Thank you for buying volume eight of Gintama. We meet again after such a long time… Up until now, in Japan, I’ve published a volume every two months, but this volume came out after three months with a slightly longer interval. Well, a lot happens in the world in three months… Even a minor panda can stand up in three months: Well, in three months, even Gintama can become an anime! That said, to our surprise, this autumn the work will be made into a video at “Jump Festa”! Gin-san, Shinpachi and the others will be rampaging all over the screen! So it seems, unless it’s a Candid Camera… You may not believe it, but the production will be handled by Sunrise, famous for the Gundam series. I’m sorry, gentlemen of Sunrise! Maybe the sun won’t rise this time, but please take care of my work.
And now I want to present this volume titled “Special for anime adaptation” with a little more cheerfulness than usual, so as to make you slightly angry. I’m starting, guys!
I’m Sorachi! And I’m starting!
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 14
QUESTION FROM MR. “NAMELESS” OF TOTTORI PROVINCE
Listen up, Sorachi sensei! Up until now, the patriots promoting the anti-foreigner campaign of the Kaitento group and those of the Burning Fighting Spirit organization have appeared. What is the name of the anti-foreigner party that Katsura belongs to and that Gin-san once belonged to?
ANSWER:
There’s no specific name. By the way, the organization Katsura belongs to and the one Gin-san used to belong to are different. At the time when Gin-san was active in the movement, there was a larger organization in which both the Kaitento group and the other were mixed. All in all, it was a time when it was fashionable… Later on, the activities of the campaign against foreigners disappeared for a while because of the repressive policy of the shogunate and the amanto. But the more tenacious ones created different factions according to their ideologies, continuing their activities on a smaller scale. Katsura is one of them.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 15
QUESTION FROM MR. ‘NAMELESS’, CHIBA PROVINCE
I have a question.
In Gintama, Hasegawa and Kondo are treated as “middle-aged men”, but Gin-san and Hijikata, who are almost their age, are not. How old do you start to be considered “middle-aged men”?
ANSWER:
When, from one’s pillow, one begins to smell a scent similar to that of a family man.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 16
QUESTION FROM MR. NONMI, NIIGATA PROVINCE
How far does your ass hair extend, Sorachi sensei? If possible, explain it to me by drawing it!
ANSWER:
I can’t do that, because otherwise they’d ban the sale of the book.
Rather… when did Sorachi sensei ever become a character with hair on his ass? I’ll report you!
By the way, I personally consider “hairs on the ass”, the ones that grow around the anus… The ones that protect it.
In my case I have so much of it that it looks like I have a katsura, i.e. a wig, stuck up my a-… what?! Why am I writing this in a volume? My parents read it too! My grandmother displays my manga on the Buddhist altar! That’s it, I’m sick of myself! This is not at all the right spirit to entertain readers! That’s not the spirit of an animator, you fool!
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 17
QUESTION FROM MR. “IN TRICHIASIS THE CILIA THAT SHOULD NORMALLY PROTECT THE EYEBALLS DAMAGE THEM… AND THAT’S PROOF OF HAVING ROTTEN DNA”, FROM SAITAMA PROVINCE
I have a question. Is Zura’s cosplay also his hobby? I’m so worried about this question, I can’t concentrate on my studies to prepare for the entrance exams.
ANSWER:
It seems that Kogoro Katsura, the patriot who promoted the campaign against foreigners on which Zura’s character is based, was called “Kogoro the Escape Expert” because he dodged pursuers through various techniques, including disguises. Indeed, although many had died in battle or been murdered, among the patriots who played an important role at the time, Katsura survived into old age. Samurai were all vain, so they would die facing the Shinsengumi loyally saying “What can they do?!”, but he would flee with all his might when necessary. Because I fell in love with this behaviour of his, Zura became the character you see! However, in his case, it’s not about disguises but real cosplay! I think he does it having fun too.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 18
QUESTION FROM MR. AAAA, TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA
Sorachi sensei, you don’t have any nice nicknames, and I think that’s a bad thing. Please choose one right away between “Sorachintama” and “Hideakintama”!
ANSWER:
This boy writes, “I think this fact is negative,” as if he’s calling me incompetent… I’m surprised! What kind of upbringing did his mother give him?! He’ s lucky, because this question came to me when I was still elated about the anime adaptation of my work. If he had sent it to me when I was just normal, he would have been in big trouble! I would have stuck a Maru-pen in his forehead!
*Tama can mean “testicles”.
So, I presented this volume as a “Special for the anime adaptation”, but it wasn’t any different from the usual ones… Anyway, without realizing it, it almost became a Katsura special, I only wrote things about him, even sticking it up the ass!
By the way, for the “You invent amantos!” corner I proposed in the previous volume, more postcards arrived than I imagined, so I’ll make them public next time. I’m still collecting your inventions, send them along with the questions to the usual address. I also ask you to go and watch the anime of my work in Japan! The screening is free! The reason why it’s free is because the real goal is to sell you gadgets by enticing you with the anime. Try not to be fooled and leave immediately after watching the anime! So… see you next issue!
Yorozuya Shinigami 