Review of Gintama

With Gintama being one of the highest rated anime, I went in interested but skeptical. It's easy to say, I was completely blown away. Admittedly the first 100 episodes, especially so with the first 50, the show is spotty. Despite that, I didn't feel like I was wasting my time. Repeatedly, episode after episode had me dying of laughter. Then, we get the serious arcs. When this show decides to, it has some of the funniest and best moments in terms of emotion and drive. The first taste we get of this is when Kagura's father shows up, and then later in the Benizakura arc. TheKyuubei arc was incredibly funny as well, and fleshed out Tae really well. Then finally we get the Mitsuba arc, which is still one of my favorite yet shortest arcs in the entire show. Despite these being the "serious" arcs of the first 100, there's plenty of other amazing and funny episodes littered throughout.

The second half of this is incredible, and increasingly consistent as time goes on. The Shinsegumi Crisis, and the later Yoshiwara arc, which is my favorite so far. The 150's start really strong, but it admittedly dies down, until immediately picking up after 176. This arc focuses really heavily on Gin and Tsukyo, and the consistency of this arc seemingly carries throughout the rest of the first 200.

Once you finally finish these 200 episodes, you'll probably have a very similar enjoyment of the characters, as well as the story. Gin is one of the best written characters I've ever seen. Down to earth, yet charismatic and caring. Those dead fish eyes that could give you the staredown of the century. Kagura, who is probably my favorite female in anime. Shinpachi is, well, Shinpachi. Despite the main three being really strong, the rest of the cast is absolutely incredible, and all add their own unique personalities.