Gintama

Episode 311

Gintama felt more like Gintama again this week. Following the Shogun Assassination Arc's litany of shocking revelations and heartbreaking conclusion, humor almost seemed like an afterthought. While the past couple installments upped the funny factor, they didn't offer nearly as many laughs as episode 311. The stakes are still incredibly high, and the characters are still in mortal peril, but this week's abundance of comedic interludes and humorous character interactions illustrate that Gintama can never stay serious for too long.

Intent on springing their leaders from prison, the newly-allied Shinsengumi and Joi rebels set sail for Kokujo Island with Kozenigata and Haji in tow. However, it isn't long before the Naraku catch wind of the group's plan, board their ship, and set another bloody battle into motion. Before these master assassins can gain the upper hand, the Odd Jobs crew and Otae arrive via rowboat and proceed to go nuts. Though very fast-paced, the ensuing battle is fluidly animated and showcases nearly every main character pulling out all the stops. (Maybe not Yamazaki.) Of course, the highlight of this sequence is Gintoki and Hijikata fighting side-by-side. When Hijikata points out that Gintoki and his friends are now enemies of the state and can no longer return to Japan, the silver-haired samurai claims that the only home he wishes to return to is one where his crew and the Shinsengumi can live in peace. Although Gintoki and Toshiro have occasionally set aside their differences in the past, this is probably the most genuinely heartfelt moment they've ever shared.

The fight choreography is incredible this week. Sogo providing Yamazaki with assistance by kicking the latter's opponent into his blade was particularly cool. Even idol-obsessed perpetual tsukkomi Shinpachi is able to valiantly hold his own against a group of master assassins, and Gintoki and Hijikata nail their moment in the spotlight with an unplanned combo attack.

Meanwhile, Sasaki, Nobume, and a battalion of Mimawarigumi officers are also en route to Kokujo Island via airship. Before dismissing his men, Sasaki orders them to locate and kill the escapees and their accomplices. Once she's left alone with her boss, the ever-perceptive Nobume attempts to piece together his master plan. As she tells it, Sasaki brought Nobunobu to the cabaret club to publicly expose what a sociopathic creep he is and intentionally put Katsura in the same prison as Kondo and Matsudaira, fully aware that their respective underlings would attempt to save them. Still, Nobume's a little unclear as to why. Is Sasaki's ultimate goal to crush the Shinsengumi and the Joi patriots in one fell swoop? According to the man himself, he intends to destroy something “much larger.” Sasaki is definitely a difficult character to get a read on, but I still maintain that he's more good than bad. (Hopefully he won't prove me wrong in the coming weeks.)

The next time we see Hijikata, Gintoki, and the rest, they're continuing their journey to Kokujo in lifeboats. After taking note of the Naraku and Mimawarigumi's presence on the island, Gintoki confidently proclaims that the group was right to abandon their big ship in favor of less conspicuous lifeboats. Never one to indulge Gintoki's massive ego, Hijikata points out that they wouldn't be using lifeboats if the Odd Jobs crew hadn't gone bananas and sunk the main ship during the skirmish with the Naraku. Seeing each character's approach to rowing sets the stage for some humorous moments. For example, Kagura uses her herculean strength, Sogo uses an enormous shark he somehow caught with a fishing lure, and Elizabeth uses her (his?) placards as makeshift oars.

The main episode clocks in at only 15 minutes this week, making room for a short humor-focused story after the credits. This seven-ish-minute segment revolves around an episode of “The Walker's Guide to the Galaxy,” an intergalactic travel show hosted by Marsh Ian (get it?), an octopus-like alien and famous essayist. (This program is presumably a parody of a Japanese travel show.) In celebration of his program's 50th episode, Marsh and his scholarly producer Mr. N (a green humanoid Amanto) head to Earth to learn more about the planet's dominant species. While having a drink at Snack Otose, the duo's intellectual curiosity is piqued when they learn about samurai from the bar's proprietress. When they implore Otose to introduce them to one of these men among men, she directs them to Gintoki, who she describes as “a fossil of samurai poo.”

After following Gintoki around for a few days, Marsh and Mr. N are less than impressed. They'd been led to believe samurai were seasoned warriors, but their research subject spends his days napping, eating sweets, gambling, and getting blotto. To make matters worse, Gintoki soon develops a taste for Marsh's tentacles, chopping them off and eating them at every opportunity. He then reasons that if he keeps Marsh prisoner, the creature will continue growing its tentacles back, effectively supplying the Odd Jobs crew with an unlimited supply of food. Even after fleeing Earth, Marsh's troubles aren't over. Influenced by Gintoki, Mr. N also developed a taste for his co-host's tentacles. As we learn in a news report at the end of the episode, he's been indicted in Marsh's disappearance. Not surprisingly, Gintoki couldn't care less.

This bit hearkens back to the days of old (i.e., two months ago) and crams a large number of laughs into its brief runtime. Instead of the show's usual art style, this story utilizes super-deformed character designs, and its outlines and backgrounds are similar to those featured in the show's previous opening credits sequence. I do have to wonder, though—why did the final few seconds see a return to the usual character designs and color scheme? Since the aesthetic shift took place during the aforementioned news report, was it meant to emphasize the horror of Marsh's grisly demise and confirm that the unfortunate extraterrestrial is, in fact, dead?

The action is off the charts this week, and there are enough jokes scattered throughout to make up for the recent comedy drought. The “Walker's Guide” segment was an unexpected—but very much welcome—surprise. Whether you want to laugh, cry, or indulge in top-notch action, this week's Gintama satisfies at every turn.

Rating: A+

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Amy is a YA fantasy author who has loved anime for two decades.