Gintama

ZugZugZealot

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Gintama
Gintama.jpg


Summary:
In the early 17th century, Japan adopted strict isolation policies and severed almost all ties with foreign countries. In 1853, the US fleet commanded by Admiral Perry forced the doors open, leading to a modernization of the nation's sociopolitical systems and the eventual fall of the Shogunate. The samurai regime ended its life with the imperial restoration in 1868. That's what history tells, but in Gintama, that's not what happens. Instead of the US fleet, the country is stormed by spaceships coming from four corners of the universe and soon we see it occupied by extraterrestrials. The Shogunate has become a puppet of alien occupation armies. All samurais have been disarmed and reduced to temp workers with no skills who just try to make ends meet. Gintama is a story of a handyman named Gintoki, a samurai with no respect for rules set by the invaders, who's ready to take any job to survive. He and his gang, however, are also among the very few who have not forgotten the morale of a swordsman. Wherever they go, all they do is to create troubles. Troubles that they of course try to solve, but in reality... -AnimeCrazy

My Synopsis:
Gintama is an episodic style, though having a few arcs. Gintama is most of the time humor based, and you will find A LOT of parodies done in it. Gintama feels like a cross between Kevin Smith movies (primarily Clerks), South Park, and old cartoon slapstick, but Japanese focussed culture, and of course in anime form. Gintama loves to troll, anywhere from putting up false trailers to ending the show. It's a show that really loves to push it to the limit. Gintama will go to great extents with a joke, like a serious full episode was spun off at the very end as a hair growth commercial.

Another thing to be noted, is that protagonist, supporting, and antagonist should be taken pretty lightly, there's often episodes not focused on the main character (Gintoki). The writer for Gintama originally wanted a character Hijikata Toshiro[Jp] to be the main character with the story revolving around Shinsengumi. Gintoki and Yorozuya were basically phoned in, and thus Gintama the way it is. Typically Hijikata Toshiro[Jp] works as an alternate protagonist in the story.

Code:
[Storyline]   ●●●●●●----  6/10
[Characters]  ●●●●●●●●●-  9/10
[Setting]     ●●●●●●●●●-  9/10
[Originality] ●●●●●●●●●-  9/10
[Music]       ●●●●●●●●●-  9/10
[Artwork]     ●●●●●●●●●● 10/10
[Overall]     ●●●●●●●●●-  9/10

Unrelated to overall:
[Intro/End] ●●●●●●●●-- 8/10
Format taken from Miz.
Format modified by me.
Storyline:
Since it's episodic with a few arcs, you don't get much of a story line. Though the story that is there is good.
Characters:
Gintama probably has the widest range of characters I've seen from an anime, even their one time only appearance characters are well put together. Though Gintama feels like it follows the typical anime character template: one sad story, one insanity, roll for ambition level, and one purpose or goal (goals may be added progressively through the story).
Setting:
Setting is like a cross of feudal Japan and modern Japan, with extraterrestrial ships flying all about, going in and out, with a giant towering station which keeps it interesting. There are a few outer space instances of the show. They use locations over, which is nice because this doesn't give a random willy nilly feeling of the environment, all the while the while you get a wide scope of locations, and plenty of scenery change.
Originality:
Gintama is awesome at almost always seeming fresh, even reusing content, just the way they do things. But it parodies a lot, which I can't say is a bad thing, but by default takes away from originality, or rather wouldn't exist without the other shows.
Music:
Music is pretty well varied, generally sounds good, and sets the mood rather effectively. Though I'm not willing to say it's as awesome as Naruto's soundtrack.
Artwork:
Artwork is really well done, the few serious fights are well done, their ability to parody other animation styles is just simply awesome.
Intro/Ending:
Their intros are generally good, they give a good feel of the show and the songs are usually good.

The endings are kind of boring to watch, but they give a soft feeling of the show, since endings are generally boring to watch (at least for me), I won't rate the endings harshly on that.


Characters:
Names are in [Jp] format.
First spoiler tag for each character is for organisation purpose.

Sakata Gintoki:
gintoki5si.gif

Gintoki usually referred to as Gintoki, Gin-san, and Gin-chan. Gintoki is the main character. Gintoki is lazy, sweets eater, and does things that are morally in question, but in the end he shows his Samurai Spirit or rather his own Bushido shines when it comes to protecting those who become close to him.
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Gintoki's background isn't too known. In the past he was a Joui member against the Amanto, but it was revealed that he was only in the fight to protect those close to him. He and three other characters that had split paths after the war, shared the same master whom took Gintoki in who was a corpse scavenger as a kid.

Shimura Shinpachi:
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Shinpachi is called Shinpachi and Shin-chan by his sister. Shinpachi is a generally anal retentive and functions as the conscious and common sense for Yorozuya, though they always ignore his heeds. Shinpachi is generally made fun of as a character in Gintama for his bland personality and glasses.
Shinpachi is also an idol chaser and leader of a fanclub for a particular idol Otsu(Terakado Tsu) whom he has been a fan since she was a street performer.

Shinpachi in youth relied on his sister (Shimura Tae) to protect him. He's protective of her, but typically doesn't need protecting. He, Yorozuya and some members from Shinsengumi go to save her from a marriage she didn't want to go through.

Kagura:
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Kagura is a member of the Yato Clan, the strongest Amanto race, and because of which is often seen in sunny days with an umbrella due to the fact Amanto can't handle too much sunlight. She generally has a sweet-like personality, though can quickly shift to being violent, she is usually crude and blunt, her way of talking is a stereo typical Chinese person in Japan, and she eats a lot.

She is the first heroine in manga/anime to puke.

kagura_gintama.png

The Yato clan is known for being a warrior race, often partaking in wars, fights against monsters, and even battling against their own kind. Kagura being traumatized by her father almost killing her brother because her brother fought against him.

While she can swing to a violent mood, overall she has her Yato nature suppressed. She at one point when seeing Shinpachi almost killed, she snapped and went berserk, almost killing the Yato member she was facing against, but was held back by Shinpachi.

Kondo Isao:
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Kondo is usually just called Kondo or Kondo-san. Kondo has a goofy personality and has trouble with women or rather is hated by women. Kondo is the Commander of Shinsengumi, with exception of Gintoki and Kagura, he is accepting of most people focusing on their good points.

Upon introducing Kondo, he had met Shimura Tae at a hostess bar, where she said something that made him fall for her, but the love is only one sided, which leads to him stalking her everywhere and him always trying to win her love, but ends up physically beat up everytime.

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Because of Kondo's accepting nature, Kondo took in thug like characters and treated them with kindness inevitably leading to the existence of Shinsengumi.

Hijikata Toshiro:
hijikata.jpg

Hijikata is called Hijikata, Toshiro (by Kondo), Hijikata-san, and The Demon Vice Commander. Hijikata is the vice-commander of Shinsengumi and is a highly skilled sword fighter who loves to fight. He is short tempered, and often attacks Yamazaki Sagaru. Hijikata loves lots of mayonaise on any food he eats.
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Hijikata was a thug that constantly picked fights with sword dojos. Kondo looked over him, and eventually Hijikata would see Kondo as an important person to him.

Hijikata like most tough guys doesn't like to show his weaknesses. He refuses to admit he's lost fights, and claims he got caught in an automatic door. He also liked Sougo's sister back, but he didn't want to show it, and he also wanted her to end up with a normal guy.

Okita Sougo:
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Sougo is usually called Sougo. Sougo is always trying to kill off or torture Hijikata. Sougo has a sadist personality and just likes to torture people period.

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Not much is known about Sougo other than the fact he had the same master as Kondo and that Kondo looked after him.

It is shown in the series of why Sogou actually hates Hijikata, which is due to the fact that his sister liked Hijikata and Hijikata never returned it.

Katsura Kotaro:
chara_11.gif

Katsura is usually called Katsura, Katsura-san, while Gintoki calls him Zura which is a running joke in the show where Katsura says "zura janai katsura da" which means "It's not Zura, it's Katsura" there are many other varients of it in the show. Katsura is a Joui (anti-government/rebellion) leader. Katsura is typically air headed and always doing weird/random things and is even shameless to the fact he does. Katsura believes and is true to Samurai code and wishes Gintoki to join his cause.

Katsura was one of Gintoki's comrades during the war against the Amanto, and also had the same teacher.

Some Episodes:

Episode 8: "Yeah, our home really is the best"
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There is a panty theif terrorizing the women in Edo. This panty thief is like a perverted version of Robin Hood, giving the panties to men who are unpopular with women. This leads to two of the female characters in the show to team up, and some of the men are insulted due to having recieved a pair of panties and try to catch the panty thief.

Episode 38: "Only children play in the snow"
A snow festival is in Kabuki and there's a prize for best snow sculpture. Yorozuya has entered by making the Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon...
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Havoc awaits the festival...
 

ReVolver

Mega Super Ultra Cool Member
Reaction score
608
I've been reading the Manga and Anime is perfect, it's pretty much panel to panel :D

Gintoki/Toshiro ftw
 
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