Gintama°

Finally the season has ended and phew, what a journey it was. This season is the first one where I watched it as it aired. I used to be one of those people who were pissed off because Gintama took too many spots on MAL's top anime page but never actually tried to understand why people liked it. I had always been hesitant to start because the premise didn't seem interesting at all but hey, it only took me 2 months to finish all the available episodes back in 2014 because once I started, I just can't stop. That's just how good this seriesis in its entirety. Now to the review of this season! Art: 9/10 Well, Gintama had never been an anime with high budget so please don't expect ufotable's godlike level of animation. For a long-running anime though, I think Gintama has the better animation out there, and especially during the last arc, the animation was pretty top notch. The characters design and the setting has always been distinct (I've always been a fan of their portrayal of 'modern' Edo) and I always thought that Gintama has good art anyway so in this season it still deserves a high score. Sound: 10/10 This is one of my personal favourite aspects of Gintama. I like how they could make a recurring theme to give off different feelings according to the scene they're accompanying. The new OSTs for this season are very good too, especially for the last two arcs (there is one theme song for a new character that I really like in this season, it gives me literal chill everytime I hear it haha). Story: 10/10 This season started with a very controversial comedic episode which reminded us that Gintama won't ever be afraid to make jokes on pretty much everything. The episodes which followed are great too (the lottery one is still my fav though) and the comedic arcs in this season are among my favorites (soul switch arc, dekoboko arc, afro arc, feigned illness arc, confessional arc...). They are very well written and always left us with an afterthought in a classic Gintama way. The serious arcs, particularly the last two, are among the best in the entire series. The strength of the serious arcs in Gintama is that the pacing of the story is quite fast that our hype was always being kept at high. Also, as an anime-only watcher, a lot of the twist really caught me off-guard, and all I can say is despite some of the twists being typical shounen tropes, the way Gintama handled them are very tasteful. I guess it's because Gintama isn't your typical shounen with teenagers as MCs, which bring us to its endearing characters. Characters : 10/10 The characters are the reason why I finished all the previous seasons in only two months. If you asked me when I started to love a particular character I would never be able to answer that; they were all slowly creeping on me. Gintama's character are well-rounded. Nobody is perfect; in fact some of the characters are really gross that it may seemed impossible to love them at first, but given the time, they are all endearing in their own ways. I mean, I can sympathize with a gorilla stalker that sometimes walk around naked and a gross homeless old man who seemed to have no ambition in life. My other favourites includes the clumsy leader of a rebellious faction nicknamed "nobleman of fury" who keeps an alien (duck?) as a pet, an inhumanely strong little girl with a weird accent who always eats like there's no tomorrow, and a police officer who should have been arrested for exposing everyone with secondhand smoke and for ruining all the good foods in this world with his disgusting mayonnaise addiction. The new characters this season are also memorable, but what hits me the most is the development of all the supporting characters. We've known them for 250+ episodes and we're very much already knew their personality traits. However, Sorachi gradually exposed bits by bits of those characters so what I feel that watching Gintama is not about the characters growing, but me knowing them better. I don't know if this makes sense or not, but watching Gintama feels like knowing your friends better in life instead of rooting for a celebrity you've only seen on TVs. So when they're hurt or something bad happened to them, the feels hit me as if something happened to someone I hold dear (okay this is getting out of hand because my inner otaku coming out but whatever). So yeah, the supporting characters in Gintama are too good that they can probably lead their own series. That being said, the MC is by no means being overshadowed by them. Gintoki is deservedly the leader of the bunch, and this season just cemented the fact. There are many instances where Gintoki shines as the best shounen MC I've ever seen, both because his persona and how he deals with his relationship with other characters. He handled all the cliche shounen tropes in a surprising manner that keeps me rooting for him (there's one moment in this season when it's shown that he's really emotionally strong and mature and that was something I rarely saw in shounen jump's heroes). Gintoki though, has always been a contradiction; he had always been annoyingly talkative but actually he rarely said anything important, he always seemed greedy but when we think about it, he is actually very selfless. In this season, I feel that Gintoki had opened up and showing his true self more (he's talking about his past more, and he's also openly expressing his wishes). All in all, his relationship with all the characters, especially with his Yorozuya family and the Shinsengumi, is the highlight for me in this season. Enjoyment: 10/10 Hell yeah the fast pacing keeps the enjoyment and the hype real and high. If you still don't get it from my ramblings above I really enjoy this season. Wednesday had been the day I waited the most for these past year (even more than the weekends!) Oh, and the seiyuus is another highlight (especially Sugita and Nakai!) because without them masterfully voicing these weird characters, it won't feel the same. I believe I will listen if Gintama was made into radio series, their voices are already the heart of Gintama. Overall: 10/10 Watching Gintama actually makes me very picky in watching other anime. It has a complete package that is hard to beat; I bet you it's not easy to make a series where you can laugh a little in between tears because they decided to put a slight comedy in an otherwise very emotional scene. Or makes you laugh like a madman because sometimes it's too funny that you need to stop watching to collect yourself first. And this season just has that perfect mix of comedy and action (and drama too) that I cemented it as one of the best series ever made.

When it comes to sequels, It is often unclear whether it will live up to the quality of its previous installments, and in the case of the fourth season of Gintama fans can be assured: it maintains its defining traits. There continues to be a great variety in the comedy offered, as well as its share of arguably one of the best consequent "serious" arcs in the entire series so far, expanding greatly upon the setting itself, as well as its cast of characters. However, it must be mentioned that it comes with a slight controversy amongst the fans, the main concern being the inevitableconclusion the series is heading to, and with that, loosing in the process some of its main charm, the comedy, which mainly affects the last third of the season. Regardless of said matter, Gintama delivers in all of its main aspects in a very satisfying manner, where viewers can observe the culmination of the author's experience in the different aspects the anime has to offer. ~Story~ The story of the show follows a similar structure to its previous seasons, following the daily, both chaotic and amusing, lives of the beloved trio of the Yorozuya: Kagura, Shimura Shinpachi and of course Sakata Gintoki. The series is known for its great variety in comedy incorporating different genres from both the East and West, in addition to providing great referential comedy to the variety of different anime to its advantage - Kuroko no Basuke or Saint Seiya anyone? These are often well executed, albeit being in some cases too repetitive. Naturally, it is not all referential comedy: it has its share of situational comedy, or just simple daily issues taken into a comedic stance: hiding pornmags, or even a marriage encounter. In various instances it also provides some social critique; what is more, this time around it is more universally centered, making it much more accessible to audiences unaware of japanese culture. Examples such as paranoia over a lottery ticket, greedy shopkeepers, corruption amongst civil employers, you name it. Naturally it has its share comedic sketches mainly catered to the japanese viewers, which are arguably hilarious as well. Not to mention the premise of some of the mini arcs presented: the hilarious gender bender arc and of course, the beloved Shogun gags - which once again are arguably of the best sketches of the entire series. However, this time around it is impossible not to mention the story oriented arcs in the season: these are a magnificent portrayal of the author's acquired experience over the years, expanding upon the Amanto and the mysterious Tendoshu that rule over Edo. Its "serious" arcs were often criticized for being a bit random and too over the top, yet this time this is not the case. Furthermore, the foreshadowing that was done in the previous seasons become very apparent and explained, in addition to providing a very satisfying flow of events: fast-paced when required, yet balanced and thoughtful when necessary to emphasize on the atmosphere and gravity of the various situations. It ultimately works itself towards a great finale - or rather, another buildup, but to this later - with fantastic action across the board, with a minimal amount of "asspulls" action shōnen are well-known for. The battles are tense, the stakes are high, and it is in fact brutal as it can be: people die left and right, betrayal and disbelief are just some attributes that could be associated to it. ~Characters~ The cast of characters in Gintama remain largely unchanged, with some exceptions, yet this was to be expected, as the series is building itself towards its inevitable finale. Instead, the anime expands on its characters by developing them, as well as further fleshing them out in a satisfying manner. Audiences are presented with the expansion upon Gintoki's past, and with that, his other comrades as well as his master - a wonderful and satisfying display to the character's personality, and of course the story as well. Not only that, it becomes apparent that all the story oriented arcs are in fact used as means to develop and flesh out various characters which initially remained clouded in mystery from the previous seasons: be it Sasaki Isaburou, the founding of the Shinsengumi and its integrants, or even the shogun himself. Naturally, for the more comedic episodes audiences are presented with the homeless Hasegawa Taizou, a great representation of society itself, meaning the hardships or the apathetic attitude towards life. He is arguably one of the greatest characters in the series, alongside the noble and resourceful Katsura Kotarou. Besides his outdated sense of humour and his fantastic personality, It is truly curious to see his evolution as a character throughout the series from being a radical terrorist to a more pacificist person in the quest to change Edo without causing unnecessary deaths. There is a downside to its cast though: for example, Shimura Tae remains pretty much the same throughout the entire series as a forceful woman, who can instantly change to a damsel in distress whenever the plot required it; in addition, the gags surrounding her persona remained the same, and ultimately got annoying. As for the character interactions and relations, these are often very well handled because of the nature of the anime and the characters themselves that has been developed throughout its duration. This is however not always the case, as in some instances these were rather abruptly presented to the viewer, which in turn caused the whole scenario to feel unnatural. Some of the characters actions occasionally conflict with their own ideals and personality as well, but as a whole, it could be said that it was satisfying. Now there are some issues to be held with the background of some of the characters: these follow the same formulaic approach which is usual in the series, which naturally may be bothersome for audiences. In some instances it could be said that the motives were either too predictable or convenient for story progression. ~Animation and sound~ The animation in Gintama was surprisingly consistent and well done considering the fact that it aired for a whole year. However, where it excelled was in its action scenes: the fights were incredibly dynamic and fast paced, accurate as well as fluid and detailed, never leaving any viewer bored throughout its entire duration. This however has a cost to it, the backgrounds suffering in various instances from poor quality character models, and the occasional still image that are displayed throughout the series. As for the art style itself, nothing new, it remains with the same standard as the previous seasons; character models are very simple as well, yet varied enough to easily distinguish its cast. What however stands out is the selection of soundtrack for the different scenes and atmospheres the anime was trying to portray: the usual tunes for the more relaxed and comedic moments, whereas for the serious moments the studio pulled out a great variety of soundtracks that matched wonderfully with the setting. Metal songs, rock songs, gloomy sounds or the usage of percussion instruments which serve to inspire suspense and tension from the viewer, further enhancing the whole experience the show has to offer. Naturally, the voice actors are of great importance as well, which retained their previous ones: Sugita Tomozaku as Gintoki, god-like voice of Wakamoto Norio or Tachiki Fumihiko as Hasegawa which greatly enhanced the characters personality, and with that, the comedy as well. ~Enjoyment~ The fourth season of Gintama was overall a fantastic experience which I personally doubted to be able to surpass that of its previous seasons, yet was pleasantly surprised. It managed to maintain its variety in jokes, the references and such, as well as displaying the one of the greatest subsequent story driven arcs with great characterization contained within. This was all accompanied with a great usage of the soundtrack as well as the fantastic action scenes. It must be said that it did not reach the final conclusion, as the manga is still ongoing, and there were some chapters from the manga left out: this mainly affected the comedy parts. This does not mean Gintama has no flaws: it does, and quite some in fact. There are some episodes that either were too repetitive on its theme to the point of being annoying, as well as the infamous episode where they literally turned into shit. This was rather distasteful and off-putting for obvious reasons. Another problem that arises with the "serious" arcs are the integration of some of its characters: these are either at times useless/helpless for such situations, yet miraculously survive; or they're included just for the sake of it. Other issue that fans may have with the series is the fact that due to its inevitable conclusion, the anime has gone past the point of no turning back. This in turn meant that the last third of the series had hardly any comedy in it, which may be an issue for some, as the comedy aspect is one of the main charms of Gintama. All in all, despite the above mentioned problems, I still loved the series as a whole and consider it to be the best comedy anime I have watched so far; I have blurted out in laughter a great amount of times, which is the whole point of comedy. It is very rare to find a series that can maintain this type of quality for over 300 episodes. For anyone who hasn't tried out the this sequel yet, I can highly recommend in checking it out, as it provides both great comedy and expansion upon the setting. Thank you for reading.

Gintama is a hot mess. OH PLEASE Avoid this anime at all cost! I can't even fathom why people like this so much. Plot: Was too complicated. I expected Gintoki and the gang to go on adventures/ arcs and save helpless people who didn't have the power to save themselves. I was waiting for the moment when Gintoki beats the final boss of the arc in fact the main villain never showed up! Instead I got unexpected twist, turns and heartbreak. At one point I had to snatch my sisters weave to slap my computer screen!!!! Why Sorachi?!! WHY!!! Characters: Too unusual and weird. Antagonists such as like Shinsukeand Isaburo were just completely wrong in their directions; they were not planning to destroy the world or to take over the country... Personally, I would have liked these motives instead. They had far deeper motives, reasoning and planning which is quite bothersome because I have to think and go back MANY chapters or episodes to fully understand and to think about it! Female characters and weaker male characters like Shinpachi / Kagura were far too independent... I thought that a stronger character like Sogo needed to help save them but I guess Sorachi got lazy. My far biggest complaint was Gin.. this sad excuse of a main character needs to stop sleeping and go train to unlock his hidden powers. I hated his backstory and I wished that they would just skipped to the senseless boss battle, friendship speeches and the one-hit-KO's. Sorachi was too focused on developing his characters and that is a MAJOR flaw. There needed to have more stupid gags or unnecessary fanservice next season. Whatever. Sound/ Opening and Ending: It was great! Both endings and openings were tolerable. Thats the only parts that are good.. to be frank. Overall: Skip this overrated anime. This was far too much for me: character development was oversaturated and the plot was unexpected and shifted to many extremes. I suggest watching Fairy Tail or Bleach because of the familiar plot and characters. You wouldn't even tell a difference between episode 10 and 200 for these anime.. trust me. If Gintama was a boy not even Michael Jackson would have wanted his ass. 10/10

NOTE: Due to the nature of this sequel it is inevitable that there will be spoilers for those who haven't seen it though i have tried my level best to keep them to a minimum. I urge you to watch all the prequels before beginning Gintama (2015). I began Gintama about 3 months back, wondering what it was that captured the hearts of so many people, after all its sequels dominated MAL's top 10 and it had spawned countless memes on the internet. It didn't really pique my interest in terms of its storyline or animation at the beginning but i decided to keep watching becauseof its absolutely gold comedy. By the first serious arc in gintama (Benizakura hen) i was absolutely hooked. Slowly but surely i began to realize the gem that was gintama. Now with Gintama (2015) gintama has reached heights that i couldn't even imagine and has broken FMA Brotherhood's monopoly at the top of MAL's rankings and has rightfully taken its position as the best anime of the modern era, perhaps even of all time. Story: Gintama is a very episodic anime generally and has no coherent plotline, at least that is how it seems initially, but over the course of the 300 episodes that gintama has lasted we have seen that there is indeed a very deep backstory to Gintoki and many of the other characters. These backstories intertwine with the serious arcs of the anime and present a brilliant combination. The arcs are not very long (the longest arc is 9 episodes that is the Farewell Shinsengumi arc) and this means that there is alot of action and drama packed into these episodes. The arcs aren't many but when the do arrive in the series you know you are in for a treat. This brings me to the star attraction of Gintama (2015) the Shogun assassination arc and the Farewell Shinsengumi arc. To say they are some of the best arcs anime has ever seen would probably be an understatement. The drama and action packed into these 17 episodes is unrivalled. What really makes the storyline of this anime amazing is that despite the fact that it parodies many famous anime for eg Naruto, Bleach etc it never falls to their low level and in fact manages to avoid all their pitfalls. This anime will make you laugh until your sides hurt and at points make you cry a river. This contrast is indeed what makes this such an exemplary anime. Art: I will not mince words here and come right out and say that the art is fucking awesome. The fights are so well animated you wouldn't believe that they belong to an anime that about 6 years ago was struggling with budget issues and was forced to air in a 4:3 aspect ratio. The art looks like something out of a movie and helps set up the atmosphere wonderfully well. The movements are very fluid and the BGs are very well drawn. Later when the anime takes a dark turn the change in the atmosphere is well conveyed through the darker tone of animation. Sound: Sound has always been a strong suit of Gintama and has one of the best ensemble of VAs today. perhaps the biggest difference between it and other anime is that in gintama the seiyuus enjoy their job and portray their characters from their heart. The OSTs are still quite good despite some being reused for a long time. As far as the OPs and EDs are concerned, absolute eargasms. Two of my all time personal favorite OPs belong to Gintama (2015). Every band involved has done a phenomenal job especially 'Blue Encount' and 'Chico with honeyworks' for their 'DAYXDAY' and 'Pride Kakumei' respectively. It would have been awesome to see 'Spyair" return for another song but oh well. Character: Even though Gintama has a very large number of characters it never makes the viewer feel as any of them is being ignored. All our favorite characters return this season as well and are better than ever. Gintoki is particular receives phenomenal amount of character development this season and becomes as even more endearing character than before (crazy right?). Charcaters like Sacchan and Zenzo play more pivotal roles along with the Shinsengumi's characters like Hijikata, Sougo and Kondo. Many of the characters with which gintoki interacted appear and a special mention must be made of Takasugi in this regard as even he receives a lot of development over the course of Gintama (2015) Enjoyment: I don't think this part needs any lengthy explananations as you may very well have judged that i consider gintama to very well be the holy grail of anime. In the end i would like to say that 'Gintama' is an experience every anime fan must have regardless of preferences. If it was not evident by its rankings this anime is an absolute masterpiece n every sense of the word. This season is particular is a new high for the anime. In the end i would like to say that i am glad that i found this anime and gave it a chance for i am unlikely to encounter an amazing anime like this again. Here is to another 100 episodes of Gintama! (Thank you for reading this long review and any feedback is greatly appreciated)

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