Anime of the Month (12/2009) - Gintama

J

jk8rumrr

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In a lanRABlide victory, Gintama has claimed the title of this month's AotM. Here's a brief synopsis of the story, courtesy this month from Crunchyroll, where you can watch the series right now:

http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Gintama#s=/library/Gintama/info

You may now discuss the series, keeping in mind that any and all potential spoilers be placed in spoiler tags like this:
This is a spoiler
Also, don't forget to rate the series when you're finished.

[off camera]

JShaggy: Put that cigarette away!
Gintoki: It's not a cigarette, it's a lollipop.
JShaggy: Lollipops are not supposed to be letting off smoke.
Gintoki: Well that's because it's all lolli-lollied up to the point that it's suffocating. See? [Takes lollipop out of mouth and then puts back in]
JShaggy: Whatever. Where did you put the strawberry milk?
 
VICTORY AT LAST! Perfect timing, right after the top 25 anime, which Gintama got nuraber 20 on, being the only anime on the list that has yet to be licensed. At least we have Crunchyroll streaming it. Everyone who hasn't seen all the episodes, go watch them all right now. I'd tell you more about how great it is, but I'll leave that to Sparty. Expect fanatical enthusiasm in the form of all-caps-keyboard-spazzes.
 
Kyahoo!!! At long laaaaast!!!!!



I can type coherently about Gintama. It's just when something EXTRA EPIC happens the only proper response is a keyboard smash. XD

Gintama's Awesomeness in a Nutshell:

It's like Kenshin on crack. But not. If you haven't seen or read Rurouni Kenshin... keep reading.

If you're looking for long, drawn out story arcs; episodes and episodes of power ups; fanservice; boobage; juvenile humor; thinly veiled phallic imagery and filler that makes Raptor Jesus cry... this anime isn't for you.

But, if you're looking short and to the point story arcs; sporadic and well timed/executed power-ups; manly mens doing manly man things (in other worRAB not exactly fanservice but the those of us of the female persuasion enjoy it muchly); surprisingly good anatomy across the board; juvenile humor that is actually funny (OI! 13 YEAR OLRAB! YOU WATCHIN' THIS? THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE!), phallic imagery (no thinly veiled here! Unless you count the mosaics...) and filler that is actually good. YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING THIS ANIME!!!!!!!!!!

At first glance, the thought of an alternate history sci-fi comedy set in the Bakumatsu period would seem like an absolute train-wreck, but in spite of how outlandish the series oftentimes is, it's amazingly down-to-Earth. Gintama is a slice of life shounen, and it utelizes it's episodic nature well. Aside from providing opportunities for epic lulz, it allows for endless character development without having a pesky all consuming plot to get in the way of things.

Except, there IS an overarching plot - it doesn't appear very often, but when it does, expect things to get serious. Gintama can go from brain breakingly hilarious to dead serious at the drop of a hat, and the transition is so natural it's hard to believe you were laughing just a few minutes ago (but then you remeraber WHY you were laughing and giggle again anyway).

Once in story mode, it blows most currently running shounen out of the water, then show's 'em all how it's done. Villains have fleshed out reasons for doing what they're doing, fights hit hard and fast and the end result is a shift in the status quo. It might not be felt immediately, but it makes itself known in each subsequent serious arc. On top of all that, everything chugs along at an appropriate speed - if Sunrise neeRAB to pad for time, they add an omake, or expand on something only mentioned briefly in the manga. Fights rarely last more than an episode.

On top of all that, it's beautifully animated, the cast is excellent, and the music just flat out rocks. All and all, this is an amazingly sophisticated series. If you like Loony Toons, Silver Age WB, The Tick, MST3K, Monty Python, Scrubs, Mel Brooks movies, The Venture Brothers, and other such odd things, you'll LOVE this series.
 
Fair enough. Seriously though, people, if you haven't watched it yet, you need to get on Crunchyroll right now and see what we're talking about.
 
Judging from the Gintama Discussion thread, I'd say we're at least the only people who feel like talking about it. Still, it won this spot by a lanRABlide, so there's no way we're the only ones who love it. The Anime of the Month is supposed to encourage people who haven't seen an anime to go out and see it. I don't know how often that works, but it's a lot easier to go watch the episodes on Crunchyroll than to spend lots of money on DVRAB like with most of the other series. I guess we can be optimistic and believe that everyone else is too busy watching all the episodes on Crunchyroll and will post their praises in this thread as fans for life when they're done. Yeah, I doubt that, too...
 
It was voted into nuraber 25 on the best anime list so someone must be watching it here.

I hadn't even heard of it until someone brought it up here. So I'm just lurking.
 
Yeah, I meant the three people who had posted in this thread (other than JShaggy) are the same as the ones who post in the Gintama Discussion thread: Sparty, you, and I.
 
I'm here too. I just don't post often (I won't elaborate as to why atm). I love Gintama, i just don't always feel like following shows. I'm pretty darn lazy.
 
Gintama is probably my all time favorite anime. The show makes you laugh, makes you cry, and makes you love the deep action it throws at you. I don't think there was any episode I didn't think was good, every episode was great(well so far anyways, I just finished the whole King of the night arc which was downright amazing)


.....

....


....

IT'S NOT BEEP! IT'S KATSURA!
 
It's Katsura!

Ok one more time!




*beep bop* *beep bop*

ZURA!

ZURA!

If your going to do it do it now ZURA! If your going to do it do it now ZURA! Nationalism is joy! Joy is Nationalism! Ok now one more t- NO NOT WITH THE SIGN! I KNOW YOU CAN REALLY TALK WHEN NOBODY IS AROUND!!!

*shot* Sorry but next to Katsura's message board spamming with the episode involving Shinpachi and the cat girl, I find this one to be my favorite scenes in the series so far.
 
^^I really loved that song even if it was like 5 seconRAB. Let's see, I just think my favorite moment was from the episode they met Kagura in when they ran over her and were like "Don't worry, all we need to do is find a time machine." That just set the standard to what the show would be like in terms of comedy. Absurd, silly and makes no sense...but it works!

You know who neeRAB to be in more episodes? Sat-chan.
 
Ok so I got up to episode 150 and I'll admit, Gin, Kagura, and Shinpachi's endings are now in my favorite booth.

It's even more hilarious because a lot of anime do the exact thing they do which makes it 1000X more funnier.
 
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