For the people who can meet this test and enjoy the crazy humor of this show, they will love it and be rewarded with some of the most hilarious and heartwarming moments in all of anime.
Story:
At first, there really is no story in this anime. The three members of the Odd Jobs, Gintoki, Kagura, and Shinpachi, go around for work, and encounter different people and have fun along the way (and save their city more than a few times). There are serious arcs and joke arcs, and of course everything is canon, but there is no flowing story throughout in this season.
This looseness in the story structure is what gives way for insane, hilarious stories and situations for our characters to go through though, and this is what makes Gintama what it is. For me, this lack of serious moments and only jokes got a little stale at times when it didn't hit. So, I'd take a short break, but I'd always find myself soon missing the show.
Art:
The animation is really good for its time and always makes the insane situations we find the characters in even better. The fights are always animated well, so I don't have much to complain about here. I do wish the show was in 16:9 HD, but sadly that isn't the case as Gintama was one of the last anime to adapt to the format.
Sound:
From the classic OST to the hard-hitting OPs and EDs, Gintama definitely shines in the music department. The show is long, but the songs are always preserved for the best moments and not overused, so its always impactful when they start playing.
Characters:
Essentially the best part of Gintama. Each character is memorable, hilarious, or intriguing in some way. Even the joke-explainer Shinpachi is lovable to me. Gin and Kagura have a super interesting backstory that is slowly revealed as the show moves forward. These characters are developed over the 201 episodes, and even minor characters get serious arcs or episodes once in a while too. We see what motivates characters like Gin or Hijikata, and come to love them for more than just comedy.
Enjoyment:
Gintama is one of the few anime I have caught myself laughing out loud watching. For a western audience, and a younger and less experienced viewer myself, some of the jokes and references in this anime don't hit as well. Don't get me wrong, if you like this type of crazy situational humor, you will like this anime. There are times where the jokes and serious parts mix and you don't know whether to laugh or cry, and its amazing.
It might be surprising, but this anime did it take me a while to finish. One and a half years, actually. I took week long breaks from it at times, sometimes to watch other anime and sometimes not.
Still, it was always a constant in my life. A friend I could go back to and laugh with. I think anyone who gets into this anime will agree with that.
Verdict: 9/10. Can't wait to watch the rest.
