DOES NOT CONTAIN MAJOR SPOILERS It all started on my 6th grade, at that time I was casually changing TV channels when I happen to stumble upon this masterpiece, that is Gintama. I kept watching it and got hooked on it. Personally I just came to watch it for the laughs since I thought it was solely a comedy show, but as I got deeper in to the story I realized that it is more than just a comedy. It easily became my favorite anime. I believe that Gintama’s strength lies on these five aspects: world building, characters, additional efforts given by the staff, build up and the heartfelt storytelling
But before that let’s start with the cons of this anime (you have probably seen this in many threads but I just want to point it out for the sake of fairness) - too much Japanese References, plus comedy is really subjective so that's why… - It would be a better experience for you to watch other anime before watching this in order for you to get the reference of the parodies. - Some people say it really has a slow start, the serious stuff also happen a bit later (but personally I really enjoyed the first few episodes) - 300+ episodes (tbh I want more but all good things must come to an end right?) - initially aired in 2006 so animation is kind of old school but the big fights are really well animated so I think this is not that big of an issue World Building Amanto (Alien) Invasion. The wildcard that gave the author the freedom to do almost anything. From talking cats to talking snots this anime just screams randomness but in a good way. I mean just look at Elizabeth and try to guess what his backstory was. It gave the necessary foundation for the jokes, parodies and fourth wall breaking to be delivered effectively and naturally. Characters
“I can't do anything alone. Everyone here has their flaws and imperfections. But that's what drives us to work together to make up for those flaws. Together, we make the perfect main character.”- Gintoki Sakata One of the thing that I really loved about Gintama is the set of likeable characters. Each are given the proper spotlight/arc and character development. Hell even Santa Claus himself has character development in this anime. There is no perfect character, for each character have their own flaws and insecurities and that’s what makes them relatable. From the main protagonist Gintoki Sakata, being a lazy, diabetic, pachinko addict, each and every character is insanely good and seeing them interact and banter with each other is comedy gold. But what is really great is that underneath these comedic personalities, lies the depths of where the characters are coming from, from the old to the newly added main cast each and every character is fleshed out to their best. Additional Effort I just want to give kudos to the staff, voice actors and Sorachi himself for being able to create this wonderful masterpiece. Challenged by the numerous complaints from the PTA, low ratings and being on the verge of being cancelled it is truly amazing how this anime, despite all of that was able to keep getting better and better. The voice acting is also superb just hearing the heartfelt screams and simping of Shinpachi and Sacchan’s VA is already music to my ears. To think that the voice actors and editors are also getting made fun off of their own show is really amazing. Another thing are the additional works added by the staff, for them to even make a troll opening and additional segments here and there is already commendable, like they really don’t need to do it but they JUST DO IT!! The good old Teach Me Ginpachi Sensei with the random and dry humor at the end of the episodes just makes it even better. The OST for each different character is also very good and distinct like the Prince Hata OST just comes up or the eerie Katsura OST just comes up and you know something stupid is about to happen. The OST used for each serious arcs are also memorable and emotionally well written. You can literally see the love and hard work that the staff put into it. Build up Yes Gintama is a great comedy anime but as I said earlier it is much much more than that. One of the common underlying theme of Gintama is the familial bond not dictated by blood. It can be seen on the bonds between Yorozuya, Shinsengumi and many other characters in the series. The serious arcs in this anime is truly great but what makes it special is the payoff to what comes before. The silly bantering and interactions through comedy stuff makes it easier for the viewers to relate with these characters. As many viewers have said "Gintama knows how to make you laugh your ass off but when it gets serious it never fails to deliver." Heartfelt Storytelling Now to the one thing that really captured my heart which is the storytelling. I remember back then when I saw this on the TV the first episode I have been able to watch is the sixth episode of Gintama. At that time, I was really amazed by how in a span of one episode they were able to create a heartfelt and satisfying simple story about a father-daughter relationship. I think that is one of the good things about Gintama, like how it can cover up a whole arc in just a span of 3- 6 episodes so well and it does not take too much away from the manga. Yes, for all of you curious folks out there the manga is also good especially for the later serious arcs. The anime was somehow able to bring out the goodness of the manga by adding more impact into it by closing it with a final movie that it truly deserved. Despite the overarching genres, extreme jokes and parodies it is somehow able to bring out valuable life lessons at the very end. The Kagura-centered stories are really one of the wholesome episodes out there, with the story of her acting like a normal teenage girl in contrast to her Yato Blood, the story of the great Madao and his battle with life itself. It all comes back to the main theme of this anime which is the struggle between our own weaknesses and how we must fight not others but ourselves in order to change it. It is the small stories within these greater stories and the deeper messages that it brings that makes Gintama more lovable and special.

PS: This is really my first time writing a review, A bit sorry if this became too much of an appreciation post than a review. I just want to try new things out. My rating is high because I based it off of the enjoyment I experienced while watching this. Please don’t let the ugliness of this review blind you from the beauty of this anime. I will do better next time! Thanks for reading!! Here's a lucky inugami for y'all.

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