Troll or not troll? That is the question. So let me share my thoughts about Gintama ending... Again.
Grab some tea of coffee. This is not going to be light reading.
So yeah 5 chapters left huh? It means it is going to end at... 699? Well, okay. Lets count the ways of what can happen.
1. Sorachi at it again and it is just going to continue with the current arc
It might sound strange but I dont sure there is a meaning in this. Even the most hardcore fans shall tell that SS arc is either one of the weakest or the most weakest arc of the manga. Over one hundred chapters the plot might seems like going somewhere but in truth it doesnt. Plotlines that was stilll undeveloped after Rakuyou arc wasnt really given any good attention except Jirocho flashback about old days in Kabukicho and Kiheitai backstory. To say the truth those were the only things that gave Silver Soul arc some weight in my option. Unless there is some crazy plotwist, I dont see any potential in this arc though I would prefer this option over whole manga ending. Probably
2 It is really ending because Sorachi ends it or because Jump puts an end to it
All stories have to end someday and Gintama is no exception. Anyone who reads manga ongoing can feel that all recent events lead to ending... unless of course they actually have read gintama before SS arc. Yes, it kinda have an aura of ending but there is still quite a lot to cover and one thing gorilla was always good is giving development even to secondary character and having relatively logical plot building. And knowing this it seems really out of place that he still hasnt really worked with Zura and Sakamoto. Especially the latter since gorilla said several times that Ryoma is his favorite historical figure. So sensei made character based on him and then just leave him untouched? Strange to say. the least. Sorachi does not give impression of author who creates characters just for fun. So I doubt he would end manga until he touches all that.
Jump putting an end to it is more complicated matter. The current manga situation is very akin to another hit manga that very abruptly ended during the course of its too long for its own good final arc. Yes, I am talking about Bleach.
Despite Kubos assurances that Bleach just ended on its own I dont really buy it. But to say the truth I can not blame Jump for it. Kubo pointlessly stretched final arc and eventually it was his own downfall. Four years was enough for wrapping all plotlines nicely but along the line it felt like Tite stopped really care for his own work. Now why would this happened?
Kubo admitted that he did have problems with editorial department of Jump. Not going into details but it might be the reason why Kubo did lose some passion for giving Bleach ending it deserves and wrote the worst last chapter I have ever read.
So now lets ask ourselves - If Jump refused to let Sorachi to write something he really wanted would he draws SS arc out of spite? The reason I ask this question and not why would Jump cut final arc before Sorachi could wrap things nicely is simple. 100 chapters enough for wrapping things nicely, for some reason Sorachi just doesnt want to do this. The difference between Gintama final arc and Bleach final arc is that latter was approaching its end but was so slow in it that readers of jump and editorial department could not handle this anymore. Gintama final arc is pretty much merry-go-round. We have already seen everything that happened there just in other arcs.
Returning to question...but before answering it let me point out something that I think is important. So yeah, Kubo probably did have beef with editors but honestly everytime I read about this, I always got the feeling that Tite never really-really insisted on his view of things. That is just my personal impression nothing more.
Sorachi on other hand always gave impression of really stubborn person. Stubborn and down to earth I would say. I hope your remember all those jokes about gintama cancellation. I personally dont take those too serious but in Russia we says that “in every joke there is a part of joke” meaning that in every joke there is more reality than joking. So I would say Sorachi at least has certain level of self-awareness. It just as much as he would insist on what he wants to write as he would not try something that he knew would never get permission.
Another thing is that despite from time to time having beef with authors overall editorial department of Shonen Jump give me impression of more open-minded people that willing to go risky if they see real potential(unless of course it is a kiss which God forbid lol) And I suspect that Gintama more or less always had that potential in their eyes
But everything can happen and lets suppose it did not go so nicely as I wish and Sorachi did have disagreement with Jump. Would he write pointless things for two years just out of anger for Jump? He could actually. Sorachi is quite grumpy and does not feel like a person who just silently takes a grudge. He could but I dont think he would. And the first reason for this probably would be... it is being too much pain in the ass. At last in terms of amount. I could imagine it if SS arc was > 50 chapters but to draw 100 chapters out of grudge is too much even for gorilla. Another thing I believe that despite continuous jokes about his own manga Sorachi has pretty decent option of it and despite dissapointment he might felt from not being able to do some things he really wanted, he still would try to give Gintama ending, that while not being as great as he wanted would still feels befitting it.
Does SS arc feel like this kind of ending? No, it doesnt if you ask me.
Funny thing Sorachi already has done two versions of Gintama premature ending arc. Kintama arc and 2nd Movie
Of course those two still can not feel like real Gintama ending for various reasons, but they still way better than SS arc. Bottom line here is that even if for some reason Sorachi could not write the ending he planned, he would still do better than SS. I think.
So in the end of this part - yeah Jump could be putting an end to Gintama but when you start to think why it gives birth to a lot of questions.
3. Gintama is really ending but some form of continuation ( prequel, sequel) announced.
I have already told that I think Sorachi is planning to end Gintama but continue the story in other form. I personally think it is going to be a prequel. Technically this way it all looks pretty logical. Gintama is ending ( so Sorachi said truth ) but still can develop things left untouched.
The problem is that it doesnt make SS arc problem go anywhere.
4. Gintama is not ending ( yet ) but Silver Soul arc is.
On 3d august 74 volume of Gintama went on sale. In opening comment Sorachi says that he would try to end manga this year. The problem that in order to fully understand his message one needs to read closing comment too. It is just my fan translation but I think it is right. And overall it feels like confirmation, that he is not going to finish Gintama this year. Someone would say it is just a joke. It might be but to say the truth it is too damn smart for being just a joke. Plus in Gintama most jokes have second meaning.
There is also afterworld that also was translated in Yonkou post
( by the way it is left hand probaly) First of all mention of coundown is clearly not a coincidence. Sorachi knew about announcement. He knew and shamelessly trolling about it. It may sound just like Sorachi but I dont think so. I dont believe he would troll his readers with shadow of hope if Gintama really was ending. Little detail is that there are no mentions of what he is counting. There is 74 volume but all others numbers dont have words showing what is counted. It is “3... maybe 5... no wait, 10 is better”
Now it most likely does mean volumes. But out of sheer curiosity how about chapters? Than it is even more trolling. Maybe years? But it is too long. At last for Gintama alone. Months? Now months and volumes seems possible if you ask me.
Possible if there is one more arc after Silver Soul arc.
The proble with SS arc plot is not only that it is weak but that it rejects previous events.
Like Hata`s dad being dead even though in second chapter he threatened Hasegawa with it.
Hedoro`s flower grew during his mature years and not childhood as it was shown before
And Hinowa being able to walk without any good explanaition. Those are not all but enough to give a picture of what I mean.
Numerous ( really a lot of ) “mistakes” in art. Like the most recent one with Kondo`s scar
I clearly remember someone joked ″I wonder when Sorachi will forget about Kondo`s scar”. But lets be real - one cant really forget something like this. But one can troll with it. Just like with one iconic places of Gintama - terminal. Just try to go through page of Silver Soul arc paying attention to it. You shall find it having everchanging appearance. And not only because it was blown up twice.
“Those are just mistake because of hard work“ Might be. Sorachi is just human after all so its natural to forget some detailes. But the thing is that all those numerous “mistakes“ and rewriting of the plot started with SS arc. True Sorachi did make mistake from time to time but there never so many of them. The big weakening of the plot too strated with it. Yeah, many people say that it started with Rakuyo and I agree to it in some degree ( though I think there is a reason for it ) But it can not even be compared with drop of SS arc. The weakening and stretching is nothing new to long running manga nearing its end but the problem with Gintama is that real drop literally started with SS.
So I suspect that for two years Sorachi Hideaki was writing a fake final arc
“it is impossible“ Well, I would like you to remember who is writing this manga and realize that HE can. The real question why would he do it for two years of his own life. Here some thoughts about it
a) To troll all cliche about shounen ( not only) manga endings
Like literally pretimeskip part is collection of standard ending troupes for shounen. Post timeskip doing it in much less extent but have its own problems. I really can imagine gorilla reading on internet fans theories about ending and feel incredible desire to troll all those.
b) Wanting real plot to have good pacing
You know how popular manga became somehow stretched especially close to its ending? I can see Jump asking Sorachi stretch Gintama a bit and gorilla doing it but the way that real plot will be left untouched
c) To get vacation ( take of pressure for some time )
This is the strangest one. Weekly manga drawing is hell. At least this is how Sorachi calls it. But I guess it can depend on gorilla`s ability as an artist. If for him planning plot takes much more time than drawing than indeed he had.more free time in those two years. I can see him explaing that before last arc he needed a little rest.
On the last note, believe me or not but one thought that I have been having for some time is that it would not be trolling final arc without trolling countdown
So those are my thoughts about Gintama ending and what is going to happen. Not insist on anything though. It way better to be prepared for anything including real ending. I just hope this was at least a bit intereting as exuse for being so damn long
