A Gintama chapter a day keeps the ending away...Lesson 657
Bonus color image in chapter: I started tearing up just seeing this. It really should have been the title image considering the what was happening in this chapter.
MY 10 FAVORITE HEART-ACHING MOMENTS IN LESSON 657:
I love animals. I love dogs. I love Sadaharu. So this chapter was a triple whammy of painful anxiety for me. I cried a lot when I first read this chapter, cried during the anime as well, and when tonight, naturally, I cried all over again.
1) He looks so majestic and yet so alone.
4) My heart dropped: really, my worst fear realized.
5) I remember I was clenching my jaw so hard when I watched this fight that it actually hurt afterwards.
6) I wanted Utsuro to be torn to pieces for throwing Sadaharu into the building. I would have gladly volunteered to do the honors.
7) He’s so amazing and awesome; I love this puppy so much!
8) I was/am bawling. And I am not even going to include any scenes from Sadaharu’s fight with that zombie shithead with the stupid crewcut whose name I don’t even want to remember because I hate him.
9) Sorachi-sama really knows how to torture our souls.
10) Omg, I literally fell in love all over again with Gintoki just for doing that and saving Sadaharu. Tears again, but happy tears this time.
There really was no room for shipping but the popularity poll did make me happy at the end: it was like a glorious, warm, loving light at the end of a horrible dark tunnel, so I did want to honorably mention it, especially since it gave me this:
Gintoki x Hijikata: they took the top two spots again, (I think this is the 2nd time for Hijikata while Gin-chan is of course always #1), but this time, they were actually featured next to each other AND Gintoki is also looking at him too! I so needed the smile that this gave me.
Shinpachi x Upward Movement in Poll: because...well, just look at how happy he looks! Poor guy! Good for him too!
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.