Review of Gintama

TLDR: As hilarious as it is heartfelt, Gintama is very much its own thing. I feel like I watched 201 episodes of a fever dream, but it was the best fever dream I've ever had and I want more. Highly recommended for any fan of anime, strong characters, and/or comedy. STORY: Gintama doesn't have an overarching goal like most shonen. Instead, I would argue that it focuses on the healing that comes afterwards. Most of the episodes/stories are standalone but when Gintama decides to drop a serious arc? Hot damn, it's action-packed, dramatic, and emotional. CHARACTERS: Easily the strongest element of the series thus far.Everyone has their own set of personalities that suit them well either in comedy or dramatic situations. Everyone's got a funny side, and a serious side, and seeing both throughout the episodes fleshes them out strongly. After laughing with these idiots for so long, seeing them struggle and face danger really hits different.

ENJOYMENT: I had a BLAST with this show. My roommate can attest to all the laughing I've done (and I will personally attest to all the crying). The show's humor is incredibly zany with every brand of comedy you can imagine. Don't like slapstick? Don't worry, a pun is on the way. Don't understand the satire? Just wait for the next anime reference. Nothing is safe from Gintama, be it Japanese pop culture, America, Santa Claus or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It's got crude jokes, dark humor, crazy antics, at least *something* will constantly make you laugh.

And when the show has its few and far between darker storyline, it gives you what you love about shonen action without the endless power-ups and confusing power scales.

PRESENTATION: The cast complains about their animation budget constantly, but the show manages to make it count, and even when they're trying to save budget, the banter is hilarious. Gintama is the only show where they can show me one (1) shot for five minutes straight and have me cackle endlessly. The openings are.. soft bops. Not super amazing outside of the first and fifth ones for me personally. The soundtrack oozes laziness and crazy energy, perfect for the show.

CONCLUSION: Gintama is a significant time commitment, but if you want investment in a cast that goes through many shenanigans, it's worth a watch. I guarantee it will make you laugh, among other things.