - Oh, Yeah! Our Crib Is Number One!

Episode 19 - Why’s the Sea So Salty? Because You City Folk Pee Whenever You Go Swimming!

Episode 20 - Watch Out for Conveyer Belts!

Episode 21 - If You Go to Sleep With the Fan On, You’ll Get a Stomachache, So Be Careful

Episode 22 - Marriage Is Prolonging an Illusion for Your Whole Life

Episode 23 - When You’re in a Fix, Keep on Laughing, Laughing…

Episode 24 - Cute Faces Are Always Hiding Something

Episode 25 - A Shared Soup Pot Is a Microcosm of Life

Episode 26 - Don’t Be Shy – Just Raise Your Hand and Say It

Episode 27 - Some Things Can’t Be Cut with a Sword

Episode 28 - Good Things Never Come in Twos (but bad things do)

Episode 29 - Part 1: Don’t Panic – There’s a Return Policy!  /  Part 2: I Told You to Pay Attention to the News!

Episode 30 - Even Teen Idols Act Like You Guys

Episode 31 - You Always Remember the Things that Matter the Least

Episode 32 - Life Moves on Like a Conveyor Belt

Episode 33 - Mistaking Someone’s Name is Rude!

Episode 34 - Love Doesn’t Require a Manual

Episode 35 - Love Doesn’t Require a Manual (Continued) /  You Can't Judge a Person by His Appearance, Either

Episode 36 - People with Dark Pasts Can't Shut Up

Episode 37 - People Who Say that Santa Doesn’t Really Exist Actually Want to Believe in Him / Prayer Won't Make Your Worldly Desires Go Away! Control Yourself

Episode 38 - Only Children Play in the Snow

Episode 39 - Ramen Shops with Long Menus Never Do Well

Episode 40 - Give a Thought to Planned Pregnancy

Episode 41 - You Can't Judge a Movie by Its Title

Episode 42 - You Know What Happens if You Pee on a Worm

Episode 43 - Make Characters So Anybody Can Tell Who They Are by Just Their Silhouettes

Gintama Series Watch Order

Gintama Season 1

Gintama Season 2

Gintama Season 3

Gintama Season 4

Gintama: Benizakura-Hen

Gintama’

Gintama’ Enchousen

Gintama°

Gintama.

Gintama. Porori-Hen

Gintama. Shirogane no Tamashii-Hen