Gintama

[Spark Of Spirit]

The Hard Boiled detective arc had so many great jokes. From Kagura riding off on the stupid motorcycle to the dramatically epic final confrontation with the seven thieves it was top notch from beginning to end. That conveyor belt scene alone played off so many other jokes and lines in the episodes.

Though for some reason I couldn't stop laughing at Gintoki's reaction to the demon sword's origin in the Shinsengumi Crises arc. His actor is one of the best I've ever heard in a subbed anime. He can jump back and forth between comedy and drama with ease and his line readings are always dead on.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I realize I've hijacked this thread but there's not much I can do about that, so...

In other news, I've passed the halfway point of the anime and am just before the Red Spider arc so I thought I'd give general impressions for the anime. It's been a ride so far.

The first is that Sorachi improved tremendously as a writer as he went on. His comedy is hit or miss near the beginning and the drama is solid, but I was really reminded of why I wasn't hooked when the manga first came out and why it was so unpopular back then. Later arcs are much more dramatic by relying on stronger characters and motivations, and the comedy is far more engaging instead of relying only on simple gross-out or sex gags by having characters in compromising or over the top situations and having them play out according to how they should. It gets more elaborate. That's a long way to say that it gets much better as it goes.

Watching episodes where Gintoki and Hijikata are handcuffed together work better when you see how serious that take their jobs in arcs like the Shinsengumi Crises arc. You simply have more frame of the characters to work with which allows Sorachi to really do what he wants whenever he wants to do it. Gintama really excels when it plays with character relationships such as shifting Sogo from outright hating Hijikata to instead making him tease him incessantly and trying to get his job instead which only happened because of how the characters changed with the events of the series.

Also, a lot of kudos has to be given to the anime staff, especially the voice actors. How they can slide from situation to situation and emotion to emotion on a dime and still work is thanks to them. By the animators and directors really manage to nail both comedic timing and intense fights which really sell the story. Of course the writing is good too, with just about every joke you can imagine, and the dramatic stuff is incredibly sharp being no less intense than the animation.

Suffice to say, I'll probably be watching it for more than a random episode here or there from now on.

On a sort of related subject, I decided to do a top ten of the best OPs and EDs that I've seen so far. Keep in mind that I'm not caught up yet, so there is probably good stuff you won't see here, but again, there's little to be done about that.

Without further ado:


10. "Asa Answer" by PENGIN (ED - episodes 151-163)

Probably the best comedic ending. The art style is very cool and the song is majorly catchy, always making this a pleasant listen. I especially like how it basically envelopes every comedic relationship in the series in little spurts while keeping the visuals constantly moving. It's probably the best purely comedic ending (without any disrespect to Mr. Raindrop) as a whole.


9. "Wo Ai Ni" by Hitomi Takahashi & The Beat Crusaders (ED - episodes 164-176)

I like how this one highlights the ladies of Gintama and their relationships with the guys as it cycles further along. The visuals are really striking at the same time as being comedic and touching in alternate characters. The song is majorly catchy, too. But it is the Beat Crusaders, who have never failed in that department. I was legit disappointed when it was time for this ED to go.


8. "Kasanaru Kage" by Hearts Grow (OP - episodes 76-99)

This is one of the best balanced OPs for both the dramatic and comedic sides of Gintama. Also important for being focused around the Yagyu arc which was a very important one (which also balanced comedy and drama) and having one of the best songs in the series. It was always a pleasure when this one came on.


7. "Tooi Nioi" by YO-KING (OP - episodes 25-49)

Of course this one is a fan fave, but I mostly like it for how it sums up the feel of the early points of the series really well. The song is a grower, too, being that I initially passed it off as forgettable until I started humming it. So this might seem a bit higher than I'd normally put it, but I can't deny that it sticks to you like glue.


6. "Giniro no Sora" by redballoon (OP - episodes 50-75)

For a long time this was my favorite OP in Gintama. It's still up there, but it didn't drop because I enjoy it less. The song and visuals establish both a sense of joy and nostalgia which is a good counterpoint to a certain serious arc that occurs during it. It also helps that it really wedges itself into your head after about the third listen. This was about the time I realized I might like Gintama more than I initially did.


5. "Sanagi" by POSSIBILITY (ED - episodes 100-112)

Of all the EDs in this series that are awesome (and most of them are), this one came out of nowhere. A reflection of the childhood of each of the Gintama characters which is pretty much a counterpoint to an earlier ED, this one is filled with a sense of hope for the future whereas the other looked back on the past with dread and the future with more uncertainty. The song, especially, lasts long in your head after the episode ends.


4. "Donten" by DOES (OP - episodes 100-125)

Gintama isn't known for its serious arcs, but I, for one, actually tend to prefer them, especially early on when the comedy was shakier. But this OP is the first one that perfectly encapsulates the dramatic tension that happens during the more serious moments, especially the arc this one is framed around. This OP is literally about the calm before the storm and could probably fit anywhere in the series during a dramatic arc. It's definitely one of the best in the series.


3. "Kagayaita" by SHIGI (ED - episodes 139-150)

I always really liked this ED, for both being really strong in the visual and art department, but because it is the best possible choice for the Yoshiwara arc. The backing of the arc actually makes the visuals and song hit harder than they might otherwise. The ending in particular is a good reflection of what is one of the strongest arcs in the series, without question. Very melancholy with a sense of hope at the end, Kagayaita is one of the best songs in the series.


2. "Shura" by DOES (ED - episodes 50-62)

This is the best ED in Gintama that happened when the series began to find solid footing in its first really strong arc. Considering this conflict is one of the main storyline conflicts and sources of drama throughout the series, this ED is always relevant to the story. The song contains enough power and menace to really pull out what the characters are fighting for and gives a lot of drive for fans to tune in for the next episode. Really, I'm not so sure Gintama can ever top this ED, though they've come close. It's just too strong.


1. "Pray" by Tommy Heavenly6 (OP - episodes 1-24)

I actually didn't expect this to rank at all. To be honest, I never thought much of this song or OP at all until about after watching Yoshiwara and convincing one of my friends that the show actually got better by playing him the Gengai arc (bad internet connection caught that short, though) and the OP replayed. All of a sudden, everything clicked. I think this OP works better when you look back on it from seeing far more of the show. It encapsulates everything about Gintama from the comedy to the characters to the drama with a song that does exactly the same at all the right places. It's strange that I never thought much about it originally, but it has since become what I figure is the best song in Gintama. Who would have thunk it?


Anyway, that's my list. Anybody else got any other favorites you hate me for missing? I'm sure there's a good bit of stuff I didn't include.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I wrote a nice big post that got lost in the ether, so I'll try to sum it up.

Recently I caught up with the main story in the Gintama anime. Sorachi really knows his stuff as the writing is quite great. The way he uses the drama to fuel his comedy and the personality quirks on the comedy to fuel his drama is really well done. I'm sure at this rate when Gintama is done it will be looked back as one of Jump's best series.

I also have to thank CX (if he ever comes back) for his list of Gintama episodes. It helped me get into the series a lot easier, especially considering how much better it gets as it goes. While a lot of the early comedy episodes are hit and miss and the individual episodes start getting stale by the end, the drama never falters and only improves. Though the Shogun Assassination Arc still isn't done, the build up to it through all these episodes has been excellently done. If Gintama is barreling towards its ending like we've been told, it's truly going to be quite the big bang of an ending.

Top 10 arcs so far:

10. Benizakura Arc

The first real arc Gintama attempted still stands out to me. There's still plenty of comedy, but it is sharper due to being melded into the story and the reveals at the end are important for the series going forward.

9. Beam Sword Style Arc

CX already described this one really well, but I really dug this one. It started out as a funny arc that turned serious rather abruptly but has a quite great ending that does much for Tae, Shinpachi, and their relationship with Gintoki.

8. Patriot Reunion Party Arc

This one made me laugh really hard, despite a really cool twist at the end which also successfully adds on to the story with a character I really want to see return. If you're a fan of Gintama and this isn't one of your favorites, I would be really surprised.

7. Afro Arc

Okay, this was the hardest I'd ever laughed at Gintama. This arc features Gintoki and his crew trying to help a Shinsengumi captain named Saito Shimaru, the guy with an orange afro who has a weird reputation as a mute as he tries to make friends with Katsura . . . who is trying to usurp him from the Shinsengumi and take it down from the inside. There's a lot of character humor here, including Gintoki speaking for him, but the highlight is Saito who is easily one of my top 10 Gintama characters now. I need to see more of him. Especially if his rivalry/friendship with Katsura continues.

6. Red Spider Arc

The sequel to Yoshiwara expands the background of the place and enhances one of the best characters in the series in the process. We also learn a lot more about Gintoki and his relationship with Shoyo. This also strengthens after learning new information in the Shogun Assassination arc.

5. Thorny Arc

Hijikata is a great character that is used quite a bit as a punching bag (the Shinsengumi Crises arc is a good proof of that) but not only does this arc introduce a lot of new characters who are all really funny (the cellphone gags nearly killed me) it all becomes really important later on. Not to mention that Hijikata's backstory is really interesting and adds a lot to his personality. A lot of good moments for Yamazaki, Sogo, and Kondo here, too.

4. Shinigami Arc

A bit overlooked, but a rather important building block for the main story. The main conflict is very interesting in how it relates to the story (and the following arcs) but the comedy is on point, too. The ending is also one of the best in the series, by far.

3. Yoshiwara Arc

This was the arc that proved to me that Gintama was something special. The comedy was on point without detracting from the drama, the new characters were crucially important to both the arc and the series as a whole, and the fight scenes were the first really amazing ones. The running theme of light and darkness in the arc makes its way perfectly into Gintoki's character and backstory leading to an ending that immediately folds over into the bigger story. Excellent arc.

2. Four Devas Arc

This was my personal favorite arc. We've been hearing about tensions all over the land ever since the aliens first arrived, but this is when they finally boil over. Literally every event that happens in this arc happens because patience has run out (for just about everyone) and it is a very good foreshadowing to what happens with the shogun later. But the relationship between the Devas is almost as interesting, especially when Gintoki and everyone from his town gets involved in the happenings leading to a final showdown that is incredibly intense. The ending is probably one of the best in the series, too.

1. Courtesan of a Nation Arc

This is basically the prologue to the Shogun Assasination arc, but it's also basically the third Yoshiwara arc as the story spins out from there. We get a lot of reveals from who the real enemy might be up to the end where the beans are spilled on much of the past history of the war. The only real weakness here is the absence of Katsura who really had as much to gain from this arc as anyone else, but I'm sure it will be made up for later.

Also, while there has been a LOT of great OPs and EDs, I think I have an all time favorite. That would be this one. Seriously, it epitomizes everything Gintama in one simple opening.

I had a lot of fun watching through the show. It has a lot of everything from action to comedy to drama, and it can pull them all off pretty well. It's hard to believe it has been able to run over 500 chapters and 300 episodes despite how it didn't really take off in the beginning. Sorachi is a talented gorilla, and I hope he can give the series the ending it deserves.

And one last thing.

Top 10 characters (and no I won't be ripping off the one from the Popularity Poll arc)

10. Saito
9. Kondo
8. Sogo
7. Yamazaki
6. Shinpachi
5. Kagura
4. Tsukuyo
3. Hijikata
2. Katsura
1. Gintoki

Whew, that was a long post. Anyway, I'm glad I made the trek through it. Now to go back and watch more of the episodes I missed.

[VLordGTZ]

Great list, Spark!
I'm going to have a decent amount of free time soon, so I'm planning to start watching the series.   

I also have to thank CX (if he ever comes back) for his list of Gintama episodes.

Yeah, CX has been really busy lately from what he's told me, but he'll be back once things cool down for him.

[Spark Of Spirit]

They are heading straight into the next arc next week which means Gintama will probably be going on hiatus after the winter season is done.

I can see the remaining comedic arcs being adapted to OVA episodes like the Love Potion arc, but I'm going to say that when the manga is done they will start up and go straight to the end of the series. Probably a smart idea since filler at this point would be awful.

[Spark Of Spirit]

After the last episode of the SA arc, I have to say this ED is now my favorite one. Wasn't expecting that!

[VLordGTZ]

They are heading straight into the next arc next week which means Gintama will probably be going on hiatus after the winter season is done.

The anime is now confirmed to be going on break at the end of this month.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Mountain Zaki, are you kidding me? I think this might be my favorite arc now.

And once again, I am left on the edge of my seat.

Top 5 EDs
1. Acchi Muite
2. Glorious Days
3. Shura
4. Kagayaita
5. Samurai Heart (Some Like it Hot!!)

[Spark Of Spirit]

Crunchyroll is excited to announce our entry into the home video market with the following upcoming English-dubbed Blu-Ray and DVD releases:
Berserk
Big Order
Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
Gintama
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Myriad Colors Phantom World
Yamada-kun & the Seven Witches
And many more still to be announced!
We're still working out a lot of the details but we wanted to share some of our planned releases with you. More to come!

Can't say this was expected.

[VLordGTZ]

I never would have expected Gintama to get a dub in 2016. 

It'll be interesting to see what else they dub and release as time goes on.

[Spark Of Spirit]

The anime's coming back!

This shouldn't surprise anyone, but it's nice to hear. I'm assuming this will cover up to the point the manga ends.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Looking forward to seeing the final arcs animated! I'd assume that the manga itself will end before or around the time the new season starts.

[VLordGTZ]

Remember when Crunchyroll announce that they were producing a Gintama dub?  Well, episodes 266-278 of the dub are out now!  They'll be adding new episodes every Wednesday. 

[Rynnec]

On one hand I'm disappointed that Patrick Seitz isn't Gintoki.


On the other hand; oh shit son! An Ocean cast in a non-toyetic anime!

[Markness]

Could the anime's success make Viz give the manga another chance?