Review of Gintama

So... Gintama... Gintama is based in a setting which is a strange juxtapose in itself - an age when Samurais used to thrive but they have now been invaded by imposing aliens with ultra-modern technology. Following a futile resistance from the Samurais who rose to protect their nation, the aliens emerge victorious and take control of the planet. From the same Samurai uprising, emerges our protagonist, Sakata Gintoki, feared as the legendary rebel "Shiroyasha" (White Demon). So, is this going to be the story of how the war hero tries to cope up with the changing times? Maybe a saga of him and his friends strikingback at the dominating aliens and taking back their home by force?

Well, ahem, let's step back for a moment.

The show's called Gintama, or "silver soul"... but you're just one slip of the tongue away from calling it 'Kintama', meaning "testicles" in Japanese (xD). Yup! It's a landfill of dick jokes and toilet humour, shameless parodies and 4th wall breaks, with a dysfunctional but lovable cast where everyone is unique... uniquely weird.

Sakata Gintoki was a legendary war hero, sure. But at his core, he's a lazy guy who runs an Odd Jobs business, the reason being that it's excruciating to look for an actual job. He'd rather read Weekly Shounen Jump all day while picking his nose than going out looking for clients. He ends up 'hiring' two kids, Shinpachi and Kagura, and gradually the Odd Jobs trio make their way into others' lives, leaving a permanent mark (sometimes a stain even), forming unbreakable bonds.

"I don't care what happens to the country, or to those rebelling against it. But anywhere within the reach of my sword is my country, and I'll protect it no matter what.", is something Gintoki lives by, and thus it's no surprise he has friends from all spheres of society - the special police as well as the terrorist factions, cabaret girls and the government's private ninjas, and from cell inmates to the Shogun himself.

Gintama's way of story-telling is one of a kind - don't be surprised if you find yourself getting emotional over what was supposed to be just a 4th wall break, or be blown away by how they hype up a very tragic story, only to end it with a bad pun. Almost every random gag episode ends with some life lesson along with a deeper understanding and love for the characters, which is exploited later on when the plot gets serious. And once it does get serious, oh boy... let's just say you'll forget about it ever being a comedy.

Gintama is one of the best comedies out there, a classic, the undefeated king of parody. It has one of the finest action sequences in all of anime, and some of the most heart touching stories. It takes important events and folklore from Japanese history, and seamlessly blends them with sci-fi elements and modern ideas. While it’s characters in general are extremely lovable, its strong female cast is perhaps one of the best written ones in not just anime but all of media. Gintama accepts all and roasts all. Above all, it trolls itself and its audience the hardest. If there’s one anime with a perfectly balanced genre, it has to be this. But most of all, Gintama’s theme is more comforting than any other.

While other shounen anime keep shoving it on your face, how cool it is to “become stronger”, “following your dreams”, “being the hero”, Gintama instead extends a calming hand, and says “it’s okay to not act as the hero all the time, it’s okay to just try and live happily.” For me, Gintama has been more than just a masterpiece of a story, it’s almost a way of life to me, and I wouldn’t be lying if I said Gintama made my life a tad bit better.
With amazing ideals, philosophies, action, comedy, parodies, plot, origin stories, and even some great music, follow the story of the one man with a silver soul. You can’t ask for more!