Thank you for buying the 5th volume of Gintama. In Japan, when they decided to release volume five in December, volume four had just come out! Did they want me dead? Apparently everyone is more generous at the end of the year, so they’re aiming for that occasion. Be careful not to be fooled!
So, once again the question corner is full of content. You didn’t like it very much the previous time… In fact, it was showered with criticism and I received many letters of protest. Ha ha ha!
They asked me if I really intended to make these pages… Ha ha ha! But telling me I’m a Tengu demon is too much! Ha ha ha!
Since I had a busy schedule, my editor suggested that I leave the pages blank this time. But I demanded them by arguing with him. So they are to be considered the result of my own toil and sweat.
However… listen! Ah ah ah ah! Thereafter some tension arose between me and my editor.
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!
By the way, I have a busy schedule this time too.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
What am I going to do?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 6
QUESTION FROM MR. KOBAYASHI, SAITAMA PROVINCE
Did you choose the title Gintama because you really wanted the readers to have ambiguous and dirty conversations?
ANSWER:
To make a long story short, I wanted to choose a title with a strong impact. At the beginning, when I presented the work at the meeting for serial publication, the title was Gin-san, the Yorozuya. Since it had little impact, I discussed it with my editor, but I was disappointed by his lack of good taste. He said, “Don’t you think The Silver Samurai is better? Don’t you think it’s good?” So I asked him to give me some time. Since I was back at my parents’ house for a while after graduating from college, I called a family meeting and chose the title Gintama. What kind of family is mine, huh?! Afterwards, my editor liked it too, so much so that he said, “Gintama? Not bad, it’s going to be a hit!”, but only the two of us were elated, and the editorial staff weren’t very enthusiastic. However, since editor Onishi is a man, he insisted on my idea: “I’ve silenced my superiors. We’re going to keep the title Gintama“. Well, was it worth making enemies like that?
Other proposed titles:
Inase Gin-san, meaning “Bold Gin-san”
– Created by my father. Too unrefined!
Notari Gintoki, meaning “The Quiet Gintoki”
– Created by my father. He plagiarized the title of another work!
Gin-chan Ga Yuku, meaning “Gin-chan moves on”
– Created by Sorachi. I plagiarized someone else’s work, too!
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 7
QUESTION BY MR. SENZA OF KANAGAWA PROVINCE
Sensei, do you draw your work after studying well the last years of the Tokugawa’s shogunal government?
Munemitsu Mutsu was not a native of Tosa*.
ANSWER:
First of all, in the final period of the Tokugawa’s shogunal government, there were no extraterrestrials… You should study better!
*Old name of Kochi province.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 8
QUESTION BY MR. SHIMOMURA OF AICHI PROVINCE
There’s something I find strange… You want to know what? Well, it’s about what Shinpachi said: “The campaign against foreign invaders, with the intention of driving them out, began when the Amanto attacked us 20 years ago.” (Vol 1, p. 145). In other words, as far as we calculate by rounding down as much as possible, Gin-san and Katsura are now over thirty years old, right?
ANSWER:
Don’t worry! Just be clear and listen carefully because during the exams you’ll be asked a question related to this: the war against the foreigners was by no means over in a year or so, but was a more complicated conflict. I’ve made a simple summary, so open the next extra page, Shimomura!
Twenty years ago the Amanto came to Earth. The frightened samurai fought against them but were easily defeated. By the way, back then Gin-san was a brat who hadn’t even grown any hair.
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Later, the Shogunate also became afraid and opened the country to diplomatic relations. The Amanto built a terminal and started to come to Earth. In the meantime, some samurai went on the rampage everywhere in the country in order to hunt down the invaders and kill them, but they suffered a sound defeat. By the way, Gin-san was starting to grow hair in the meantime.
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The Amantos started to do whatever they wanted, even inserting themselves into the very structure of the Shogunate. It must be said that at that time there were samurai who were still trying hard. Gin-san started to go wild right around that time… Well, but not in that sense.
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Since the Amanto were starting to find samurai annoying, they had the Haitorei edict enacted to dampen their strength. Thus, even the last samurai exhausted their strength.
This was the samurai resistance that lasted about fifteen years… This is what we generally call a war against foreigners. Basically, it was a losing battle. Gin-san and his companions were the ones who played an important role in the second half of this war.
That said… Shimomura, you will stand in the hallway!
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 9
QUESTION BY MISS AMI MIZUKI OF OSAKA PROVINCE
I can’t get Gin-san’s hairstyle right. Could you tell me a little secret to do it?
ANSWER:
At first glance, his hair seems to be drawn randomly, but there’s actually a certain rule for doing it. The important thing is to make four points of unruly tufts. First of all you draw a normal head.
Then add the first two rebellious wisps: one on the right and one on the left, at the top.
Then add two more rebellious wisps around the temples, and lengthen the middle part of the fringe…
There you go!
What do you guys think? The extra pages this time weren’t too bad, were they? You should have nothing to complain about, because I tried my best. I really put in the effort! So I don’t have any more time to make the storyboard! Next time I’ll do something different as well, so look forward to seeing it! I’m also looking forward to your questions, so please send them to me! Complaints are also welcome! Send them with the following topic…
Goodbye then!
Yorozuya Shinigami 