Gintama

Really? No Gintama reviews? Well As long as no one minds that I'm a bit biased....(as a translator and a fan...)

The series itself follows three freelancers (Yorozuya) through their adventures and misadventures. However I think one can go on to say that the Gintama series itself is a freelancing manga. One moment it's a gag manga that'll have you tearing up with laughter, then it's a drama that'll just plain make you tear up. The action scenes are no slouch either, and it has pretty good art. (Some of those double takes are hilarious!) Gintama is great not because it's funny, but because it does several different genres WELL....in fact sometimes it does several different genres in one arc!

The characters are like a bunch of good friends. They annoy you with their stupidity, and want to hang out when you don't feel like it...but in the end they're always there when you need them. Although Gintama's character interactions seem to lean on being sadistic and cruel, can people truly say that they're always kind to each other? Gintama is people being people.

Of course when it's time for the gags to be put aside, Gintama can become just as much of a shounen action fest as any of the manga of it's ilk. Ambitions shouted, swords swinging blood flying and adrenaline pumping. Really it's because Gintama isn't like that every chapter, that when Sorachi does put it out there that we appreciate it more.

Gintama's slowly reaching it's 300'th chapter without showing any signs of slowing down. Even with 5 years under it's belt, it works because Sorachi knows just how much slice of life to mix in with the wild and crude sense of humor his world has. I won't say Gintama's the best manga ever, but I will state that it is a blueprint on how to entertain and enthrall without dragging on. Permalink " "

That this isn't one of the most popular shonen is criminal. Shame on fandom. Shame.

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A great manga that should be freely available in every language (except for license), although it's displaced by other Jump shonen manga, this is a masterpiece. Don't resist and join Gintama'n'company. Permalink " "

Gotta be one of the best manga I've ever read. If no one minds I'm a little extreme, this has to be the greatest manga, especially if you can read the RAW manga. The characters are very well developed and altough they are fiction, you can feel closeness with characters because there are many aspects in this particular manga that we can learn from and apply in real life. You get a great laugh, thrill, tear, stupidity but really, it just amazes you all the time. Sorachi Hideaki, the author, has to be the one of the most clever minded person I have ever seen. Permalink " "

Gintama... is about anything and everything. That being said, it's honestly one of the best manga out there. Permalink " "

Probabl- No, definitely the best manga out there. Sure, it has flaws, but that's what make it so damn beautiful. Permalink " "

What can I say about Gintama...well maybe I'll start off with what not to expect. If you want a shonen with some snot-nosed brat with special powers becoming the most powerful being in the universe over time fighting bishonenous enemies and getting the greatest treatment where everyone bows down to him by the end...this shonen isn't for you. Nothing wrong with some of those things (though there are some things wrong with others), but Gintama isn't like this. On the other hand, if you want a weird comedy with lots of action and drama on the side, loveable but slightly strange characters, cute girls who act odd, bishonen who are violent, loud and love mayonaisse and "the meaning and purpose of life" (well maybe not that)...this series is for you!

Joking aside, Gintama is a throwback to a certain style of series you don't see too often in Jump. On Jump terms, the series is more closer in kin to series such as "Dr. Slump", "City Hunter" or "Hell Teacher Nube" than it is to "Dragon Ball", "Fist of the North Star" or "Rurouni Kenshin". (OK, Kenshin In some ways has similar time periods and a couple "shared concepts", but one is more a battle series and the other is...well, Gintama) it's more closer to a Sunday series in style in it's day-to-day and story-by-story construction where we get weird incidents but characters do grow, change and progress. (think something like Rumiko Takahashi at her best like "Urusei Yatsura" or early "Ranma 1/2")

But while I know it probably makes no sense to compare it to other series, standing on it's own Gintama is just unique as it is part of a certain style. It's style is in the day-to-day storylines, but it's uniqueness is how Hideaki Sorachi gets at what he does and does it so well. The main focus is on Gintoki Sakata, the freelance "samurai for hire" who will do anything to pay the rent alongside his tsukkomi sidekick and the "random loli but cute super-strong Chinese-styled alien girl". Gin has a lot of baggage in his life, spending time once fighting against aliens as they pulled a more extreme version of Commodore Perry in forcing Japan open and taking a futuristic way of life in the past. Many of the later arcs do seem to focus on both Gin's "hidden side" and the past that keeps coming back to haunt him. But these angsty and actiony bits are still the side-dish for an insane world where anything can happen in a futuristic version of Edo in the late 1800s. And when I mean anything, I mean things from stopping aliens to facing spirits both real and imaginary, from taking care of babies to taking out the trash, from facing biomechanical swords to fighting over food on a cold night, and from taking down an insane overlord of a prostitution district sealed away from the sunlight...to facing a possessed member of the local police force in an otaku showdown to be the protector of a cute but infamous pop star!

But it isn't just the bizarre scenarios that make Gintama. Most of Sorachi's humor comes from the dialogue, the interactions that occur between the three main characters and the world around them. Commentary tends to break the 4th wall often and make references to all sorts of facets of modern Japanese life in this ancient setting, with the futuristic past freeing Sorachi up to do what he wants with his tale. Many mature themes including sacrifice, protection and some of the standard Jump concepts are mentioned as well, but given a sardonic, slightly cynical feel with the optimism of the genre. And of course, the series is made by the large cast of characters, centering around the trio of freelancers but allowing them to interact with a variety of cast including a rebel who runs around with a guy in a penguin suit (that he thinks is his pet), a down-on-his luck former government agent who is always failing to find a job, a nearsighted ninja female obsessed in Gin doing "S&M games" with her (that he usually ignores) and the abusive big sister of the "loser lead". Of course the most popular of these recurring characters (and semi-stars as well) are the "Shinsengumi police force" of the era, who rival Gin's group and often interacts with them while having problems and strange situations of their own. Their members include a crazy lead who is obsessed with "the abusive big sister" and who is commonly mistaken for a gorilla, the freaky-eyed swordsman who has a strange mayonnaise obsession, and the sadistic cannon-weilder more notable for his fangirls as he is with a particular eyemask he wears when he sleeps.

I guess I could go on and on, but I'll end it with this: Gintama is a unique and fun series that isn't for everyone. But if you give it a chance...and just have a mind open to something a little more out there in your shonen with a bit of patience, you'll be greatly rewarded with probably one of the best Jump series of the decade! (maybe all time...but I don't want to go that far even if I'm obsessed) Permalink " "

Wow...looking at everyone's reviews, I think most of what can be said has been said, but I'm still going to give my two cents on my favourite series.

Well, I honestly cannot remember why in the world I started reading this series. Really. I think I randomly picked it up, but other than that, I had never heard of it from anyone before. Somehow, I hit the jackpot. Gintama is not like anything else. One could liken Gintama to the Getbackers; a bunch of broke freelancers. Then again, there are dramatic differences in styles. You could say Gin is like Onizuka from GTO too, but then again, not quite. The closest style you'd get to the humour would be from either Ranma 1/2 (though definitely less ecchi, and more crude, but just as, if not more, random) or Sket Dance (Then again, the mangaka was Sorachi's assistant)

Simply put, Gintama is completely different from anything before. There is no non-stop action like Bleach or One Piece, yet the fights are still awesome. There is no ecchi, yet it manages to trump anything like Ai Kora in terms of humour. It's ancient Japan, but with futuristic twists. It's an adventure that can go anywhere it wants, and gladly obliges to do so.

Sorachi's manga is a masterpiece, ranging from full awesome fights (Housen and Benizakura arcs), to pure humour, and even sweet moments that can bring a tear and smile (Chapter 172). For otakus, you'll find a million and one random references you can't help but laugh at as well. Is it as cool as other Shounen manga? Read the Jiraia arc. If that isn't cool, I don't know what is. For a plot that goes anywhere and everywhere, it still stays grounded to its basics, and to its characters, so fans never feel like their series has sold itself out, whilst being so fluid. For those who want to relax, many chapters are one-off stories that will busts your guts. For those who want a more mainstream story, the arcs included are awesome, some being really epic (Housen arc in particular), and the story does flow in a very good manner.

Yes, we get it. Sorachi isn't exactly a Tite Kubo, and though it isn't nearly as bad as Onidere, Gintama art is hard to appreciate. The characters are small at times, and the drawing style is crude and rough, but many times, the very art style brings out the humour of the characters (especially when doing a Tsukkomi). Besides, Gintama is extremely dialogue based as well. Many chapters are humourous one-off stories, and so, most of the time, you'll be rolling around laughing at the dialogue. That aside, the character interactions are wonderfully crafted, giving the manga a great edge.

Lastly, the best part of the manga are the characters. They are unique and over the top, creative and outrageously funny. A lazy, sugar loving samurai, a rude and crude, overeating chinese-like alien girl, the lame tsukkomi-otaku sidekick, a stalking "gorilla" in charge of the police (Shinsengumi) including a mayo-loving demonic vice-cap and a sadistic first squad leader, a cute but extremely violent sister, a giant dog, a completely random terrorist, a useless old man, a giant penguin-thing, a one-eyed female samurai, a masochistic stalker ninja...and more as well. The characters are fresh, funny, yet somehow cool and loveable. And the best thing is the chemistry between the characters, something manga like Soul Eater never really achieved. There is a sense of constant Manzai amongst the characters, each taking turns to boke and tsukkomi each other. Even though they are sadistic and mean to each other, you also know that they really love each other as friends, and this is often a basis for many stories. Each of them brings out the best and worst in each other, and make this manga truly a must-read

Aside from this, there are many deeper themes in the story, like prostitution for example, whilst keeping loyal to the basic jump principles. All-in-all, it may not be everyone's favourite, and is often underated and in the shadow of other jump series like Naruto, but to me, this is the best of them all, and if you aren't already reading it, then your wasting your time waiting. Your on mangahelpers already, just click the link and enjoy yourself. Permalink " "

Where to start about Gintama? It's probably one of the best mangas I have read. It's very episodic, but that's what makes the series so good. Gintama pokes fun at an overwhelming number of topics. The characters are awesome and their interactions with one another are priceless.
The series is just basically about three freelancers living together and working a variety of odd jobs to pay their rent, which usually goes unpaid. The main character, Gintoki Sakata, is probably one of the more unique JUMP protagonists in quite some time. He's pretty crude, cranky, & lazy, but makes up for that with his fighting skills and dedication to protect the people he cares about.
Overall, it's a very underappreciated series. GO READ IT NOW! Permalink " "

gintama is one of the best mangas i ever read!, why is not very popular in here? XD Permalink " "

when my friend recommended this for me and I went to check it out, all i saw was "samurai" and "amanto"(aliens). personally, i am not the type of person who's interested in samurais and whatnot, thankfully I was bored throughout the winter break. The first few chapters of gintama were..slow and weird imo. I didn't hate it but i didnt love it either.

by the end of the winter break, I was addicted to it. to this day, i am still obsessed, i watched every anime episode and never miss a single chapter. why?
read the reviews above, everything was mentioned. its funny, its awesome, the characters are great and sorachi-sensei's a genius. i really admire the author/gorilla(XD) because he can make something so stupid and turn it into something epic. Heck, there was a whole chapter and episode about running out of toilet paper. it was PURE GENIUS.

what Im saying is that never judge a book by its cover. I did and almost stopped, fortunately my friend persuaded me to keep reading/watching. If you're the type of person who's not particularly interested in samurais or aliens, you dont have to be. Its fun, its awesome and epic all in one story Permalink " "