Thank you for buying volume 60!
In my studio, while working, we often talk about comics and movies, and since I am called “Sensei” despite everything, I feel obliged to set a tone when expressing an opinion. However, the fact that I don’t like superheroes like Spider-Man or Iron Man, which young people like so much, leads me to talk in circles, pretending that I’ve watched certain films when in fact I haven’t. Lately I’ve found an escamotage that allows me to get away with these situations and that consists in using rather vague metaphors to speak abstractly about the film in question, giving me the air of someone who knows a lot about it. Take The Avengers, for example. Although I’ve never watched the film, I brilliantly dribbled out a comparison between the heroes and two Chinese dishes: “A plate of Chinese stir-fried rice or a plate of Chinese dumplings are good eaten individually, but if they were combined, the taste of the first would be covered by the stronger taste of the dumplings. … “He’s right, Sensei! I only tasted Iron Man!” … “See? You don’t necessarily get a good result if you put delicious dishes together!” …and so on. If you use Chinese cuisine as a comparison, everything goes smoothly: “Listen, sensei, but isn’t the set of ramen noodles with half a portion of Chinese stir-fried rice that you always order the same as The Avengers?” … “No! If anything, it’s like Alien vs. Predator: like Alien, which in that specific context still stands out as the villain, in this case the ramen serves as a brothy base, highlighting the rice!”.
As you can see, whether we’re talking about food or films, Chinese cuisine is never wrong.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 193
QUESTION FROM MR. COCONUT PALM TREE OF KANAGAWA PROVINCE
In Lesson 518, the day after Shouyo sensei drove out the government officials, what happened to Takasugi? Was he eventually disowned?
ANSWER:
He ran away from home before they could disown him.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 194
QUESTION FROM MISS “I’M CRAZY ABOUT SAITO”, IBARAKI PROVINCE
While reading volume 59, I noticed something. Why isn’t Shimaru Saito in the Roshigumi recruitment scene? Since Okita says in volume 55 that they’ve known him since before the Shinsengumi were formed, it’s strange that he’s not there… isn’t it?
ANSWER:
As you know, Saito is a guy who always goes “zzz”. When Kondo and the others left for Edo, he got up late and stayed behind. He tried to catch up with them as fast as he could, but because he’s always going “zzz”, he wasn’t able to ask anyone for the way, and at some point he found himself in China. So, in a panic, he decided to ask for directions and diligently jotted them down in a notebook, but being, as you know, a guy who always goes “zzz”, people thought he was English and sent him to England. And so, being a guy who always goes “zzz”, he joined the other Shinsengumi with considerable delay. ZZZ.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 195
QUESTION BY MR. JC THE SUPER S
In the 425th lesson “One super S… and another super S”, Mr. Kondo says, “If you two super S’s collide, since two S elements repel each other, I will end up being an M for one thing or another!” But if a super S and another S actually repelled each other, what would happen? For one thing or another, I am an S!
ANSWER:
You can figure it out by placing two south poles of two magnets side by side: impossible to stick them together. If you don’t keep them at a certain distance and insist on bringing them together, one of them succumbs and becomes a north pole. The same applies to humans: one of them converts and becomes an M. Humans are living beings who are endowed with both inclinations, S and M. Therefore, if you happen to meet a person with whom you have the impression that you cannot get along, it is better to ascertain his inclination and adjust yourself accordingly, otherwise you may as well keep your distance. If this were the case, our species could perhaps avoid unnecessary conflict.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 196
QUESTION FROM MR. TOWELHEAD OF SAITAMA PROVINCE
How old is Yamazaki? I’m so obsessed with this thought that I can’t take a nap anymore, so let me know!
ANSWER:
He’s 32. By the way, Kondo’s 28 and Hijikata’s 27.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 197
QUESTION FROM MR. “LATELY GINTAMA IS MASTERFUL”, KOCHI PROVINCE
About the Shinsengumi and Miwarigumi’s uniforms, both Saito and Nobume wear a different one from the other members. Did they modify them?
ANSWER:
The commanders have two uniforms, one short and one long. The two of them simply prefer the second one, which is similar to the long school uniform with the high, stiff collar. Despite appearances, they care about elegance.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 198
QUESTION FROM MR. “SASUKE OF GINSAN” (A__HOLE WHO APPEARED IN VOLUME 33), FROM YAMAGUCHI PROVINCE
Sorachi sensei, good morning! Lately I’ve been watching Gintama anime with my better half, and episode after episode, she started making a lot of dirty jokes. When I first met her, she was a clean-cut girl, but now she reacts to the words “hole” and “stick” like a junior high school boy! Surely, it’s the influence of the opera. Sensei, can you compensate me in any way?
ANSWER:
Let me make one thing clear to you. Those who blame others for their own misfortunes are bad people. The fault is yours, that you showed Gintama to your girlfriend!
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 199
QUESTION BY MISS YUSUKE OF GIN-SAN, YAMAGUCHI PROVINCE
Sorachi sensei, good morning! I’ve been watching the anime Gintama with my boyfriend lately, and for a while now he’s been picking his nose and farting in front of me without any qualms. When I first met him he seemed like a clean-cut guy, but now he’s lost the look he once had. Surely it’s the influence of the opera. Sensei, can you compensate me in any way?
ANSWER:
Let me make one thing clear to you. You are the one who sent the question before, aren’t you? It’s not possible to get a combo of identical questions from two different people, even if they are engaged. Come up with something new together with your virtual girlfriend, who only exists in your mind, and above all never let go of her hands!
That said, the volume 60 special ‘The set with half a portion of Chinese stir-fried rice is always a guarantee’ ends here. Without realizing it, we’ve reached the 60th volume, but no matter how good the rice is from a renowned restaurant, you get sick of it if you eat it sixty times in a row. Not so if the rice is cooked by your own mother. Or rather, even if we get sick of it, we have no choice but to swallow it, because if we complain we will be slapped. So I, aiming to make a manga that’s like my mum’s Chinese fried rice, will continue to put all my efforts into it. Even though I’m getting nauseous just thinking about it. Please continue to support me!
New topic: “My mum’s Chinese-style rice stir-fry.”
Yorozuya Shinigami 