All spoilers in this review are marked
In this review will mainly be focusing on the plot, so many preexisting things like the amazing OST, will sadly be glossed over

Gintama is a comedy.

I don't think this statement is very controversial, and most Gintama fans would agree on this. For its first 300 episodes, Gintama was an amazing comedy with some serious episodes peppered in to keep the show going. For the majority of Gintama, the biggest worry for Odd Jobs Yorozuya is paying rent. Gintama did have some great arcs; season 3 was a shock to many, with it being a jam-packed array of serious arcs. Serious arcs in such quick succession were different to the arcs of the past, that, while incredibly entertaining, had been 4 episodes at most. However, other than that, Gintama is undoubtedly a comedy.

This season is when this changes.

But not immediately, the first arc - the time stop arc- being some of the best comedy I've ever watched, letting the audience know that they can expect the Gintama standard, and perhaps even something better. The third episode is hilarious, developing Yamazaki further, the fourth episode has no development but it's incredibly funny, the fifth and sixth episode are a hilarious arc which gives insight into the backstory of the characters and the seventh is an amazing Hijikata-Gintoki episode

Do you notice the trend?

Every episode is comedy other anime could only dream of; if I had to describe everything we would be here for a very long time but you get the drift. This season keeps the Gintama standard of amazing comedy plus great world-building every episode.

This season is when we say goodbye to that.

260 episodes. 260 episodes of build-up, some direct, some small, but all building up to this, the day when Gintama flips the switch and becomes serious. I was excited when it was announced at the end of episode 299, but I was worried. Gintama's serious arcs were amazing, but everything was leading up to this, if it didn't work well then it would be a waste of such well-done build-up and world-building. Safe to say my doubts were proven wrong, each episode was incredibly entertaining, with enough twists to fill up a bakery. There are so many good things about the switch flip that I'll have to separate them.

OPs In terms of symbolism, these OPs are on the smaller side, maybe making it less enjoyable for the OP enthusiast. However, in terms of hyping the viewer for the episode, they are flawless. The only word I can use to describe what the OPs made me feel is euphoria. For the hype junkie, these OPs are up there with the greats The guitars at the beginning of this OP make me jump with joy This OP starts of relaxed but an alternate version made after the switch turns it pure hype for what's to come Arc 1 Even disclosing the name of this arc is spoilers so gloss over this and arc 2 if you haven't seen the show.

Spoiler, click to view

Now that only the people who have seen this are here, I don't need to explain anything, do I? It's self-explanatory, we both know how good this arc, we both know that episode 305 is an emotional masterpiece, we both know the rest of the arc is packed to the brim with content and we both know that feeling of surprise, despair and bittersweet beauty in the abrupt end to the arc. Most of all, we both know nothing was the same after this. The shogun's death most likely hit all of us very hard, he was known as the mark of quality on an episode. If you saw the shogun in an episode you would smile, and get ready for the hilarious antics that would ensue, which makes it fitting that his death represents the death of the old Gintama...

Arc 2

Spoiler, click to view

The arc starts off incredibly bleak, following the death of the shogun, we have to see the aftermath. Things look hopeless, with the Shinsengumi backed into a corner, and we have no idea who could survive, we now know nobody except the main 3 were no longer off-limits, you really thought Kondo could die. Everything on the island was great and the shock of seeing Shoyo was practically paralysing. The reveal of Isaboro is also surprising, very well foreshadowed as you notice different irregularities within his character. I don't really need to elaborate on this arc, while I prefer the first, the second is the same quality, and arguably better paced!

That said, Gintama isn't for everyone, the comedy is different to almost any other show, and some may not like the amount of comedy, I would highly recommend it, but know that some may not like it

Overall, this is some of the best anime you will ever see, in any show, it wouldn't work, but Gintama pulls off a tone shift which any other series could not pull off. Gintama season 4 starts off as an amazing comedy and ends with an epic, spanning through almost like 40-70 of the established cast in order to tell an amazing story. If you have not watched Gintama, or haven't gotten to this season yet, please change that. After this season, Gintama has cemented itself as my favourite of all time