Ranked #96

Gintama

There are lots of anime that feature some sort of humour, however outright comedies are still few and far between (whereas outright parodies are fairly common, but are very much dependent on knowledge of the reference). Part of the reason for this is the method in which comedy is handled in anime, with most shows featuring a lot of parody to shore up the weaknesses in other humourous aspects. Anime, especially outright comedies, have one big weakness though - situation comedy.

That doesn't mean that there aren't any good sit-coms in anime. Nodame Cantabile, Genshiken and Moyashimon are great examples of situation comedy at it's best, especially in terms of anime. Historically though, anime, as a medium, has never really had a series where the main focus was fun and humour in manageable portions, as all too often the tendency is to go overboard.

One series has, however, defied all the conventions, and has become one of the greatest comedy anime of all time. Incorporating elements from some of the best comedy of both East and West, the series has an anarchic streak that, at times, is more reminiscent of Monty Python, The Simpsons and Family Guy.

I am, of course, talking about Gintama.

The concept of a samurai sit-com isn't new to anime and manga, however it wasn't until the serialisation of Sorachi Hideaki's manga in 2003 that anyone actually realised the potential in this type of story.

Set in a quasi-historical Edo, Japan, and possibly the rest of the world, has been conquered by an alien race known as the Amanto. Japan's strongest warriors, the Samurai, were no match for the alien technology, and in an effort to prevent another samurai uprising, the powers that be have banned humans from carrying swords in public.

In this world there lives a former samurai with silver hair, who runs the firm known as Yorozuya from his rented second floor apartment, and takes on odd jobs (yorozuya), for people in order to pay his rent and buy milkshakes and his beloved Weekly Shounen Jump. He is Sakata Gintoki, a man once feared as the "White Demon" during the samurai uprising.

To say that the story is a bit on the haphazard side is probably a gross understatement, however Gintama is nothing if not consistent in it's approach. The underlying story is of Gintoki and his "friends", Shimura Shinpachi (an average human teenager with no real special qualities), and Kagura (an alien who looks human and possesses monstrous strength), as they go through their days doing odd jobs for people, and trying in some small way to make the world a better place.

And that is really about as serious as many of the episodes get. The haphazard approach to the story is a purposeful measure that actually works very well given that Gintama is a comedy series. There are story arcs that occur throughout the course of the anime, and even though they may include some serious or dramatic content, Gintama never once loses it's sense of fun. Indeed, the comedy is the true strength of this series, not simply in it's style and delivery, but also in it's content. Some of the visual gags are extremely good, and whilst the series is top-filled with parodies, it never once over-uses these references, instead turning some of them into running gags that appear throughout the show.

That said, Ginatama has one aspect that is greater than all others in terms of it's plot and comedy content, and that is it's ability to turn the seemingly ordinary into something completely different. This is the main reason why I class Gintama as a sit-com rather than a parody, as this aspect has more in common with shows like Blackadder and Monty Python than anything else. I can't count the number of occasions when the series has caught me off guard with it's slyly anarchic take on seemingly normal events (like being in a public toilet and running out of paper).

Of course, there are downsides too. Although the series is extremely strong in terms of comedy, it sometimes lacks when events take a serious turn. This may be due, in part, to the audience's reactions as viewers may automatically think that something funny is going to happen next, however a part of it also stems from the fact that the comedy is sometimes too "strong". It's ironic really, that Gintama's greatest strength is also it's biggest weakness.

As with any long running shounen series, animation and design are pretty good on the whole. The character designs are extremely well done, and convey a sense of visual individuality that, at times, goes beyond that of other shounen anime. The colours are extremely bold and solid, whilst the backgrounds and set designs highlight the synergy between alien technology and Edo. The animation itself is of an extremely high standard, so much so in fact, that some of the visual gags only really work because of it.

One of the high points of the art and animation is the show's ability to parody other things well. There are numerous occasions when the style, animation, end even the character design, changes to make the humour more immediate. These changes can sometimes occur in the blink of an eye, but can also last for a good portion ofthe episode. The series also plays around with a variety of concepts that most people only really read about, the best example being an occasion where Gintoki and the gang are rendered invisible because the anime is incomplete. I can't honestly think of any other series that not only mentions something like this, but also shows the viewer what it would look like.

With regards to the humour, much of it comes from the characters themselves, but no matter how good the scripting is, delivery is everything when it comes to comedy. In this respect Gintama is extremely well served by it's seiyuu. The cast are able to perform with a panache that is sometimes astonishing, and their portrayals of their respective characters is so good that you'd be forgiven for thinking someone else was acting. Possibly the best example of this is Kugimiya Rie, who plays the part of Kagura. I will freely admit that I'm not a huge fan of hers, mainly because she is typecast into tsundere roles, however her portrayal of Kagura is truly excellent, especially in terms of comedy. Like the rest of the cast she has managed to not only maintain consistent character for a long time, but has actually become more adept at her delivery.

In terms of sound, Gintama is generally consistent with it's choice of music. There are certain tracks that are repeated throughout the series, and that add to the comic atmosphere of a given scene, however some of the more serious moments can feel a little off-kilter because the score changes can be a little bit sudden. As with any long running series, the OP and ED have changed since the show began airing in 2006, however these tracks are usually pretty good at capturing the essence of the show as a whole, especially with the introductory sequences being choregraphed to highlight the important aspects - humour, fun, some seriousness, and a large slice of anarchy.

In all honesty, there is no real reason for me to find the characters outstanding, yet they are, and this is possibly Gintama's greatest triumph. Each of the characters, from Gintoki, Shinpachi and Kagura, to the members of the Shinsengumi, and all the sundry characters, alien and otherwise, who appear in the show are, without doubt, memorable. When taken as individual characters, each is a flawed creation that really wouldn't work were this any other anime, however the plot and scripting for the series, together with the talent of the seiyuu and the design of each character, turns this idea completely on it's head. Much of the comedy in the series is very much dependent on the characters, and it's because the show is so good at entertaining the audience that any noticeable flaws are generally forgiven or ignored.

Gintama is not simply a funny anime though. Over the seasons the show has gradually become a phenomenon in anime, especailly in light of the show's ability to maintain consistent humour for over 120 episodes. The irreverent and oh-so anarchic humour can, at times, come off as wierd, however this has only served to endear the show to more fans - myself included.

That doesn't mean I'm an absolute addict of the series. I've heard many fans refer to Gintama as their "anime crack", and I can understand their perspective (I may not be hooked, but I am definitely a fan). The series has a lot to offer if you approach it with the right mindset.

The show will most definitely appeal to shounen fans, not simply because it bears all the hallmarks of shounen anime, but also because it isn't afraid to to parody other shounen series (Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, etc - who can forget the infamous DragonBleaPiece movie trailer). Fans of other comedy series, especially Seto no Hanayome and Jungle wa Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu, will also find Gintama's ability to mess with everyday concepts worthwhile.

There are a lot of aspects to this show that have a broad appeal in terms of humour, and it's to the show's, and the cast and crew's, credit, that the series never gets old or stale, or too bogged down in how good it actually is.

There's a new king of comedy in town. Make way for Gintama. read more

Gintama takes place in Edo(a.k.a Tokyo nowadays). Aliens who call themselves, the Amanto, have invaded Japan. In order to prevent another resistance of samurai's, they prohibited the use of swords. Only a handful of samurai's are remaining, Sakata Gintoki, a laid-back samurai who carries a wooden sword, is among these few. Together with Kagura, an extra-terrestrial girl with a monstrous strength, and Shinpachi, your average troubled adolescent, they'll take any kind of job as long as it fills their stomach and keeps them from getting kick out by the landlord.

Gintama is an action, comedy samurai anime with a sci-fi twist. You dont get to see this kind of anime's anymore, heck youve never seen an anime like this before. I mean seriously, where can you find a samurai whose role model is Bleach's Ichigo Kurosaki? Or an intense ordeal involving four adults who all recently took a dump in a comfort room that has run out of toilet paper and now they must decide on who among them has to run outside butt naked, to relieve them from their predicament?

Unlike most samurai's anime's, this anime is really all about the comedy.Dont misunderstand, their are several decent actions here and some of em are even pretty damn good but most of them are use for opportunity to present something extremely hilarious . Dont expect any amazing coup de grace here as Gintama doesnt want to be striking, it wants to be funny. But hey, it pays off. In an odd way, Gintama can be very unpredictable because of this. Its like watching the antics of Harry Houdini, you never know whats going to happen next.

To exaggerate something so insignificant is one of Gintama' primary nature. Now I would like to point out that Im not fond of slice of life anime's, because well lets face it, real life aint worth watching one cent especially when they all they do is talk about is the different ways to cut cheese. But Gintama is capable of making mundane circumstances into something incredibly ludicrous, that you have to be dead inside not to burst out and laugh your ass off.

A good example would be when the gang were all dead hungry but there's only one remaining food left? Who gets to eat the last food? The epic psychological warfare begins. If you havent noticed, every second of that is insanely diverting. And yes, that episode is the best Death Note parody I have ever come across. Its doesnt stop there. Gintama has all kinds of parody, whethers its Star Wars, Resident Evil, or some famous horror flick, there's nothing that can escape the derision of Gintama. It is so amazing how they were able to successfully mix samurai and modern pop culture into one show.

Gintama is promising from the start. It boasts distinguished characters that make up a unique combination that opens up future comic possibilities.

Gintama is episodic, meaning dont expect any heavy character development, although there are some minor alterations as the series progresses but it doesnt make enough difference to be considered. Who needs development anyway? As long as its funny, thats good enough for me.

The OP and ED in Gintama are pretty upbeat and catchy. Sometimes it can even make you laugh. As for the animation, it is fairly average. I have nothing against it because it fits right in the atmosphere of something utterly humorous.

Some people consider Gintama as the only thing decent anime that Shounen Jump serialized. Others think of it as the next best thing since sliced bread. I am neither of this. The way I see it, Gintama can only warrant two things for a person. Either they become fans of Gintama or become dumb with astonishment that they resort to watching paint dry.

If there's one thing you need to know about Gintama, it is blatantly comical.
And if thats what you have been looking for, then look no further. If not, look elsewhere. read more

This is my first review here, so please let me know what you guys think!

Gintama is about Sakata Gintoki, who is a samurai in an age where samurai's have been deemed unnecessary by the aliens who have taken over. As far as I can tell, that's about as deep of a story this anime has. But you probably won't care, because this anime is downright hilarious. The characters are funny, the situations they get in are completely ridiculous, and all the references to other anime/manga they have make it all the more enjoyable.

--Story--
As I mentioned earlier, there really isn't too much of a story line. Most of the story arcs last about 1-2 episodes, and some are pretty strange. But all the random references and pure comedy make up for any shortcoming in the story.

--Art--
The animation is just what you'd expect from a good comedy anime. The characters have their distinctive features, the backgrounds are pretty detailed, and you get all the classic elements that you'd expect from a comedy anime (depression lines, expanding heads, etc.).

--Sound--
The openings and closings are really good. They're all catchy and make you actually want to listen to them. The voice acting is well done and really gives life to the characters.

--Character--
The characters really make this anime awesome. From the Jump reading samurai Gintoki to the machine-gun-umbrella toting Kagura to the oversized skull-biting dog Sadaharu, everyone is unique and hilarious in their own way. There are a lot of recurring characters, and each has his or her own traits that set them apart from the rest. Also, a lot of the characters resemble characters from other anime, but with a twist. For example, the main character Sakata Gintoki is very similar to Himura Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin, as both are very accomplished samurai; but while Kenshin is for the most part kind and quiet, Gintoki is very eccentric, somewhat rude at times, and seems to be overall very apathetic about everything. Things like this really make the characters familiar, yet unique, and overall very likeable.

--Enjoyment--
This anime makes me laugh out loud. Literally. There have been occasions where I nealy fell out of my chair of laughter. I'm always a little sad when an episode ends, because I laughed so much during the episode.

--Overall--
If you like comedy and have watched your share of anime, then I highly recommend Gintama. If you aren't well versed in anime, you may miss a bunch of references, but that shouldn't really affect your enjoyment of this anime. Overall, this anime is one of my favorite. read more

Japan, a nation which was once known as "samurai country", has been invaded by aliens called the Amanto who now pull the strings of the government. The samurai have been forced to become ordinary citizens and sheath their swords forever. Gintoki Sakata, a former samurai who follows his own code of "bushido", was once a fierce warrior who can now barely scrape together the change to purchase this week's Shonen Jump. What's a samurai to do?

Story
Gintama is not an anime that one should approach expecting a plot. It's an episodic action and adventure comedy that details the hilarious and ridiculous daily escapades of Gintoki and the other boarders that are a part of his freelancing business. The only thing that Gintoki, Kagura, and Shinpachi want is to be able to pay the month's rent but instead wind up attracting trouble like a magnet. The jokes can be downright hilarious and the characters will literally go out of their way to say something funny at the wrong time. It's not a series that I would recommend to new anime fans because a lot (but certainly not all) of the jokes poke fun at the anime subculture and even the more seasoned fans might have trouble understanding some of the Japanese cultural jokes to a point where it's like a Japanese Family Guy. The fansubs do, however, take the time to explain a lot of the references. It's also great to approach this series with at least some knowledge of Japanese history, particularly the Bakumatsu and Meiji Periods, due to the fact that a majority of the characters are based on historical figures.

Art
The characters watch television dramas and read Weekly Shonen Jump but the scenery and the clothes do a good job of reminding us that this series is supposed to be based on the Meiji Period. The backgrounds are detailed and the animation is generally smooth. Facial expressions, as with any comedy anime, are important and the character designs suit the characters. The overall semi-realistic art style helps the characters seem more realistic as well, though, it's not something I personally found to be especially unique.

Sound
The themes are fun, catchy, and upbeat. I found that one of the most memorable things about Gintama's music was the fact that one of the ending songs, Mr. Raindrop, is entirely in (good) English! The background music does not particularly stand out but its "wild" style suits the anime. The voices fit the characters well and the acting is excellent.

And did I say that the most memorable thing about the sound of this anime was Mr. Raindrop? I meant to say that the most memorable thing about this anime was the popular idol singer, Otsuu, who writes these catchy songs with crazy lyrics, like, "Your brother is a hikikomori!"

Character
Characters are the single most important feature in an episodic series such as Gintama and this is one area where this anime does not disappoint. Every character has unique quirks that makes them interesting and the few "archetype" characters that are in this anime are parodies. Shinpachi's sister Otae, for example, has the appearance of the typical "sweet older sister" character but she's actually one of the most violent characters in the entire series aside from trigger-happy Okita. There is no "self-righteous" hero in this anime; every character is just another person trying to get by in the new Japan no matter how rude, weird, or downright strange he or she might be.

Enjoyment
This is the first series that I have seen in a long time that has made me truly laugh-out-loud. I sometimes even have to stop myself from laughing while reading the manga in study hall to avoid being stared at!

Overall
The best thing about this anime is that it's not afraid to laugh at its demographic, its medium, its culture, or even itself. It almost goes out of its way to make sure that it crosses the line. And, even though some of the jokes are hit-or-miss references, it's an anime that can leave even new anime fans laughing or literally thinking, "WTF?" read more

From parody to drama, to horror to comedy, to mystery to science fiction, to crime to adventure, and so on... Gintama combines as many elements as it can and throws them all together to create one absolutely fantastic series that's always on the top of it's game, and where disappointment is simply not an option.

Set during the 1800's in Japan, known as Edo at the time, aliens called Amanto have invaded and have ultimately taken over the world. They heavily influenced the day and age and implemented a sword ban on the 'samurai country' that leaves one carefree samurai in a dilemma. Gintama follows that certain samurai, Sakata Gintoki, as well as a huge cast of other characters in their daily lives and adventures.

Many of the episodes in Gintama are that of episodic nature, they do not connect, they are stand alone. You are presented with a story at the beginning of the episode, and it is resolved by the end. I believe this benefits Gintama greatly since it's probably the best way to go about creating an anime or manga with such a huge cast and eccentric setting. While most episodes do not connect, there are a few throughout the series that do however. Never have I come across an episode or an arc so far that hasn't had me in tears from laughter, my mouth wide open from amazement or my face glued to the screen due to the intense drama or action. Throughout the series you'll notice that Gintama borrows elements from everywhere, and these are mostly found in parodies. What does Gintama parody? Literally anything and everything. From Death Note to Ju-On, to Star Wars to Dragon Ball Z, to Rocky to Hajime no Ippo, to famous people to famous places to famous things and beyond. Gintama mixes these parodies into almost every episode which results in a presentation unlike any other. Also, encase you're wondering, the parodies do not distract from the story, they actually make sense and mix extremely well in a rather random series.

I know some critics will disagree with me giving the story a ten out of ten, but every episode is so imaginiative and captivating it's what it deserves and to be honest I can't see how you could give it any less. It's a given that the first twenty-ish episodes are mainly for character introduction, but once those episodes are over and we know the cast, Gintama releases it's full potential. Each story itself revovles around many different characters within the huge cast, so not one single character is under or over used, therefore they never get boring. Which is a must in such a long series. Gintama manages to interest you in each story within a few minutes or even seconds, while in another anime series it may take a few episodes. Basically, Gintama does in one episode what another anime might be building up to do throughout the entire series, and without it feeling rushed. This is much more aparant later on in the anime. Since there are so many different stories throughout the series, it makes you wonder just how much more Hideaki Sorachi (the creator) can think of. His mind must be extremely vast, because the stories do not get dull as the series progresses one bit, they get better, and better, and better, and better. More characters are introduced later on, more scenarios are presented to you, and different plot devices are used, as well a the occasional plot twist. A lot of critics seem give Gintama low ratings for it's story because it doesn't have a long or on-going one, which I find rather stupid because it's not suppost to. Each episode is suppost to have a different story, that's the way it's suppost to be, so why should it be rated down for something it never intended to have anyway? The fact in the matter is, even after over 150 episodes, each stand alone story is way, way, way above average and each arc is just as amazing as the other, which is what we've come to expect. It never, ever gets old and that's why I believe, without a doubt in my mind, that the story deserves a ten out of ten.

Gintama is animated by Sunrise, mostly known from Code Geass fame these days, but they've also produced such marvel's as Cowboy Bebop, Planetes, Yakitate!! Japan, Gundam, Outlaw Star and a ton more. You can safely say Gintama is in good hands... well actually... probably the best hands it could be in. The animation remains consistant throughout, and occasionally gets even better whenever it needs to. The character design is slick and smooth, the camera angles always get the job done to the highest of quality and are often quite imaginative and dynamic, and scenes are well presented on screen through the animation. The direction is at it's best and I don't think Sunrise could offer us anything better. They've done a fantastic job.

Up to episode 150, Gintama has had six different openings and twelve different endings. All themes have been above average and the background music is always brilliant and never lacks. Gintama has introduced me to many fantastic Japanese music artists, such as Tommy Heavenly6 and The Rodeo Carburettor, which I am eternally greatful for! The music could not blend better with the anime than it already does. It's like the music was made to be used in Gintama and in Gintama only - it really does blend that well. The voice acting is also top notch and very ranged. A ton of popular seiyu's are involved. Rie Kugimiya voices the main female character for example, and Tomokazu Sugita voices the main male character. Rie is especially known for her tsunderes roles, such as Louise, Shana and Taiga, and Tomokazu is know for voicing Kyon in the popular 'The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya'. Both do an outstanding job, and Rie Kugimiya has continued to impress me with her voice acting throughout the entire series.

The best part about Gintama is, without a doubt, the characters. There are so much words I could use to describe them, but I think I'll use this one - perfect. The characters simply could not get any better. Extremely appealing, very imaginative and filling all of your needs and wants, you'll no doubt have more than one favourite. Without the characters, Gintama would not be where it is today. Thank the creator, Hideaki "The Legend" Sorachi for creating such wonderful pieces of art! Most of the characters are also based on real people during the time Gintama is set, which will please us history nuts out there!

Gintama is, in my opinion, the most enjoyable form of entertainment ever created. The laughs never stop coming. Let me give you an example so you know what kind of comedy I'm on about. In one episode, four of the characters each happen to take a dump in seperate toilet cubicles next to each other. To their dismay, they then discover that there isn't a single roll of toilet paper in sight. One of the characters then happens to have four sheets of sandpaper with him. What emerges after that is a mind war between the characters to protect their pride and honor, but also to wipe their ass. Another scenario see's the Shinsengumi (the Japanese police force at the time) trying to come up with new idea's on how to make the other members of the team actually take care when they go to the toilet in the urinals, because they often splash their urine on the floor. The series sadist, Sougo, comes up the the idea the put a long plank of wood with holes in across the urinals so it will aim their urine in the right place. The Shinsengumi commander then shows up so they hide to see if Sougo's idea works, but not only does it work, the commander gets his 'thing' stuck in one of the holes! How can you not enjoy yourself when hilarious scenarios like this hapeen in almost every episode? Gintama is mainly a comedy anime, but there are episodes or arc's that throw away the comedy for a more serious approach. These episodes are just as enjoyable as the rest, but the whole time you're just sat there in amazement because you never even stopped to wonder if Gintama had this potential and it's suddenly hit you like a brick in the face. For you action whores out there, Gintama also has some damn amazing action sequences that will stick with you throughout time. Gintama could not rank higher in the enjoyment factor than it already does.

Overall - perfect, amazing, hilarious, breath taking, eye watering, simply fantastic. Gintama is the god of comedy and everything else for that matter. I hear rumours of it ending at episode 150, and I can safely say that I will be truly sad when it ends, if it actually does. Gintama is the only anime I wish would never end and would just go on forever and ever, but then I can't help but remember the thrill ride it's taken me through episode after episode. You won't help but feel extremely sad when it's all over, but you also won't help but feel extremely happy that you've witnessed it. In my opinion, the only anime to deserve full marks in every aspect. Gintama is among the best anime has to offer. read more

I don't really know how to start this off, but here it goes...

I first began this series out of complete boredom during the summer, but after wacthing the first couple episodes I thought to myself "

Story: The story is fantastic! Even though most of the episodes consits of crazy occurences that occurs with Gintoki and his friends (and shinsengumi), all the episodes are exciting and funny. But this series is not all fillers. There is a secret past with Gintoki and how he is connected to the previous war with the amatos (aliens) and samurais, and he encounters villians who try to harm to the civilians, his friends, and/or Edo.

Art & Sound: The art is now more modern, and is just awesome. I feel like I am at Edo (In Gintama). The sound is great...I guess...I never really encountered an anime with bad sound (unless the DVD was scratched, or the web site was bad...)

Character: It's a rare cicrumstance, but I have fallen for all of the characters. All the characters have a goofy, distinguishable, but also serious side, and I absolutly love it! The character's have their own odd personalities (and fetishes). The character's a developed beautifully, and the characters give the show an unexplainable magic.

Enjoyment: Can I give this a 100/10? This series has action, comedy (A lot of it too), but the series has a couple of serious, and sad episodes. I cannot predict what will happen next! I look foward to wacthing the new episodes! If I didn't enjoy this, why would I be watching (and giving you guys a review)? If you watch this, you WILL enjoy this, no doubt about it!

Overall: As you can see...I absolutly love this series. Do not miss out on this super-special-awesome (Sorry littlekuriboh) anime. There are many "Japanese" jokes, but everyone can love and enjoy this anime! I would give this a billion/10 for overall. I love this show with the bottom of my heart, and I know you will enjoy it too!!! (Watch a couple of episodes before you drop it, the first episode can be confusing) read more

In just 25 minutes, this anime will show you that even a simple fight between friends over a sukiyaki pot can be more engaging than some epic battle between planets and solar systems (while there's plenty of that too).

I always thought there would never be an anime series that would keep me entertained beyond 50 episodes, and after watching over a 1000 episodes of anime in total, I'm convinced that this is in fact true... except for Gintama.

Watch this anime but be prepared to laugh your stomach out.

Story (5.1) - I have to say...its very confusing, and really hard to find connections in gintama between the episodes..sometimes there arent any..well, this aspect doesnt matter since the others are better.
Basically, Gintoki was once a samurai who fought for edo...and still continues to fight, on hiw own way, helping others and saving the world from alliens (sometimes). With the help of shinpachi, kagura, shinsengumi and some other characters, they will
get in all kind of situations.

Art (9.8) - Art is outstanding!! I really like it.. Gintoki looks so great, also, the shinsengumi are something that made me laugh all the time, especially Hijikata-Okita-Kondo..Shinpachi and his sister comes right behind, and kagura as well. In my opinion, design is very appropiatte for this kind of anime, and also the surroundings (environment, town, etc..) are very well made and gives the exact idea of some aspects. Indeed amazing how the characthers change expressions and their feelings, and art express that very well indeed, and also gives you a lot of comic moments.

Sound (8.6) - Op and Ed are great, i liked it..besides, it fits really well with the type of anime. I´ve seen better in this aspect, but this one still is good.

Characther (10.0) - Well, i cant give less than a 10...Each character is really unique..there are a lot of them who makes me laugh all the time, and its impressive how some characthers suddenly pass from a comic mood to a serious mood, and vice-versa. Originality is very very high.
They are really well devellopped and i have nothing negative to point here, so a 10.

enjoyment ( 10.0) - well, what can i say, i surrender ! There are some episodes who blow the ratings, some of them i cant give 10...i have to say its more than 10.. some of them make fun of some other anime and manga, others show ridicullous situations that makes me laugh for 20 mins non stop.. And there are also some serious episodes, where the characthers show their amazing abilities..impressive.
Gintoki is really outstanding, for me one of the best characthers ever, there are only a few who beat him in my ranking. Shinsengumi, well, maybe this is actually my favourite group of characthers, i mean, there arent anything like shinsegumi in any other anime i saw..gintoki-kagura-shinpachi gets close, some others from other anime also, but i dont remember to see a group at the same time so fun and hilarious xD.

how can i give less than 10.0? its impossible.

overall (9.5) - Story is the only problem in gintama, with some story and this one would be for me the best ever made without discussion..but as it is, its defenitively 1 of my favourite, and the nº 1 in comedy anime for sure..The other aspects are incredible, i recommend to everyone. If you like comedy, then dont search anymore...you just found it, gintama is the best choice ;)
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My reviews are way too simple...and way too straight forward. If you prefer previews with long , pretty sentences , skip reading this review now!

1st Impression:
Space x alien x Samurai? It sure is a weird combination. What? Did i hear samurai again? Oh well i should try it i guess.

Selling Point(s):
Anti-Hero, hillarious characters, tons of shameless parodies.

Reason of liking this anime:
Certainly, this is one of the best comedy anime ever. How could one not to laugh that these 'heroic' characters to do so called 'save-the-world' job, just to pay off their rent? What really funny is that, these characters, dont have the obvious or the commonly seen supa heroes image. Instead, they are just like the normal people you''ve seen in real life! While you think the characters are funny enough, tons of shameless parodies will probably, make you have intense stomach ache every episodes you watched. Since it's comedy based, the storyline is nothing worth mention. Randomness is the art for comedy *nods*

What I Dislike:
Storyline, but it's not so important :P.

Advice(s):
1) For all ages, Not for those whot doesnt like comedy animes, or those who dislike wimpy, non-heroic anime characters.

2) Grab your friends and laugh together.



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Take samurai, aliens, robots, unrealistic animals, a whole bunch of randomness and throw them into an Edo period-like setting and you'll have Gintama. Gintama combines a lot of things that should not be combined, it breaks all the rules and crosses all borders in how a story should be told. However, Gintama does this extremely well and each episode never fails to have its watchers in stitches of laughter with its outrageous situations.

Story - 10/10
Story? What story? There is absolutely no plot to Gintama, its episodic humour that outlines the daily life of an odd jobs freelancer Sakata Gintoki and his two 'employees', the four-eyed useless guy, Shimura Shinpachi and the kung fu China girl, Kagura. The three of them take up odd jobs from searching for lost pets to fighting dangerous evil aliens in order to pay off their rent. Although Gintama does not follow any specific plot, its humour is what makes it top notch, with the amount of humour this anime delivers, a plot isn't even needed.

Art - 9/10
Like with most long running anime, the art starts off rather bad, but does show noticeable improvement along the way. A particular feature I like about Gintama is the way the scenery is done, the houses, shops and clothes remind the watchers that the anime is set in an era that resembles the Edo period. However, things like aliens, mutated beasts, drink machines, scooters, bazookas etc also give Gintama a modern/futuristic feel. The art, character-wise is also very well done, the facial expressions in particular amplifies the humour or joke being told when necessary.

Sound - 9/10
The OP and ED themes ranged from upbeat and catchy songs to slower more mellow tunes, Gintama has a good range of catchy openings that will remain in your head after the 20 or so episode they appear for. BGM-wise, was also very well done, the silly sounding ones were played at the appropriate times and the same goes for serious, wild sounding ones, the BGM went well with the moment/scene in the episode most of the time. The Otsu idol songs were a bonus in my opinion, they were really original and weird with crazy lyrics but did wonders for the humorous side of things in Gintama.

Character - 10/10
The characters really bring out Gintama, each character has a unique trait that makes them stand out from the rest of the other characters. I really liked how the characterisation was done, the innocent and kind looking characters end up being the complete opposite of their appearance. Throughout the anime, the majority of characters are well explored to reveal an underlying side of their personality which makes them more awesome than they were before.

Enjoyment & Overall - 10/10
Gintama is definitely one of the most hilarious anime I’ve ever come across, although the amount of episodes it has may seem daunting, Gintama is an anime that is very easy to fall in love and get addicted to. It's an anime that brings humour to a whole different level with its never ending parodic references and the odd adult joke. read more