Not going to lie, I actually would have been the meme, “miner guy searching for gem but gave up half way” for this anime. It was so hard to get into it the first dozen of episodes especially when they used a lot of local issues as jokes which flew right above my head. But my patience was rewarded, as i started clicking with this show during the hotpot episode where they were fighting for the crab and using the sengoku period as reference. The “no, u” outsmarting manoeuvres in this episode was epic and satisfying for my gen-Z, dopamine addicted brain. since it is THE episode that made me discover the whole other amazing gintama world in the later episodes, i would have to say it’s one of the most memorable episode I've watched. More to come.

Before getting into Gintama, i already got into Katekyo Hitman Reborn, another show which was also infamous for its slow early phase. I questioned myself how i could watch a show that took like 40-60 eps to take off but now watching Gintama i was picking up and dropping for a few times. I must be insane at the time. To be fair, Gintama world building at first seemed like it was one-off for each episode while KHR had more purpose as Tsuna was going to be the next head Mafia and there were lots of question marks i was hoping to be answered. The same could be said with One Piece.

I found out about Gintama back in 2020-21 where majority of it’s episodes were already aired, so i think it was still a blessing for me and other new watchers to share the feeling of the older Gintama audiences, waiting for the Final movie. I wrote this before but I’m merely rewriting and reliving that particular phase of my life ever since the original site i watched this anime got taken down so, why not?

Most would've thought the anime’s shonen side was taking off during the Benizakura arc but for me, the anime started to really takeoff was during the Shinsengumi arc. I really appreciate a very well written villain.

I remember the first time i cried like a baby when Shigeshige was assasinated and then Kondo was next? Like, what in the actual fuck. I was sobbing. For a side character with minimal screen-time, he holds the best laughing to screen-time ratio not just for me but of all time. Having him like “dead-dead”, like real dead was rough.

One of the few animes that nailed live action too! Holy cow the cast was perfect with Shun Oguri as Gintoki. Some references from the GOAT Hayao Miyazaki was such a recognition this anime has garnered.

Im sure a lot of viewers share this notion where, “when we started, we search for the fame, the glory, the ending, but when we reach that point, we appreciate the daily random life the characters were having. Hell we even feel like it’s never going to be enough and that’s what Gintama is to me.

Rewatched it twice. Might go for the 3rd one soon! (After marriage, so pray for me!)