Excerpt from the first lecture of the Jump’s Manga School held on August 22, 2020, titled “Basics: Manga ‘Planning’, where Gintama first editor, Kohei Onishi explains how Gintama was able to stand out a series within Weekly Shonen Jump during its time, and how the T.P.O.* factor was used in creating the series.
*Acronym that stands for:
TIME: Timeleness of the project, and whether it fits in its era. PLACE: Place or magazine (or app) in which the manga is being published. OWN: The power that the writer has or owns. Will the artist be a good match for the project, and will they be able to draw it well?
KOHEI ONISHI:
Let me use Gintama as a concrete example of how to create a project. At the time, Weekly Shonen Jump was lined with super-powerful works such as One Piece (Eiichiro Oda), Naruto (Masashi Kishimoto), and Bleach (Tite Kubo), and I was trying to figure out what I could do to survive. The big concept that came out of that was to “do something that doesn’t look Jump-like”. Sorachi-sensei was an unknown newcomer, so the strategy was to do something different and stand out from the crowd.
With Gintama, I thought in terms of TPO. First, the characters. Gintoki and Kagura were created by reversing the traditional hero/heroine style. Kagura has vulgar characteristics such as “gluttony” and “vomiting”, which is the opposite of the elegant and gentle heroines of the past. The factor I was conscious of here is “PLACE”, the place where the story is published. “I thought, “What kind of heroines are there in Jump, and what should I do to stand out there? For Gintoki, I was conscious of “life-sized characters”. I was being conscious of “OWN” so that the writer’s “human observation skills” could be utilized in creating the character. There were not many life-sized protagonists like Gintoki in Jump at the time. For example, I thought that a “big adventure in a vast world” type of protagonist would not be able to compete in Jump at that time.
Next comes the story. Again, I’m being conscious of the “PLACE” factor here, which is to find similar works in the same magazine. Or, conversely, is there a genre that is popular in other magazines but not in the magazine you are targeting? I think it’s important to think about whether there are any “openings” in the market. Before Gintama got serialized, Sorachi and I both thought that if a Rumiko Takahashi style manga like Ranma ½ was in Jump, it would have a better chance of being a hit. Here, I think we can say that something that is a hit in other magazines, but not here, is clearly a target. There were already a lot of interesting fantasy ability battles in Jump at the time, so there was no point in doing the same thing. On the contrary, I thought it would be interesting to have a work with a stance of using special moves as a story… I also tried to add a lot of “human interest stories”. I thought it would bring out the best in the writer and stand out from the flashy stories that are often found in JUMP.
In the setting of the Shinsengumi and “the end of the Edo period”, I was conscious of the “TIME” factor, that is, the trend at the time. There was a lot of attention being paid to the Shinsengumi in the Taiga drama series, and Sorachi-sensei was also a fan of historical stories. I had analyzed the Shinsengumi as a group of people wearing the same uniform and working towards the same goal, which is something that children like. At the time, there were no Shinsengumi or historical stories in Jump, so I thought that if we could do that, we could compete. The character portrayal of the Shinsengumi in the work is based on the original historical figures. I have tried to follow the image of the real Toshizo Hijikata and Soji Okita, and vice versa. The real Soji Okita has a refreshing image, so I tried to make him black-hearted in the manga. Sorachi-sensei is good at using existing images to create new ones, so I thought that if there was a “foundation” to begin with, such as a historical character, the character portrayal would be more interesting.
As we have seen, I create my projects with an awareness of “TPO” such as “timelessness,” “location,” and “compatibility with the artist”. I thought that if you are aware of these three factors when you are thinking of a project, it will become a certain standard for the interest of said project. (End)
Title: “Those Who Do Good Deeds By Doing Bad Deeds”
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 247
QUESTION FROM MR. CALENDAR, KANAGAWA PROVINCE
Sensei, I have a question. Is it just me or is Gin-san’s wavy hair a little different from Mr. Sakamoto’s? Maybe I’m wrong, but could you show me how you draw it, please?
ANSWER:
Gin-san’s hair is shorter and unruly. You can see the raised ends of all the strands.
Sakamoto’s is a bit longer and the unruly locks are mixed with the more disciplined ones, so his hair is more rounded overall.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 248
QUESTION FROM MR. “KATSURA AND HIJIKATA ARE TRUE IDOLS!”
Hello, Sorachi sensei. Right now Utsuro is attacking Edo, but what’s the situation in the rest of the world? Are other countries being attacked as well? I need to know! Please answer me, super genius Sorachi sensei!
ANSWER:
To keep the plot from getting too complicated, I’ve cut out this bit of history, but yes, other countries are also struggling mightily. In America, for example, President Othello is harshly attacking the Liberation Army on Twitter.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 249
QUESTION FROM MISS “I WOULD LIKE TO BECOME SORACHI SENSEI’S WIFE”, NAGASAKI PROVINCE
I’m a lackluster seventh grader, but I really want to become a mangaka like you, Sorachi sensei! Studying is not my forte, I don’t like it, it’s just a waste of time since I’d rather dedicate myself exclusively to manga and drawing. Do you think that even people who don’t like studying can become successful mangaka, or will their works always be uninteresting?
ANSWER:
Since I made it, no matter how unintelligent you are, you’ll manage somehow. However, even if you make an interesting manga, there is a risk that it will be clear afterwards that you are superficial and your career will be very short. That’s why it’s better to keep studying, and I’m still doing that. Ever since I became a mangaka, my curiosity has been growing, and it’s practically spontaneous for me to delve into all sorts of things that can help me invent new stories. But there’s nothing to admire in that, since it’s a natural process. It’s what lies beyond that is important! It is to be appreciated that you have had a goal since middle school, but if you restrict your interests to this field alone you risk becoming a person and an artist without content. At your age you should take advantage of your time to expand your interests and study, so that you arrive well “armed” at adulthood. All the more so if you want to achieve your goal, you will need to acquire a great deal of tenacity to be able to endure the hard life of a mangaka.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 250
SECOND QUESTION FROM MR. CALENDAR OF KANAGAWA PROVINCE
In the scene where Kamui saves Takasugi, in the 572nd lesson, how did it really happen? Was it something like “Boss, a girl is falling from the sky”? Let me know!
ANSWER:
It was more of a Kiki’s Delivery Service style situation.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 251
QUESTION FROM MR. KAMIRA
Good morning, Sorachi sensei. I’m 18 years old, but I’m still in the middle of my rebellious period. In my heart, I want to get along with my parents, but when they talk to me, I’m ashamed to be honest even with myself, so I end up behaving badly. How can I overcome my rebellious period?
ANSWER:
From the moment you feel you want to come out of it, you are no longer as much of a rebel as you think. You’ve entered the Vegeta period, the one in which you try to keep up appearances by openly declaring, “Kakarot, I always aim to take your head anyway. That’s because, if you were a rebel until recently, you can’t suddenly change your attitude towards your parents, otherwise you’ll lose face. It’s a really bad time, but once you’re through it, the hellish time will come when you’ll even start rapping: “Kakarot, thank you for everything, you’re the pride (Hokori) of the Saiyans, but I’m just dust (Hokori). One day I will sweep away all the dust…”. But that doesn’t mean that you have managed to become honest with yourself. This is a crucial stage. Only if you get through it will you be able to talk calmly with Bulma and figure out how to distance yourself from Yamcha. So take it easy, take it one step at a time, and if there’s anything you can do, it’s learn how to rap.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 252
QUESTION FROM MR. “GINTAMA LIVE ACTION IS AWESOME!”, YAMAGUCHI PROVINCE
When you eat Otae’s dark matter (omelette), besides stomachache, memory loss, and weakened eyesight, do you experience any other symptoms?
ANSWER:
Subsequently the command screen turns brown. Even sprinkling with holy water does not cure it.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 253
QUESTION FROM MR. “MAY THE FUTURE BE ETERNAL! FAREWELL TO THE SIX-YEAR-LONG CONCLUSION SAGA!”, FROM GIFU PROVINCE
Recently, a lot of computer-drawn manga have been coming out, even though it’s easier to make them by hand. Can you confirm this for me? Have you ever thought of going digital?
ANSWER:
I draw exclusively by hand, but not because I care so much. I simply try to use as few tools as possible. If I got used to using particular aids, I’d find it hard to work without them. A lazy person like me, if by chance he loses his pen for drawing on the computer, might decide to go on strike for a whole day. The computer would give me excuses not to work, so I prefer not to take that risk and just use sheets of paper as a support. It’s true that the assistants would have much less trouble inserting screens and making backgrounds on the computer, so maybe for them I could make an excep-… Damn it! My pen’s ink is running out, so I’m done for the day.
Title: “If You Go Around Bragging About Your Feats, People Will End Up Hating You, So Get Others To Tell About It”
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 241
QUESTION FROM MR. “OF VOLUME ONE I HAVE A COPY OF THE FIFTH REPRINT, BUT FROM VOLUME TWO ONWARDS ALWAYS THE FIRST ISSUE”, FROM FUKUOKA PROVINCE
I have a question for you, Sorachi sensei: how did Mountain Zaki, with that eccentric hairdo, become spy agent Sagaru Yamazaki (Jimmy)? I would love to know the evolution of his hair!
ANSWER:
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 242
QUESTION FROM MR. SHOE BEAK AND GOKIJET, KANAGAWA PROVINCE
I am writing to you regarding a matter that goes back some time, Sorachi sensei. In the 593rd lesson, there is a scene in which you see a child who looks like Utsuro tied to some kind of pole. Utsuro is immortal and enjoys eternal youth, right? If he doesn’t age or die, then logically he shouldn’t have had a childhood, right?
Let me know!
ANSWER:
To be precise, Utsuro is not exactly immortal nor eternally young, but he is a human being who preserves himself prodigiously well thanks to a very powerful petrol, the altana. It’s not that he can’t die, but he has an exceptional capacity for recovery. It is not that he has eternal youth, but he ages at an extraordinarily slow rate. Therefore, when his body was not yet mature, he grew like any other person, whereas after the age of development his cellular ageing slowed down radically. So, to the eyes of ordinary mortals it seems that he does not age at all, but in reality this is not the case.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 243
QUESTION FROM MR SHO NAKANISHI, HYOGO PROVINCE
Good morning, Sorachi sensei. I am an aspiring history, geography and civics teacher, although I admit I am not the ideal candidate because I am a bit ignorant about geopolitics. I wanted to ask if you could please explain the Brexit issue to me, perhaps by making a comparison with your work, so maybe I can understand it better. I would be infinitely grateful!
ANSWER:
The situation is this.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS. QUESTION CORNER 244
QUESTION FROM MR. “I VISITED THE GINTAMA EXHIBITION” OF THE PROVINCE OF MIE
I have a big dream, but I tend to always put myself down and feel inferior to others, so I often find myself thinking that I’ll never achieve it. How do I gain confidence in myself? Can you tell me how you do it, Sorachi sensei?
ANSWER:
I think the key to fulfilling your dream is not to gain self-confidence, but to develop great tenacity and never give up on your idea, no matter how feasible it is. That’s how I think. For example, in the manga world it works that the more popular an author is, the more sensitive he is to reader surveys and comments, and therefore the more fearful he is. This pushes him to never spare himself, and sometimes he brags about it, but that’s not the point. The important thing is to get involved, regardless of your level of self-esteem, because if you don’t act, you can’t achieve anything. Even jealousy or envy of those who perform better, as well as anxiety or fear for the future, can provide a great boost. In fact, these kinds of feelings that you would normally be ashamed of can become a very powerful fuel, so try to learn to convert any thought into energy, no matter how negative it seems. Once it has started to burn, fire is still fire. Whether it is lit with wood or an erotic magazine, the important thing is to get a good blaze.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 245
QUESTION FROM MR. “I’M NOT ZURA BUT KATSURAAA!”, FROM YAMANASHI PROVINCE
Hello, Sorachi sensei, I have something to ask you that I’ve always wondered about: why do the names of the characters in Gintama always differ, even by just one letter, from the names of the historical characters they’re based on?
ANSWER.
Well, frankly, this has two advantages: on the one hand it allows me to exploit the positive halo of those characters who have gone down in history as heroes, and on the other it allows me to make them do anything, even the most reprehensible, bypassing people’s disapproval, because “After all, they’re other people”. Anyway, my idea is to draw a Japan that has taken another road, parallel to ours, following the arrival of the extraterrestrials. That’s why the names differ from the real ones, just as the story differs from the real one, despite the many references.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 246
QUESTION FROM MR. NORIO, OSAKA PROVINCE
Good morning, sensei. What do you think about putting cornflakes in the parfait? I’m not convinced by the idea of increasing the volume of the parfait, but I can’t accept that it makes a crunch! This noise leaves a sort of empty feeling, doesn’t it? If we really have to enrich a parfait, let’s do it with something creamy, no?! Tell me if I’m not right!
ANSWER:
Actually, what makes creaminess interesting is precisely the crunchiness. That is, if we like it so much it is precisely because there are cornflakes that disturb it by making it “crunch”. If the parfait were only creamy, it would be so blatantly cheesy that we’d get bored of it immediately. Parfait is like theatre: to animate a play, you need both the cream and the ice cream – the protagonists – and the cornflakes – the antagonists. If the latter were not there to highlight the former, we would fall asleep before the finale. Rather, it is important to get the order in which the actors enter the scene right. If the cornflakes were at the bottom, it would be like letting the bad guys win and we would be left with a bad taste in our mouths. The ideal would be to put them in the middle, after the main characters have appeared. It wouldn’t be so bad either if one of the two, the cream or the ice-cream, switched sides, or if they defeated them by allying themselves with other characters, such as the chocolate and the fruit. In short, the best thing is to make a big mix. In the meantime, the cornflakes get soft and this is the most moving moment of all, because they who before were proudly shouting “Crunch” at the end die whispering with a thread of voice “Avenge the death of the Saiyans”! So it comes down to the Super Saiyans defeating Frieza and it all ends happily. That said, I always think Dragon Ball doesn’t need Vegeta, because Piccolo is enough. I mean, he even screwed Bulma over from Yamcha!
Having said that, the volume 69 special “Despite the fact that the live action is coming out, I didn’t mention it at all because I only remembered it now” ends here. I’ve tried to fill these pages by touching on the most disparate topics, such as parfait etc. etc., but perhaps it was better to write something about the film, even something negative. In any case, if it is destined to fail, it will fail. I mean, if you’re used to drunk driving, you’ll keep doing it, it’ll never change. The only thing I can hope for is that Oguri’s lower body doesn’t make trouble. Seriously, there’s nothing I could do to stop him from doing that, but it wouldn’t be bad if he was curving around sighing “Shun*” right now. Anyway, knowing that many of you don’t like live action, I’m not going to harp on it here, but I wish you’d at least watch Jiro Sato in this movie. I mean, you absolutely must. To everyone else: you are allowed to bring them to us by force. It’s a great movie in which everyone did their best to play idiots, so I’d be very happy if you’d go and watch it of your own free will. Well, until the next volume!
New topic: “SHUN, SII SHUN!”
*In addition to being Oguri’s name, “Shun” is the Japanese onomatopoeia that expresses melancholy.
This is my first time writing to you, Sorachi sensei. As I understand it, after the Shinsengumi left Edo, Hijikata quit smoking… But when he came back in volume 67, he had a cigarette in his mouth! Why?! Or was it some kind of lollipop? Tell me the truth, please!
ANSWER:
The one in Hijikata’s mouth is a kind of “pipe-like” electronic cigarette.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 235
QUESTION FROM MR. “FOR THE GRADUATION EXAM THEME I TOOK INSPIRATION FROM GINTAMA!”
Good morning, Sorachi sensei! Taking into account all the steps involved in making a manga, how long does it take to draw an entire volume (including the cover and the rib)? Leafing through the issue of “JumpRyu“* dedicated to you, it seems to take an eternity!
ANSWER:
First of all, each panel is a story in itself. Let’s start with the cover: the rib can take as little as ten minutes, but everything else can take an hour or a whole day. That’s why it’s difficult to calculate precise times, but it takes approximately four to seven hours. As for any other colour plates, it can take me half a day or two. On “Jump Ryu,” you can see that I sketch out the lines over and over again before drawing them, but I only use this method for pin-ups or colour illustrations. Ordinary’ boards are drawn in one draft, so it takes me one to three hours to complete one, or twenty to forty minutes when the delivery date is approaching. Taking into account the time it takes my assistants to complete the backgrounds, let’s say that in one day we can complete a maximum of five pages. An episode consists of nineteen pages, so it takes four days to complete. Drawing the backgrounds is definitely more challenging than portraying the characters. So, at the end of the day, if a volume contains more or less nine episodes, it takes an average of thirty-six days to complete it. Thirty if you deduct the hours of sleep.
*Limited-edition publication periodically dedicated to a mangaka from “Jump” magazine.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 236
QUESTION FROM MISS “I’M NOT MIKA BUT MINORS” FROM FUKUOKA PROVINCE
I suddenly had a question for you, sensei! In the flashback of the 590th lesson, you see Utsuro giving his immortal blood to Oboro, then in the 594th lesson, you see him giving it to the Tendoshu’s men as well. They lost their arms and legs, but Oboro didn’t… Why?! Please explain it to me in full so that even a non-bright seventh grader can understand it!
ANSWER:
It depends on how much blood you receive and how much you tolerate it.
Utsuro’s blood, containing Altana, is too heavy for the body of an ordinary mortal, who cannot contain it without facing devastating consequences. The men of Tendoshu received a great deal of it because they wanted immortality and ended up in that state. Oboro, on the other hand, received very little and his body was better preserved, but his vital functions were gradually affected until he died.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 237
QUESTION FROM MR. “ORGANIZE MORE EVENTS IN SAPPORO TOO!”
Hello, Sorachi sensei, I have a question for you. When Okita fought Utsuro, he felt, for the first time in his life, that he was facing an enemy he couldn’t defeat. When he faced Kamui, didn’t he feel the same way?
ANSWER:
I imagine that in front of Kamui, no matter how hard he was struggling, Okita felt he had a thread of hope because their strengths were equal. But when faced with Utsuro, no matter how hard he fought, guided by his experience in the field and his instinct for survival, Okita knew right away that he would not win.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 238
QUESTION FROM MR. “GINTAMA REVOLUTION“, TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA
Sensei, I can’t draw men of a certain age well… But how do you do it?! How do you make them look so cool?! Please help me, Sorachi sensei!
ANSWER:
In order to draw middle-aged men well, you have to reset the canon of manga, i.e. no pointed chin, sharp nose, and so on. All the know-how you’ve learned to make cool characters becomes useless. Rather, you have to recover the bad habits you have abandoned. Basically, you need to know how to draw a rough chin, a greasy potato nose, the nasolabial groove, etc. But the most important thing of all is to express tiredness. Middle-aged men are tired beings. Think of your father. Although he never does much, he always says, “Aah, I’m so tired!”, right? “I’m too tired, don’t bother me any more with this housework!”… They are miserable and inept beings who barricade themselves behind a facade of tiredness. One must learn to draw this tiredness accurately, to make the gaze dull, to make drool drip from the mouth, to make something protrude from the nose that is not a hair, etc.
I’m writing all this while I’m rolling up something that came out of my nose. Aah, how tired I am!
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 239
QUESTION FROM MR. “ISABURO WILL ALWAYS BE A SLOB”, KYOTO PROVINCE
Sorachi sensei, good morning! I wanted to ask you if there’s a criterion you use to design the characters’ clothes. I really hope you can tell me!
ANSWER:
You can immediately tell if someone has just started university or has just started dressing up, because their flashy look immediately makes you think, “Ah, this guy’s trying hard to look cool!”. But it’s not because their face doesn’t match their clothing or hair, or because they look ugly… it just gives the impression of something a bit contrived. So I try to avoid that and make sure that my characters don’t have to try too hard. It shouldn’t look like they’ve dressed up for the occasion, but that they’ve been wearing those clothes forever. Except for Utsuro, who is clearly not comfortable in that black cloak. He definitely made his debut as an eternal youth.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 240
QUESTION FROM MR. “KIBIDANGO HANGING ON THE SIDE” OF MIE PROVINCE
Sorachi sensei, I have a problem. I would like to correct my overly apprehensive nature. Even the slightest thing can cause my anxiety to soar as I brood over it and imagine its effects. People often say to me: “Why don’t you use your vivid imagination for something more creative?”… But I just want to change my personality! How can I do that?! Please help me (and I apologize for asking such a serious question).
ANSWER:
From the point of view of the undersigned, who for 37 years has been concerned about having a hairy behind, personality cannot be changed. Human beings are naturally inclined to torment themselves over anything, even the smallest thing. If you think about it, why did we start tormenting ourselves? When we were still naked and going “Huhua huhua,” what did we torment ourselves about? It’s very easy to imagine, isn’t it? “Because sabre-toothed tigers are scary,” you’d all say. Mankind’s great concern is survival. That is, passing on their genes and making them thrive. However, tiger fangs are really scary and at the time there was no language as articulate as today’s, so they might say: ‘Shall we do Huhua? But what about huhua and huhua (let’s make a kind of sabre and fight sabre-toothed tigers)!”.
In this way they were able to guarantee themselves a better chance of survival.
But wishes never run out. Once they had solved the problem of the tigers, they began to give themselves other thoughts: “I’ve got huhua, but there’s huhua (Kobayashi’s sabre is bigger and more magnificent than mine, I don’t like that)!” The torments for survival turned into torments for a more agitated life: “Then I’ll make huhua to Kobayashi too!” … “S-Stop it! (Kobayashi)” … “Huhua huhuuua!”
Even after making huhua to Kobayashi, the humans continued to torment themselves. For example, thinking, “I made huhua to Kobayashi, but the person who made huhua should also undergo huhua, shouldn’t they?”, “We should all go to Kobayashi’s house together to make huhua carrying a package of sweets, and have him teach us how to make a magnificent saber!” … They continued each time they overcame a problem, the easier life became, the more their torments receded from the starting point. And so we come to the present day: “Huhuaaaaaa! (I have too much hair on my behind)!”.
This shows why we are destined to torment ourselves forever. This is our nature, and it is because we have become too efficient. We tend to make fun of people who worry about nothing, but the size of the problem does not matter. There are simply no more sabre-toothed tigers or sabres, so we fight against the hairs on our asses. If there were still sabre-toothed tigers, I wouldn’t pay attention to my hair either. But the opposite is also true: if there had not been those tigers, even primitive men would have been concerned about their hair. They were certainly hirsute.
Having said that, listen, Kibidango Hanging on One Side… I’m not going to stand here and tell you not to pay attention to nonsense. Since you’re a highly efficient living being, you live tormenting yourself over trifles. However, if you continue to suffer for it or to detest yourself, put yourself in front of a sabre-toothed tiger, that is, challenge a bigger problem. You will surely forget all the other torments. By the way, ever since I stood in front of a sabre-toothed tiger named “manga” I keep fighting my ass hairs by seeing them as sabres.
Title: “The Headband Is Very Student Exam Candidate-Like”
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 227
QUESTION FROM MR. “I REALLY LIKE BIRDS AND GINTAMA“, AICHI PROVINCE
Sorachi sensei, sorry to bother you. I’ll get straight to the point. One day my father was playing golf and hit a swallow with the ball and it died. Since then, he has been losing his hair. Now, I’m looking for a way to reverse this curse. I thought maybe you could help me, sensei! Please, if you know of a suitable technique or magic formula, let me know.
ANSWER:
So, I’ll teach you the magic formula I keep in store for big occasions. Learn it well: “The-two-things-happened-casually-at-the-same-period-and-you’re-simply-becoming-bald. The formula should be pronounced by the whole family and addressed towards your father’s bald head, once you have surrounded him.
This should stop both the curse and your father’s absurd justification. And now let us all recite together a magic formula to avoid being cursed in turn: “Let-the-67th-volume-of-Gintama-begin”!
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 228
QUESTION FROM MR. YAMAZAKI BAKING’S SPRING BREAD FAIR
Good morning, Sorachi sensei! There’s a question that’s been rattling around in my head for a while, so I’ll ask it: each department of the Shinsengumi should have its own commander, right? But in the 471st lesson, Yamazaki reports to the deputy chief, ” Squad #5, #6, and #7 are ready!” as if he’s in charge of them. What is Yamazaki’s position?
ANSWER:
As I once wrote in the Shinsengumi’s organization scheme, the espionage officer is a kind of spy who moves under the command of the deputy chief, independently of each squad. So even from the point of view of position within the organization he is independent and is difficult to place as superior or inferior to anyone, but the others have a low regard for Yamazaki because of his personality. Since his role is to control the situation of the scouts and his own troops in case of an emergency, I imagine that Yamazaki at the time mentioned above, was doing that job. However, he did not command the squads in question.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 229
QUESTION FROM MR IGURIN SORACHI SENSEI IS GOD
Is Kamui a mama’s boy? I really care about this question, Sorachi sensei. Definitely let me know!
ANSWER:
For better or worse, Kamui is a mama’s boy, plus he has a complex about his father and sister. In other words, he’s san-com*.
*San-com could mean “three complexes” but it’s pronounced like the surname of a famous Japanese TV character, Ousmane Sankhon.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 230
QUESTION FROM “MR. SETOUCHI LEMON SALAD DRESSING”
Hello, Sorachi sensei, I have a question for you: how do you select and publish the questions sent to you by readers?
ANSWER:
I usually get all the questions that come in, except for the dangerous ones, and after reading them I choose them regardless of their content. There are a lot of funny ones even among the rejected ones, and the ones that are published are not necessarily the most interesting. I almost always let myself be guided by the mood of the day, or maybe they just come at the right time. For example, this postcard was chosen because it was written by a very mediocre person, lacking taste and imagination, who asked a question that is easy to answer, perfect for someone who has no time to waste like me. So when you’re bragging about it to your friends, tell them these exact words: “Hooray! My postcard has been published because I lack imagination and taste! Now cheer up!”. Anyway, I am very grateful to you for offering me your cooperation in filling this extra, albeit tasteless, page.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 231
QUESTION FROM MR. “I THINK YOU SHOULDN’T BE LATE WITH YOUR RENT PAYMENT THOUGH!”, TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA
Good morning, Sorachi sensei! Since Gintama characters’ jokes are so cool that I sometimes feel ashamed while reading them, I was wondering if you felt ashamed while drawing them. Also, aren’t you embarrassed that your editor and family members will read them, since they’re so awesome?
ANSWER:
It’s true, there are a lot of jokes in Gintama, it’s just that when I’m drawing, I identify with the characters and I always end up getting excited rather than embarrassed. Then when I see the anime, after a while, I realize that sometimes I used excessive tones. Instead, in the case of the manga, especially regarding Gin-san’s jokes, I elaborate them thinking about his apathetic and listless way of speaking in any situation, be it dramatic or joking, and his expressionless face, so maybe this leads my brain to automatically cancel the hilarious personality.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 232
QUESTION FROM MR. “THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD WHO LOVES THE SHINSENGUMI”, SAITAMA PROVINCE
Sorachi sensei, super good morning! The other day I reread the first volume of Gintama and I noticed that the artwork has changed a lot compared to the last volumes. Since you’ve been drawing Gin-san and company for more than ten years, do you think your style changed spontaneously over time or was it a deliberate choice? I’m very curious about that. Let me know, super Sorachi sensei!
ANSWER:
There’s only one thing I’ve changed intentionally, and that’s Gin-san’s goggles: I made them stop appearing because it was such a hassle to draw them. Everything else changed spontaneously. Sometimes I try to try a new technique, but since it’s a weekly serial publication, I don’t really have the time to devote to stylistic issues. At the end of the day, I find myself adopting the style I find easiest and most comfortable at the time. Lately I have stopped asking myself too many questions about style.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 233
QUESTION FROM MR. CHINKYOKU HOSHIMOTO, GUNMA PROVINCE
Hello, this is my first time writing to you. I’d like to become a mangaka because I’d like to be like you, who gives us a lot of laughs and emotions, Sorachi sensei! But finding good names for the characters is impossible. What should I do?
ANSWER:
Judging by the way you signed your name, I could tell right away that you’re hopeless at coming up with names that are even decent. A layman easily tends to fall into the error of choosing fanciful names created by putting together the ideograms he likes or that seem coolest to him. Such names are implausible, like yours, or those of the classic novel GenjiMonogatari, and also reveal the superficial taste and intelligence of someone who thinks that cramming cool things together makes everything awesome. Comparing it to a dish, it’s like “Hamburger-curry-ramen-omurice”. Sounds stupid, doesn’t it? To someone like that you want to say: “I’m happy for you, that you have so many delicious dishes in front of you!” but meaning exactly the opposite, that it’s as if it were a “Ramen-ramen-ramen-ramen”. It is not only lacking in intelligence, but also in elegance, isn’t it? It’s almost like eating a plate of ramen four times. In this sense, cooking and coming up with names are two similar activities. One must strive for a good balance, not just one’s own taste. Names also require what is known as a breakdown of calorie requirements. I would now like to discuss with you how to create calorie-balanced names.
Let’s start right away with a negative example of a fancy name that is easy for everyone to understand.
Raito Hyoryu: “Thunder Dipper” or “Ice Dragon”. Even at first glance you can tell it’s stupid. Comparing it to a dish, it is like ‘Chinese-style stir-fried rice-ramen-ramen-chinese-style stir-fried rice’, i.e. a rice sandwich with ramen in the middle. Just saying it fills your stomach, doesn’t it? This name turns out to have an unbelievably high calorie index, i.e. in pursuit of a good idea you can easily get heartburn. And in this particular case, since the ideograms of ‘dragon’ and ‘thunder’ have been combined, the calories shoot up immediately. Therefore, it is better to choose a single cool ideogram rather than a combination, thus sacrificing the first or last name. Let’s say we go with Hyoryu… But Hyoryu is already as good as “Chinese-ramen rice”, so the surname alone has been over-carbohydrated, so we need to minimise the calories of the name. Given the situation, we have no choice but to name it Tagosaku Hyoryu: since there is already ramen and rice, we can only put Zha Cai*. What do you think? Looking at Raito Hyoryu and Tagosaku Hyoryu, Raito is detestable, while Tagosaku is acceptable, am I right? Tagosaku can’t be a good guy. “You were putting on airs because your last name is Hyoryu, but your name is Tagosaku?!” At some point you realize you’re also putting your arm on his shoulder. In short, if you shoot high with the surname, you have to rebalance with the name, and vice versa. Even if you choose Raito, there’s only one answer: Raito Benkyozukueno: “Well, you were showing off because your name is Raito… but in the sense of the light of the desk**?!”…
“Don’t talk nonsense, Tagosaku!”. Moreover, it’s Tagosaku’s desk light! I mean, at one point, when you turn on the lamp, you realize that you’re even studying together! Tagosaku is definitely a good guy. Keep that in mind.
As just demonstrated, there is therefore a method of lowering calories by balancing surname and first name. Of course, it also works well with a western name, such as Wolfgang Tagosaku. But if you just don’t want to give up using pretentious ideograms, you can still use the name Tagosaku to adjust the balance. Otherwise, if someone doesn’t want to compromise and thinks “To hell with Tagosaku!”, there is also a method by which you can keep your calories up but reduce your appetite. Raito Hyoryu has about 5,000 calories, but by applying the “Hiro 💩 Tsunoda “*** technique, you can make “Raito 💩 Hyoryu”; that is, just inserting 💩 in between the Chinese-style stir-fried rice and ramen will make anyone go hungry. This method can be applied to almost any fancy name, whereas with “💩 Tagosaku”, as you can see, it has no effect. That said, listen up, Chinkyoku 💩 Hoshimoto! When choosing a name for a character, try to balance it out by using 💩 and Tagosaku!
Signed Tagosaku Sorachi.
New Topic: Tagosaku is such a good guy, isn’t he?
*Radice of green mustard that is preserved in a spice mix. ** Benkyozukueno can mean “Of the desk”, while Raito’s pronunciation in Japanese resembles that of Light. ***Famous Japanese folksinger.
Title: “Even After A Blow-Dry, Naturally Wavy Hair Always Comes Back As Before”
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 220
QUESTION FROM MR ATSU OF AOMORI PROVINCE
Hello, Sorachi sensei! In the interview with Mr. Onishi in volume 19, you said you were planning to draw the ninja saga, the one about the great war in Kabukicho and the one about Mutsu and Sakamoto, then an in-depth chapter about Otose and the story of Kagura’s older brother. Compared to the ideas you had at the time, did the episodes you made turn out as you imagined? I’d really like to know before the work is finished!
ANSWER:
Thank you for purchasing volume 66! I had completely forgotten about those speeches but thinking about it now I can say that I realized those chapters quite faithfully compared to the idea I had at the time. About Otose, I originally had a touching episode in mind where her (incredibly stupid) son came home after several years and caused a commotion, but then I thought the old woman wasn’t suited to having children, so I changed the plot to talk about her husband and placed that chapter within the Kabukicho War saga. A similar thing happened with the ninja saga: since Zenzou and Sacchan had a reputation for being unserious, I wanted to show readers another side of those characters, so I combined this saga with the saga of the Shogun’s assassination, a profoundly serious story I had worked out separately. Zenzou was supposed to die, but Sacchan worked harder than I imagined, so he survived. As for the saga of the assassination of the Shogun, I had been thinking about that for a long time, but knowing that once I started it, it would never be the same as before, I postponed as long as possible. From that moment on, even though I stated that the last story arc would start in this volume, I began to draw as if inside me this had already begun.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 221
QUESTION FROM MR. KATSURA, KYOTO PROVINCE
Hello, Sorachi sensei. I decided to write to you because there is a matter that is very important to me. At the beginning of Gintama, Umibozu said that Kamui had his arm ripped off because of an old Yato custom of “killing one’s parents,” but there’s no mention of this in Volume 65… Tell me why!
ANSWER:
Kamui hadn’t yet declared “I’m going to kill my father now”, even though he has in fact always put this intention into practice. Since Umibozu isn’t the type to recount in detail such a painful fact from A to Z, he traced it all back to the old Yato custom of killing parents….
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER222
QUESTION FROM MR. “EVEN IF I APPLY MEREBU’S MAGIC FORMULAS ON MY FAMILY, EVEN THE DOG DOESN’T PAY ATTENTION TO ME.”
Sorachi sensei, good morning and congratulations on the live action version of Gintama! I wanted to ask you who is your favorite character in the teledrama Yusha Yoshihiko. Mine is Merebu. Please let me know!
ANSWER:
I follow Fukuda’s works, including Yusha Yoshihiko, for the sole purpose of seeing Mr. Jiro Sato in action. If I agreed to Fukuda shooting Gintama live action, it’s mainly so I could watch Jiro Sato do something ridiculous. That’s the harsh truth.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 223
QUESTION FROM MISS “ELIZABETH IS LOVELY” OF HYOGO PROVINCE
Dear Sorachi sensei, are you familiar with the Osomatsu-san cartoon you’ve been hearing so much about lately? I like both it and Gintama, but I only recently found out that they have the same director, Yoichi Fujita! I’d love to know what you think, Sorachi sensei!
ANSWER:
I have to admit that my magnanimity has a limit, and it stops in front of the success of others, so instead of applauding I find myself thinking “How I wish Fujita would fail!”, and I don’t think this will change with the passing of time, if anything, in case he really does, I might find myself thinking “Well, but I liked that work!”.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 224
QUESTION FROM MISS “CHERRY BLOSSOMS DRIVE ME CRAZY”.
I’m having a hard time fully understanding the story of Utsuro and the Altana. Could you please explain it to me in detail? I’m sorry, but I’m a little slow on the uptake.
ANSWER:
Altana is the life energy of a planet. On earth it is called the “dragon’s vein”. This energy flows underground like a river and the points from which it flows are called “dragon holes” or simply “holes”. According to Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese Taoist geomantic art, building a house over one of them brings much prosperity. In the world of Gintama, although nature benefits in terms of fertility, when humans absorb a large amount of Altana they experience mutations, i.e., deviations from the laws that govern living beings. Utsuro’s immortality and eternal youth are examples of this. For this very reason he has been persecuted and killed several times, but because he cannot die, he continues to suffer for a dizzyingly long time. In order to escape such suffering, he multiplied himself into numerous “personalities”, locking up his true self in the depths of his heart. These personalities continued to be harassed by men and began to perpetrate massacres in order to obtain revenge. To stop them, Shoyo, another personality, who later became the master of Gin-san and his companions, was born. However, Shoyo also clashed with human society and met a grim fate. So Utsuro, who couldn’t stand watching himself suffering from the secret of his heart any longer, decided to kill all his personalities, including Shoyo, in order to end the pain, causing a huge war that would wipe out planet Earth, and thus himself.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 225
QUESTION FROM MISS HIJIRI ICHIHARA OF GIFU PROVINCE
Good morning, Sorachi sensei! I don’t quite understand what happened between the Tendoshu Clan and the Liberation Army. Could you explain it in a way that even someone with low intellectual capacity like me can understand?
ANSWER:
First, the Tendoshu clan is an organization officially known as the “Altana management society” that has exclusive control over this energy. If we compare this situation to our real life, it is as if the energy resources we rely on, such as oil and gas, were in the hands of a single entity. Having said that, the planets were under the control of the Tendoshu clan, but at one point Utsuro, one of its members, unleashed a sweeping loss of control of the Altana on his own initiative, causing the destruction of those planets. The survivors, unaware of how things really were, blamed the entire organisation for the disasters, so they decided to take back the Altana by force: “We can no longer allow the Tendoshu clan to do what it wants in our home!”. All the countries agreed on this, and so the Altana Liberation Army was formed, gathering the anti-Tendoshu forces scattered across the universe. The army destroyed the society’s headquarters in various places, scraping away their power and expanding their sphere of influence. Eventually it raided Earth, the true stronghold of the Tendoshu clan.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 226
QUESTION FROM MR. “THREE MEALS, GINTAMA AND OTSUYA-SAN” FROM HIROSHIMA PROVINCE.
I have a question for you, sensei: how many assistants do you currently have? What do you usually talk about? I would be very curious to know what kind of assistants are in a work like Gintama! I really hope you’ll answer me!
ANSWER:
I have nine, six of whom are permanent in the studio, the others come in shifts. Our typical conversations include bad-mouthing the others and their works, as well as dirty jokes. Itani, the author of the manga Takuan To Batsu No Nichijo Enmacho, also serialized in Jump, also worked for me for several years, but then his friends told him with contempt, “Since you’ve been working for Sorachi, your personality has gotten worse!” My studio is a funny place, known for crippling people’s personalities rather than developing their skills. If you want to come and work for me, the door is open! That said, volume 66 by the undersigned Gorilla and his merry men ends here. Although the people who drew it have a perverse soul, I believe the readers are all good people, so I ask them to kindly buy the next volume as well.
Thank you for purchasing the 65th volume of Gintama. You may already know that a live-action Gintama will be made soon. To be honest, the project had been in the works for a few years, but it always fell through because they couldn’t find a director. To be honest, I didn’t really care, so when someone came forward, I would give them all the material and watch. I took it for granted that the film would be a flop because it would look like cosplay, but this didn’t bother me at all since my work lends itself very well to mockery. So, letting myself be carried away by the course of events, I kept on picking my nose for about a year, during which the whole thing stood still, basking in the thought that “Ooh, how I imagined it was an unfeasible idea!”. However, when I was convinced that the project had vanished completely, I came across some of director Yuichi Fukuda’s works, namely the teledram Aoi Honoo and Yusha Yoshihiko, and then I started thinking “Huh?! Although the actors look like cosplayers, the result isn’t bad at all! Maybe he could have done it!” … But I didn’t tell anyone about it and kept picking my nose, until one day, while I was drinking with Onishi, my first editor, he said to me: “You know, the plan to make a live action film hasn’t completely collapsed yet. Other directors have been named. Do you know Fukuda, the author of Aoi Honoo?” I was amazed. Well, once the right director was found, the project was unblocked and got off to a flying start, and I could finally relax completely, putting myself completely in Fukuda’s hands. Not that I did anything different before, mind you. Even when they made the Gintama anime, all I did was leave my boogers lying around. I mean, I think the best thing to do, no matter what, is to leave everything to the professionals. If a gorilla like me were to interfere with the work of a willing director, looking like a know-it-all, it would just get in the way. Moreover, the director in question would end up losing enthusiasm. In short, if someone wants to use my work to make an adaptation that fully satisfies him, even if the final product turns out to be a flop, I don’t give a damn. Therefore, I hardly ever put my mouth on the cast either. If it’s a matter of selecting people through whom the director can bring out his potential, I’m fine with Takuzo Kadono as Gin-san. If instead it were me, as the author of Gintama, demanding that very actor as the main character, I bet you’d get the impression that I’d established that Gin-san must look like Takuzo Kadono and you’d think “But he’s nothing like him!” … I think every reader has the right to keep their image of Gin-san as they’ve built it up, only this time, in Fukuda’s film, it will be Takuzo Kadono playing the role. In fact, it won’t be Shun Oguri at all. It’s just that at the time I was silently picking my nose during the cast meeting, it seemed to me that it had made it easier for everyone to accept that Gintama was taking another form. I had collected so many boogers that I made a figurine out of them, and when I looked at it, everyone exclaimed, “That’s Shun Oguri! Why don’t we hire him?”. That’s how the main character was chosen.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 219
QUESTION FROM MISS “BE HAPPY, DEAR TAKASUGI!”, FROM CHIBA PROVINCE
If the Altana’s influence has given birth to a new species of immortal “mutants”, why has only Kouka survived among Koan’s Yato affected by this mutation? Let me know, Sorachi sensei!
ANSWER:
The Yato who remained on Koan only adapted to the hostile environment, and it took them a long time, but they didn’t become immortal. Only Kouka has undergone that mutation.
Having said that, the special in volume 65, “In the end, I just picked my nose”, ends here. Actually, the real reason why Oguri was chosen is as follows: When the director told him about the film, he said he absolutely wanted the lead role because he’s a big fan of Gintama. So, the director asked me, “What do you think, sensei?” and I said, “Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea because I make fun of Gin-san a lot in the comics and I’m afraid that when Oguri and I meet, it might end up like Suzuran vs Hosen…” I was then told that Oguri’s reaction was, “Well, that’s exactly why Sorachi sensei couldn’t refuse!” …
“Well! Then it’s decided! Our main character will be Oguri!” I was trepidatious when we made that decision. I mean, I don’t think anyone has ever trembled about assigning a role to an actor. If I got sued by Oguri, I would have to pay him at least 800 billion yen. So, I preferred to let him earn that money with the film.
I don’t know what you think of this project, but as you can see, the crew is made up of people who are just as passionate about Gintama as you are, so I’m confident that the result will not disappoint you, even if it turns out to be a flop. I understand your concern about the fear that your image of the work will be spoiled, but in the end, for me, the most fun is in saying “Lupin should be the shaved-head version of Yamane from the Ungirls*!”.
I mean, even these kinds of thoughts are part of the pleasure of witnessing the transposition of a manga into a movie with real actors. So, if possible, I urge you to enjoy the whole process starting with showering Oguri with criticism, both before and after seeing how she plays Gin-san. I’m convinced that Fukuda and Oguri will be able to draw more charm out of my work, but most of all 800 billion yen.
New topic: “I would gladly accept 800 billion yen even if you didn’t see the film.”
QUESTION FROM MR. “GORILLA CLERK”, KAGAWA PROVINCE
I work part-time at a video store. The other day, a customer was looking for Gintama, and as I walked him to the shelf, I couldn’t help but tell him about the appeal of the work. Since then, this customer has been renting the entire series, starting with the first season, and I was really excited about it, so the day he got to the fourth season, I said to him, “You’ve already started watching the fourth season?! How glad I am! How nice!” He hasn’t been seen since. Sorachi sensei, where did I go wrong?
ANSWER:
Your work in spreading the word is unbelievably valuable to me, and I thank you for it, but I would have stopped coming to your shop too. It was fine when you told him about Gintama in the beginning, but I think that was all that needed to be said. I mean, assuming the customer in question had also rented the fourth cucumber from the veranda garden of a lusty married woman living in a council house, maybe you could figure out why. “Has he started watching season four yet?!” … “Huh? This clerk remembers every video I’ve rented?! Then did he also realize that I didn’t get enough of the first, second, and third cucumber and can’t stop anymore?! So, he’s figured out that I’m renting Gintama just to disguise the cucumbers and he’s being ironic?!” … He might think that, right? It’s fine to serve customers honestly, but if you don’t reset your memory, they might suspect you’ve figured out all their tastes and tendencies. In short, it’s like you’ve got them in the palm of your hand because you know their weak points. I think that in a shop like yours, where customers are inevitably displaying their preferences, the salesperson must maintain a certain psychological distance.
That said, 64th obscene Gintama now begins, rolled by a married woman living in a council house.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 213
QUESTION FROM MR CHOCOSAND, CHIBA PROVINCE
I have a question for you, Sorachi sensei. Your characters, when they send someone on an errand, very often ask for yakisoba pan. Tell me why! Wouldn’t melon pan be good?!
ANSWER:
There’s a sense in the fact that these are ordinary sandwiches stuffed with noodles. The despicable tone with which they order the unfortunate person to go and buy them, making them exhausted, makes people even more irritated.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 214
QUESTION FROM MR. “WHY DID GIN-SAN, DESPITE BEING THE MAIN CHARACTER, COME IN 29TH PLACE IN THE RANKING OF ALL CHARACTERS?”, FROM HOKKAIDO
The hems of the Shinsengumi’s uniform are white in the manga, but yellow in the anime, why?
ANSWER:
Rather than yellow, they are golden in the anime, while in the manga they are silver and not white. Since you can see colours on the screen, you generally use colours that stand out to the eye. This doesn’t apply to comics, of course, so I can choose colours that suit the roles of the characters. For example, for the samurai, gold would have been too flashy, so I went for a sober colour. Since I don’t attach so much importance to these details, the staff behind the anime are pretty much free to choose the colours they want. After all, I find it fun to look for colour differences between the manga and the anime!
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 215
QUESTION FROM MISS “I’D LIKE TO BECOME A STARBUCKS FRAPPUCINO”, FROM THE TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA
Sorachi sensei, listen to this absurd story. The other day I accidentally spilled milk on the hardwood floor at home and cleaned it with the first thing I had on hand, my father’s towel. When my mother saw me, she scolded me saying, ‘You have to treat other people’s stuff with respect!’ A few days later she happened to spill some barley tea on the floor, and I caught her wiping the floor with such speed that she seemed invisible using… my father’s towel! Just like her! So, I said to her, “You’ve been using other people’s stuff, just like me!” and she said, “But that’s allowed for barley tea. Why is it OK for barley tea but not for milk?! Explain it to me, Sorachi sensei!
ANSWER:
There was a misunderstanding between you and your mother. When she told you to treat other people’s stuff with respect, she was referring to the milk, not your father’s towel. So, she wanted to tell you not to waste the fruit of the cows’ sweat and tears. Whereas barley tea, not only does not spring from the breasts of any animal, but is made trivially from abundant tap water, which smells of chlorine, and produces a negligible amount of sweat. So even if a little is wasted, no problem. The towel, which had previously absorbed your father’s bodily fluids, had no human rights from the start. There goes the misunderstanding.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 216
QUESTION BY MR. POEMER FROM TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA
Sensei, I find Takasugi’s rain poem that appeared in the 573rd lesson a little difficult to understand. What did he want to express? Was he by any chance half asleep?
ANSWER:
After all, Takasugi has a poet’s soul, so what I’m about to do will greatly indignify him, that is, I’ll explain his poem.
“This sky… It looks like it’s going to cry… Did I fall from up there? I try to rummage through my foggy memory. Am I the first drop of rain this gloomy sky couldn’t hold back or the last drop it shed after crying its eyes out, trying in vain to hold on?” Having been in a coma for a long time, Takasugi can’t remember who he is, so he thinks he might be a raindrop that fell from the sky. The first or the last? This passage reflects a dilemma that dwells in his subconscious, between the Takasugi that openly explodes his anger and pain, and the Takasugi that torments himself wondering if it’s okay.
“I could be both or neither. Either way, what’s certain is that I’ve had enough of all this rain.” He does not know which of the two things he is, but he clearly feels that he is fed up with the rain, that is, he does not want to indulge in pain any longer. His poetry expresses these feelings and reveals his true nature, whereas normally he cannot be honest with himself.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 217
QUESTION FROM MR. “I LIKE GINTAMA TOO MUCH” OF AOMORI PROVINCE
Good morning, Sorachi sensei! In the 574th teaching, “The Road”, it seems that Takasugi had already discovered the true nature of Master Shoyo/Utsuro, but I just can’t get my head around it. Judging from the plot progression, from Takasugi’s point of view, Shoyo=Utsuro can only be a mere assumption, so the fact that he’s determined to destroy the world created by the “something” that Shoyo Sensei resisted just based on a suspicion seems shallow and questionable to me. Since I like Gintama and Takasugi too much, it’s important to me to resolve this issue as soon as possible. I can’t even work! Please give me an explanation that even a moron like me can understand.
ANSWER:
Since Takasugi is a man of few words, I’ll give you a fuller explanation. Quoting his own words – “Dunno…”, you can tell that he wasn’t initially convinced that Shoyo was Utsuro, but only had a vague doubt about his origins. After he began to carry out his activities against the foreigners to destroy the Shogunate and avenge Shoyo and his comrades, and after getting some information about the Tendoshu clan and Utsuro from Sasaki, Nobume, etc., his doubt grew bigger, until he found full confirmation in the 574th lesson. I imagine that, after awakening from his coma, he was brought up to date on the latest events by Matako and the others as he rushed to Bansai and his comrades and only then came to a definite conclusion. Takasugi’s words express his personal opinion of Shoyo and Utsuro, and reiterate his intent on destroying the world, which has remained unchanged despite the latest developments. All in all, for him, Shoyo and Utsuro, despite having the same body, are two different individuals from the point of view of their inner selves, and the fact that Shoyo died, and he couldn’t save him also remains unchanged. Since the enemies who killed Shoyo are the Shogunate and Utsuro, even though the latter has the appearance of his teacher, he is determined to take him down without hesitation. There you go.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 218
QUESTION FROM A GINTAMA FAN, FROM CHINA
Hello, Sorachi sensei! I’m a Gintama fan living in China, attending university in my second year. I have to do a paper for my Japanese language class. I chose the title “Japanese tsukkomi culture in Gintama“. Gintama is a good representation of tsukkomi, the role in traditional manzai cabaret of showing mistakes and stupidity in people’s speech, but lately I have heard from the content that tsukkomi is disappearing. Sensei, what is your opinion of tsukkomi? Can you tell me? Thank you! (sic!)
ANSWER:
Well, a Chinese university student has sent me this letter asking me about tsukkomi, in order to write a paper on Gintama. I think I’d sooner give him a direct demonstration of it… “Well, if it’s for a paper like that, no probleeeeeem!” That’s already an example. Or:
“Think carefully about what you’re going to do, otherwise you’ll have to repeat the exam next year!”, “Where is China trying to go?”, etc… These are all adequate jokes for the purpose. Considering the relationship between China and Japan, the best thing would be to settle everything with one word: Ni hao!
Having said that, the special in volume 64 “The Friendship between China and Japan” ends here. Who knows what will happen between these two countries in the future? Regardless, we’ll try to get along by criticizing and receiving criticism respectively!
QUESTION FROM MR. “SOMEONE WITH SEVENTH-GRADE SYNDROME FEELS ATTRACTED TO THE EYE PATCH AND THE PIPE”.
Happy New Year! After hearing that Gintama in Japan will end in 2016, the new year does not find me happy at all. I’m afraid I’m suffering from the “loss of Gintama” instead of the “loss of Fukuyama*” … What should I do?
ANSWER:
Thank you for purchasing volume 63 of Gintama! Last year at Jump Festa, I made it public that the final chapter of Gintama would be starting. Since I’ve been receiving a lot of letters like this, I can only assume that you were very upset by the news. That’s why I would like to give you all an explanation. I did not say that the work will end in 2016, but simply that it will enter its final story arc. I couldn’t say whether it will end this year or next year either, but if you read the comic, you can see that the story has reached its climax. In making that announcement I certainly didn’t intend to encourage the public to follow the work in view of an imminent ending, even though lately the staff of “Jump” magazine has been cunningly trying to launch ad hoc news to create a sensation, especially on the web. So, in the end, I too was forced by Onishi, my first scandalous editor, to announce that the work is nearing its conclusion, even though I myself am not clear about it. I knew that such an announcement would make the atmosphere gloomy, so, having no other choice, I had the stroke of genius to also make fun of the hair of Mr. Sugita, Gintoki’s voice actor, and so the latter news was highlighted on the internet more than the former. Well, it’s true that his hairline has receded, but in the end only Be___** and I turned out to be ” Gesu No Kiwami Gorilla“. Seriously, what the hell does the world look like? Who in the end is really scandalous?!
*The expression “loss of Fukuyama” refers to the discontent shown by singer Masaharu Fukuyama’s fans after he got married. **Reference to Becky, star of the entertainment industry who had an affair with the married vocalist of the band Gesu No Kiwami Otome, which could be translated as “Really scandalous girl”.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 206
QUESTION FROM MR. “I REALLY LIKE GOING TO THE DENTIST – LAUGHTER”, OKINAWA PROVINCE
There’s a question that’s always been important to me. Did you use any patterns or themes for the designs on Gin-san’s kimono?
ANSWER
The theme is the cloud.
It’s meant to indicate that he’s indecipherable and unpredictable like the clouds that drift across the sky.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 207
QUESTION FROM MISS “I READ ‘JUMP’ IN THE CAR DURING WORK” – A 31-YEAR-OLD SALES REPRESENTATIVE FROM FUKUOKA PROVINCE
Since when did Okita start using the courtesy register towards Hijikata? (I guess it’s since they decided to move to Edo…)
Ever since Mitsuba taught him.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 208
QUESTION FROM MR. “A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO CRIED WITH JOY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE WHILE WATCHING THE PROMOTIONAL VIDEO OF THE GINTAMA’S SHOGUN ASSASSINATION SAGA,” FROM MIE PROVINCE
Sensei, I have a question. In the 305th lesson, it turns out that the head of the 4th Harusame division is Kada, but in the 561st it turns out to be Shokaku. Since this is the story created by the super-great Sorachi sensei, it certainly won’t be a mistake, but since I felt a great sense of dissatisfaction, I took the liberty of asking you this question.
ANSWER:
The head of Harusame’s 4th division was originally Kada, but she betrayed the organization, so her division was left without a head. So Shokaku came along. However, he too, with his temper, due to a personal dispute caused the organisation to lose face and was punished and imprisoned. However, after the elders were eliminated by Utsuro, he was freed and recalled to defeat the seventh division. Since the Harusame are all rogues, there are many individuals who make such messes, so it is not uncommon for personnel changes like this to be made.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 209
QUESTION FROM MISS “I’D LIKE TO BECOME A CAT”, OSAKA PROVINCE
Good morning, Sorachi sensei! Being a woman, for 22 years, that is, since I was born, I have never seen ba___. Can you understand me? I mean just what you’re thinking. How can I see them? Please let me know, Sorachi sensei, please!
ANSWER:
Watch the TBS channel at nine o’clock on Friday nights.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 210
QUESTION FROM MISS HIROCCHIMI, KANAGAWA PROVINCE
Good morning, Sorachi sensei! In volume 60, it was revealed that Yamazaki is 32 years old, but could you tell us some other little tidbits that you haven’t told anyone yet? Please grant the request of one of your biggest fans!
ANSWER:
Catherine has terribly ingrown toenails.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 211
QUESTION FROM MR. “I LIKE TOSHI IN GINTAMA, AND I LIKE HOWL AMONG GHIBLI STUDIO CHARACTERS” FROM CHIBA PROVINCE.
When Gin-san beheaded Shouyo sensei in the Shogun Assassination saga, where was Sakamoto? In one scene, he had confided in Gin-san that he was going into space. Was this event before sensei’s death?
ANSWER:
The scene in which Sakamoto declared to Gintoki that he would go into space, looking at the starry sky, was before Shouyo’s death. He often said this. Later, Sakamoto sustained major injuries in battle and was forced to withdraw from the front line for treatment. In the meantime, in another battle, Gintoki and his comrades suffered a crushing defeat and Shouyo also died. When he recovered, Sakamoto rushed to his friends, but those who survived had already fled and scattered, as they were wanted by the Shogunate, and so the war ended. The only companion Sakamoto found was Gintoki. The scene in which he asked him what he wanted to do from then on takes place at that very moment, after which Gintoki stayed on earth and Sakamoto went into space.
That said, the volume 63 special “I’m Enough to be Considered Scandalous” ends here. Regardless, I believe the final chapter will begin within the year, but I can’t say when it will end, because I’m a punk-ish mangaka who’s been walking an extremely unsteady rope for about thirteen years, meaning I don’t even know if I’ll be able to complete the storyboards for the next issue in time.
So for now, it’s already a miracle if you find Gintama published in next week’s issue of Jump. So I would like you to enjoy reading it chapter by chapter, without worrying about the future. I think a manga, primarily, should be read that way. Well, I’m not talking about the fun it should provide in the immediate future, but I ask you to forgive me if I fail to meet the deadlines properly again this year.
New topic: “Whatever happens, I ask for your support again this year.”
QUESTION FROM MR. “THE NOSE OF UTSURO’S MASK IS LONG, ISN’T IT?” OF IWATE PROVINCE
Good morning, brilliant Sorachi sensei! I found out that you can draw Elizabeth by following the lyrics of a song made especially for that purpose! Try it yourself!
ANSWER:
*Reference to Oba-Q, protagonist of the manga Obake No Q-Tato by Fujiko F. Fujio.
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 203
QUESTION FROM MISS MAMEKO, FROM GIFU PROVINCE
Hello, Sorachi sensei! I often dabble in drawing Gintama characters, but older men don’t do well. Do you have a technique you can suggest?
ANSWER:
CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 204
QUESTION FROM MR. MAMY POKO PANTS OF KAGAWA PROVINCE.
Sorachi sensei, since I’m a bit hard of understanding, I don’t really understand the relationship between the Tendoshu Clan, the Harusame Council of Elders and Naraku. Can you explain them to me so that even a fool like me can understand?
ANSWER:
Thank you for purchasing volume 62! So, I’ve been getting a lot of questions like this lately, so I’m going to tidy up the various groups a bit. First, a brief overview of each one:
The pattern of initial correlations between the various groups is more or less like this. The Tokugawa Shogunate (Bakufu), which has become a puppet government, is loathed both by those within and outside it. The patriots campaigning against foreigners aim to overthrow it because they cannot accept the country being in the hands of such a government. Within the Bakufu, the anti-Shigeshige faction plotted in the shadows to wrest power from the Shogun Shigeshige Tokugawa, while the Hitotsubashi faction increased its authority. Taking advantage of this situation, Shinsuke Takasugi approaches Isaburo Sasaki, the director of the Mimawarigumi who is part of the Hitotsubashi core, and allies himself with him to destroy the government; at the same time he makes contact with the Harusame space pirates, the largest criminal syndicate in space, to increase his strength and exploit their power.
Under Takasugi’s leadership, the Kiheitai seeks to destroy the Shogunate and the Tendoshu clan, exploiting the strength of the Harusame. The Harusame, however, are also under the wing of the Tendoshu clan, feared by the council of elders, who therefore do not authorise any operation that might invade their territory. For this reason, Takasugi has removed the twelve divisions, the operational units of the Harusame, from the upper echelons, i.e. the elders and the admiral, taking advantage of the conflict between the various factions within the organisation. In this way, Takasugi ensured that the power of command passed into the hands of the seventh division and its leader, Kamui, considered the strongest of the space pirates, and eventually formed an alliance with him. So the two of them began to manoeuvre the Harusame as they pleased, ignoring the directives of the elders.
On the other hand, the Hitotsubashi faction and Isaburo Sasaki, who are trying to bring down the government from within, act as mediators between the Tendoshu clan and the Shogunate, and then try to get Sadasada, a veritable puppet of the Tendoshu clan, removed from office, using his past misdeeds as leverage. But the Tenshoin Naraku, a group of assassins reduced to pawns of the Tendoshu clan, gets in the way to prevent this from happening. Ironically, thanks to the “collaboration” offered by the Yorozuya and the Shinsengumi, with whom they were at odds, and thanks to the fact that Shigeshige Tokugawa did not accept the protection of Sadasada and the Tendoshu clan, the plan of Sasaki and the Hitotsubashi faction comes to fruition. Thus the rift between the latter and the Tendoshu clan becomes irreparable and leads to the outbreak of war.
Takasugi tries to take the head of Shigeshige, who has been isolated because he has rejected the protection offered to him by Sadasada and the Tendoshu clan, mobilising the forces of the Kiheitai, the Hitotsubashi faction and the Harusame, but his assassination plan is stopped by the Yorozuya, the Shinsengumi and the Oniwabanshu. He is then attacked from behind by Nobunobu Hitotsubashi, who betrays him, and by the Tendoshu clan, who have decided to support the latter after facing the impossibility of reducing Shigeshige to a puppet. So the Tendoshu clan lured Nobunobu to its side, securing for him the throne of shogun in exchange for distancing himself from Takasugi, who was only ostensibly under his command. In addition, putting pressure on the Harusame council of elders, he unites the twelve divisions, which were about to split up due to Kamui’s arbitrary conduct, and convinces them to launch a surprise attack on the seventh division. Takasugi and Kamui suffer a heavy blow and the Kiheitai and the seventh division risk extinction. Shigeshige Tokugawa tries to form a new force in Kyo in order to conquer the clan of Tendoshu and Nobunobu, who in the meantime have formed a new government, but his initiative is immediately crushed by them.
When Nobunobu takes the throne, betraying Takasugi and the others, Isaburo Sasaki infiltrates the new government, pretending to be on his side. Alongside Nobunobu, who purges the members of the former shogun’s faction one by one, Sasaki continues to incite the rebels, eventually provoking a major uprising at the hands of the police force, thus demolishing the new government and ultimately destroying himself. Following this, a strong desire to reform the country spreads among the population and the Shinsengumi leave the city of Edo to organise a resistance movement. Out of a burning desire for revenge, Nobunobu decides to personally carry out the extermination of the last surviving rebels, using the strength of the twelve divisions and keeping out both the Tendoshu clan and the Harusame elders, effectively reducing the space pirates to mere pawns in the elimination of the rebels. However, the Tendoshu clan decides to make a move to take out Gintoki and his comrades… What will happen to our heroes and the city of Edo? This is approximately what has happened so far.
That said, the volume 62 “let’s get everything that has happened so far in order” special ends here. The plot is so intricate that even I end up getting confused. I apologize to everyone who has struggled to get to the bottom of it. Normally, an author should be able to explain everything through the comic, so my poor skills are to blame. Anyway, the story won’t get any more complicated, but will be heading towards its conclusion. So since you’ve come this far, please follow Gin-san and his friends to the end. See you in the next volume!
New topic: “Even my editor said he doesn’t understand much.”
Yorozuya Shinigami 