Gintama is always a constant inclusion in comedy anime recommendations. And it has retained its position for decades. No amount of recent funny anime can replace it, and it’s place has been solidified in history as one of the most beloved anime of all time.
But why is it that comedy lovers swear by Gintama? Sure, it’s funny but so is plenty of other series. What does Gintama have to offer that no one else does?
Gintama has mastered the art of lawlessness
The world of Gintama is a complete whack. The series can’t even decide if it wants to be historical or futuristic. Its very premise promises that one can’t expect the series to be logical, and it stays true to its fundamental rule for hundreds of episodes.
None of the progression in Gintama makes sense, and if one expects it to deliver something, it delivers the complete opposite. If Gintoki is giving a heartfelt speech in one scene, the very next scene would be so unhinged that it somehow undoes the previous one. But absolutely no one is complaining.
Gintama is supposed to be a Shonen anime/manga, but it is a jumble of all kinds of genres. It is truly the jack of all trades. Even its action sequences are funny! It can turn even the most serious moments into comedy, as proved by episode 231, in which the focus is a funeral, yet it is one of the funniest episodes in existence.
The anime makes an art out of lawlessness. Even though completely unexpected events keep happening one after another, viewers can’t help but be invested in it. In fact, the anime has an episodic nature, and viewers can pick up absolutely any episode and still feel like they have missed nothing at all.
Gintama forms an unexplainable connection with its viewers
Gintama has a huge cast; it has more than 20 major characters, and way more of them who are recurring. Of course, there are also plenty of others who have appeared just for one or more episodes. Yet, fans can feel connected to this vast number of characters. Somehow, it feels like the characters are a huge group of friends who might not always be present but are too real to be forgotten.
At times, Gintama mirrors the journey of life. Just like how life has moments of sadness, humor, rambunctious laughter, or subdued days, the journey is Gintama is similar. None of the characters act according to conventions. The hero himself is a jobless guy who would do anything for some money. He cares for some people or things, but at the same time, he does not give a damn about anything. It really depends on his mood, and what else could be more relatable than that?
The story uses real history and notable Japanese figures but also messes them up for good. It exposes their dark sides without maintaining their pristine reputation, which makes it all the more relatable and funny. Behind its hilarious storytelling lies an anime that simply wants to connect with its audience. (Either that or the creator was on some next-level narcotic; no one really knows.)
Gintama anime is available to watch on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
