Perhaps it needs no explanation, but although Gintama is, at its heart, an episodic comedy series, this film is best watched after at least watching the first series. As it is an anime where characters are its strongest point, more than basic knowledge is required for full enjoyment of the movie.
The story of the film, like some of the most memorable arcs in the series, starts out with a definite comedy vibe before vaulting into more serious territory. If you’re looking for a legitimate glimpse into the Joui war, then you won’t find it here. There are a few nods to the past here and there, but the main focus is more on Edo after five years without Gintoki. The most pleasantly surprising moment of the film is undoubtedly the seemingly plot-irrelevant, gag-ridden first twenty minutes that manages to tie into the main plot. The only real fault in the story is the antagonist, although in the context of the events (and the fact that it is basically equal parts comedy and action), the shortcomings in motive and backstory can be forgiven. Besides a final battle that can only be described as insanely epic fanservice, what really sold the film for me was the comedy. The humour is as basically everything you’d expect from Gintama: it ranges from toilet humour to parody (although here it generally falls somewhere in the middle of the range). The film manages to segue between comedy and seriousness effortlessly; at one point I was crying because of drama, and the next minute I was crying with laughter. Even if you don’t enjoy the serious arcs of Gintama, there’s plenty to enjoy from a comedy standpoint. A poignant ending, that can only be described as classic Gintama, features some great retconning of the past and caps off the film perfectly.
The most important aspect of Gintama is, of course, the characters, and even with the five year timeskip they don’t disappoint. If you’ve ever wanted to see Hasegawa have an important role in Gintama, then this is the film for you. There’s no real need to go into detail about the characters. After all, if you’ve already committed to the series, you should know what to expect. The changes that the characters have undergone after five years are such that they maintain their most notable quirks while each bringing something new to the table. They’re still the same perverts, sadists and everything else that you've come to love (or maybe become annoyed at, I don’t know), but with a new coat of paint and a slight tune-up.
I had no complaints with the art of animation. I’m not down with all the technical terms and aspects, but both the art and animation are noticeably stepped up from the tv series. The animation flows well and the fights (few that there are) look fantastic. The new character designs all look incredibly solid. The only noticeable flaw was some slightly off-looking facial expressions, though these were few and didn’t detract from the film as a whole. If you think that’s being too forgiving, I could do worse and say something like “Oh, but it’s all good because Gintama’s always had that low budget charm about it”, but… nah. Seriously, if you’ve never had a problem with Gintama’s art style and animation fluidity then there’s no reason to start hating it here.
Not much to say from an audio standpoint. The music used in the film is essentially all from the series, meaning that it enhances the atmosphere, whether it be serious or comedic. It works just as well as it does in the series. The ending theme, Genjou Destruction by SPYAIR, is easily one of the better songs in the series.
When it gets right down to it, if you love Gintama or even just think it’s average, you owe it to yourself to see Be Forever Yorozuya. It will either reaffirm why you gave it so much praise in the first place, or if you fall into the latter category, might just persuade you that it’s worth viewing with fresh eyes. It’s a film that seamlessly marries the best comedy and action that the series has to offer, and I really don’t think it could’ve been pulled off any better.
