Gintama

Time for my first Review!
It should be obvious, but I'll say it nonetheless:
This is purely my opinion, agree or disagree as you like.

Well, right the first thing I have to say is excluded from that rule though.
Gintama is, without fanboyism, the absolutely best Anime there is.
Why is that, you wonder? Well, read on then.

Story: 9/10
Gintama has no consistent story, instead it has short arcs and standalones
... (which I usually don't prefer) BUT each standalone episode and each arc in itself are hillarious.
Gintama can do whatever they like. Science Fiction Arcs, Comedy Arcs, Shonen Arcs, even more Comedy, Crossovers. But why are there just 9 instead of 10 points? Because of one of Gintamas Weaknesses (It has exactly 2, by the way). It takes rather long to get going. A friend of mine introduced me to some random episodes, rather then watching from the start, so I liked it after a few 2 or 3 episodes, but if you watch it in order it might take up to 50 episodes to get rolling.
But afterwards it only gets better and better. It's like f(x)=x²

Art: 10/10
Awesome Battleanimations!
Best facial expressions in Anime History!
Awesome Ideas! (Those who already watched it, I'm talking about the Popularity Poll Arc)
Everything in this Anime just looks awesome to the point.

Sound: 10/10
Let's start with the Seiyu-Part.
There we have Sugita Tomokazu, the genious of all ages.
He, on his own would suffice to give 10 points, but no, we also have the Tsundere-Queen Kugimiya Rie in her probably best form.
Sakaguchi Daisuke as straightman Shinpachi completes the Set of awesomeness.
And yes, these are only the Main Chars of the Yorozura. The rest of the bunch is just as awesome.
Opening/Ending-Part.
Every single one of the Openings made it to my favorite track list.
SPYAIR, Does, Hearts Grow,... They all did a great job.
Each and evey opening fits the anime perfectly.
The endings are just as good, and are great closure for every episode.
BGM.
Even though I don't know their names, all of the BGMs have been burned in my brain. Just awesome.

Characters: 10/10
I absolutely love each and every of Gintamas Characters!
As standalones they probably wouldn't work, but they aren't standalones.
Sorachi Hideaki did a phenomenal job. Taka-tin, Shogun-sama, Dragon-Taicho, Ill Smith... And these are just some hillarious sidecharacters.

Enjoyment: 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999/10
There is no measurement for my enjoyment of Gintama.
Which episode I watch doesn't matter. I'll laugh. Hard.
I'll probably die laughting one day. Not, like I'd regret it though.

Overall: 10/10
Surprise, right?
Well, I talked about TWO weaknesses, right?
So here's the second one:
Gintama gets funnier the more Anime One has seen.
So basically, this should be the last anime you see before you die.
Because then you have seen the Pinnacle of Anime.

One of the worst series i've ever watched. No plot, no historical basement, only comedy. Shinsengumi, which is a fundamental part of japanese history, is a parody and a group of idiots. Inexistent historical basement ( no contrast between shogunate and imperial army).

only comedy without serious elements. Historical names changed.
Okita is officially way more psychopatic than this parody, Hijikata is way more serious, Kondo is not a stalker nor a womanizer.
Shinsengumi flag completely abset. Important events like Aburanokoji and Ikedaya totally absent. No Shinsengumi importance.

"Protagonists" without serious features at all.

A disgusting series, more than pathetic or appalling.

Comedy is a genre which can be very difficult to appeal to the majority of people, as it is heavily dependent on ones preferences, as well as his own past experiences with the medium. Besides these limitations, there is an other factor that plays a role, which are the cultural differences that exist in current society, as a lot of comedy is dependent on the understanding of said cultural customs. This is done in the West through various types, such as satires, sitcoms, cringe comedies or slapstick comedies; in the East, particularly Japan, this done through the most known type of comedy, the Manzai, or ... lesser known ones such as Shimoneta, a comedy focused on dirty jokes, or the Konto, short sketches that are completely ridiculous, yet hilarious.

With that being said, there is one anime that managed to become very popular among the anime audiences throughout the last decade despite those limitations, and that is Gintama. This anime is particularly famous because it implements comedic elements from both the West and the East splendidly, while at the same time having its share of a more "serious" storyline, expanding on its universe, as well as having fantastic battle scenes with wonderful background stories for the characters. Naturally, some viewers may dislike this anime, and while I personally think it's a great anime, it also has its flaws, which I will try to depict below.

~Story~

The setting in which the story takes place is feudal Japan, Tokyo, formerly known as Edo, yet with every modern type of tools available in modern society, such as cars, fridges, TV's, you name it; but that is not the only nonsensical thing, there is also the fact that Japan is invaded by aliens called the Ämanto". Following the life of the defeated lazy samurai Sakata Gintoki and his fellow companions Kagura and Shimura Shinpachi on their jobs as "Yorozuya", people who would do everything for money, being the poor penniless people they are. These tasks range from simple jobs such as catching cats to high-risk type of labour, which all have one thing in common: it will always end hilariously, usually through the hardships the protagonists have to endure. Moral stories are often narrated through these as well, while a big part is praiseworthy, some of these may at times go unnoticed or either feel repeated to the viewer.

Gintama's main focus lies in the humor, and it conveys these splendidly to the viewers through a wide array of comedy types, be it the manzai or satires to the different customs of different cultures. These situations represent daily events, yet often taken to the extreme, and ridiculously absurd which I personally think is a charm too; it nevertheless share its shares of more "calm" episodes. What makes these so well done is the fact that it is unexpecting and hilariously represented: who will forget the epic toilet battle, or the mishaps that happen to the most powerful man in the country, the Shogun himself? Other great aspect is the use of referential comedy to other anime series, even movies: these are all hilariously well presented, if viewers know about it that is; which begins with one of the problems this anime has.

Though the majority of gags and jokes are well relaid to the viewers, there are also quite a lot that either aren't that well understood, or just totally misses the point for some (if not most) of the audiences. This can be due to several reasons: one of it is the fact of not knowing which medium the anime is referencing to; there are quite an amount of referential gags to either current or past famous anime series which for the newer viewers to the medium would remain clueless on why it was displayed and thus not understanding its joke. Other reason is naturally the cultural knowledge of both the West and particularly Japan; if viewers have no awareness of these (such as famous politicians, real life comedians, customs), it will often come over as something absurd and nonsensical. Finally, the understanding of the Japanese language itself can be a culprit too, as it relies on wordplay and vocal expression, which for the average viewer may be difficult to follow.

Gintama does not only consist of comedy episodes: to change the atmosphere of the anime, it introduces its own serious arcs in which characters are fleshed out through numerous things such as background stories, or events tied to these. Trough these world building is done, as well as clearing out different mysteries that surround that world. What comes as a surprise, is the fact that it can be dead serious, which is totally the opposite of its usual narrative; deep conflicts between aliens, samurai's and the government, or the different political factions within those. However, there is no consistent progression of the story, as the episodes are standalone ones, which also affect the more serious arcs; these are not tied with each other, which may be a drawback for some viewers, as it seems to "reset" some of the events that happen. The battles are nothing short of spectacular, well paced, leaving the viewer in tension on what will happen next. These are however often over the top, with characters having infinite toughness or sudden "powerups", which results sometimes in tensionless fights, which can be a drawback for some. However, it must be said that these are often take unexpecting turns, and are fantastically animated.

There is also a certain issue with the pacing. Essentially the first 40-50 episodes approximately are pretty average at best, as it is dedicated to introducing the different characters; in addition, it is clear that most of the jokes and gags are rather badly conveyed to the viewer, feeling off, as the author is not yet fully aware as on how to represent them. It must be said that there some fantastic episodes that are either very amusing or breathtaking, yet overall are average. As mentioned earlier, referential and slapstick comedy that is available in the anime may displease some viewers preferring situational comedy. Naturally, throughout its whole duration of 201 episodes, it can't maintain fantastic comedy, thus having quite some episodes that can be either boring or disgusting at times. Nevertheless, the good episodes overshadowed the bad ones, besides the comedy being consistent throughout its duration.

~Characters~

The characters in Gintama are of great importance to the anime, as without them, the majority of jokes wouldn't get over quite as desired: no matter how good the scripts for the joke are, without good actors, it will be boring. These are all very memorable, which is quite an achievement, considering these are not outstanding in respect of character development or fleshing out of these. There is Sakata Gintoki, a defeated samurai revolutionary in the war against the aliens, now a lazy samurai, gambler and sugar addict, yet with its own strong morals which makes him as a whole likeable, with its own flaws. Shimura Shinpachi, the boy who most characters in Gintama define his personality with his glasses; Kagura, a glutenous straightforward fighting machine, a tomboy type of girl.

There are naturally secondary characters of importance (and of interest) as well. Take for example Hasegawa Taizou, also known as "Madao", which is by far one of the most interesting characters of the cast: a man with moral standards, yet rendered homeless, gives an accurate representation of society and its values. The shinsengumi composed of the mayonnaise loving devil vice-chief Hijikata Toushiro or the stalker gorila Kondo Isao. Not forget the revolutionary Joui Katsura Kotarou, you don't often stumble across such a character with such high moral values, with its own flaws. The Shogun is also interesting as a character, as its represents the perfect notion of what a flawless governor should be, with its own moments of cluelessness in regard in his study of society.

Leaving the interesting characters aside, there are naturally some that can get on audiences nerves, such the sister of Shinpacahi, Otae, which is the typical aggressive (somewhat) tsundere girl who can't cook, which at first is moderately of interest, but jokes and situations that play out with her become old and annoying throughout the 201 episodes. The ninja Sarutobi Ayame can sometimes also be quite annoying, as her character remains equal throughout the anime, being the excuse to implement dirty/perverted jokes in the anime.

Character development is rather lackluster in Gintama, yet the fleshing out of its main cast is well done (though small) and sufficient to enhance the overall progression of the story, in addition to understanding the motives and personalities of the different characters. The supporting cast is varied, having alien princes, space pirates. superhuman race of warriors - the Yato, ninja's you name it. Some of the characters presented also are based on real life persons, such as Kondo Isao or Hijikata Toushiro, both who were of importance in the japanese revolution. Other positive aspect is that it uses all the characters presented in the anime, all of importance to the continuity of the jokes and narrative, by either expanding on their past, or events related to them.

~Animation and sound~

The animation quality of Gintama was surprisingly well done, considering it is a long running anime with over 200 episodes. There were no real fluctuations in the quality, and fulfilled its purpose well. Backgrounds are well drawn, but nothing spectacular, being character design very simplistic: which can be rather lackluster for some audiences, yet are easily distinguishable from the huge cast Gintama has. However, it must be said that it surprisingly well done, as it managed to convey the different gags and jokes splendidly through changes in character design: take Hokuto no Ken reference for example. Battle scenes are well animated, and have a good choreography and are often unexpecting.

The soundtrack used in Gintama was varied, beautiful and fantastic, used to match with the atmosphere it is trying to portray, as well enhancing the overall narrative and comedy. These ranged from piano compositions, to orchestra type of songs to metal pieces. Who would forget the Stand battles and its soundtrack, or Madao's glorious theme? For the more "relaxed" episodes, we have more natural, groovy themes which can be repetitive at times. From the various openings and endings the anime had to offer, there are quite some of those with a catchy tune such as "Donten" by Does or "Tougenkyou Alien".

What however really stood out, were the voice actors. Without these, the experience would certainly be of lesser quality: emotions, jokes, intonations, anger were splendidly transmitted to the audience. We have voice actors such as Sugita Tomokazu as Gintoki or Joseph Joestar in JoJo's Bizarre adventure; then we have Wakamoto Norio, who voices Matsudaira Katakuriko, Raou in Hokuto no Ken, or Oskar von Reuenthal in Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Not to forget Fumihiko Tachiki, who voices Hasegawa Taizo masterfully, conveying the character's personality elegantly.

~Enjoyment~

It would be an understatement to say I like Gintama: in fact, I love it. The different comedy gags, the characters and its voice actors in conjunction with the serious tones the anime has to offer, I found it to be the best comedy anime I have ever watched up to date. Having an inclination towards the comedy genre, I found Gintama to be exceptionally well executed, even with its duration and flaws; this was especially because it managed to keep a consistent level of humor throughout the whole anime, with some outstandingly well done gags that would have anyone adverse to the anime as a medium blurt out in laughter.

Naturally there were numerous flaws with the anime such as battles being a bit over the top, jokes that could get out of hand in addition to being sometimes boring and old, and even being hit-and-miss. Yet the characters and background stories it had, was another element that could keep any viewer with less interest in the comedy genre entertained. It has a slow and average start at best, the viewer being rewarded afterwards with surprisingly good comedy parts, and consistent humor.

So would I recommend Gintama? I personally would suggest anyone to try out, yet if you have no real interest in the comedy genre or are no real fan of absurd, random comedy, I would probably stay away from it. I found the numerous references and jokes in my first watch rather dull, as I had no knowledge of the anime it was referencing to. I must also mention that understanding of the different cultures, as well as the language itself is of importance to enjoy the full experience Gintama has to offer.

Thank you for reading.

My first review ever, and unfortunately a negative one, but i'll do my best to explain why i'm giving it such a score.

* Story * [2/10]
Since this is a comedy anime most episodes are loose and don't really have any important conection with each other, but sometimes there are some 'serious' arcs where story develops, so my rating is of those arcs.
Story is generaly weak with no mindblowing twists, it wasn't as bad to watch as most episodes, but it was mostly the same formula as everything we have seen before, strong bad guy and good guy takes a good beating and then defeats the ... vilan, nothing special, even though the art is quite great, but i'll talk about that later.
Then we had some single episodes with a story within them, and these were realy poorly done, they broke the whole feels train by making a dumb unfunny joke while in the peak of the drama, and while the story of the episode was really good it was just plain ruined by them breaking the rhythm.

* Art * [9/10]
Can't complain about anything, it was really good, the fights were very well animated and great artstyle.

* Sound * [8/10]
Here im only going to talk about soundtracks, openings and endings, and i have once again nothing to complain here, openings were great, endings it has one of the greatest endings i have ever seen "samurai heart", and ost was on point most of the times.

* Character * [2/10]
This was one of the greatest downfalls for the anime in my opinion, let me state the anoying trifecta : Shinpachi, Otae and Sarutobi.
Shinpachi: you know when you are telling a joke and the other person doesn't get it and you have to explain it making it really anoying, yeah, now imagine someone screaming the joke in your ears everytime a joke is said... yes, not very fun is it?
Otae: Typical strong femaly character beating up the MC, not much to be said.
Sarutobi: It was an original character i'll give them that, but boy did it get repetitive, and when i say repetitive i mean repetitive, not to say the screaming wich seems to the only thing the anime thinks its funny for the viewers.
Buuuuuut, there were some funny characters that were *not* anoying in the little screen time they did manage to get, the shogun, hijikata, and gintoki, those were the characters that truly were funny whenever they were on screen, shame was that gintoki was many times overshadowed by shinpachi's screaming, ruining most jokes.

* Enjoyment * [1/10]
Screaming, unfunny jokes, punching other people and such, unfortunately this was most of the episodes, out of the 300 episodes i've seen, i've only enjoyed and laughed at probably 20~30 wich is very bad, the reason why i kept going will be explained after. But it's not all bad news, some of the episodes i did enjoy i REALY enjoyed them, but they were so rare that watched gintama very very slowly, just when i had nothing else to watch.
The humour was also very simple, no real complexity and as i stated before all the jokes are explained to you via screaming, wich as i said is not enjoyable.

* Overall * [2/10]
Why did i watch it you ask? Well, bunch of reasons, first it was very high rated here and everyone seemed to love it to death, second i very rarely drop a show, third, people always said it would get better as time went by and unfortunatly it did not. I stated watching from episode 3 with an open mind and it was just a pain from begining to the end. Unfunny jokes, screaming and punching is this show in a nutshell. In the end i think you either love or don't, as simple as that, if you plan on watching this, start on episode 3 and watch 3 or 4 episodes, if you simply did not enjoy at all, don't try watching this, if you liked go ahead, you won't be disapointed.
For anyone wondering if i simply don't enjoy comedy shows, while not directly related i have watched simpsons, american dad, cleveland, southpark, and while yes these aren't anime, they are very well known comedy shows, and i thought for myself if i really liked all of these then i'd like gintama too, i didn't.
Another thing i did was watch a youtube video of funny moments and most of those i laughed really hard, and those were basicaly the episodes i liked when i watched the whole thing, disapointing.

Comedy that never once fails to make us laugh
Tear jerking story that actually bring tears after laughing
Good action that rival some good shounen out there
Very little romance that is not forced that actually spice things up some time
Decent story despite being a comedy
Great villain that is not bad guy because story needed one

At first I was reluctant to watch this, I am glad I changed my mind. This anime has everything, literally! It even have other anime inside it lol. A definite 10/10 and I won't be exaggerating when I call this BEST anime. Bye Gintama and thanks for all the good memories.

Gintama has become somewhat of a favourite amongst many in the anime community, as evident to anyone who views the Top Anime on MAL. However, does popularity directly correlate to quality? With a 5/10 rating, it's obvious my answer is no, but why exactly is that?

The series has a good start with it's interesting setting being a mix of Japanese history and sci-fi with a cast of colourful characters. After the first few episodes of character introductions, however, the story can be hit or miss at times...when it shows up. The plot continuity tends to be quite thin, with what is the main story only ... showing up every dozen or several dozen episodes before being succeeded by episodic comedy arcs. This leaves the series feeling disjointed when it takes so long for what appears to be the core narrative is given a background seat constantly and the comedy dominates the series. It also doesn't help that when the serious arcs crop forward, the story seems to borrow too heavily from Rurouni Kenshin in many narrative elements, particularly concerning Gintoki.

This would be fine when the series brands itself as a comedy primarily, if not for three major factors. First would be the scope/length of the series. Pushing the main plot back somewhat in order to make the characters more entertaining would be fine if it was a short and concise series that got to the point. When your series is going on for several hundred episodes whilst building up several plot events and constantly shifting to a more serious tone when doing so yet taking too long to deliver, however, it's quite an inexcusable problem when most of the comedic arcs weren't essential for fleshing out the plot or characters.
The second major flaw would be what the comedy consists of; referential humour. Whilst I got most of the references, even some of the more niche ones, and got a laugh out of them, I can't say it really makes for quality when by nature referential humour is directed at a select few and serves more to just advertise another series, which tends to make a series inferior to the one it's referencing by default due to the joke purely relying on the latter. The humour was fine for the first 40 or so episodes, where there was far more of a reliance on slapstick and the references were very subtle. When you get to characters exclaiming things such as "Isn't this Dragon Ball?" or calling out the reference in such an explicit manner lacks creativity and overall ruins the joke. Moreover, the constant need to make fun of other Shonen Jump titles comes off as quite a double-standard when the series is fine with overusing many Shonen tropes in the serious arcs such as power of friendship. It even comes off as bad world building when the vast differences in this world with aliens and Edo Period customs merged obviously wouldn't produce the same origin for ideas for many manga and therefore makes the references something that shouldn't be anything similar to what they were.
This would be a poor nitpick in a typical comedy series that doesn't take itself seriously, but therein lies the third major flaw in the comedy, being tonal whiplash and inconsistency. When you go from a series that constantly changes reality through breaking the fourth wall that will all of a sudden become entirely serious and oblivious to such a fact about their comedic universe leaves the series inconsistent.

This isn't the only comedic element of the series as the character interactions are quite funny at first...until the running gags get repeated far too much. It's fine having the joke of Kondo being a stalker repeated one or two times. Doing so about fifty or so times is annoying. The characters could make up for this with their personality and the writing behind them if not for the fact that, aside from Gintoki and perhaps Kagura, the main cast tend to only have one or two main character traits to remember them by whenever the arc isn't serious. Even for the more serious arcs, what character development occurs is never a permanent thing. An arc where Sougo learns to treat Hijikata with more respect? He's back to aiming a bazooka at him the next arc. An arc where Shinpachi is given the opportunity to grow as a person? He's going to be treat as just a pair of glasses in the next episode. The sexual tension between Gintoki and Tsukuyo in particular is quite the perpetual pile of nothing with neither taking the initiative, especially when the two are adults in their late twenties at least and not middle schoolers with a crush.

As far as the superficial aspects of art and sound go, these are very good. The art and the usage of it's animation helps offer a lot of comedy from the purely physical gags as does the excellent voice acting with the seiyuu having such distinctive voices that their characters have truly become a part of them. The soundtrack is also great in it's variation that always manages to set the tone of the scene. Despite all that, these are just superficial aspects that don't act as much of a saving grace for the series.

So, overall, Gintama is a series that had many elements that could have been good had the execution of it's pacing and comedy been executed far better. Unfortunately, this didn't improve as the series went on and whilst the series is fine as pure entertainment, it certainly isn't the 10/10 many would hail it as. At least this first series is still better than the sequels to succeed it.

As for alternative recommendations, if you want a parody series that doesn't take itself seriously at all and remains dumb fun throughout, there's the series that likely inspired it Dr. Slump. If wanting a comedy series that offers more food for thought than a few jokes and have good pacing, there's The Tatami Galaxy and Great Teacher Onizuka, the latter of which does referential humour well by having a setting that would make it seem natural and doesn't overuse it.

This show is not for everyone, The high ratings that this series gets is honestly not reflective of the niche audience it actually has. I personally don't want to be mean to any fans of the show, however I personally did not find it to be funny or enjoyable. I only made it about 15 episodes in and was not impressed. The 'straightman deadpan' humor that permeates many Japanese shows is really not funny to me. and that is about 90% of the humor in Gintama.

tl;dr If you like Japanese humor read another review, if you don't care for it I'd pass

What if you put some of aliens, mutated monsters, some robots preferably some Gundam and other Sunrise related mechas, Miyazaki Hayao's references, Shonen Jump gags like Bleach and One Piece and A MILLION TONS of randomness put them together in the land of Samurai during Edo period... You got the anime that is funny as hell. And Gintama is truly an example of this anime.

Gintama is known for some comedy anime combining the science fiction, some samurai flick, modernizing structures and of course some riotous and more outrageous randomness that fits to be the most epic yet the divinely funniest comedy anime in the world.

Story: ... 10

Gintama has a little or no plot but it talks about the Misadventures of Gintoki Sakata and his roommates, and the goal in this anime is to pay a rent, but instilling a trouble instead. This is what Gintama became known for defining some of the Japanese references in culture, anime and more of Japan. If you want a better yet serious plots, try the story arcs like the Benizakura and Yoshiwara arcs yet most of the other plots were very humorous.

Art: 10

In art, Gintama is very depicting in Gintoki Sakata's World. Thanks for Sunrise Company who made the vivid colors of Code Geass, Yakitate Japan and other anime (especially Gundam), Gintama is better. very vivid and good depicting.

Sound: OVERRATED!!! (I'm joking... it's 10)

In Background Music, Gintama really connects with it. Thanks to Audio Highs for making music in Gintama in a best way. I would say that the music played when something funny came or serious when it becomes. Also there is a remix that became an OST like the Do you want to be a sugar doll too!!! is actually the remixed version of Rouningyou no Yakata which performed by Seikima II was played during Senboukyou arc. (episode 131-134) If you want some really badass BGM, I would suggest the 'Rules are meant to be broken' and 'Business Transaction should always come before the fight.'

In OP and ED's Gintama is truly depicting the lighter side of the characters like Kiseki by Snowkel by looking a meteor shower at the night sky. A serious side is depicting on their faces and their past like Donten by DOES. Technically, you would like to hear some songs that Takahashi Hitomi-san sang in Candy Line and Wo Ai Ni. Thanks to them, Gintama has some of the best songs ever heard. If you want really funny... TRY THE KO-SAKU'S DONDAKE SONGS AND YELL DONDAKE IN FRONT OF YOUR FAN!!! The Best clincher in Gintama music was the Tsuu Terakado songs (preferably the chome-chome) which The composition of Akatsuki Yamatoya and the genius Hideaki Sorachi as well Mikako Takahashi who did the permanent voice of Tsuu Terakado (and of course the ultimate head biting dog, Sadaharu) performs it. You would really heard the beep beep content which is very deafening to the viewer but best in laughing. All thanks to her for contribution in Gintama.

Other songs which are not on the list like Akira Ishida's Katsurap (later with the collaboration of Susumu Chiba's guitar riff), Rie Kugimiya's Kagurap (with Shinpachi's ranting) and Tomokazu Sugita's epic but severely botched due to the persistent sobbing version of Sen no Kaze ni natte are the best. Although the fans wonder why Gintama has no character songs, they are unruly but good laughing.

Character: OVERRATED!!! (got tired of this word... 10)

Gintama is focused on the primary main characters like Gintoki Sakata, Kagura and Shinpachi. Also it targets on secondary main characters like Toushirou Hijikata, Kotarou Katsura and other characters themselves. As for the other characters like the hard-boiled detective who vomited, a nature lover who drink the Gintoki's urine tainted water, a turtle sniper who fell from the building and a soccer star who is at the brink of retirement are the most random type of characters.

Hideaki Sorachi's naming of the characters uses the opposites that made the characters very defining. More likely in naming the character, it would rather be obscene if his name becomes Kin and the title itself also which it is offending to young viewers.

The seiyuus in this anime are very good at giving life to the character. Rie Kugimiya's Kagura made her the best character despite that she took the tsundere roles like Taiga, Louise and Shana to the down-to-earth characters like Alphonse Elric and Miharu. Tomokazu Sugita also did the best voicing as Gintoki Sakata as very mature and funny but eccentric like Kyon. Both of them are the true stars of the Gintama especially Daisuke Sakaguchi who did the voice (and the looks) of Shinpachi Shimura you will love them.

Enjoyment: 10+

Gintama has the exaloads of parodies, jokes and randomness which defines this anime. Their naming of the characters are funny that they would mean to define it. Also there is a reference of some shonen jump and it will cause of laughing your ass out. Hideaki Sorachi pointed out that seriousness can become more random and anarchically the humor is devastating best.

Overall: 10

Gintama is truly the Divine Comedy of Shonen Jump because the humor and the Parodies are the funniest to the utmost. Most addicting yet most entertaining and the funniest anime on earth.

For those who are involved in Laughing Yoga, try watch Gintama.

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.

It was lucky I had the opportunity to watch this anime and I thank you very much to the Sorachi Hideaki for making the work of "Gintama". I can say Gintama is a "Masterpiece" because the anime was successful from all genres ranging from Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Parody, History, Sci-fi, Samurai, Shounen.

Learn the history and remember it was quite difficult, but the Sorachi Hideaki find its own way so that people can learn is to create Gintama where almost all the characters here are historical in the Edo era. He added his imagination in the form of the Alien and modern times so that ... the audience is saturated and can not compare with life today.
The reason I love this anime Gintama because super silly and all the characters have a joke in itself. The story is simple enough to tell about Gintoki Sakata (protaginist) as a retired rebels set up a jack-of-all-trades is doing everything for money. In the care of a jack-of-all-trades assisted with Kagura and Gintoki Shinpachi, in running the business they always make the silliness.

Gintama does not have a definite plot, almost in every episode there are always new stories and new jokes so the audience would not get bored and always laughing. Apparently not only that, the action game is also interesting from an empty hand combat, guns and samurai.
When looking at the early episodes of sudden I'm a bit pessimistic because there are so many characters without any introduction and the story is confusing. But when entering the third episode realized that at the beginning of the episode is the introduction of Gintama characters. Episode 3 which tells Shinpachi introductory course has a lot of jokes and I'm sure the anime is going to be a Top Rating and indeed proved to be a cover in Shounen Jump and when I was a user at the end of 2011 it was ranked above Gintama and scored 9 (very great).

The hallmark of Gintama is a farce in terms of parody, in which every scene will be reminiscent of the anime or another popular game not only from that scenario as well as many take the scenario of the anime or other games, but certainly with a play so if the anime or the serious home game but in Gintama everything becomes funny. For example, when Gintoki, Kagura, Toshi, Kondo and Shinpachi virtual play their game to the character of "Dragon Quest" and to beat their opponents using their parents as a weapon and beat the boss.

Talk about Art, basically Gintama has a plain design no excess and as generally modern Anime. But I give a plus for Hideaki Sorachi imagination in making different Alien where the alien is described in general but creepy creatures depicted in the figure Gintama silly like Princes Hata. Not only that Gintama Elizabeth also has the Icon is a merger between the penguin and a duck and talks using the board.

Gintama remembered when looking at the soundtrack and sound effects where almost all the Naruto opening and ending is very nice and pleasant. Not only was the sound effect of Gintama also fitting of each scene ranging from live action, character entry, silly scenes, drama and instruments.

If the anime is famous character like tsundere, kuudere, yandere, but all the characters Gintama are and have a similar nature that is "ridiculous". At the beginning of the character Gintoki saw his first impression was weak because at the time of the siege the enemy and he was running and outwit his opponents, but at the constriction It appeared that the original nature of the male, strong, protective and caring. Shinpachi always chatty and always shouted, but in fact he was someone who cared and were willing to help anyone. Childish Kagura is seen from his attitude and way of talking, but actually he is a loyal and powerful. Isei Kondo who is chairman of Shinsenugami described manly and authoritative but actually he is very gentle and has a love of death. Katsura who is the leader of Joi (rebels) seems so cool, brave and strong but he is stupid. All characters in Gintama entirely unexpected in view of the physical then we will be deceived because of their real nature is as the story progresses. In this anime there are no useless characters all have a role in developing the story and make the story live.

Every Monday, I always wait Gintama out of curiosity what's the story again and jokes what is given. Because the manga and anime differ on where the anime chose a random chapter of the manga so do not know where that next week will come out. Gintama is perfect to watch with family or relatives. But keep in mind most of the Gintama carry as many dirty jokes and sayings Nudity sensor so you do not watch it is good with small children. If you see repeated Gintama then you will still laugh at the farce it is and not pretend impressed.

Overall the anime category Gintama "Masterpiece" because it managed to present an extraordinary live action, parody that fits with the story, Comedy stomach churning.
Gintama is suitable for various groups ranging from Comedy lovers, lovers Shounen, Sci-Fi lovers, lovers parody, drama lovers, and lovers of the Samurai. I guarantee you will not regret watching this anime ^ __ ^.
Welcome laughed out loud.

Gintama is one of those rare epic anime where our lead is not an immature boy who is naïve and interested in doing everything for laughs. No, instead it is an epic where our lead is an immature man who is the gold standard of cheap laughs. There is no style of humour Gintama does not touch, and does not excel in, and despite the fact I have not finished the show, the comedy paired with both insightful social commentary and emotional character development cements the show’s place as one of the most complete packages anime has to offer.

At this stage, I should clarify I ... have completed the first season (50 episodes) out of a total 6. As such, I don’t expect I will have encountered all the characters the show has to offer, or watched some of the extended storylines from the manga the show is based upon, however what I have encountered has been a wide variety of different themes being tackled, at a surprisingly fast pace. It consistently amazes me given the length of the show that it is almost entirely episodic, with no overarching plot, à la Naruto or One Piece. Further distinguishing Gintama from the norm for these extended shows is that these one off episodes are nearly always based around comedy. In this sense, Gintama might appear closer to something like the Simpsons than to other longer running anime out there, especially given the penchant it can occasionally display for social commentary, addressing issues such as the perception of the LGBT community and racial profiling in Japan, although always with a positive and comic tone to it.

I am happy to say though that Gintama still looks to traditional manga and anime for its lovable character tropes, and it is the three members of the Odd Jobs Gin-chan business who entertain for the bulk of the screen time, in their ceaseless attempts to avoid poverty. The eponymous Gin-chan, or Sakata Gintoki, is what could be referred to as a more grown-up version of the classic shounen heroes, an ex-samurai who is wiser and more intelligent (at a stretch) than his companions and oftentimes more interested in protecting his own skin than upholding his ideals – in the most endearing way though. This show would truly not be what it is without the considerate but generally laid-back approach Gintoki takes to everyone and everything (except of course where Shounen JUMP is concerned– never get between Gin-chan and his JUMP).

Supporting him we have our superhuman-strength-very-nearly-loli female lead Kagura, an alien girl who settles down on Earth (did I mention the show was set in the near future and has aliens? Pretty cool), in order to establish her position as our token moe of the show. Thankfully though, in addition to being rather cute (and being voiced wonderfully by Queen of Tsundere Rie Kugimiya, of Aisaka Taiga from Toradora fame), as a character she is soon expanded upon, no doubt due to eating too much pickled seaweed. In a rather tragic mini arc her motives for leaving home are explored, giving Gintoki a chance to stretch his very capable father-figure wings.

Finally, we have our straight-man Shimura Shinpachi, Chief of the Otsu-chan idol fan club. Shinpachi is our slightly cynical otaku who in all honesty is the least interesting, but still an entertaining, member of our ceaselessly penniless troupe. This is however just another case of Gintama’s self-referential humour, as he is probably the one every guy watching identifies themselves with – Gintama is good enough to parody its own viewers, even to the point that one of the side characters is a middle-aged, rather ugly version of the cat-eared moe characters many of the viewers will know and love (including myself occasionally – long live Feyris Nyan Nyan!).

Other side characters are similarly over the top with comedy in mind, from the demonic flower salesman to the incompetent (but very well dressed I must say) Shinsengumi police force, sort of the bad guys and good guys at the same time, and a whole lot of fun. The members of the Shinsengumi themselves receive enough character development to easily merit their own spin off.

These characters are just the beginning of Gintama’s comedy. From witty one-liners to moments where the characters find themselves reflecting on their own status as anime characters, Gintama caters to all tastes. Many of the characters exist to solely support the comedy, with an emphasis on tying different branches of humour together, creating a sort of super-saiyan comedy. Particularly entertaining is the self-referential humour of the show. Take for example an episode Gintoki, having been given “ghost paralysis”, berates the animators for simply creating an excuse to do less work – the writers have laid claim to a fun and inventive style of comedy that I have encountered very rarely in the world of anime.

Gintama’s self-created comedy could stand on its own, but as a parody show as well, there is no end to the number of references the show very thinly veils to both other anime and Japanese affairs. Think of it if you like as the ultimate test of Japanese culture awareness! Looking to Death Note, Gintama at one point takes the L and Kira battle to the next level - the obvious step up clearly being a battle of wits over who could take all the meat from the hot pot! Little ideas like this can go a long way with the skill of the Gintama writers, entire episodes being dedicated to premises like Gintoki needing to buy a new fan, the plot going in utterly unexpected and hilarious places.

Talking quickly about the animation and sound now, it is going to be unfair comparing the anime to a more action heavy show, with a larger budget one would think. Although there are scenes of action in the show, they are largely passable, with the bulk of the screen time being spent with Gintama on the couch with his trusty strawberry milk and Shounen JUMP. I am of the opinion that, while a nice feature that can benefit a comedy-themed anime (take Non Non Biyori for example), the quality of comedy anime tends to be distinct from the quality of the animation, and never is this truer than in Gintama’s case. The music however is of vital importance, helping to pump me up for the next episode, and Gintama so far has performed admirably in this regard. The first op remains my favourite theme song for the show, but after getting used to a new OP or ED, I often found myself enjoying them all the same, and I would expect nothing more or less. The EDs especially change very quickly for an anime of Gintama’s length, something I commend the animation studio for.

Gintama is one of the best comedy anime out there and, at its length, you won’t soon find yourself in that post great anime void if you do decide to start watching it. Providing both hilarious and tragic moments, it truly is the all-in-one package as far as I am concerned, in which, the more you know about the world of anime and Japan, the more you will be getting out of it.

This is my first review on MyAnimeList, so please bear with me! So, Gintama. The anime that my friend tried to get me into by showing an episode of a toilet scene. At first, I thought it was funny, but I still didn't get into it, since I thought it will still be boring. However, I was indeed very wrong. This is Gintama, a silver samurai who runs the Yorozuya.

STORY;
There isn't a storyline to this anime, since every anime has its own story to it. There are some really great arcs such as the Benizakura Arc and the Yoshiwara in Flames Arc. Gintama is a ... comedy shounen anime, but that doesn't mean it never gets serious. Gintama gets you dying on the floor laughing then later to tears. Then, it hooks you up with intense action, such as many of Gintoki's fights. I was amazingly stunned how Gintama can transition from comedy to serious action.

ART;
The animation in this anime is pretty great, the art and design on each character is really nice and detailed. The background designs are really pretty, too. If you want to see a modern city or feudal Japan, then Gintama pretty much nailed it all.

SOUND;
The original soundtracks (OSTs) sound really amazing in this anime. The songs in the openings and endings are amazing, especially the songs that Gintama used by DOES (such as Donten, Shura, Bakuchi Dancer and Bokutachi no Kisetsu)! Some OSTs sounds extremely hilarious, like when Otose shows up. Some OSTs are so awesome, such as the Kabukicho Four Devas theme. The voice acting in Gintama fits the characters just too well.

CHARACTER;
I can just say too much about each character, but let's not. In general, each character has their own distinctive personalities. Do you ever see a character who's obsessed with adding such huge amounts of mayonnaise on top of their food or a character who is a super sadist? Well, Gintama has it.

ENJOYMENT & OVERALL;
I loved this anime as you can tell that I overused 'amazing' in this review a lot. Nothing more, nothing less.

First I would like to warn new comers to Gintama not to watch the first episode. It's a filler and it's bad.

Tired of trying to keep track of what episode you're on? Tired of the same ol' shounen themes of getting stronger or protecting someone important? Tired of things making sense? Want something original? Fresh? And out of the blue! Well, then Gintama is just for you!

Gintama has everything.
Gintama gives a whole new place for the world of comedy anime. Some epiosdes I will chuckle slightly, some I will literally be on the ground trying to not have an asthma attack. Possibly one of ... the most original animes. The mangaka is so lucky, who knew you could get paid to be a huge smartass? I can't really say much of anything else just that if you are a fan of randomness, epic win/fail, and complaining. Then this is for you.

But it also has its serious side. I've found myself crying to a few episodes, and entertained by some really kick ass fight scenes!

first off, this show is absolutely hilarious. but that doesn't stop it from being serious as well. This show is the perfect hybrid of shounen battle stories mixed with gag stories, with a touch of romance. Think of it as Rurouni Kenshin set in a different time period, with like 10x more comedy and Jump references.

Story-9
the story follows a Gintoki, a samurai who fought in the rebellion against the invading Amanto (aliens), Shinpachi, a samurai in training with an obsession with an idol, and Kagura, and Amanto with amazing strength and an appetite to match it, in their Yorozuya Business (we'll do anything for money ... kind of thing). The story flows from insane hilarity to epic struggles to heartwarming speeches, with unimaginable fluidity. A majority of the show is very episodic, in that each episode is stand alone "movie" like experience, making it very easy to jump in anywhere and begin watching. Not to mention how easy it is to watch, I blew through 105 episodes in about 3 weeks, its that good.

Art-9
the art is absolutely unique with superb character designs and fluid animations that are easy on the eyes. while the characters may seem rather plain at first glance (like you probably couldnt tell most of them just by looking at silhouettes) they really are much deeper character designs, than that of some other anime out there.

Sound-10
Some of the best OP and ED tracks that I have heard in anime in recent years. as well as the music in the episode that always seems to convey the right mood, with a majority of rock tracks that fit perfectly.

Character-10
one word, amazing, never have I ever cared about so many characters in 1 show. they all seem to have unique background stories that intertwine in different ways. pretty much every character is lovable and there is no character that I really hate. As well as the personalities of all of the characters, there is so much variety, from sadists, to stalkers, so revolutionists, to trusting comrades, to godlike warriors. it has just about everything for every one. Not to mention this show has produced one of my favorite characters of all time, Okita Sougo, the best swordsman in the Shinsengumi, who also happens to be a sadist. who has a nonchalant attitude towards most everyone and every thing (except for his commander and sister).... Just had to put in a shout out for my favorite character.

Enjoyment-10
I love this show, when I first started, I didnt think much of it and almost skipped over it, but after I got about 7 episodes in I was hooked. and loving every minute of it. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who doesnt mind watching 100+ episode shows, or even if you dont like them, this show goes by so fast you dont even notice that you just watched like 40 episodes.

Overall-10
I love this show it is #2 on my list of favorite shows. so you should all go watch it.

I had seen this anime since the year 2009. I was a cub then and had no clue as to what Gintama really was. I was like, " Hey, something's showing on TV! Let's watch it! ". The First moments I laid eyes on Gintama was on episode 132. ( THE HAUNTED INN ).

It was really funny back then and had my eyes all teary. But mostly, its quite the action. It's the typical type of shounen action you'd see but with more feelings. It actually really gets badass at the right moment and then the next thing you'd know you're in a GAG!

I found ... it enjoyable and bought a DVD of it. Gintama showed me the world of anime. It was just so different, so intense, so dramatic, so funny! I started to see the world around me differently. I started seeing it the way Gintama does on its own screen. Whenever I looked at my friends, I just knew what Gintama taught me and just had to smile.


All the characters are enjoyable. I didn't like some at the beginning but as the story grew further, " SOME " made sense and ended up in me loving the whole cast.

What's great about Gintama is that it doesn't give JUST A SHOW. It gives A SHOW TO TELL. All the characters background story and individual personalities grew in my heart and made me a different person. Maybe not a person whom majority would like, but maybe a person whom I myself can accept and be happy with.


Gintama doesn't have a MAJOR PLOT. It's a one kind episode per watch, but when an ARC gets serious and dramatic, there's just no turning back.


Many had complains on how Gintama is a boring anime. Yes, it may have been at the first episodes, but I'm sure that when letting it grow and flow into your eyes, you'll see how beautifully made Gintama is.


I mean, seriously, who could have thought of typical historical and futuristic era mixed together? Of course, only SORACHI HIDEAKI could have thought.

The art isn't that great and digitalized, but as seasons goes by, Gintama's art develops too. We'll see that in episode one Gintoki looks like a teenage boy, but believe me, he'll change eventually. More and more handsome and charming.


As to the comedy and parody part, I haven't seen anything surpassing Gintama's way of thinking. Even I sometimes could not understand what they were trying to parody, but I found myself laughing all the way.


Gintama is my favorite anime of all times and I think nothing could compare to it. It'll always have a special place in me.


I always thought after this I'm gonna watch another series! But no, It wasn't that easy. The fear of having to finish such incredible series kept me in hanging in fear and sadness. I never thought the day would come that Gintama had to end.

At the end of the series, I thought to myself " WHAT WOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE NOW? NOW THAT GINTAMA HAS ENDED? "


It ain't that easy. But new rumors of seasons were emerging... and hope was starting to fill me up. Hope that I'd be able to see my beloved Gintama on screen again someday....

I never knew such an anime so different, so unique.

I've rewatched it a lot of times, still the gags and actions were still killing me. So nostalgic, so old yet so fresh!



I hope you guys give Gintama a try after this review ends for it has kept me with tears of mixed and strange emotions and I do hope that Gintama does with you too. :D


THANKS FOR READING MY REVIEW!

So I've been meaning to write a review for Gintama for quite a while now ever since I finished this wonderful series. I'm a huge fan of the series but I'll address the negatives as well, since nothing is perfect. This review will be for all of the Gintama entries up until the 2015 version.

A common misconception that people make is that they think Gintama° (2015) is a reboot of original Gintama. The answer is NO, it is a direct sequel to Gintama: Enchousen and has totally new content. The watching order is: Gintama > Gintama' (2011) > Gintama: Enhousen > Gintama° (2015).

So before ... starting the actual review, I'll answer some of the most asked questions related to Gintama.

Some popular questions are: "Does Gintama ever get serious?" YES, it does focus on plot from time to time in the form of various small arcs ranging from 3-6 episodes in length. They'll appear randomly during the course of the series. However, watching Gintama for the purpose of fighting, seriousness, other shounen troupes etc. is in itself the wrong approach to the series. The serious portion in Gintama hardly even makes up 15% of the content of series. It is first and foremost a comedy series and should be watched for that purpose primarily with glimpses of short serious and dramatic arcs in between, as a bonus.

Another popular question: "When does Gintama get good"? Gintama remains the same throughout the series. The only thing that changes is that the characters are developed as the episodes pass by and this helps to enjoy the series a lot more. The trick to enjoy Gintama is that don't be in the constant pressure of the huge episode count. Just sit back, relax and watch it from time to time until you get used to it, and trust me, it'll become one of the most memorable rides if you, for some reason don't have any negative bias-ness towards the series (Yes, I'm referring to the salty approach that some people take and hate it from the start because it takes half of the top 10 on MAL. This really affects the enjoyment and your state of mind won't allow you to get used to the characters).

INTRODUCTION/BASIC PREMISE:

So for the people starting the series, it'll be pretty hard to find the actual plot in the series since it's mentioned briefly from time to time so finding the right motivation for watching it from the start can be difficult. That's because the approach Gintama takes is quite different from any other series. The basic plot is that Gintoki is the main character of the series who has participated in the Joi war against the aliens (referred to as "Amanto" in Gintama), that happened 10 years prior to the start of the series. After the victory of Aliens, they overtook Japan/Edo leading to the decline in the status of Samurai's and thus leading Gintoki to give up and became an ordinary citizen under the aliens and open his small private business called the "Odd Jobs or Yorozuya in Japanese". During the start of the series he meets the other two mains leads, Shinpachi who is the 'straight guy' that every comedy series has, trying to restore his Family dojo and the other mean lead, Kagura who is part of the strongest and most violent Alien race known as "Yato". These three make up the odd jobs business and will accept any kind of Job requested no matter how reckless the request is.

For the first 50 episodes, Gintama's mostly episodic with quite a few small story arcs ranging from 2 to 3 episodes in length. The first two episodes are fillers and skipping them won't do any harm. It takes it's sweet time to introduce us to the characters since it has a huge supporting casts. Throughout the journey, you'll experience all sorts of episodes and story arcs with some of the best fourth wall breaking. You'll notice countless references and parodies of anime series, dramas, Japanese celebrities or even Western shows. You'll experience arcs that you'd have never even imagined were possible. Another thing is that, after completing the series up until where it's released, I've noticed that the producers have had a blast producing this series by sharing their personal feelings and showing them in the anime occasionally. The comedy doesn't get old, Gintama will constantly hit you with new concepts from time to time. Going trough the first few episodes might be pretty difficult due to the odd atmosphere. But as you continue, a lot of things will change ranging from the basic world setting to introducing new characters. In the latest episodes of the series, Gintama has finally started taking a serious approach and focus on the main plot. If you'd ask me, I'll say that this might as well be the highest point in the series, it's the peak of the best it has to offer. Ofcourse the comedy lovers might disagree so this is just an opinion.

CHARACTERS/ART/ANIMATION/SOUND:

Needless to say this but characters are the backbone of Gintama and they truly make up the series. There are a variety of characters and factions. The basic focus is mostly on the Yorozuya trio. The story also focusses a lot on the Shinsengumi, a police force formed from the kids without families who grew up on streets/poor and ordinary people in search of jobs. The interactions between the Yorozuya and the Shinsengumi are some of the best moments in the series, truly shows how important the supporting characters are in the series. The Shinsengumi also consists of their trio so they somewhat resemble the lead trio. Other main charcaters include three of Gintoki's war buddies who fought along side him with one of them coming to become the main villain of the series, one of them becoming a Joi rebel (terrorist but in a funny way) and the last one becoming a space merchant. Now there are other characters but it'll be boring to discuss them all so one can just go ahead and watch the series to know more.

The art and animation delivers when needed and at times can be pretty ordinary. Though considering that Gintama is a long running series, it's actually pretty amazing that it has some of the best animated fight scenes. The art can at times be sloppy with derp faces, however that's pretty rare. The colours for the first 150 episodes are comparatively dull to the later part of the series but still not half bad. The OSTs and Voice acting are legendary. Another one of Gintama's strongest points is the music, with some of the best opening and ending sequences to some legendary voice acting and best composed OSTs, there is nothing to worry about Gintama in this aspect. It won't disappoint.

NEGATIVES:

- Though Gintama has less to no fillers, it may suffer from inconsistency during the first 50-100 episodes. Some episodes are comparatively better than others. Some references might fly above your head because it does contain a lot of parodies of various anime/Japanese drama/Japanese celebs/Western TV shows and movies/other popular trends. You have to be atleast an amateur anime watcher to fully enjoy Gintama but that doesn't means you won't enjoy Gintama if you are not a well-versed anime fan. You'll still enjoy a chunk of other stuff it delivers.

- Animation/Art can at times be sub-par however when it needs to deliver, it more than does.

- Those who start Gintama for comedy sometimes rarely end up disliking the serious arcs because the serious arcs at times contain cliche dialouges. But even though, they do have cliche moments, it sort of has a magical feel in every serious arc which separates it from the rest of generic shounen. The execution and the timing is probably what makes these serious arcs so intense, brutal and glorying. Some people do turn a blind eye on the serious arcs but in my opinion, the serious/dramatic arcs are always full of enjoyment, great themes and lessons, something to remember and a great look at Gintama's plot.

- Those who don't find Japanese humour funny might end up disliking the series for obvious reasons. It'll be a hit and miss series for them. Some of the toilet humour might end up being disgusting rather than funny, however, this has only happened once and that was also in the later stages of this series so no worries here really.

FINAL VERDICT:

Overall Gintama clicked with me and it's one of the best and most enjoyable series you'll ever come across provided that you give it enough time and focus. Being part of this loyal fan-base has been one of my best experiences in anime. I've met all kinds of fans of this series and a chunk of them are great people. The passion the fan-base has for this series is amazing and thus, I'm always glad that I'm part of a community that has equal passion, ambition and love for this series as me. I'll urge those who want to give it a try to go ahead and watch it fully, you'll be more than welcome to be part of our community. Gintama is truly a blast of a series, a rare gem them many people know nothing about.

I just wanted to write this review to show my love for this series, hope that you enjoyed reading it :)

If you have any questions or trouble getting into the series, feel free to chat me. I'll be happy to give advice :)

Absolute shit on a stick. To me. 100 something episodes in (watched over several years because i can only stand so many brain tumors at once) and it hasn't gotten better in such a way i wish to keep watching. Imagine if Naruto filler was all you got out of watching Naruto and that is what watching this feels like. Many of the jokes and humor go a mile over my head, the story is purified shit (although it has outburst' of decency) and i personally don't care for the characters. If you aren't enjoying the series from the beginning don't bother continuing. Watching this ... as an American makes me feel like a Japanese man watching Family Guy or something.

To be honest, I've got a strange sense of humor. I laugh to myself a lot (often alone). Most of the humor I like comes from the alt-comedy community, and is weird, bizarre, silly, nonsensical, or just way too out there for a lot of people. Rather than anime, I usually would find a comedy outlet in the lesser known stand-up of people like Paul F. Tompkins, Todd Glass, Mitch Hedburg, or network TV shows, whether it be sitcoms like 30 Rock, It's Always Sunny, Community, or sketch/variety shows such as Mr. Show, Kids in the Hall, or Comedy Bang! Bang! In the anime I ... had seen thus far, comedy was certainly on the table, but it was never a main dish that could compare. I was then unexpectedly delighted when I finally got around to watching Gintama.

I was completely blown away at how funny it was and how much I was laughing. This is the major selling point of the show. It. Is. HYSTERICAL. Perhaps your stomach is sensitive, and you live in constant fear of your gut busting. Don't watch watch this show. No, forget that, watch it anyway. You'll die with tears in your eyes and a smile on your face.

Yes, Gintama will forever be good for a laugh. While I feel it is unsurpassed in this aspect, it is not constant comedy. I make this point for two reasons:

1) In a way, it has a slow start. I did not immediately think I was watching a comedic masterpiece from the beginning. It was not truly Gintama until about ep. 25 (which is coincidentally when I realized I was watching a comedic masterpiece). What I mean by that is it needed time to become familiar; to feel itself out and establish what it is. The more you watch, the more you become aware of Gintama's style and the running jokes, of which there is an infinite supply!

2) This is probably the biggest complaint the show gets, and the main reason you can breathe between in place of perpetual laughter. This show can be serious. Seriously. Some people say that the solemnity kills the mood, that it should just stick to its usual gags. Gintama is mainly episodic with little connection from episode-to-episode, and it can indeed be fairly serious in some some of its standalone episodes, mixed in with comedy, of course. Personally, while I can sort of see why people are not as into it, I have no problem with it, and even welcome it as a sort of balance. What I understand less is the not liking the arcs Ithat range from 2-8 episodes) that have a more earnest approach. A different tone is set from the start and subsequently, though there are still funny moments, it is done in a bit more mature fashion where the show takes itself a little more seriously for the time being, especially with the arcs set in Yoshiwara. In fact, this is when the show's, for lack of a better word, 'badass-ness' is in full display. I never looked at the drama and emotional bits as a weak point, but instead reveled in it, amazed that something so funny could spin emotion so well. For me, it's a nice change of pace that shows how well-rounded Gintama is.

Having discussed the 'flaws', I'll briefly touch on other criteria, starting with the plot. There isn't any. As I said earlier, Gintama is episodic, each one being distinct and usually unrelated to the next. For the few short arcs that appear, a premise is set up, giving the show its only instances of an existing story. It is a shounen anime, published in JUMP with other great shounen anime, but it is a parody show first (which is often pointed out on screen, often through the nonexistent 4th wall). While the plot and various situations that arise each time are certainly good, they are not what make this show truly shine.

The characters. O MAN, DEM CHARACTERS. The highlight of Gintama and what separates it from any other anime. Put simply, they are fantastic characters. In fact, I loathe to assign them as 'main' and 'minor'. Every one has backstory, depth, flaws, likes, dislikes, quirks, and distinct personality. This extends through a large cast of characters where there may be entire episodes centered around secondary characters, or they may make short, pointlessly funny cameos, giving the series what little semblance of a connection between episodes it has. I will always love the array of characters and the idiosyncrasies they bring to the table, such as a mayonnaise obsession, sadistic/masochistic sides, an annoyance at a nickname, a bad case of hemorrhoids, a love for JUMP, and so many more.

The art is good, though nothing revolutionary. It improves as the series goes on. Its main function is to be diverse for the use of visual gags, and in case you were wondering: yes, it does its job well. The sound is in a similar boat. It is simple, diverse, and showcases the dialogue, changing according to mood, or to help drive home a punch line. As for the OP/ED, I thought it was an amazing soundtrack, though your musical taste may be different. Go figure.

Gintama is nothing short of outstanding and hilarious. Sitting through 262 episodes was one of the most enjoyable experiences with anime I've had. I cannot recommend this show enough. You're bound to enjoy it (just ask the MAL rankings). To end with, I'll leave you with a quote that sums up the show pretty nicely.

"If One Piece teaches you how to pursue your dreams, then Gintama teaches you how to live on even if your dreams have shattered."

Advice #1: If you don't like one-shot stories...get over it.
Advice #2: If you can't do that than at least watch the first 4-5 episodes which introduce the main characters. Then pick different arcs to watch listed at: http://www.yorozuyasoul.com/gintama/arcs
Advice #3: There is a deeper meaning to the crazy stories, for those who like that sort of thing (like I do)


Advice #1: If you don't like one-shot stories...get over it.
There are many who are impatient and need a plot right away (actually I consider myself to be one of those people) however, with Gintama it was different for me.

Gintama is mostly one-shot stories each with individual ... plots. However, when an arc does come up (they are usually between 2-4 episodes) they are touching and interesting with good and very funny fight scenes.

Some of the one-shots introduce different characters (there are hundreds of characters in Gintama; however, some of them appear more than others). It reminds me of Katekyo Hitman Reborn where the first 20 or so episodes merely introduce the main characters and develop the relationships they have with each other.

Advice #2: If you can't get over the one-shots than at least watch the first 4-5 episodes which introduce the main characters. Then you can look up the different arcs which have a story line, touching scenes, and awesome fight scenes.
LIST OF ARCS: http://www.yorozuyasoul.com/gintama/arcs

The actual arcs at first start with something random but quickly develop into action-based scenes with an actual goal.

The first arc is arguably the memory loss arc (episodes 31-32). I thought it was hilarious and yet very touching, as is the Umibozu arc (Episodes 40-43). There are many other arcs that I love that comem later in the show. Another Arc I will mention is the Benizakura arc which was adapted into a movie: (Episodes 58-61). This arc is very action-packed and it is the favorite of many people.

Advice #3: There is a meaning to the show.

It may appear there is no point in the TV show, no greater message, but that is incorrect. In my opinion the show is about letting go of the past and living in the present. It is about protecting those right in front of you, whether they be strangers or very close friends, rather than trying to change the big picture. Don't get me wrong it's important to think that way, but gintama has made me aware of the problems with thinking like that: it leads to casualties and the loss of innocent lives. See? Among the random and frankly extremely strange yet funny comedy there is a message.

In conclusion, Gintama is Awesome! And Gintoki (the main character) is without a doubt one of my favorite anime characters.

I can say that Gintama is the funniest anime i have ever watched. Honestly, i was a bit hesitant to watch it at first. I thought the characters looked weird. Then one day, i found myself with nothing to watch, so i gave it a try. After watching the first ep, i got hooked. Gintama is hilarious, it'll keep you laughing from the beginning of an episode until the end. For those who like animes with a lot of comedy, this is for you.

Story - 9. Although i'm not a big fan of non-continuous plots, this one's an exception. Every episode has it's uniqueness. You ... won't get bored with the different happenings.

Art - 9. The art isn't perfect, but it's good. The characters are well-drawn. Their facial expressions are very detailed. The environment is also well-drawn.

Sound - 8. I don't pay too much attention to the sound, but the op songs and ed songs are pretty good.

Character - 10. A perfect 10 for the characters. Everyone is funny in their own way. Their funny and idiotic statements will keep you laughing.

Overall - 9. Gintama isn't perfect, but it's sure as hell good.