A Gintama episode a day keeps the ending away...Episode 104
Episode Title: Important Things Are Hard To See
MY 18 FAVORITE MOMENTS IN EPISODE 104 (manga chaps 164, 165 and 166):
1) I had to laugh a little at the fact that the anime team employed one of their tactics for filling out an episode: they repeated Hijikata’s whole speech to Kondou from the last episode, which killed about 4 minutes or so.
2) His words...ugh, my heart.
3) I just loved the fact that Gintoki prioritized his client, Hijikata.
4) Nothing wrong with a combo of both.
5) I love their antics, although I did feel bad for Hijikata...had to hurt being a human bridge since Kondou isn’t exactly a small man.
6) This scene was just so cool: I appreciated the fact that both of them were aware that the other person was on the other side of the car so they were ready to attack as soon as the obstacle was sliced apart.
7) It was Itou saying the words which at first I don’t think actually applied to Takasugi, but really thinking about it, it’s not that it doesn’t apply, it’s that it could have applied but because Takasugi was fortunate enough to meet Shouyou, he was changed and was able to find someone who understood him.Too bad both of them still ended up along similar destructive paths.
8) For a very brief second, Itou actually looked like he was devastated, thinking his greatest rival was dead.
9) That was pretty brutal, but at this point, I still thought Itou would live through everything, albeit minus one arm. I figured that was punishment enough for someone who lived by the sword.
10) Itou’s mom really was the worst.
11) Of course I started feeling bad for Itou, although I still think he could have made better choices in life.
12) The best type of human centipede.
13) Bless Kagura...she really was the MVP of this episode. Without her, none of the guys would’ve probably survived. As usual The Queen saves the day.
14) It kinda is but I still felt for baby Itou. Present day Itou, not so much.
15) Loved this glimpse of our Shinsengumi boys during happier, drunker time. I especially loved drunk Sougo.
16) First time I saw Bansai’s strings, I was totally impressed: I thought it was such a cool attack. I really miss that man
17) That was so unbelievably beautiful: his words warm my heart every time, but this time around, I actually got a little teary-eyed because I started thinking how early on he had said those words and how much that bond has grown further over the years.
18) I feel bad for Bansai now, but first time I saw this, of course I was cheering for Gintoki and totally awed by him.
SHIPS TALLY:
Gintoki x Hijikata: that’s Hijikata’s ass so of course I’d pay tribute to them.
Okita x Kagura: this really quick OkiKagu fight combo moment (Hijikata joins in pretty quickly) is probably what inspired the live action movie’s extended version of it and I cannot be more grateful.
Kondou x Itou: if Itou had not been so damn traitorous and murdery, Kondou probably would’ve eventually made him the second vice captain of the Shinsengumi or something equivalent because Kondou’s love and admiration for him was pretty palpable. I almost feel like he sees Hijikata as his beloved little brother, but he regards Itou as an adult whom he actually borderline idolizes.
Hijikata x Itou: rivals make hot ships...of course nothing became of it, but if Sorachi-sama had been merciful, they may have very well challenged my OTP’s popularity.
Hijikata x Okita: that soft expression on his face. Obviously that was Sougo’s way of wishing Hijikata luck and hoping he’d survive.
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.
A Gintama episode a day keeps the ending away...Episode 101
Episode Title: Rules Are Made To Be Broken
MY 24 FAVORITE MOMENTS IN EPISODE 101 (manga chaps 158 and 159):
I LOVE THE SHINSENGUMI CRISIS ARC SO DAMN MUCH MY SMALL LITTLE HEART COULDN’T EVEN DEAL WITH MY OVERFLOWING LOVE AND HAS BURST MANY TIMES OVER
1) Lookit this cutie pie, all proud of his new little sword.
2) Sougo has never looked more like a teenager than in that moment.
3) Let’s be honest, only a future house husband like Kondou (and those two Shisengumi boys fanboying over it) would even care about something like that.
4) Okita being totally vindictive about Kondou’s cooler sword.
5) No matter how many times I watch this scene, I would never stop wincing at how humiliating it is for Hijikata. It almost physically hurts me to see him uncontrollably debasing himself like that.
6) My opinion of Itou has softened somewhat over the years, but it wasn’t until the second live action movie that I really started to appreciate him. It’s really all thanks to Haruma Miura’s portrayal: when I look at Itou now, I can’t unsee his handsomeness.
7) Kondou is such a dork. Poor Sougo got hit by his embarrassment shrapnel.
8) Kondou REALLY is the last person to talk about not embarassing himself, but this does make Hijikata’s earlier degradation even more unbearable.
9) The slight change to what Kondou said to Hijikata in this moment made his words come off as even harsher than how they were in the manga. I felt so bad for Hijikata; it must’ve really hurt to be scolded in such a way by someone he loves and respects so much. Thankfully, he didn’t have much time to feel bad about it since Toshi immediately took over.
10) Even though it’s been ages since I had to worry about recording anything, I still feel enough nostalgia about those days to sympathize with Toshi.
11) That’s the face of sadism if there ever was one.
12) As if their reactions to Hijikata’s To Love-ru appreciation weren’t extra enough, the anime team gave it further boost.
13) Seriously, Hijikata’s rules are ridiculously harsh. If it were anyone else, that person would be a psychotic monster.
14) I was so embarrassed for him, and yet he answered that phone as if it were nothing, especially not that his literal guts and life were on the line.
15) Ok, not a favorite moment per se, but that freaking bulge is just ridiculous.
16) Sexy demon vice commander is sexy. He can have my soul any time he wants it.
17) These Shinsengumi boys look more like the criminals they’re pursuing than actual police officers.
18) Omg how I WISHED they captured Zura or Gintoki rather than this random Joui rebel. The fact that he got to play sleepover with Hijikata is what’s MOST unfair about this whole thing.
19) I love how protective Hijikata was of Okita, even though the favor was not returned at all.
20) Okita being a bullying senpai.
21) I appreciate the random, trivial little details the anime team sometimes adds to a scene, like that Justaway on the lint-roller. I couldn’t figure that thing out. Is it an image printed on the lint sheet? But why didn’t we see it earlier? Or did Kondou really just roll up a random Justaway lying around on the ground? I guess we’ll never know.
22) Hijikata is such a good little kouhai; it just made his senpai’s betrayal of him that much more heart-breaking.
23) This beautiful, conniving, sadistic little Prince.
24) This was a total gut-punch to Hijikata, but I still couldn’t hate Sougo for it.
SHIPS TALLY:
Hijikata x Itou: I was never on board with this ship until after watching the live action.
Hijikata x Okita: Sougo really should’ve been the last person Hijikat would want to confide in considering their rivalrous and tumultuous relationship, therefore the fact that he turned to him anyway was really pretty adorable.
Kondou x Itou: Kondou was indeed pretty sweet on Itou.
Hijikata x Yamazaki:
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.
