#Sadaharu to the rescue

[razberryyum]

Gintama manga chap 649

Dear Gintama gods and Sorachi-sama,

Wow, I am still trying to catch my breath from all that happened in this chapter! First of all, thank you so much for finally returning to Earth and letting us know that everyone made it out of those Altana blasts safely. I was especially worried about Kondou since he looked like he was caught right in the middle of one, but thankfully, although he's definitely looks worse for the wear, he's at least blessedly alive.  Then the fact that Gintoki actually cross swords briefly with Utsuro was rather surprising; I almost wish we got to see their fight even though it was obviously truncated, but I understand that you are probably saving the real thing for later on. I'm just glad he got out of that tussle safely; gods know the odds were stacked against him since there was hardly anyone around at that moment to fully support him. I am also grateful for the fact that you had Kamui pull him out from the rubble. There was a time when I would have been so unbelievably thrilled by that sight since I did ship them at one point, but recently, I've decided to be a little more faithful to my OTPs, so while my heart was indeed warmed by seeing them together, the happiness level was decidedly tamer than before. You know the silly shipper in me wishes that it was Hijikata who rescued him.

Although I do worry now about Okita...he was right by Gintoki's side when he fought Utsuro, but then he disappeared. Is he trapped in the rubble too? Since Abuto is also unaccounted for, I hope you meant to imply that he rescued Sougo, which would make sense as Kamui was already busy with saving Gintoki.  

Now that everyone I truly care about are ok—thank you for even confirming the non-fatal state of Mutsu and Elizabeth's conditions—I at last have the emotional capacity to properly feel sympathy about NobuNobu's demise. He was not a good person, especially for what he did to our beloved Shi-chan who was an actual good soul and leader, and while his strive for redemption might have come at too late a time, I do commend him for trying. Frankly, I did feel bad for him; he had a rotten upbringing, surrounded by rotten people, he never really had a chance at being a good person. It truly is his misfortune to have never met someone like Sakamoto or Katsura and the others until too late in his life. But I do give points for his willingness to change so late in the game. I never thought he could replace ShigeShige, but I did start to hope that he might someday be at least a decent shogun and a respectable enough man to not disappoint Soyo's belief in him. He died as close to a hero as he will ever be and despite his rather short stint as shogun, was still honorably ushered to the other side by Shi-chan and his fellow shoguns. Really, for the man that he was, he could not have asked for more. So with that, I'd like to say: rest in peace, NobuNobu. I will sorta miss his punchable face.

Finally, thank you so much for bringing us the wonderful reappearance of Ane, Mone and Komako! I have been WAITING for them to pop up as soon as the Altana started spurting forth from the land! I'm so happy they are finally joining the Earth-saving team! I have high hopes for them: they, along with dear Sadaharu, have to succeed in saving the day because dear gods, there's not much left of Kabukichou or the rest of Edo to destroy anymore by the dreary looks of things. However, the fact that Utsuro knows of their existence is extremely worrisome to me. I know it makes complete sense that he would; I guess a small part of me was still hoping he overlooked them somehow. I know, naive of me to even entertain such an unreasonable notion. They play too important a role in guarding the Altana stream for Utsuro to NOT know of them. But seriously, Sorachi-sama, if anything were to happen to Sadaharu, I don't know if I can recover from that. It will take a lot, I mean, A LOT of work. Just look at how I'm still reeling from Bansai's death, even though in the greater scheme of things, he was technically a villain who barely appeared in the series compared to Sadaharu. It will be so much worse with Sadaharu. Not only is he a part of the Yorozuya and has been there since the beginning, but the fact that he's also a super adorable big fluffy PUPPY, and puppies and animals mean the world to me...I honestly might be inconsolable if Sadaharu were to die. So please, don't even go anywhere NEAR there. I know there's a sadistic side of you that might find it tempting to inflict such an immense pain on us, but please resist your natural urges. I don't even want him to get hurt. I don't want Komako to get hurt either because she's basically a mini version of Sadaharu which just makes her even more adorable. Not that I want any harm to come to Ane or Mone either, but truthfully, I might be able to deal a little bit better with that.  Sadaharu and Komako must be protected at all costs.

Yours truly,

A silly fangirl with yaoi dreams

(^3^)

PS: Even though I would have been even happier if it was Hijikata, I am still grateful you gave us this moment because it was like a nice trip down GinKam memory lane for me, especially since I just recently re-read the Yoshiwara arc which is where that alternate ship was born for me.  

[fizzingwizard]

Sooooo we were (all) right, and Gintama’s not ending after all!

It’s going to continue as an app! I read the news a couple days ago and I’m still ??????? about it. (Not complaining, though!)

Anyway, since I’d thought this would be the final chapter (while simultaneously being sure it wasn’t), I had a lot of pent-up emotion when I started reading it, soooo basically this chapter was a let-down in the sense that because it’s not actually the end, it didn’t answer any of my burning questions, or give me the character climaxes I was expecting. BUT that just means they’re coming on down the line, SO all this is worth it if we get more. I wonder how long the app will last - a short time, as in Sorachi just had a little more story to finish but couldn’t quite say how many more chapters, and Jump is just done with his wishy-washy-ness? Or an indefinite number of chapters because Sorachi’s just decided this is way too fun and once the “finale” is over he wants to get back to poop jokes..? Idk if those details are out but anyway I’m glad it’s gonna stick around a little longer.

So what I enjoyed this chapter: The Yorozuya reunion, in true Gintama fashion, evaded sentimentality after knocking us over the head with it constantly the whole time they were separated. And it felt good. Lol

By contrast, the Shinsengumi going to back up Katsura was weirdly emotional. They’ve totally thrown in their hat with him. It’s great.

And I saw the thing with Shouyou’s heart coming, but... still kinda disappointed. I had this idea that the heart goes where it wants, kind of like a horcrux, and that it was leaping out of people’s shirts on purpose. It conveniently fell out of Gintoki’s shirt and just missed getting taken by that guy (Hitsugi? I keep forgetting his name so lets go with hitsugi), and now it falls out of Zura’s shirt and gets stabbed by Hitsugi... so much for that theory. (Unless it wanted to be stabbed, I mean.) It’s kind of a bleh end for the heart but... we still have more chapters to see what this effect is. No real surprise that fake Wolverine Hitsugi is someone more than a mob member.

Also I wonder if Zura’s gonna have a scar on his face like Kondo now.

Sadaharu’s return was kind of “um okay” but otoh I can’t even say what I wanted to happen when he returned. Glad he did though. Guess I’m just kind of “okay” about everything just going back to status quo so easily.

Nearly Headless Shin is talking to Utsuro/Shouyou and yeah, I’m pissed we didn’t get more progress with that, IT’S TAKING SO LONG. IS SHIN-CHAN GOING TO DIE OR NOT. INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.

also Takasugi returned Gintoki’s bokuto to him via Tae (or will, when she sees him again) and Idk but that was really cool to me - a completely unexpected interaction between Takasugi and Tae, of all people. (Tae is my fav girl after Kagura and one of my top fav characters, I always wished she was around even more.)

I hope in the app, Sorachi can do whatever he wants with no one big brother hanging over him... could be interesting to see how things change when he’s no longer in the pages of Jump.

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Gintama, Episodes 43-47

It’s the aftermath of the Best Thing Ever(tm)! In which the ripple effects of last arc are only making the show better, and Kagura officially steals my heart.

Upping the Ante

There are few things more frustrating than when a show goes back on a promise it makes. Having recently finished Kimi ni Todoke, I am acutely aware of how hard it is to win an audience back once you’ve broken their trust. Gintama ended last arc with a promise that from here on out, anything was possible. No story was too insane, too epic, too bizarre, or too heart-wrenching to tell anymore. And if there was ever a decisive moment for the show as a whole, this would be it: it needed to prove that sky was, in fact, the limit. It needed to prove that its promise of bigger, better stories would be seen through.

And I’ll be damned if it didn’t achieve just that. While not every story following the fantastic Aliens vs Yakuza arc is such a massive conflict and none of them so far seek to match its grandeur, the show is already starting to scale up with bigger events that wouldn’t feel quite as possible before the show blew itself open the way it did. Who would’ve thought we’d get an entire epic showdown based around the deep lore of freaking Sadaharu, never mind one as potent with emotion as it turned out? And the return of the JUMP samurai and his five-man band made for one of the show’s best straight-up duels yet, rife with both incredible jokes (the freaking curry, man) and fantastic fight choreography and animation. (not to mention the implementation of actual tactics and abillity match-ups, a la Yu Yu Hakusho and other such shonen battle series). Actually, the animation as a whole seems to be getting better all around; The Odd Jobs’ mad dash up Hedero’s tower had some damn impressive moving background art. Gintama was always funny as hell; now, it’s got the story and style worthy of that pedigree.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

That’s not to say that the comedy itself is just jogging in place, though. In fact, I think this stretch of episodes might be the show’s most consistently giggle-inducing stretch yet. And a big part of the reason why is that with the show’s central cast and status quo comfortably established, it can start spiraling out into even wilder, wackier directions, secure in the knowledge that we’re invested enough in these characters to keep us grounded amidst the lunacy. I mentioned the fantastic curry comedy of the “rescue Elizabeth” mission already, and there’s plenty more nonsense where that came from. Remember that episode between Kagura and Sadaharu that used their emotional bond to score some legitimately powerful moments? Well, that episode also involves a high-stakes injuries-expected game of catch in order to draw a magic pentagram on a baseball field, Hijikata reversing Sogo’s psychopathic tendencies back on him, and mutual flute fellatio. There’s also the ridiculous escalating war of booze in the brothel, which handily reminds us how ably this show is able to sidestep uncomfortable stereotypes and let every character be in on the jokes, only this time it’s blown up to a full-scale war. The clash over who should replace Kagura as the main heroine was basically one long free-wheeling stream of meta consciousness, very accurately capturing the feeling of bumming around with your friends at 3 in the morning and the conversation is going a million different directions at once. And speaking of meta, how about that gut-bustingly funny scene where the animators just get too lazy to animate Gintoki, so he’s literally trapped in bed unable to move for minutes on end (and holy frack, did Tomokazu Sugita have way too much fun voicing that bit)?

The further I get into this show, the more the rough edges of the earlier episodes start to be sanded away. With just a little tightening and a slight uptick to the production quality, Gintama's post-Umibozu renaissance has officially jumped the show from enjoyable to awesome. Don’t get me wrong, I was always enjoying the heck out of it, but with this upgrade, all my tiny lingering doubts are officially quelled. It’s finally hit its stride for me, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the race plays out.

In This House, We Stan Kagura

I’ve been sitting on a consideration for the past, I dunno, 10 episodes or so, and I think it’s time to make that consideration a certainty: Kagura is my favorite character in the show. She’s definitely got a lot of competition, from side characters and main characters alike, but nobody else makes me happy quite the way she does. Her offbeat sense of childlike naivitee mixed with her surprising pragmatism make for some of the most unique punchlines, aided by the self-assured obliviousness of Rie Kugumiya’s voice acting, who I am so happy to finally hear at the top of her game as opposed to slumming it with material that is far beneath her or ending up watching her character dubbed instead (I’m so sorry, Taiga, I still love you!). Heck, the emotions brought out by her punchlines are often the most complex; the one gag where Gintoki and the boys describe the traits of the Heroine character and Kagura’s mumbled assertion that “I don’t have any of those” is funny, sure, but it also makes me want to track down whoever crippled this girl’s self-esteem and punch him in the goddamn face (looking at you, Umibozu). That’s damn good writing, and it goes a long way to making Kagura stand out, even among the show’s already-excellent cast. Also, her in pajamas is the cutest fucking thing ever and will hear no objections.

Odds and Ends

-”Do they only talk about their crotches when I’m not around?” I mean, they are a bunch of immature guys, Kagura, what did you expect?

-”It’s not right to speak ill of the dead!” “But I’m not dead.” pfft

-OH MY FUCKING GOD HE’S LITERALLY GENDO IKARI

-We Power Rangers now bois. Also, Kagura as leader? Hell yes.

-Lol at Katsura casually balancing the curry on his head like a boss

-”Gintama Shippuden” excuse the fuck me

-”Seriously censored” Thank you, butt-peach.

-”I’m not Zura. I’m a pine tree.” You’re killing me, smalls.

-”More than the readers, who ranked you number 7 in the JUMP poll” help my sides

-See, all that reference does is remind me that at some point, I actually have to watch Gundam.

-You know, I didn’t expect a straight-faced discourse on the politics of groping, but in retrospect, I really should have.

-”What’s with these cheesy lyrics above our heads?” Haven’t you learned to recognize an episode card yet, Gin? You’re slacking. Shame on you.

-*while sneezing* ”Michael Jackson!” Have I mentioned I love Kagura?

“This story is *FICTION!*” God I love this bit

-”Our neighbor Hedero!” Goddammit another reminder of something I have to watch at some point

What can I say, it just keeps getting better. See you next time!

[fyeahshinpachi]

Gintama fanfic: Fear in a Handful of Dust

Shinpachi got kidnapped by some thugs. Seven days later he was rescued. This is the aftermath. OR Everyone tries to deal with a very, very close call, and Shinpachi is kind of clueless.

Gen, hurt/comfort fic I’ve written for a good start of a new year. 

Read under the cut or on AO3, please review! 

Everything hurt.

It wasn’t even the good kind of hurt, like after a proper workout or strenuous training session, when each and every aching muscle was a herald of progress, a job well done. No, it was ugly, throbbing pain that made it hard to breathe (or harder to breathe? Somehow?), and even harder to think. Everything hurt, he couldn’t move, there was something very, very wrong with the way he kind of couldn’t get hold of where (what) was up and down and the sounds around him blended to one screeching blare.

Shinpachi wanted to open his eyes, but he didn’t exactly remember how. Huh.

There was something very, very wrong and if Shinpachi could get one, just one, thought together he might even know what. He tried his best to gather the broken pieces of sounds and images and words that were flying around in his mind, but suddenly there was a hand, and oh no they can’t he won’t let them, he couldn’t breathe and there was that suffocating tightness around his throat and everything just hurt, there wasn’t enough of anything everything and Shinpachi just wanted…

The pressure eased. He could take one breath. And another. And another. Footsteps. There were footsteps. But also – another breath.

“Danna is going to be pissed” drawled a voice, and Shinpachi could almost grasp the meaning. “They all resisted arrest very, very hard.”

There was a loud ‘tsk’ somewhere near. It was familiar, in a way. “Megane? Oi, Megane, can you hear me?” Fast steps. There were hands, again, but this time raising panic just made everything hurt even more, besides, Shinpachi felt light. He didn’t want to move. If he moved he would just fly away and he didn’t want to. There was pain and noise and so many voices - he tried to catch them, but the hands didn’t want to listen to him; maybe it was for the better, his hands would float away and then he would too. He must have managed to move one arm, though, because Shinpachi suddenly could feel himself touching something warm somewhere to his left. He didn’t expect this, and he could feel more than hear the gasp he made.

The other noise was far, far away.

“Yamazaki! Call the ambulance!” “…Harada secured the evidence…” “… probably drugged…” “…calling his sister…” “…I’ll go, Kondou-san…”

He felt so light. Even that hand that firmly held his (when did that happen) couldn’t keep him from floating.

He let go.

***

For some time there were just snippets; he kind of knew that things were happening, but he could never hold on long enough to understand.

There was a car. Moving. Lights. Someone was still holding his hand. The voices were speaking. There was some white in the corner of his vision – he tried to turn to him, to Gin-san, explain to him…

“You’ll see him soon” said someone familiar, and Shinpachi believed.

Then there was a corridor. People over him, hovering, their faces too close for Shinpachi’s comfort. Someone was touching his chest. He didn’t like it. He tried to say it. He couldn’t.

His sister, in the doorway.

Kagura’s voice, shouting.

Smell of cigarettes.

Pain.

Someone was holding his hand, talking softly. Aneue.

He woke up.

***

It was a bit of touch-and-go, said the doctor later. The injuries were quite extensive, even if nothing was actually broken or ruptured, and even more importantly, the drugs he was given by his kidnappers were quite new to this part of galaxy and their effect on humans was not researched properly. Shinpachi’s case provided significant data indicating that this drug should not, in fact, be stored near any human, much less be injected into their bloodstream. All in all, said doctor, Shinpachi was quite a lucky guy to be still here.

Shinpachi knew that. Aneue, who was dutifully sitting in a chair near his bed, smiled only once, just after Shinpachi woke up, and besides her eyes were all puffy and red, what meant it must have been really, really bad.

Sometimes (very, very, very often) Shinpachi hated himself for being so weak he got hurt all the time and made her worry – and lo and behold, this time was now. He was almost glad when the doctor said they were forced to forgo painkillers, due to the drug – Shinpachi deserved that pain (throbbing, encompassing), but on the other hand Aneue didn’t deserve to worry about him anymore.

(On occasion (very, very, very rarely) he almost hated Aneue for just accepting without a word his need to go out and get himself into trouble on behalf of others; for being so understanding and tolerant even if it hurt her every time when he inevitably ended up injured. )

She sat with him while he drifted in and out of consciousness, talking about her day, Yorozuya’s day, what the weather was, what repairs of dojo were due, and other light topics that buzzed pleasantly in the back of his head. He made an effort to answer as often as he could, given the fact that he was hurting, drowsy and kind of… not here, not entirely. But it made Aneue smile, just a little, and that was worth it.

***

Gin-san and Kagura-chan came to visit him together, of course, and were as loud, obnoxious and horrible as always. It was great, even if there were moments when Shinpachi just drifted away and had no idea what they were saying. But he learned how they did a job earlier today (badly), how Gin-san cleaned up the flat (badly), how Kagura tried to give a bath to Sadaharu (that one went so bad that Gin-san had to clean the flat again (and it turned out even worse than before)).

He was also very, very glad that they made an effort to not talk about the time he was kidnapped. He just didn’t want to think about it now, and quite frankly couldn’t deal with Kagura’s rough love. She would probably punch him for worrying her and Gin-san. He deserved that, of course, but maybe not now.

Also, Gin-san was weird, all smiles and nervous energy, and figuring that out would take time and much more effort than Shinpachi had to spare.

They would be okay. Not for too long, no, but Shinpachi still had time to just lay there and let himself drift.

***

The doctors said it would take two or three days for the drug to leave his system, so Shinpachi resigned himself to half-awaken moments, holes in memory and the fact that he had to concentrate really, really hard if he wanted to participate in a conversation.

His long naps as well as sporadic and usually half-coherent answers didn’t stop people from visiting and trying to talk to him, though. His sister was a regular guest, and so were Gintoki and Kagura, of course. But he got visits from Otose and Catherine, who brought some food and the smell of cigarettes; the first was inhaled in a span of seconds by Kagura, second lingered for far too long. Katsura and Elizabeth visited once, and Katsura spurned a long and extremely dramatic tale of how he tried to find him from the moment Gintoki let him know about the whole situation – at some point it devolved into something that was probably a copyright infringement on Fullmetal Alchemist (Fullsilver alchemist? No, better not give Gin-san any ideas) – but he was very, very brutally interrupted by Gintoki kicking him out for sneaking into Shinpachi’s room and talking nonsense. Members of Otsuu Imperial Guard also came, teary eyed and way too loud. Kyuubei and Sa-chan visited even though neither Otae nor Gintoki were around at the time. Tsukuyo almost did visit him too, but had a bit of a slapstick-routine with Gintoki on the corridor and got thrown out of the hospital (and so did Seita, who came with her). She fared better than Hasegawa, who, as Shinpachi was told, wasn’t let in at all, even though he tried.

The Shinsengumi also visited. Hijikata came twice to ask Shinpachi if he was well enough to give testimony, then each time, not giving time to answer, he scoffed that probably not, and that Shinpachi should not laze around and try to get better as soon as possible. Kondou came (with Sougo in tow, even!), and lo and behold, that old gorilla tried to hit on Shinpachi’s sister only once. Yamazaki was around, too, on a lookout in the hospital so he could not visit, but he send a nice ‘get well card’ (that was filled with the word ANPAN, but i666t’s the thought that matters).

Shinpachi couldn’t really wrap his head around it all. But well, he wasn’t at his best, was he.

The visits did not stop even when Shinpachi was slightly better and doctors were absolutely sure there won’t be any lasting damage to his nervous system. It was… weird.

“A lot of people are coming to visit me” said Shinpachi tentatively. It came out more like a question than he wanted. Gintoki, whose turn it was to keep Shinpachi company, shifted in his chair, as if this made him physically uncomfortable.

“Well, Pattsuan, you gave us quite a scare. The death of comic relief marks the beginning of a very serious arcs, after all, and it was a bit touch and go for a moment here…”

“Who are you calling a comic relief!”

Gintoki didn’t answer, what startled Shinpachi. It was a perfect opening! Gin-san never missed a good boke-tsukkomi gag. Unless the things were really serious. And they kind of were, Shinpachi just wanted like to believe they weren’t.

They sat there, in silence, for a while. And although they spend many long afternoons in comfortable silence, each engrossed in their own important thoughts, this time it was different, and the silence felt more like a bag over his head than a warm blanket it usually was.

Bad metaphor.

“It was just a coincidence, they…” began Shinpachi, because maybe it could be like a band-aid, that should be taken off with one firm move. Or a duct tape over the a mouth. Annnd another bad metaphor. Very bad metaphor. “… They said it was just a coincidence, and that they needed someone anyway, so the fact that it was, well, me, was just an… icing on cake. But even if it weren’t… Gin-san, it...”

“Shinpachi.” Interrupted Gin-san, quietly, serious in the way he rarely were and it made Shinpachi all the more aware of the building pressure behind his eyes and the lump in his throat and those stupid painkillers that made him all teary-eyed. He was enough of a crybaby without them, and now, he just felt like crying all the time. Stupid. “Shinpachi, it doesn’t…”

“It wasn’t your fault!” said Shinpachi loudly, as emphatically as he could muster, and the luck would have it was exactly the moment when Aueue walked in.

There was a beat of a very awkward silence.

“Hello Shin-chan! Gin-san, I just remembered I wanted to talk to the head nurse about the drafts in this place, so if you could stay just a little longer…” Aneue tried to salvage situation, and Shinpachi wanted to leap up from the bed and hug her for that, but it was all for naught. Gin-san just stood up, ruffled Shinpachi’s hair in a weird display of affection usually reserved for Kagura, and strolled to the door.

“Those are not drafts, those are winds of change, and a man should never fight them” said Gintoki quickly, guiltily, and practically slithered out of the room before Shinpachi could even begin to try to give a proper tsukkomi answer.

Both Shinpachi and his sister stared at the door for a few seconds, not quite sure how to proceed.

“So, Shin-chan, how was your day? Because I had a really weird meeting with a rabid gorilla…” started Otae, in that deceptively cheerful manner of hers, and Shinpachi let himself be enveloped by small everyday worries and joys of his sister, allowing him to just drift away.

It was a horrible thing to say to Gin-san, he realized suddenly in the middle of his sister’s tale of how she bought radishes, because it might not have been about it. Maybe Gin-san didn’t feel guilty, and Shinpachi’s absolution just made him guilty for not feeling guilty? And besides, wasn’t this just an admission that Gin-san HAD every right to feel responsible?

Shinpachi knew he was overthinking it. He always overthought things.

And here he thought he was getting better at saying the right thing at the right time, or keeping quiet in all the good moments, but no. As always, he went and said the wrong thing, at the very wrong time, and he wasn’t sure he could look Gin-san in the eyes anymore.

Shinpachi suddenly really, truly longed for some proper laundry day or a good scrubbing of the floors at dojo, so he could just. Stop. Just stop thinking about those things, analysing, remembering, and for it all to right itself.

What happened thduring that time was:

It was very late, much later than Shinpachi usually left Yorozuya to go back to dojo, but the cleaning took way more time than he expected, and then Sadaharu had a rather… explosive reaction to some old dog food Gin-san bought on sale. Usually, if it got late, Shinpachi would just stay at Yorozuya and come home the next day, but Otae was supposed to have a rare free evening and they planned on having a dinner together. Usually they missed each other – Shinpachi would wake up early, train, leave for Yorozuya, and come back in the evening, and Otae would sleep in, leave for work in the afternoon, and come back late at night. So a rare occasion to just sit in and relax together was precious, and Shinpachi was going to use every minute he could.

Kabuki-cho was a dangerous place, and walking from Yorozuya to the dojo could sometimes be a risky business even in the broad daylight, but Shinpachi wasn’t too worried. Gin-san was well known amongst the local residents, and to the lesser extend so was Kagura, so by extension Shinpachi wasn’t usually considered to be a worthwhile target for muggers. For numerous and varied reasons.

So when three rather nasty looking thugs came forth from the dark alley, and asked if he was ‘that Yorozuya Gin-chan brat’ he was not overly worried. Of course he was a little worried, because three thugs and a dark alley is never a good combination, but he was tired, his thoughts were already dead set on that very late dinner… so he threw a quick ‘yes’ and just quickened his pace. Or he would quicken his pace if he could.

The punch caught him by surprise. So did the kick in the gut. He was thrown on the ground, and one of the thugs kicked him in the gut again, making it hard to breathe. He tried to push through pain, and to trip one of them, but it was for nothing, and that cost him some more kicks.

He wasn’t good at fighting, even with a sword. Without it, on the ground, he had no chance. He fought, of course he did, but that just made his attackers even more angry. He wasn’t strong like Kagura, or Gin-san. The only thing he could do was just to lay there, and wait for them to stop, like a pathetic excuse for a samurai he was. He tried shouting, getting someone’s attention, but his lungs were not really listening to him, even breathing was a chore, and he was not sure if he managed anything louder than a whisper.

In the end they smashed something against his head, and the next thing he could remember was another beating, this time in a dark, small room which stunk of fish and blood. It was a methodical, brutal beating, and from that moment on Shinpachi’s memories were spotty at best. He was given some water. A man came, syringe in his hand. “Sakata Gintoki destroyed something we worked very hard on. It’s only fitting you help us get even.” Shouts. Pain. Probably some more beatings. Some talk about Gin-san. Throwing up. Everything being too loud. More talk about Gin-san. Some old man, hoisting him up by the hair. Sounds. Punches. A rope.

“Oi, what the hell are you doing?!”

Hijikata-san’s voice felt almost like a physical slap, and Shinpachi, who was falling deeper and deeper into those memories, flinched violently. The policeman, Nakamura-san, who was sitting in a chair beside Shinpachi’s bed, stood up, purposefully, slowly in an almost aggressive way. Hijikata-san and Nakamura-san looked at each other, visibly squaring up for a fight. Shinpachi realized he was shaking, and that his eyes stung painfully. He wasn’t crying, but it was a close thing. He really was a crybaby.

Nakamura-san came by earlier, in a rare moment when no one was sitting with Shinpachi. He introduced himself as a detective responsible for the case. He needed a testimony, to close that investigation down, and asked if Shinpachi was well enough to give it.

Shinpachi didn’t feel bad enough to deny with a clear conscience, so he tried to give a full explanation. It didn’t go so well, but he managed to get to his last more or less clear memory. So, a win. Hijikata-san entered just as the policeman was about to start asking questions.

“This is my case, and I will finish it, no matter what you say”, hissed out Nakamura-san, who got red in the face. “I worked for three years to crack that case and I won’t let a bunch of village idiots with swords to destroy my hard work.”

“Funny, isn’t it” said Hijikata-san through clenched teeth, “That those ‘village idiots’ did in 6 days the job you couldn’t finish in 3 years. Your case is closed. We finished it.”

“You trampled over it! Now their contacts, their suppliers, their clients, all gone! All disappeared! Because someone had to squash my case like a stupid gorilla in a porcelain store…”

“What did you call Kondou-san?!” spat Hijikata-san, reaching for his sword, and out of reflex Shinpachi said ‘YOU are the one calling Kondou-san a gorilla now!’ what visibly deflated Hijikata-san. He tsk’ed, and set to light his cigarette.

“Nevermind, Nakamura, just go and don’t waste my time. If you have a problem, you can always ask Old Man Matsudaira…”

“I don’t care what you got that old coot to sign! Shimura is NOT a member of Shinsengumi, and it wasn’t your case!” Nakamura was absolutely on a verge of some sort of nervous breakdown, he was breathing hard, his eyes were half-crazed and his whole body was shaking. Shinpachi was seriously considering calling nurses in to stop this, but he did not want to get between those two and besides, he was curious. What happened when he got kidnapped to get Shinsengumi involved?

“Megane… I mean, Shimura is our contractor”, drawled Hijikata slowly, visibly calmer now that he lit his cigarette. Shinpachi tried to remember what the Yorozuya recently broke to have to pay Shinsengumi back, because there couldn’t be any other explanation for… oh wait, there probably wasn’t a job listing for ‘future (NOT! NEVER!) brother-in-law of the commander’… “Any action against him could be a sign of terrorist activity against us. We’re just doing our job – not that you know how it is…”

“NOW WAIT JUST A MINUTE…!” started Nakamura, but was interrupted by a loud noise, followed by a water raining down in the room.

Sprinkles system. Of course.

Somehow, even wet, and surrounded with shouting nurses, Hijikata remained dignified. Shinpachi really envied him.

Shinpachi was…. Reluctant, that was a good word, not scared, of course not. So Shinpachi was reluctant to be back home. In the hospital, there were noises, voices, people walking, people taking, slight hum of machines and lamps, just always something to remind him that the danger had passed and he was safe now. It wasn’t a problem in the first few days after they found him; he was more or less half-conscious at the best of times, but the better he felt, the worse got the feeling of foreboding, of someone watching him from just outside of his field of vision. It was… a bit nerve-wracking.

Calm and quiet dojo, with the only sounds being the rustling of leaves and cracking of the wood, usually made Shinpachi feel at peace. Now, it felt more like a nail on a board. Even his Otsuu’s posters seemed all wrong and weird.

Gin-san and Aneue were talking quietly in the corridor, but Shinpachi was quite sure they were both listening intently, as he prepared his futon (he was not an invalid! He could do it!). He had a fleeting, unwanted thought to ask one of them to sleep in his room, but he dismissed it almost instantly. He was not a baby, he would just man up and actually manage to sleep by himself, thank-you very much, besides, what would they think about him…

Shinpachi laid down.

Maybe, just maybe, he could ask… indirectly. Challenge Gin-san to something, to get him to sleep in his room, so that he wouldn’t appear to be a big baby he really was. But as hard as he thought he couldn’t think of any good reasons for Gin-san to stay. ‘Gin-san, the floor here is softer than at Yorozuya, want to check it?’ sounded not only stupid, but also like a very bad pick-up line and this was certainly not this kind of fanfic, thank you very much.

“Oi, Shinpachi, do you think the floor in your room is softer than in mine? I think I’ll check…” said Gin-san, abruptly appearing in the doorway.

Before Shinpachi could properly process what was being said, he could hear himself answering “Gin-san, that’s dumb, why the floor here would be softer?”

Wait. Did Gin-san just…

Okay so Shinpachi blew it. Damn his straight-man tendencies!

“Well.” Gintoki stood there rather awkwardly, and Shinpachi must have looked equally awkward and everything was just horrible. “Goodnight then, we’ll be going, sleep well. KAGURA! WE’RE GOING!”

Shinpachi seriously considered pretending to feel worse, to get them to stay, but then…

Kagura trotted into his room, spare futon in one hand, already in pyjamas.

“You go, Gin-chan, I’m tired” she said with a yawn, throwing her futon next to Shinpachi’s. “And Sadaharu’s also tired. We’re sleeping here today.” And she laid down, pulled the covers up almost to the top of her head, and started snoring unconvincingly. There was a pause where everyone wondered what to make of it.

“I don’t know… won’t she disturb you, Shin-chan?” asked Aneue, her brow forrowed in concern.

“No, it’s good, besides I think she’s already asleep”, said Shinpachi slowly. “And if she’s asleep maybe it’s a bad idea to wake her up?”

“I am”, agreed Kagura from under the covers, “and it’s a very bad idea, uh-huh!”

Gintoki sighed deeply.

“I guess there’s nothing to be done now, then’ he drawled. Say, do you have another futon laying around?”

And so Anaue and Gintoki went in search of a spare futon, after of course saying goodnight and wishing Shinpachi a good night. Shinpachi turn on his side, to look at Kagura. He wondered whether to thank her. He should, but she could be weird about things like this, and besides it would be kind of strange.

“Shinpachi…”, whispered Kagura, uncovering a bit of her face, “Are you ok, really?”

“Yeah.”

And you know what? In this moment he was.

[princethias]

How to make me cry - A comprehensive guide

Animals

That’s it. That’s literally it. 

The big Sadaharu episode of Gin Tama? You know i tear up every time.  Pokemon mystery dungeon endings? Bawling. Animal rescue videos? In-fucking-consolable. That one mastercard commercail from the early 2000s where a dog gets lost while its family is on a camping trip and finds a neew home at the end but i’m sitting there thinking about the family it had? Just string me up from a tree it would hurt less.

[sparda3g]

Gintama Chapter 658 Review

Whenever I remind myself that the series is ending, I feel like a tear was dropped. I’m just glad that it continues to put tons of effort of its quality for the finale. Usually, they either rinse and repeat from the previous arcs or get lost in the shuffle. While it does have its own shake-up, its outstanding performance overshadows by leaps and bounds. This chapter is so damn hyped I don’t know how I was able to review this.

The chapter waste no time to deliver the badass beat down from Gintoki. What’s crazy to me is how he uses Hitsugi’s arm as a weapon and throw it back at him. It is as if to say “Take your shitty arm!” Gintoki intentionally tried to kill him in the most brutal possible way. He freaking shove him down to the spike so hard that he still aim for one more attack for good measure. He should be thankful that Utsuro saved him more or less. It was pure sweet and savage. The term “savage” must have a picture of him in the dictionary.

I got goose bumps when Utsuro and Gintoki clashes once more because it was at this point that it got extremely tensed. That stare down shot between them got me amped up; I wanted Gintoki to beat the shit out of him. It’s a small tease but later on, there is a superb exchange with lines. Instead, it’s about hope is fading and what transition to next is one of the most heart pounding experience of the series.

Sorachi did a tremendous work on creating deep tension of Sadaharu’s fate. I was buying into the sequence and I was the one who don’t believe he will die. Kagura trying to save him was tearing me apart because of her regretful feeling. The last thing I need for her is depression. Hell, I was in pain seeing Sadaharu looking really hurt. Once again, no one wants to see a dog, let alone a pet, in pain. When she failed, I was waiting for a surprise.

Out comes Gintoki and at this point, I was praying for him to succeed. My heart was racing and I spout words like “Save him already,” and “Come on” to the screen like they can hear me cheering. That smile from Sadaharu is such a heartbreaking or right in the feels moment and it’s from a dog. Shoving Gintoki away from Altana felt so tragic; my voice went complete silence.

The sequence played off like a rescue mission gone wrong because the victim sacrifice. It’s an adrenaline rush that got me breathless. Normally, this would end with a last minute rescue or a twist, but it really left it as a tragic end. Sorachi got us like a damn fiddle! Even the aftermath plays off like tragedy and while Kagura is broken, Gintoki is slowly releasing his rage. Even if it killed me, it was outstanding.

The people at space are making great progress since they are escaping and heading back to Earth. If arrive on time, that would mean Joui 4 versus Utsuro may in fact happen and that would be amazing. Katsura is telling Gintoki to wait for them; it could very well be that everyone will be reunited for one epic finale. It’s not guaranteed yet, but if they do arrive on time, my excitement will end me. I believe Takasugi will get back up eventually, but that rest is well needed.

The exchange of lines between Gintoki and Utsuro is so captivating. The way Utsuro has him on lock gives a true devil aura. Utsuro, whether you like him or not, have the rights and credibility to appear the top of the world after wins and dominations; so his words felt so sinister. The taunt against Gintoki using wise words from Shouyou is mutiny; yeah, I said it. It finally got to the point that I really want his ass kicked so badly.

Gintoki’s respond is just awesome. “We just wanted our dog.” That simple line is damn powerful. This isn’t even matter of war; it’s just an owner looking for his lost dog. I was so drawn in to his words because not only you don’t see his face, but you can feel those sincere words from him and this is just a manga. He couldn’t care less about a sacrifice to be the savior of the world; they only came for one objective and that is to get his family member back. By then, you can feel his anger gradually increasing.

I love how Utsuro turn back for one second to see Altana starting to become “stable” and out of nowhere, a surprise attack from Gintoki. He sacrifices his precious Bokutou to escape and that only tells me that he’s about to get downright serious. It’s time for that epic new sword to rise. The hype begins to escalate tremendously.

It’s a bit reassuring that Sadaharu isn’t dead, though trying to calm Dragon in a sleeping state. It’s smart yet sad for him to push Gintoki away to ultimately save him but it still leaves him in a pain state in order to save everyone. Even so, Gintoki sees nothing but another job because right now, he’s an owner that is about to lay the smack down. That new sword is finally coming to play and wielding a real sword only means badass to the max.

Sorachi is at his best when he draws a sequence of high tension and this chapter is no exception. The segment of saving Sadaharu was exhilarating yet gut-wrenching. The emotions, the intensity, and how it ended is superb; it got me shock in belief. The confrontation between Utsuro and Gintoki has been spectacular and this one increases even further. The moment they fight will be glorious and it may occur in the next chapter.

This is one hell of a chapter. Whether you were convinced of his death or not, the emotions and intensity are hard to exclude. The hype from the confrontation has gotten even stronger. Gintoki is about cause even more hell than last time and I simply can’t wait.

[lunosamentelunitoo]

I really hope nothing bad happen to Sadaharu. If Sadaharu dead, I really can't enjoy watching Gintama anymore.

in the last page gintoki comes to rescue him ;)

[oddjobsqueen]

Yes Sadaharu to the rescue

[alroma1]

Gintama 638 Review

Rip Kondo. Or not? But if he survives what effects on his body this shall make?

I am afraid you can not run from this.

Hard to believe because it is not real after all, right?

You would not get from this with just sorry

And in such mistakes is all Sorachi. You see from the begging of manga he always draw terminal with three stroked parts. However since the start of this arc he started draw only two. And actually it does not relly looks like it was made so from explosion. For a moment the last page of last chapter was in fact absolutely right.

I would like to know more on dragon veins. And all going according to keikaku.

This is nothing special honestly. I am just standing here explaining my evil plan while everything going to hell.

See we returned to the right version.

The world is not enough. So this is really doomsday?

Enshou has gone to far to retreat now,huh?

And Sougo wearing boots again. Things can change in just  one chapter.

This is it. There is nowhere to run or hide since the Earth itself become enemy.

Sadaharu for the rescue! That is what I would like to say but I have a guess that he just experience the same thing that Umibozu when he met Kouka.

If my guess is right we have more or less 5 chapters till the end of this arc. Though since there stll no sight of Asaemon and Shachi it might take longer. But I hope not.   

[ace-reviews]

hey! kagura does have friends her own age! i’m so proud of her i may shed a single manly dadtear later

Episode 230 : It Would Take Too Much Effort to Make this Title Sound Like a Text Message Subject

In today’s episode, Kagura wants a cell phone so she can use it to communicate with her friends that I’m so proud of her for having you guys I’m barely exaggerating for comedic effect

Kagura has frieeeeeeeends

Gin-san can’t afford to get her one, naturally, so Sadaharu comes to the rescue when he conveniently shits out three of them.

Death Cancer Yamada, the not-so-bad guy of this episode, claims to have been a barber who lost customers because he doesn’t talk enough, but I prefer barbers who don’t talk a lot. I don’t really like agreeing with Shinpachi about anything after the Stupid Idol Fanboy Shit Arc, but I think the creepy crab claw hand might’ve had more to do with it.

I liked this episode a lot. I kinda wish Kagura had got to keep her phone (the hell does anyone need 4 cell phones for?), but aside from that it was a really cute episode. Plus, Kagura has frieeeeeeeeeeeends.

Next episode Our Heroes attend a funeral. Till next time.

[razberryyum]

Gintama manga chap 638

Dear Gintama gods and Sorachi-sama,

I spent most of the week worrying about our beloved Yorozuya and the rest of the gang and racking my brain to come up with how they were going to get out of this planet-ending bind they were in, and I want to just smack myself now for completely overlooking an obvious solution. I have a plushie of Sadaharu I see everyday, that should have triggered my memory. How could I have forgotten his true identity: a Kamiko, or dog god, messenger of the gods, guardian of the Altana pulsing dragon holes, butthair to Earth's butthole. To make matters worse, I only reread your lesson on that very topic a mere couple of months ago so I feel doubly stupid for not recalling that very important fact. I am such a big forgetful idiot sometimes; I truly don't deserve to even enjoy your hard work.  

But I am so happy about this callback since it means not only is there hope of the Altana being under control again, it also means that we'll be seeing the adorable little Komako-chan again (naturally, I ship her with Sadaharu, despite the size difference). I guess Ane and Mone will be popping up as well. Actually, with the Altana tower being destroyed, perhaps this means that the two sisters will be able to return to their former shrine maiden glory permanently to help control the dragon pulse once again.  Ane can finally quit her job at the Snack Smile.  

As for the Hinokagutsuchii,  I have a feeling you are going to introduce a last second save before it actually fires. I keep on bringing them up because their absence is still conspicuous, but it has to be the Renhos to their rescue, wouldn't it? Or, oh! I just thought of them: the Dekoboko cult! They have a laser gun in space too, right? True, it's not used for destructive means, but oh I would love it so much if they used it against the Hinokagutsuchii and the resulting effect is that everyone in space switches their gender. Oh my gods...I'm already imagining Takasugi and Sakamoto in their female forms...that would be beyond hysterical. I just might pass out from laughing. And then Zura...well, actually, Zura probably would look the same since he's already so pretty and prone to cross-dressing. Sorachi-sama, I hope this is the outcome you are heading for because that would just make my month.  

Of course then there's still the problem of Utsuro that everyone will have to contend with, and I am still hoping you will give us a little down time before we head into that final [sob] epic battle. Everyone needs time to rest and regroup. I need to know if Kyuu-chan is ok. I especially need to know that Kondou is ok. It pains me a little that Tae-chan is at another part of town so she doesn't even know what might have happened to him. I refuse to believe that you will take him away from us permanently, it would be too cruel, not to mention, such a death would not be glorious enough, but I am worried about what state he is in now as a result of that blast.  I know Gintoki and Utsuro looked like they were also caught in an Altana blast, but since Gin-chan has exhibited super human healing abilities before, I am not too concerned that he actually suffered any really debilitating injury. Kondou has no such preternatural power so please, be gentle with him. And also please be gentle with Sadaharu. I would be truly devastated if he had to somehow sacrifice himself in order to stabilize the Koryuumon. Please don't hurt our beloved gorilla and our sweet adorable puppy too much.  

Yours truly,

A silly fangirl with yaoi dreams

(^3^)

PS: I must shamefully admit that in this moment, I was thinking that if their world had ended then, at least Gintoki and Hijikata would be dying by each others side. Of course I am grateful it didn’t happen, but I do still want to say thank you for the idea...and also having Kagura and Okita be near each other as an added bonus as well. 

[don-lichterman]

On The Rampage w/ Don Lichterman, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Plasma by Phish, Michael Moore, Yummy, And Then!

On The Rampage w/ Don Lichterman "always ends up where you start', Plasma by Phish, 'And Then' & Yummy, Squab or Pigeon, Live Shrimp with members of the Allman Bros. Band & Camel Hump...One Green Planet is the worst web site to have on your computer...Delilah, Bait Dog, Ocelot and the Sunset TV Network shows this week!

Live Jam 107's current playlist & the Streamys Social Good Awards 2019 with 21 Savage – Leading by Example Foundation and Juma wins Creator & King Bach – RuJohn Foundation wins Creator and then Pat Mitchell's beautiful way she speaks.

Love being able to say the name Ta-Nehisi Coates along with Sadaharu Oh & More cool names to say aloud.

Is Mayor Pete the billionaires' choice for Democratic nominee? Also, Michael Moore on Impeachment, Trump's Chances in 2020 & Why He Supports Bernie Sanders

International News Including, Trump jokes that North Korea’s ‘Christmas gift’ may be a ‘beautiful vase,’ not a missile test. 19-Year-Old Horse Spends 1st Christmas With Loving Family, Celebrating the Life of Toni Morrison with Oprah Winfrey, Angela Davis, Ta-Nehisi Coates & More, “Police Brutality All Over”: India Cracks Down on Protests Against Anti-Muslim Citizenship Law, Woman Saves Starving Skunk, Removes Cup From His Head...“Becoming a Dangerous Woman”: Media Legend Pat Mitchell on Embracing Risk to Change the World, Pat Mitchell on confronting trauma and overcoming a culture that keeps survivors "silent", Cancer expert: Medicare for All is "the only solution" to inhuman cost of treatment, A man thought he betrayed a dog and didn't realize he saved his life and more at Rescue TV / Sunset TV!

[fizzingwizard]

finished reading gintama 700!!!

are we seriously ending next chapter? is that really possible?? Before I could find raws, i could only read spoilers, and it sounded like this chapter was mainly fighting with little story progression. When I found the raws I did find a bit more actual story than the spoilers suggested - but not all that much. It feels like there’s at least two more chapters left... but let’s be honest, every time a manga comes close to its end, I feel that way... lol we’ll see next issue I guess

Really wondering if we’re going to see a connection between Sadaharu and Shouyou. Can’t begin to guess what kind. Maybe all that will happen is, as a result of altana overflow, Sadaharu will reappear and join the fray - that’s what I would have assumed if this weren’t presumably the Real Final Chapter. If it’s the finale, I feel like having two immensely powerful altana beings in the same place is likely to be a bit more than a coincidence. Probably wrong on this one though. Idk.

Takasugi getting beheaded was so cool XD sorry but it was!! I <3 him but yeah awesome. so was his arm disintegrating.

When I read spoilers, they didn’t mention Zura at all, except to say the Shinsengumi went to catch him. I assumed that meant literally catch him, since last we saw he was falling from several stories high, and I was like, “aw, really, it’s almost the end and he’s not gonna do anything but get rescued like a damsel in distress?” Of course, then I found the raws, and XD Even though he’s only got like, one or two lines, he KICKS ASS y’all. I realized I can never be a shonen mangaka because every time someone gets terribly wounded or something I’m like “yep he dead” whereas mangaka are like “lol why tf would he die just from a little thing like that”

the yorozuya reunion (sort of) was better than I had imagined. I had several ideas how it would happen and “gintoki falls from several stories high and kagura and shinpachi through their weapons at him to block the enemy’s attack and then gintoki says he could always here them” was not one of them. It was perfect. I’m also biased because Wolverine said that about Nightcrawler once and like it’s the sweetest pseudo-family statement imo

So next chapter - assuming it really is the last - everything comes to a head. Takasugi’s been marked for death since he got Utsuro’s power from Oboro’s bones, BUT... given where they are and everything going on, I don’t think it’s 100% that he’s acually going to die. I’m rather expecting there to be like a surge of Altana that revives both Sadaharu and Takasugi’s body. Just so Gintoki can be like “LOL you fail at everything you try to destroy, the world and even yourself!” (I still kinda personally want him to die because Angst but. Yeah. I feel like the point of the finale is “angst is over!” And if Shouyou is revived in some form, it kind of sucks if Takasugi’s dead...) Zura was able to get back Shouyou’s heart, so apparently that does still matter? In what way though I can’t guess. Also not sure what Shinpachi and Kagura will do next chapter aside from fight with Gintoki. It seems like they should get something more to do (Shinpachi in particular - Kagura’s got Sadaharu’s storyline to go with, but Shinpachi’s big two-years-time-jump thing has been his journey to become more like Gin-san and continue the Yorozuya - that needs some kind of wrap up, imo).

Anyway, I’m expecting a lot from Sorachi in just one chapter >.< Even if that chapter is 50 pages. The last two 50 pagers have been great but didn’t clear up ANY of these unresolved issues, just complicated them more - so yeah, either next chapter won’t be the last after all (because Sorachi sold his soul to Jump editors), or it will be and it will be amazing beyond anything we could imagine, or it will be a let down.

:8 on the edge of my seat!!!

also it kinda bugs me that chapter 701 would be the last... it ought to end on a nice even number... like 700... gaaaaah there’s no way to save us now

[razberryyum]

A Gintama episode a day keeps the ending away...Episode 61

MY 14 FAVORITE MOMENTS IN EPISODE 61 (manga chaps 95, 96 and 97):

So sad the Benizakura’s Arc is over. I wish the anime team had gotten creative and extended it for a few episodes more. Thank goodness for the animated movie and the live action movie. 

1) Just because Zura is so damn pretty I can’t even stand it sometimes. And of course I love his short hair. Freaking Nizou could be a barber in his next life.

2) Such a cool pose. I love this so much.

3) Gin-chan is so sexy when he’s serious.

4) Bullets are nothing to The Queen.

5) Loved the teamwork to stop the monster and rescue Gintoki.

6) I teared up when Tetsuko started crying for her brother. Kudos to her seiyuu, Nemoto Keiko, who really put in a heart-wrenching performance.

7) I died when I saw these cute babies for the first time.

8) Our first look at Shouyou in the anime and it might have been my first glimpse of Shouyou, period, since I watched the Benizakura arc before reading the corresponding chapters. I remember thinking he looks like he’s going to be a bishonen when we finally get to see his entire face.

9) This just breaks my heart a little bit. 

10) I wasn’t surprised at Saigou being there, but that he would be so prominently featured. It was sweet that Zura included Kagura, his leader, but Pachi-kun was a bit of a head-scratcher. I honestly didn’t think he cared about Shinpachi that much...I guess he could’ve been a representative of the Yorozuya, but at the same time, I would’ve expected Zura to think of Sadaharu instead.

11) Elizabeth being completely unhelpful but still adorabe.

12) I love them.

13) One of the best escapes ever.

14) I love this just because it’s the last time we see his windblown short hair.

SHIPS TALLY:

Takasugi x Zura: ex-boyfriends meeting up again is always a little exciting to see.

Gintoki x Zura: always totally shippable, I sometimes can’t resist either.

Gintoki x Takasugi x Zura: Gintoki and Zura obviously still cared a lot about Takasugi. 

Zura x Ikumatsu & Zura x Saigou: please refer to moment #10. 

Disclaimer: Gintama is not only about shipping. Gintama is hilarious, clever, exciting, poignant, heart-breaking, loving, brilliant, and just completely unbelievably amazing.  It is only due to Sorachi-sama’s immense generosity that I am able enjoy Gintama on an extra another level, the shippy level, and I am forever grateful for that. GINTAMA IS LIFE AND LOVE.

3/2/2019

[razberryyum]

A Gintama episode a day keeps the ending away...Episode 6

MY 5 FAVORITE MOMENTS IN EPISODE 6 (manga chap 7):

I thought Otsuu was cute and weird right from the start and even though I wasn’t really invested in her family story, I did actually get teary-eyed at the end when she made up with her dad. Didn’t include that moment here because I already had it for my manga post.

1) Shinpachi going ballistic on the police...this was not in the manga and it was hilarious.

2) Was I surprised that Shinpachi was the captain of an idol fan club? Probably not. In fact, I would be surprised if I was surprised.

3) Kagura rescuing Pachi-kun from the gross cannibal fan monster thing that was super gross.

4) I would have totally watched this Kintama series. 

5) The Queen...and omg puppy accessory Sadaharu I want one.

SHIPS TALLY:

Shinpachi x Otsuu: in his dreams...probably forever.

Gintoki x Kagura: This is like the second time Gintoki did that face grabby thing to Kagura...I guess he was more touchy in the beginning than he is now...I actually never really noticed it until now...probably because I just took it for granted since I wasn’t keeping track.

Kintoki x Kagura the Chinese Mafia Boss x Shinpachi: canon...in the Kintama host universe. Using the same image as #5 because Kagura just looks so damn cool.

Disclaimer: Gintama is not only about shipping. Gintama is hilarious, clever, exciting, poignant, heart-breaking, loving, brilliant, and just completely unbelievably amazing.  It is only due to Sorachi-sama’s immense generosity that I am able enjoy Gintama on an extra another level, the shippy level, and I am forever grateful for that. GINTAMA IS LIFE AND LOVE.

1/6/2019

[razberryyum]

A Gintama chapter a day keeps the ending away...Lesson 669

Beautiful bonus chapter image:

MY 14 FAVORITE MOMENTS IN LESSON 669:

And thus, the time skip begins. This chapter really put me through a gamut of emotions: confusion, relief, fear, disappointment, resignation, hope, elation...mostly confusion, because I didn’t know if I should even believe the time skip.  Honestly, even now, after all this time, I am still not sure if I can 100% believe it, or if Sorachi-sama will somehow pull the rug out from under us once again and it all turns out to be Shinpachi’s Owl Creek Bridge moment right before death. I know too much has happened to really support that theory but once in a while, I still get nervous. 

1) I remember clearly thinking, “wtf??”

2) More “wtf???”

3) And then I was relieved that we were getting a flashback to what actually happened...also that Gintoki didn’t actually dive into the Altana pool to rescue Utsuro after all. 

4) Seriously, considering this scene alone, they should all be dead. It pretty much looks like they were being blasted away. Shinpachi’s words about the Earth dying and being reborn didn’t really help either.

5) I found some comfort in the fact that some things never change no matter how much time has passed: the shop owner was still a dick and the cheetahs were still assholes.

6) And thankfully, some things DO change.

7) HE LOOKED SO HANDSOME!!! I swooned a little.

8) And then my swooning was over and I just felt bad...especially since I actually laughed a little at the surprising twist.

9) Omgggg poor Pachi-kun.

10) Poor guy really never gets any break.

11) The Yorozuya looked so empty and lonely that my heart actually hurt, and then for a quick second, I remember feeling true fear because I was worried about why it was so empty and lonely.

12) When I first saw this photo, I actually completely missed the fact that Sadaharu was in the back! I feel so bad about that so I am including this image as my favorite moment now as an apology.

13) Thank the gods and Sorachi-sama that we didn’t have to wait long to find out that both Gin-chan and Kagura survived. I didn’t even mind the fact that Gintoki was saying good-bye too much because I was just relieved he was still alive.

14) I was of course curious as to why they parted ways, but again, I was so happy that they were still alive, I wasn’t really concerned. I figured as long as they’re drawing breaths, they can still eventually get back together. Although I was a little distressed at the lack of Sadaharu. I remember even thinking that if Gintama had ended like this, even though it would be a bit of a cop out, I would actually not mind because then we can use our imaginations to finish the story. It’s a little crazy that I even though that way at the time, but I think I was just so grateful that my Yorozuya were still alive, and that there was no mention of anyone else being dead that I was willing to accept anything.

SHIPS TALLY:

Gintoki x Hijikata & Okita x Kagura: see moment #4. What I said for the last chapter still stands: at least my two OTPs would have been dying together. Sometimes that’s all I could really ask for. 

Disclaimer: Gintama is not only about shipping. Gintama is hilarious, clever, exciting, poignant, heart-breaking, loving, brilliant, and just so freaking amazing.  It is only due to Sorachi-sama’s generosity that I can enjoy Gintama on yet another level, the shippy level, and I am forever grateful for that. GINTAMA IS LIFE AND LOVE.

11/6/2018