Gintama – Silver Balls of Comedy!

Leaping into Space

Buy Gin Tama, Volume 1
by Published by Viz Media. 192 pages. 2007 $7.99

Soooooo…. if you are a regular reader of Shonen Jump titles, then this title should have already been on your reading lists already. If not, then what are you waiting for? Are you waiting for aliens to take over the Earth, and then you would even considered reading this title? I wouldn’t..

The anime is done with 201 episodes and a movie. There are currently 19 volumes released by Shonen Jump in English. 35 volumes in Japanese, so if there is a need for speeding up the series to bring out in English, this is the next title that Shonen Jump should tackle, and tackle it fast, just as they did with Naruto or One Piece! Though the manga is not done, this is such a witty series in how many multiple layers parody sequences there is for other Shonen Jump titles – Prince of Tennis, Bleach, One Piece, Kochikame, Death Note etc. You can even complain that the series has some pretty crass topics, such as cockroaches, or Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon, the Otaku debate of loving either 2-D or 3-D modesl, or even a baka ouji (prince).

Seriously don't want readers to hurl, but baby baka ouji!

I kid you not.. this is a funny series with its ups and down in terms of serious and comic. The mangaka- certainly knows how to pull fans along, from actually running a fan contest to submit a new alien, to the consistent answering of fan questions within a special segment of the show….that is if anyone know what I am talking about 3 nen B gumi Kinpachi Sensei, which is a pretty popular drama series. It is at moments like this I wish that I was able to spend more time at Japan. Monsieur LaMoe, you sure are lucky to live in the land of the rising sun. Even though a lot of things are inflated, limited, and downright expensive – but to live in the land where it is to be drool worthy for any anime fan – I salute/envy you.

Please read the manga before you even watch the Television series, just because the manga is so much more funnier to read through first.

So then to review why you even would want to start reading Gintama.

  1. Appreciate parodies, satire, or comedy. Want to laugh your head off, even though some of the jokes are downright silly.
  2. Shonen Jump FTW… (I am thinking of “Shonen Heart” by Homemade Kaizoku as I am typing this line)
  3. Want to read an alternative version of the samurai – spirit.
  4. Any other read alikes – for this title, based on friendship – pick up any other shonen title that this title spoofs, just as an FYI. For other aspects such as talking about a manga within a manga, where the characters point to another published work – High School Debut, Otomen. But based on character types- you might want to try Cowboy Bebop, Trigun or Get Backers or even Kodomo no Omacha for the fact that there are silly yet serious moments. For the randomness – Sayonara Zetsubou -sensei is the obvious choice.. (Oh you can’t imagine how I feel every time I hear Sa-chan’s voice – she is voiced by Yu Kobayashi who Kaere’s voice in Sayonara. However this is not an anime reivew.. so don’t even get me started on Kazuya Nakai’s voice….)

Author: Linda

Linda is a life long fan of anime, and dabbles in a lot of things. She writes with a tentative neutral voice.. and as for that three year anime blogging mark, she tries to defy that as she is gaining a voice in other mediums ie: Twitter. Find her at other places online. "They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance." -Terry Pratchett

4 thoughts on “Gintama – Silver Balls of Comedy!

  1. Yay, Gintama!

    Glad to see you appreciate the series! I tell you, it’s not really popular over here in the West as it is in Japan. The fandom doesn’t get most of the references the series gets into or don’t like the fact that the series can get EXTREMELY wordy.

    It’s almost an acquired taste. I’m a huge Gintama fan myself and I got into from watching a BLEACH parody they did back in one of the Jump Festas.

    I started buying the VIZ translation too. It’s a bit spotty at times, but they’re doing a decent job.

    Gintama is a series that portrays realistic characters. In life, you will meet a lot of weirdos that are like the ones you see in Gintama, especially Hasegawa. I’m sure we’ve all had weird arguments like the characters do in Gintama. Gintama is a good example of the reality of living in Japan at times.

    I can proudly say that I’m a Gintama fan and I am looking forward to collecting all the manga volumes of the series when it’s all said and done.

    Who are your favorite characters from the series?

  2. Yay! Thanks for the comment @Manga Therapy. I am always in the mindset that if the series is not popular in the U.S. then it is the responsibility of the viewer to learn more to get the references. Or otherwise – cliff note the heck out of it like they do in Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei or Kurosagi Corpse Delivary Service. It is mindless comedy. I rarely get any comedy other than either wordy or blatant outright that they do in the series. I am more of a One Piece fan. Fell into reading/watching Gintama after reading the manga. Gintama is the way I feel for something like One Piece. I appreciate the humor – now that I am not watching much of the other Shonen Jump series.

    ..I am not a fan of Hasegawa.. >_I can proudly say that I’m a Gintama fan and I am looking forward to collecting all the manga volumes of the series when it’s all said and done.

    I am also in that same mindset for One Piece.. but Gintama I am also contemplating on collecting. Surprised that there is no artbook or as much products I collect out for Gintama (shitajiki) to get my hands on it. >_Who are your favorite characters from the series?

    Hmmm….hmm.. I really really like Hijikata, Hattori, and Sadaharu. Although the comedy of Sa-chan and Kondo always gets to me…

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