Ranked #149

Gintama (Manga)

Ah, Gintama. One of the best and most complete current manga in Jump. Its premise is intriguing and unique (aliens in historical Japan? Who would have thought it?). It has great characters--ranging from the diabetic lazy samurai Gintoki to the samurai who has a mayo addiction Hijikata to the stalker ninja Sa-chan and so on. All of them blend together well without feeling out of place and flat. No matter where Sorachi puts them in, they always get at least one huge guffaw from me. Its brand of comedy doesn't consist only of repetitive and sometimes obscure references, but it's also a very satirical commentary on Japanese society reflected in feudal Edo. Though Gintama is first and foremost a gag manga, with all chapters merely snippets of the Yorozuya's different interactions with themselves and other people in the Amanto (Gintama's term for aliens)-filled Edo, Sorachi Hideaki manages to slip in a few serious action arcs to show a little semblance of an actual plot. And when he does, he brings his A-game. All serious arcs in Gintama are great, they either keep you on the edge of your seat eagerly anticipating what happens next or reduce you to a bawling little girl with every sudden sad twist. Sorachi Hideaki definitely is a master at balancing hearty laughs with testosterone-laden action and heartwarming drama without it feeling shoehorned in to the story. Gintama is already an awesome manga but it could use an improvement in the art department. Don't get me wrong, I'm no art connossieur, but sometimes the characters look stiff and hastily done but other than that there really is nothing to complain about. Comedy and action rarely mix together well, but in Gintama it does perfectly. With well-written storylines and almost uncanny comedic sense, Sorachi Hideaki's Gintama should not disappoint. GO. READ. IT. NOW. read more