Review of Gintama

I have never written a review online in my entire life - but I just have so much to say about Gintama. While the set up to this show is slow, the first 50 episodes took me over a month, it's worth it. I remember being 13 episodes in and texting a friend saying, I don't know what Gintama is doing and I don't care I love it. I like fast-paced shows so it was hard for me to sit through the comedy at first, just because there is so much of it in between each serious arc but the comedy helps build the charactersand the world like nothing I've ever seen. Quickly I grew to love the comedy as much as I loved the action. Gintama is fully aware that it has no overarching plot during these 201 episodes and it weirdly enough takes pride in that, and I loved every second of it. I hate splice of life and yet I can watch Yoyrouza sit around for an episode talking about their dinner or watch Kagura splash around with her umbrella that Gintoki bought her all day and feel content. I never planned on loving this show as much as I do now. Gintama has become without a doubt in my mind my favorite anime of all time. You can't see the underlying brilliance at first, but every episode, every character, every witty retort has so much purpose. There are so many times I was like ha that was a fun "filler" episode, and then something from that would come back around and be important to the survival of the world 100 episodes later. The comedy is outstanding I never laugh out loud but Gintama would have me up at 4 am with a pillow shoved in my mouth so my laughs wouldn't wake up my roommate. Gintama also has made me cry - the fights, the backstories, the deaths - and even some of the short story episodes - all have so much feeling put into them. Gintama can do in 4 episodes what it takes most shows to do in a whole season with storytelling and plot. I really can't say enough to do this show justice. The characters are all pieces of shit, but they're my pieces of shit. I love these characters with my whole heart. The comedy makes them somehow more real to me and the serious stuff makes them so much deeper. My favorite character might just have to be Kagura shes the worst, I love her. Sakata Gintoki is the main character we didn't deserve but got anyway. He's a lazy asshole. But he's also been through so much and has felt so much pain. His backstory is revealed slowly, by the end of these first 201 episodes you still barely know what he has been through and why he is the way he is.

Basically, all I'm trying to say is, this show is fantastic and I implore you to watch this show. I really really think it's fantastic in every way. There are slow parts and some jokes that just don't fly. Regardless I think this show deserves so much hype. Watch it.