Again yes. The title is super weird. I totally understand the eyebrows.
The next question you have on your mind will be one of these two things: “what is Gintama?” or “what kind of messages you can pick from Gintama??”
And don’t worry, I agree with you.
Hi, my name is Andin, I worked as a Head of Content at an education startup that you can access their website here. I have a keen interest in analyzing animes that I watched, hence the #AnimesInReflects title and... Gintama.
To give you a context for the first question, I’ll try to summarize Gintama with help from a fellow fan of Gintama, MyAnimelist.net
“During the Edo period, Japan is suddenly invaded by alien creatures known as the “Amanto.” Despite the samurai’s attempts to combat the extraterrestrial menace, the Shogun soon realizes that their efforts are futile and decides to surrender. This marks the beginning of an uneasy agreement between the Shogunate and Amanto, one that results in a countrywide sword ban and the disappearance of the samurai spirit.
However, there exists one eccentric individual who wields a wooden sword and refuses to let his samurai status die. Now that his kind is no longer needed, Gintoki Sakata performs various odd jobs around town in order to make ends meet. Joined by his self-proclaimed disciple human-wearing-glasses Shinpachi Shimura, the fearsome-”geroine” Kagura, and a giant dog named Sadaharu, they run the business known as Yorozuya, often getting caught up in all sorts of crazy and hilarious shenanigans.”
To summarize (and adding some information) that MyAnimelist.net synopsis, Gintama is this :
- It tells a story about what if aliens name “Amanto” invaded Earth, specifically Japan, during the Edo period (roughly at around year 1600s)
- There were several wars from the samurais and governments to fight back the invasion, which failed. Thus, making the government surrender and by an agreement between the Amanto and Government; they put a nationwide ban on swords and eliminating the samurai spirit.
- Our protagonist, Sakata Gintoki, was a samurai that previously joined the war against Amanto, now runs an odd-job company call Yorozuya to make ends meet (including paying rent).
- He is joined by three other characters; Shinpachi, Kagura, and Sadaharu as the quartet go on crazy adventures and hilarious shenanigans around Edo.
Ooh, so was it an anime about adventure then?
Not quite.
I am also confused.
Which brings us to the second question: what kind of messages you can pick from Gintama?
I spent a lot of time thinking about that actually… An anime that usually consisted of one scene per episode of someone :
- picking their nose,
- breaking the 4th wall as if it was a normal thing to do,
- toilet jokes,
- mentioning “poop”,
- trying to murder Hijikata,
- et cetera.
What kind of messages that they want to send us?
(Except maybe, questioning your sense of humor).
However, it came to light when I saw some youtube videos explaining the lore of Gintama as a whole and its protagonist, Sakata Gintoki. The silver-haired, dead-eyes, avid fan of JUMP and constant-breaking-4th-wall samurai is a bit different than any protagonist that I encountered. In JUMP anime or manga, at least.
I would like to give you another context (or refreshing your memory) about Gintoki’s back story. I also might spoil you because I learned the lesson when I learned his true back story.
As I mentioned earlier, Gintoki was a samurai that joined the war of Samurai vs Amanto, or Joi wars. However, long before that, Gintoki was an orphan whose days spent ravaging supplies and food from corpses, usually died of war, all by himself.
Until he met his mentor, Yoshida Shoyo, who took Gintoki under his wing and gave the boy everything that he needed; from shelter to food and drinks, even enrolled Gintoki to his own school called Shoka Shonjuku to educate him and trained him the way of the sword and also helped him to make friends. Moreover, Shoyo also gave Gintoki something that the boy never had; a parental figure.
The days that Gintoki spent in Shoka Shonjuku was fun and lively, the kinda normal child would experience; he socializes with people, argues with his friends, sleeping during classes, had a heart-to-heart talk with Shoyo and even picking a fight with neighboring children.
It changed suddenly when the government came to arrested Shoyo (and I will not disclose the reason why) right in front of Gintoki’s eyes and burned down their school. Shoyo then made Gintoki promise to protect his friends rather than himself. The event was the turning point for Gintoki and his friends to join the Joi war that was currently raging everywhere in Japan, in hopes they would meet, or even rescue Shoyo someday.
The day came. Gintoki met Shoyo again, however, the circumstances are way different.
The government forced Gintoki to make two choices :
- Kill his friends and fellow fighters.
- Kill Shoyo, his own mentor.
As per Shoyo’s request and promise, Gintoki chose the latter; which enraged his friends and eventually, made Gintoki quit fighting in the frontline, with the heavy sense-of-guilt hovering above his head and continue to follow him everywhere he goes.
His backstory didn’t end up there.
Gintoki then was thrown into prison for punching a civilian who wanted to sell his own daughter, he even received a death trial by seppuku ordered by the government. However, something happened and the person who captured Gintoki decided to free him quietly, telling Gintoki to live his life.
Hungry and tired, Gintoki arrived at a cemetery, specifically a tombstone that has Dango as an offering. The tombstone belongs to a husband of a quiet, old woman name Otose. Hungry and cold, Gintoki asked for Otose permission to eat the Dangos. In return, Otose told Gintoki to ask her husband instead. When Gintoki finally at the Dangos, Otose asked Gintoki, what did her husband say when Gintoki asked to eat the offering Dangos?
Gintoki answered that the dead couldn’t talk yet he made a one-way promise; Gintoki promised to Otose’s late husband that he would protect Otose on his stead.
The rest of the story went blur but it can conclude that Otose lent Gintoki a space to live above her bar, where she would comically demand him to pay rent in several episodes. Otose treated Gintoki like a mother would and Gintoki, slowly but surely, began to receive the warmth that he once forgot.
And. The rest was history.
Gintoki built the “Yorozuya Gin-chan”. He was later joined by Shinpachi, Kagura, and their dog, Sadaharu. The four them started as co-workers before slowly yet surely, evolved into a friendship and eventually a family; where they bickered daily yet when the times come, protected, and had each other’s backs. There were times where Gintoki would put his life on the line to protect Shinpachi’s and Kagura’s, there were times where Shinpachi and Kagura yelled at Gintoki to share the burden with them,
as they are a family now.
Aside from Shinpachi and Kagura, most of Gintama episodes and arcs (especially the serious ones) were Gintoki trying very hard to protect people around him. His family, friends, and ideals that he believed in. Sometimes, the ones that he believes he can protect and the ones that he can reach.
Even though he was presented as a grumpy, lazy, perm-haired protagonist, Gintoki spread kindness and willingness to help anyone who needed his help.
One of my favorite story arcs that I would like to use as an example was the Courtesan of the Nation Arc and the Farewell Shinsengumi Arc. In both of the story arcs, Gintoki fought hard and relentlessly to help someone that needed help. In the Courtesan of The Nation, he helped two couples reunited after being separated for years due to politics; while at the Farewell Shinsengumi story arc, Gintoki fought to save his friends that were being detained on a remote island.
Gintoki had a rough upbringing and childhood, yet he never forgets to always help others that needed his help and tried his best for it. The effect of his help was not immediate indeed, yet as the story progresses, you can see how the people that he helped came back for him, to return the favor.
It was not only Gintoki that promotes kindness.
One of my all-time favorite characters was Okita Mitsuba, a sickly, sweet young woman who on her deathbed, is still thinking about her younger brother, telling him that she is really proud of him despite her younger brother went to arrest her husband.
She herself radiates kindness.
Most of Gintama episodes circled around ‘someone helping someone’ be it Gintoki helping his clients, or et cetera. Thus, reminded me that whatever things or awful conditions we faced and how harsh it might be, never forget to help and spread kindness to those around you. The effect might not be immediate, yet it’s not a bad thing to do so.
I always believe that kindness is something that will surely come around. I can confidently say that it always does.
Andin.
