Thank you for purchasing the 16th volume! The other day I attended a drink organized by the Gintama anime staff. I talked to various people, the voice actors, etc… and realized one thing again: “Ooh, I’m bad, it’s like I’m harassing people!”. Above all, this was obvious to the female voice actors, who have to work so hard. Although I felt sorry for them, since I’m a shy person, I couldn’t honestly express how I felt. A first-class shy person like me always ends up saying the opposite of what he thinks, such as: “So? In the world of voice actors, you do naughty stuff with each other, like titillating your nipples or something, don’t you? “We don’t do that!” … “Well, I guess in the studio you sometimes run into someone you’ve done the nasty with in the past, huh?”

And in the taxi, on the way home, I was admonished by my editor: “What the hell do you say to someone you’re seeing for the first time! Stop acting like that!”. So, looking at the passing night view, I thought, “Damn it! No one understands me!” but I started to feel sick and was almost between life and death. When I got home I put my face in the toilet to throw up, but a completely different substance came out of my bottom… Here’s a night of my twenty-seven years.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 47

QUESTION FROM MR. SAMURAI MARINE SILVER OF OSAKA PROVINCE

Good morning, Sorachi sensei!

I have a question for you.

Gin-san always reads Jump. Which comic book does he like best? Let me know!

ANSWER:

GINNIKUMAN*

*Parody of Kinnikuman, literally “Muscle Man”.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 48

QUESTION FROM MR. “MOM, WOULD A FRIED EGG BE GOOD WITH SOY SAUCE?”

Between Kondo, Hijikata and Okita, who’s stronger? Hijikata beat Okita, and Kondo beat Tojo, right?

Let me know!

ANSWER

Unless there’s an obvious difference, strength is an unstable factor that can easily change depending on the situation or state of mind you’re in. This is how I see it. Only those who are able to display constant power, without letting themselves be disturbed by anything, are to be considered truly strong. But at a very high level, sometimes the outcome of a challenge is determined by a very narrow gap between the two challengers. Therefore, I cannot say who is stronger. However, for pure swordplay, Okita is the most skilled.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 49

QUESTION FROM MR LASAGNA, KOCHI PROVINCE

I want to be a mangaka. Once you succeed, do you have to go to Tokyo? If possible (if I ever become one), I’d prefer to stay in Kochi Province, at most on Shikoku Island…

ANSWER:

You can live anywhere! There are mangaka who draw their works for girls in the provinces, in Hokkaido for example… Well, maybe because they publish in a monthly magazine it makes it easier for them, but I’ve also heard of authors from the provinces drawing for the weekly Jump. However, I think it’s hard to do something like that if you can’t manage the work schedule yourself. For a wimp like me, who doesn’t meet deadlines, it would be impossible.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 50

QUESTION FROM MR FUJII OF AICHI PROVINCE

Good morning, Sorachi sensei, and thank you for your work!

Well, I bought Gintama volume 15. Since I noticed something that doesn’t leave me indifferent, I decided to write you this letter. Perhaps many people have pointed out the same thing to you. In the Question Corner (42), you wrote that Masuo has taken on his wife’s surname, but if you mean the husband of the famous Sazae, he hasn’t taken on his wife’s surname at all.

His full name is Masuo Fuguta, and Sazae is called Sazae Fuguta (her maiden name is Isono). Since I’m a fan of the author Machiko Hasegawa, so much so that I’ve collected all the volumes of Sazae-san published by Shimaisha, I wanted to have a word with you…

ANSWER:

Sorry! I was completely wrong! He simply lives under the same roof as his wife’s parents. I really apologize for creating this confusion, but it seems that there are many people who are victims of the same misunderstanding as me.

I wish the Isono family all possible happiness!

So, this is how the 16th volume ends. In this issue I wanted to say more than anything else that it’s not good to drink too much, because both the head and the ass relax. But for a shy person this also happens: you feel tense when you talk to someone for the first time → you drink to hide this feeling → you poop yourself. So you have to choose one of two possibilities: feeling tense or shitting your pants….

Remember, as adults, make the right choice!

What I have thrown away is not only a pair of pants…

Topic: “Goodbye, Guardian.”

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CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 41

QUESTION FROM MR. “CATHERINE’S CAT EARS ARE TO BE CONSIDERED THE MOST EVIL AND STRONGEST WEAPON IN HISTORY” FROM KAGAWA PROVINCE

What do you want to do with Gintama? I don’t really understand it… I can’t see a goal for this manga.

ANSWER:

I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT EITHER.

Thank you for buying the 15th volume! That said, despite having published fifteen of them, I still get a postcard like this! I have the impression that it would have been better to have the protagonist say: “I will become the king of the samurai”, or something similar. I think that around volume 20 we’ll start to get a glimpse of his goal. It may be that this work doesn’t last that long, but I think it’s enough that we get a glimpse of, “Ooh! So that’s what he was aiming for?”. Please follow me until then.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 42

QUESTION FROM MR. D.O.R.K (I LIKE OKITA A LOT, REALLY), FROM OSAKA PROVINCE

I have a question for you, Sorachi sensei! In the 87th lesson, in volume 11, at the entrance of the house where Hatsu now lives, there was a plaque with the surname “Hasegawa”. But Hatsu left home, right?

Or did Madao take on Hatsu’s parents’ surname? I don’t really understand the situation, explain it to me!

ANSWER:

Hasegawa took on his wife’s surname, like Masuo from Sazae-san. He was born into an unimportant family, but he managed to win the heart of the Hasegawa family’s daughter, who was directly employed by the Shogunate. So he married a woman of higher social standing than himself and began a brilliant career, rising to the top of the immigration office. However, since he has taken on his wife’s surname, his position in the family is the weakest. It seems that his typical D.O.R.K. character developed in this context, and “Madao”, his nickname in Japanese, is similar to “Masuo”.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 43

QUESTION FROM MR. JAWA 100%, TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA

Why did you decide to have the stupid prince appear (on a cover)? And on volume 14, Kyuubei… When will Yamazaki appear?

ANSWER:

Yamazaki will never appear on any cover. He is the way he is, his modesty prevents him from doing so. Otherwise he wouldn’t be Yamazaki anymore! That’s how I see it. Secretly, he stands next to you and starts doing something silently… That’s how he is. When you remember the past and think “That time we had so much fun! Who did we go with?”, “Well… Takahashi, Sato, me… and there was another one… who was it?” … It’s Yamazaki. He’s comparable to that green decoration in the shape of a jagged leaf found in the package of a ready-to-eat meal; the typical man who only looks better than usual at the graduation ceremony; a work glove dropped near the feet of a guy who, despite insisting on running a marathon together, suddenly sped up just before the finish line. Everyone always has Yamazaki in their hearts. Even if he never appears on a cover, he is still everywhere… Look, even next to you…!

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 44

QUESTION BY MR STTa, FROM THE PROVINCE OF AICHI

I have a question.

Shinpachi, with those glasses, gives the impression of being incapable and overly critical, but he’s quite strong, not least because his family runs a dojo… How strong is he really?

ANSWER:

Shinpachi is quite strong. Because he’s surrounded by monstrous characters, he doesn’t stand out as much as he should, but his strength is three times that of Kosuke, who was the ringleader a year older than me in junior high. I’d say he’s pretty strong. If there were three Kosukes, honestly no one could stop them. He’s not a frivolous man at all. Even though he’s a Yankee, that is, a delinquent, when he rides a bicycle, he always keeps his back straight… Kosuke isn’t a frivolous man at all.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 45

QUESTION FROM A PERSON WHO WISHES TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS

Teach me how to draw the faces of the Yorozuya members!

ANSWER:

Since I explained how to do it for Gin-san, I’ll tell you how to draw Shinpachi and Kagura.

All the characters are based on Shinpachi. If you learn to do him, you’ll be able to draw the others too! Come on, give yourselves to Shinpachi!

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 46

QUESTION FROM MR. KOBAYASHI OF CHIBA PROVINCE

For the next episode’s commercial placed in Jump magazine… for example, the swimming style invented by Gin-san, his debut as a rapper, etc… For these commercials, I was saying, which I’m not indifferent to, are you pulling the strings behind them, Sorachi sensei? And what does it mean to make them?

ANSWER:

It’s Onishi the chimpanzee, my editor, who writes the commercials by imagining the plot on his own. Gintama changes its story drastically every episode, and I often draw a completely different story from the one I created after consulting with my editor. That’s why it’s difficult to predict what will happen, and you have to resign yourself to it. Well, it’s only natural that he does that, but when he writes that “The next episode will feature the Kabukicho district marathon race” while I’m drawing something very serious, I get nervous!

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Thank you for purchasing the 14th volume! There’s a legend in Jump magazine that when you’re over thirty, it’s hard to keep up a weekly serial publication! But I started having problems before that age… until now, even though I know it’s hard, somewhere in my heart I’ve always had an unfounded self-confidence and thought: “I won’t have any problems”, “I’ll be able to do as many all-nighters as I want”, “I’ll always meet my deadlines”, “I’ll never die”, “I’m a phoenix”, etc… But maybe now I’m starting to pay for the fact that I’ve overworked myself… I suddenly caught a cold in the summer and infected all the members of my staff and I might not be able to complete the boards! While cackling while watching the World Cup, after passing the fatal moment of the deadline, I got palpitations and almost died. When I came out, I realized that I was wearing my polo shirt inside out and I thought of putting it behind the building where I live, but just when I was naked, a neighbour saw me and she almost called the police! In short, unusual things happen to me which make me realize that I’m not young anymore and that I’ve reached a certain age… I used to never have a nipple uncovered while I now have a polo shirt. Trying to blame everything on the polo shirt in this way is also typical of middle-aged men! Even this way of expressing myself, ‘It’s typical of…’, is very typical of a middle-aged man!

Q1: What was your first encounter with video games?

When I was in kindergarten, my father bought a Famicom. At the time, because I was naughty, I had broken my arm, but because I wanted to play it so badly, I held the controller on the floor and operated the directional cross with the thumb of my left foot and the A and B buttons with my right hand. In short, I played the game using these… unusual techniques. When I did this at my friends’ houses, they hated me, but being a brat, I didn’t care.

Q2: What were the first three games you got into?

3. Fire Emblem

2. Megami Tensei series

1. Zill O’ll

Q3: What was the first video game you ever bought?

Ice Climber. It’s a video game where a mountaineer climbs an icy mountain.

Q4: How many software do you own?

A lot. But because I’m busy, I never play them.

Q5: What do you care about when buying a video game?

I like protagonists who are quiet and don’t talk too much, who don’t talk out of turn and who only say “yes/no”.

Q6: Tell us about a video game you like.

I like all the Dragon Quests, but especially Dragon Quest 5. I got so into it that I was able to challenge Satan with a copper sword to defend Bianca. Then one day I found that the hero Hideaki’s adventure book had been changed to the hero Hideo’s, and that my bride had been changed to a woman called Flora that I didn’t know, so I ended up fighting with Hideo (my father). This memory makes me want to die…

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 40

QUESTION FROM MR. WIND MATASABURO OF SHIMANE PROVINCE

Good morning, Sorachi sensei! I’ve been worried about something for a long time… Why did you become a mangaka? Please give me a good answer!

ANSWER:

Both movies and manga and anime always have an ending. So, although I feel empathy for the protagonists, I suddenly feel abandoned. I hate that sad feeling, and I feel like shouting, “Wait a minute! Take me to the other world too!” … Just hearing this part of the speech would make me sound like a crazy person, but I really do feel that way, especially about Laputa. It makes me want to smash the TV set and yell, “Don’t finish, Friday Road Show*!”. This situation is so painful that I have no choice but to create the works myself… That’s what I thought. I got into this world because I’d rather be on the side of abandoning readers than being left alone.

Sorry if the answer is a bit awkward and far from beautiful!

*Television program where movies are shown.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER

OPINION BY MR. SAMURAI MAYORA, TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA

Sorachi sensei!

I’m a big fan of Kagura’s voice actress in the anime, but it gets awkward if the woman I like is always talking about obscenities like “the dick” (well… it’s kinda arousing too), so please refrain as much as possible from making her say obscene things. (Well, it’s kind of arousing… Huh? Is this the second time I’ve said that?)

ANSWER:

I beg your pardon, Mr. Samurai Mayora and Mrs. Kugimiya! Well, I was blasting out dirty jokes in the magazine as if I wanted to say to the anime staff, “I want to see if you can stick them in the anime!”. So they moved it from prime time to a different slot. Given the time when this decision was made, I thought it was my fault, but apparently not. Well… I don’t know the details… Maybe it wasn’t, maybe what I did had nothing to do with it… maybe.

New topic: “It’s not Sorachi sensei’s fault”.

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Thank you for buying the 13th volume of Gintama! Having reached thirteen, as an inauspicious number, lately… or rather, since the work has been transposed into anime, I come across many enemies. Even among the letters sent by fans I find comments like: “You have no taste in clothes, sensei! Take Tutor Hitman Reborn as an example! And D. Gray Man!” Or: “I hate you, sensei, but I like Gintama!”. So, I don’t know if I should be happy or not… Someone even raised a suspicion of plagiarism writing: “You are a mean mangaka, you must die!”. I’d like to say, “Wait a minute! I may die, but you don’t have the slightest intention of trusting me?”. It’s true that when I was a kid, I stole an arm of the Goggle Five robot from my friend’s house, the one with the rocket punch that can be thrown, but that friend stole it back from me, and a few years later he even apologized! I even lectured him: ‘Don’t ever do anything like that again!’

Having said that, the suspicion of plagiarism has strengthened, and I have many enemies… Well, it is normal to be faced with such animosity, and I would be inclined to welcome this hostility with gentleness, but lately I perceive a great malice also from the editorial staff, which should instead suffocate me with gentleness…

This is the continuation of the speech about the editorial staff who seem to have a murderous instinct towards me. The other day I had the opportunity to be on the jury of the monthly “Twelve Masterpieces” award. As you know, despite the fact that I am overconfident and very proud, I have a strong inferiority complex. To put it bluntly, I am as dangerous as performing a clumsy tap dance on a pyramid of playing cards. So I scrutinise the works with fear, asking myself, “Huh? Can I really do this? Of course I try my best, but there are details that I find difficult to comment on. I could never criticize others by making myself look good, for example, about the drawings… But, being a professional, I examine works severely and without hesitation! In short, I thought I would write a vague comment, without going into too much detail, believing that even the members of the editorial staff would understand my intentions, but they have as many as follows:

“It is a pity that many people do not take the readers into consideration. Especially when the drawings are sloppy, the work is at a disadvantage, even if it has an interesting story. If one is clumsy in drawing, correcting the black parts outside the outline with whitewash, or doing careful work on the backgrounds, the overall impression changes a lot. Try to make a work with the readers’ existence in mind!”

This comment refers to me, I know! What?! It is the taboo comment to me! Or you, members of the editorial staff, should understand the atmosphere I breathe! I thought I could get away without commenting on the details! You have to think about the position of Sorachi sensei, who tries to put on airs like this: “The work of someone who has managed to draw what he wants is always entertaining!”. By now, the playing cards have collapsed like a rock, and the tap dancing that I pride myself on is a simple scraping in the air with my feet… it’s like falling to the bottom of the valley, dancing.


Having said that, I can’t help but think that there was a certain amount of malice on the part of the editorial staff in the selection of the “Twelve Masterpieces” award… Pretending to criticize aspiring mangaka, they bombarded me with precise targeting. Faced with such an attitude, it’s as if they’d taken me up to a Shinto altar and thrown me down, shouting “Die, Sorachi!” It’s natural for me to lose faith in people! So in the midst of all these enemies, I only have family on my side, the last lifeline. And I called it. My mother says to me: “Lately you’ve been resorting to too much dirty jokes, don’t you think? When you don’t have a good idea, you always overdo it… That’s what Mr Onishi says!” What the hell does that man want? (My editor, Onishi, met my parents at the “Jump Festa” organized in Hokkaido). My family members are so serious that just seeing a slightly erotic scene in a movie makes them all stiffen up! So I asked him not to talk about certain topics… Don’t you think his behaviour was terrible? How can he compensate me for this unpleasant feeling I have in front of my mother? Well, I felt a certain irritation at her words (because I find it harder to write), so I replied: ‘Even filthy jokes are ideas to be respected. As long as they are funny! I’ll stop sending you money, damn you!”, to which she replied, “Ooh… you’ve changed…”. Eh…? She goes too far, as if she meant “Hideaki has changed since he went to Tokyo” … How bitter…!

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 37

QUESTION FROM MR. “I WANT TO EAT GIN-CHAN’S HANDMADE CAKES” FROM MIYAZAKI PROVINCE

I have a question for Sorachi sensei. Zura… is he actually a dirtbag? I’m asking because although his hair was cut off in the Benizakura saga, it grew out a lot in “103rd Lesson”. Or does he really wear a wig? I really care about this fact, so answer my question if you don’t mind.

ANSWER:

From the Benizakura saga to the “103rd lesson”, in the monographic volume, very little time seems to have passed, but you have to consider that a few months have actually passed. Anyway, Zura is a dirty man. In fact, all men are dirty.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 38

QUESTION FROM MS HANAKO MOTOKI, TOYAMA PROVINCE

Who prepares the dishes served at the table in the Yorozuya? Is there anyone among the three who can cook properly?

ANSWER:

They take turns cooking. Shinpachi lives with his older sister, but because she is the way she is, he had to learn to cook to survive. Gin-san is also skilled despite his appearance. Whereas Kagura mostly makes rice with a raw egg and soy sauce… or with various dry seasonings.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 39

QUESTION FROM MS. SARA, CHIBA PROVINCE

What is the difference between “Patriots promoting the campaign against foreigners” and “Masterless samurai promoting the campaign against foreigners”? Let me know, Sorachi sensei!

ANSWER:

Basically, they are the same. The patriots are the people who want to expel foreigners. Among them were many masterless samurai who acted freely by leaving their fiefdom (a kind of village). That is why they were called that.

By the way, in the world of Gintama, fiefs have already been abolished, so there are no feudal lords, only the Tokugawa shogun. To make a long story short, men like the Shinsengumi, who serve the shogun’s family and the shogunate, from whom they get their salary, are officially called samurai, while others like Gin-san, Katsura, etc., who have no master and carry a sword without permission, are considered masterless samurai.

So, that’s how volume 13 ends… I’ve written a number of things, but all in all I wanted to say that having three months at my disposal is nice because I can accumulate so many ideas and so I’d like them to publish a volume every three months from now on! As if to say… since I have revealed the truth in all honesty, I find it difficult to be a member of the jury of the “Twelve Masterpieces” award. I’m so ashamed that I’m afraid I can’t do it. This is because, if I and the editorial team were to make a comment that did not refer to the drawings at all, after writing the background, you readers would think: “Damn! These are sickening!”. Rather, is it better to criticize the drawings severely? Or rather, to comment only on the drawings? But how concerned am I with people’s criticism? How delicate am I?

I turned 27 the other day! Try not to become an adult like me! See you in the next volume! Goodbye!

New topic: “If you’re not delicate, you can’t draw comics. Mangaka are all annoying types”.

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Thank you for purchasing the 12th volume of Gintama! For those of you who will have this volume in your hands on release day in Japan: tune in to the channel that shows the Sakata family, not the Ito family*… the anime starts today!

The other day I went to peek at the production (I wanted to watch the voice actors work), but my editor got the time wrong, so when I got to the studio I only found Katoken** singing Katoken Samba. Despite not seeing anything, I irresponsibly greeted everyone by saying, “Well, your voices are just right for the characters!”.

Anyway, I really think they’re up to their roles, even though I don’t know anything about it. Then I talked a bit with Mr. Sugita, who voices Gin-san. I’ve met him twice before, but I always got the impression that our conversation wasn’t in perfect sync. I don’t know why, but our discussions always end up with no rhyme or reason. This time too, we talked about the singer and comedian Masashi Tashiro… But why? Why did I talk about Marcy? We should have discussed the anime! Well, anyway, given the ditzy look on his face, he’ll definitely give a great performance.

I also met with the director and staff.

But we chatted about adult videos for a good 80% of the time. Even the last time we only talked about nightclubs… However, since they hide a great passion under that dirty spirit, surely some wonderful anime will come out…

Naaa, impossible!

*Variety TV show
**Ken Kato, a character from Gintama.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 33

QUESTION FROM MR. “I LIKE THE FACT THAT JUST AWAY IS NOTHING BUT JUST AWAY”, FROM OSAKA PROVINCE

Sensei, about Gin-san’s wooden sword, in volume 1 he said he bought it during a school trip, but in volume 5 he gets one by mail order. The one he has at the beginning he bought during a school trip, while the others he bought by mail order… Is that so? Since I’m stupid, I can’t help thinking about a detail like that… Tell me the truth!

ANSWER:

No, he bought all the wooden swords by mail order, from the first to the last. “I bought it on a school trip” or “A hermit who lives on Lake Toya gave it to me” are all, shall we say, embellishments made by Gin-san himself. I guess for him, Lake Toya is a place full of memories…

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 34

QUESTION FROM MR. JOHNNY, FUKUSHIMA PROVINCE

I hear Mrs. Otose is agonizing over Gin-san’s (Yorozuya) rent arrears. How many months does he owe her? And how much does he pay in rent? Since I care about those two points, I took the liberty of asking you this question.

ANSWER:

The rent is sixty thousand, although the place is in Kabukicho… So it’s a fair price. Unfortunately, Yorozuya is a freelance profession, so there are times when you earn money and others when you don’t. Moreover, even if you manage to earn money, you can’t do it. On top of that, even if he manages to make some money, the cost of food for Kagura and Sadaharu is by no means negligible, so he’s always broke. Despite his appearance, he works hard, but is always two months’ rent in arrears.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 35

QUESTION FROM MR. LIKELY INHABITANT OF THE PLANET OF SADISTS, TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA

Sorachi sensei, don’t you sometimes regret what you draw in Gintama?

ANSWER:

Every time I get a letter like this.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 36

QUESTION FROM MR. KUDO OF AOMORI PROVINCE

In “The 58th Night,” Lavi shouts, “We’re at war, there’s nothing we can do!” and it looks like his eyes are filled with tears. Is it just me? I don’t think so. Answer me as a real man should, without running away!

ANSWER:

Lavi was definitely crying… Well, he must have suffered for various reasons too, and he’s desperately trying to convince himself that there’s nothing to be done, because they’re at war, but deep down… I imagine he’s in a situation like that. Anyway, since I’m not Lavi, I can’t give more details… Also, this manga is not D. Gray Man! The addressee says “D. Gray Man-interview room”, and it seems that by some mistake this postcard was sent to me… don’t worry, Mr. Kudo… I’ll make sure it’s sent to the correct address!

I’m sure you don’t read Gintama, so you can’t imagine that your question was posted in one like this, right?

So, we’ll leave it at that for now. Before I started the serial publication of this work, when I was still at my parents’ house, a long hair sprouted on my back. Since it was making an impression on me, I tried to pull it out, but my mother said: “It’s good luck, don’t do that!”, so I left it where it was. The other day I looked at my back, after a long time, and found it covered with hair! Is that back hair? It’s making me sick, Mum! Huh? Does that mean I won’t have any problems? Will I die when Gintama ends? Since I still have so much time ahead of me, I’d like to, say… spread my luck evenly. But the hairs on my back are already going at full speed! It’s as if I’m in this situation: before the marathon they tell me we’re going to run together, but once the race starts the hairs take off with all their might and I shout: “Hey, wait a minute! At this rate, you’ll collapse from exhaustion halfway through the race!” … Under the circumstances, all I can do is slow down. But when I cross the finish line last, if you greet me with warm applause and shouts of “What a fool! He ended up like that because he’s been going at full speed since the beginning! I was moved by it anyway!”, I will be grateful. So, from now on, we’ll be running together”!

Topic: ‘We will run together’.

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Thank you for purchasing the 11th volume! Having said that, thanks to the support you’ve given me, it’s been happily decided to adapt the manga into an anime for the TV this spring!

HOORAAAAAY!

To tell you the truth, I’ve known about this decision for a long time, and I apologize for hiding it until now for “adult” reasons. As if to say… since it’s Gintama there are many elements that will have to be censored, so it looks like they’re going to have a hard time… When I said that the work would also fit a suspension for criticism from the PTA, I was severely reprimanded by everyone. Well, it’s up to the TV people to think about these things, I’ll continue to write the jokes without paying too much attention to them, as I have done until now! In fact, I’m going to make up jokes so bad that the voice actors will have to report me for sexual harassment…! Well, I’m giving them too much weight… I’d like to point out that you should never stop buying the volumes because you only watch the anime with the excuse that the drawings are better!

We’ve had fun together so far, right? It’s true that I only received complaints about volume three, but that’s all in the past! By overcoming friction, we’ve strengthened our bond! So… ah, geez! There’s no more room to write!

CORNER “SINCE IT’S A HASSLE, MAKE UP YOUR OWN AMANTOS!” (1)

CORNER “SINCE IT’S A HASSLE, MAKE UP YOUR OWN AMANTOS!” (2)

Since I have already presented Noriko Mahha, having accumulated quite a few, I think I will be publishing many excellent works from now on. Speaking of which, maybe I’ll have the characters I’ve introduced here appear in the magazine as well. Maybe appearances… it will be fun to look for them!

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 30

QUESTION FROM MR. FLYING DOG, KYOTO PROVINCE

Hello! I’m a young man of sixteen and I like this manga as much as Kinnikuman. I’m suddenly asking you this question: how did you become a mangaka? Did you have to go to a school? Tell that to an aspiring sixteen-year-old mangaka like me!

ANSWER:

When I was a kid I used to lose myself in fantasies, having fun drawing comic strips secretly in an exercise book, but when I was in the 4th grade, my father read them, laughed at me, and so I gave up my dream (what a lousy father, eh?). Then I changed my dream: architect, copywriter, seitai expert… but even after graduating I couldn’t find a job, so, dejected, I took refuge in the world of comics and, fortunately, I won a prize! By the way, at university I studied advertising, which has nothing to do with it.

Since being teased by my father was traumatic, I didn’t say anything to my parents or friends. If you think you have to go to school or things that are too formal, you don’t enjoy making comics anymore. Anyone can draw anywhere, if they just have a pen and paper… this is a comic book! I think that drawing while having fun, without getting too caught up in a stereotypical way of thinking, can be useful! Get busy!

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 31

QUESTION FROM MR. “BECAUSE I ATE TOO MUCH CHOCOLATE, I GOT A NOSEBLEED, I’VE GAINED 2.5 KG, I WANT TO CHANGE MY GLASSES, AND THEY MAY THROW AWAY ALL MY JUMP NUMBERS. HELP ME, MAYBE I’M CONTRACTING A DISEASE CAUSED BY BAD HABITS”, FROM KAGOSHIMA PROVINCE

In the 51st Lesson of Volume 7, Yamazaki said, “…EVEN IF OUR DIRECTOR AND COMMANDER OKITA SEEMED TO BE STIMULATING YOU.” But did Okita become commander?

ANSWER:

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 32

QUESTION FROM MISS “THE GIRL WHO ADORES OTAE AND WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO HAVE A YOUNGER BROTHER LIKE SHINPACHI”.

The other day, as soon as I got home, my father said radiantly, “I was wandering around the comic book section in a bookstore, and a guy I don’t know asked me, ‘Are you Sorachi sensei?’ I refused to give him an autograph. But who is this guy?”

So, I have a question for you, sensei! Have you ever thought about how the family members of a person who is mistaken for you might feel?

ANSWER:

Ooh! It happened to him because I once wrote that I’m always wandering around bookstores… I apologize.

Because my father insisted on asking me: “Listen, what’s he like? What does Sorachi sensei look like?” my younger brother showed him a picture of Konomi sensei and said, “There he is!” So I have a question! Have you ever thought about how Konomi sensei might feel about being passed off as you?

ANSWER:

Sensei, I apologize if someone’s younger brother acted the way he did!

Since my father seemed very happy with the photo he saw, he will surely also say to his colleagues, “Well, I’ve been mistaken for Sorachi sensei!”. So, I have a question for you! Have you ever thought about how my father would feel if he ever found out the truth?

ANSWER:

I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOUR FATHER!

As you’ve seen, volume eleven, the hemorrhoid special… ends here. Despite an auspicious event, such as the anime adaptation of the opera, those damn hemorrhoids finally started grinding their teeth. May I ask the readers to let me know how to defeat them, Mr. Onishi? …Is that not okay? Is it too private a matter? Can I give them autographs made from blood? Can’t I? I thought so, but the condition of my haemorrhoids got worse because of you, because you made me work on New Year’s Eve without a day off, forcing me to use my anus too much! I don’t know if you were reading Nana on your way back to your parents’ house, but while you were reading Nana, my “ana” got so bad! I feel great anger! Damn you! Yeah, you readers are the only ones who support me by always sending me nice letters. Even if my “ana” is in pieces, keep following Gintama!

New topic: “Ana”.

Send in, questions, illustrations, characters, etc.

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Thank you for purchasing the 10th volume of Gintama! Somehow I got there, but every week I feel like I’m still walking on a rope called a deadline… Actually, it’s more like toilet paper than rope… It’s as if I’m being told to walk on a simple roll of toilet paper unrolled and stretched across the Grand Canyon valley. On top of that, behind me, a little monkey with glasses tells me, “If you don’t cross right now, you’re going to fall!” and pisses on it. And every week I miraculously manage to make it, seriously it’s a miracle!

I’m starting to be like Pegasus Seiya, it feels like my microcosm is going to burn. Until I started walking this rope, I had a misconception of the situation, as I knew nothing about it.  I thought I was like a Gold Saint, and I thought it would be so easy to move. Instead, it’s anything but easy! The cloth I’m wearing… it’s not gold, it’s not even bronze! It’s just corrugated cardboard. I’m wearing a cardboard cloth made by my father on a Sunday. It’s hard for a Saint made of corrugated cardboard to advance on this rope! Anyway, since I went to the Grand Canyon of my own free will, I have to keep fighting even if my cardboard is torn, until the microcosm burns down…

                                                                                  – Saint Sorachi –

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 24

QUESTION FROM MR. JON B, TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA

How do you do? I have a question for Sorachi sensei: are the ninja named Hattori, who appeared in Gintama volume 6, and the famous Zenzo Hattori the same person? I really want to know, so tell me!

ANSWER:

They’re the same person, they both have hemorrhoids, remember? But in the 49th lesson, neither Gin-san nor Zenzo saw their opponent’s face… I consider their first meeting to have been later, in the episode where they fought over an issue of Jump. Gin-san even forgot that episode… He’s someone who forgets unpleasant things right away. By the way, the Cats Punch (Catherine’s former thieving companions) also included a man named Hattori, but he has nothing to do with this character. He’s a different person. Sorry for complicating things.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER

QUESTION FROM MISS EMILY “THE CRITICAL WOMAN”, SAITAMA PROVINCE

I like Sagaru Yamazaki. Why is his name Sagaru*?

Was he given such a name because he grew up in a very difficult environment?

Or was he born while his parents were being pursued by persistent creditors?

If that’s the case, I feel sorry for him.

ANSWER:

The meaning of Yamazaki’s name is: “Look at things calmly by taking a step back and then face them”.

It has no negative meaning, as you imply.

If you continue to live looking only at the surface of things, trouble will happen to you. Take a good look by first taking a step back! So, the lesson ends here!

*Literally, “stepping back”.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 26

QUESTION FROM MR. “WHY DO YOU OFTEN CHANGE THE SUBJECT FOR SENDING LETTERS? IT’S REALLY ANNOYING!”, FROM SAITAMA PROVINCE

Is the basic principle of Gintama episodes “gag” or “seriousness”?

ANSWER:

I personally consider each episode to be a separate story, and there are many self-contained episodes in the work. I draw each one by changing the mood, for example: “This time I will create a comedy”, “This time I will describe human warmth”, etc…

In short, my work is a pseudo-comedy with a historical-scientific setting and a lot of human warmth. All in all, it’s a manga you can’t understand.

However, it’s strange that I impose my point of view on readers by saying: “The manga was made according to this reasoning, so read it as I’ve explained”… In short, you can interpret it as you like!

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 27

QUESTION FROM MR. “HUH?! THAT’S THE LAUGHING STOCK?!”, FROM FUKUSHIMA PROVINCE

Dear Hideaki Sorachi sensei, how are you? Today, I’ll ask you something straight out! You are serializing Gintama in Shonen Jump magazine, drawing it with all your might, facing life’s storms and being criticized behind your back. Who is the character you think you love the most?

It will be, as I imagine, Kagura, since you have a lolita complex… Answer me! Come on!

ANSWER:

I like all the characters! Seriously, I’m not saying this to keep up appearances, but I like the villains too! I really do! Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to draw manga. So in regards to the ones that have little opportunity to appear, I always think, “Ooh, I have to save them somehow… Only I follow a certain cycle in my considerations that annoys me in that guy” or “I don’t know why, but I think you’re cute… Have you cut your hair recently?”. Basically, it’s the same as the real world. The one who draws my sympathy for now is Oryo, though I ignore why. It used to be Hasegawa, but I’ve had him appear so often that I don’t even want to see his face now! Anyway, that’s not a sentence to say towards the character published on a cover, although I’m back to wanting to see his face… I just keep repeating these things. By the way, I like Kagura a lot, although I don’t have a lolita complex. In regards to the three members of the Yorozuya it doesn’t have to do with the cycle or anything like that… Huh?! So I’m making an impression on you guys? You’re not backing down, are you?

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 28

QUESTION FROM MR. ASAZAKI OF OSAKA PROVINCE

I saw the Gintama anime. They’re very entertaining and I thought they were great! Since there were more known voice actors than I imagined, I was surprised!

By the way… Listen, Mobile Suit Sorachi sensei! How are the voice actors chosen? Do you choose them personally? I’ m an airhead, so I don’ t understand anything!

If you don’t mind, could you let me know?

ANSWER:

I think they’re usually decided by audition, unless certain voice actors are designated for certain roles by the production. A selection was made for Gintama as well. For example, some candidates for dubbing Gin-san were given lines to recite, and then only one was chosen. Then, there are writers who attend auditions, but as I once said, I’m on the edge of a cliff every week, and of course I don’t have time to go. So I insisted that they record the rehearsals on a CD so that I could express my opinions. Only, when I listened to it dozens of times, it seemed to me that everyone was beginning to sound like Gin-san… I didn’t understand anything anymore! I thought, “Do as you please!” … Anyway, with hindsight, all the voices are just as I imagined them, so I find the choices positive.

I thank all the voice actors for giving their souls!

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 29

QUESTION FROM MR. TIROL OF AICHI PROVINCE

The day after reading the 65th Lesson in volume eight of Jump Comics Gintama, my father pooped his pants while standing in line for the bathroom at a certain supermarket. That’s why he never went out, and when he did, his trousers were all messed up. Have you ever been involved in an existential crisis like that, Sorachi sensei? What should I do from now on? Let me know! (This story is true.)

ANSWER:

What? You want to know if I’ve been in a crisis because of my underside? I’ve hardly ever had anything like that happen to me. I was so delicate when I was a kid that I couldn’t poop outside, so no matter how much I was assaulted by stimuli, in kindergarten I always held back and did my business at home, by the time I started attending primary schools, I was a veteran fighter who had won numerous battles, and those around me looked like mere brats.

I was called “Guardian of the anus”, in fact I called myself that. I also invented a certain technique which consists of shaking my butt… By doing this, most of the stimuli strangely disappear. The important thing is to believe in yourself and never give up until the end! Then you won’t have any problems until second grade.

Eh…?! What? Yes, it happened! I pooped my pants in second grade! Even the Guardian expelled a streak of feces while shaking his butt.

It’s easy for me to get carried away because I was called the Guardian… But nobody called me that. There’s nothing a guy like me can defend. Anyway, luckily, it happened on the way home from school and I was still wearing a normal brief at the time, so by keeping my poo between my buns so my friends wouldn’t find out, I went home as if nothing had happened. So, I got a bit carried away… And for fooling my mates I was called “North Sea Tactician”… Well, nobody actually called me that! In an attempt to fool my mother I tried to destroy the evidence by flushing my underwear down the toilet. Then, as I feared, it got clogged, and the water in an instant lapped at the North Sea Tactician….

AAAAAAAAH!

The trauma…! Tora (the tiger) and uma (the horse) opened the sealed door that must never be opened! The topic for questions in the next volume is the one shown below!

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Thank you for buying the 9th volume of Gintama! So, I was planning on posting the amantos you sent in here, but since I promised I’d do it in the magazine, I thought you’d be happier to see them posted there, instead of here and then there. So I’d like to reverse the order… In other words, the selected amantos will be suddenly published in the magazine without notifying the readers who created them in advance, and then their postcards will be featured in a volume! By the way, bearing in mind that there are those who only buy the volumes without buying Jump, I’ll be publishing the postcards in the volumes in which the amantos contained in them will appear. To tell the truth, one of these amantos has already appeared in a magazine, but since there’s a certain time gap between the Jump publication and the physical release, I think the postcards will see the light starting from volume eleven. Sorry for the delay… but the selected ones will appear, whatever happens! I promised and I have no other choice, so look forward to seeing them!

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 19

QUESTION FROM MR. MOGUTAN OF OSAKA CITY

Is Hamuko’s boyfriend, Tasuke, the son of the viper? Also, what have the two of them (Hamuko and Tasuke) been up to?

ANSWER:

It’s just as you say, Mogutan! Tasuke, the viper’s son, is really Hamuko’s boyfriend. Because his father (the viper) was arrested, he’s now back on the straight and narrow and works on scaffolding, scaffolds and roofs. Hamuko has become addicted to diets and managed to lose thirty kilos in two months… but she’s still ugly.

By the way, they’re not together anymore. They broke up… normal for a man and a woman.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 20

QUESTION FROM MR. “SNOT IS THE MELTED BRAIN… DID YOU KNOW THAT?”, TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA

Sorachi sensei, please use the autograph I designed for you! It’s so easy!

See how simple it is?

ANSWER:

Why does my name… cross a poo?

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 21

QUESTION FROM MR. AMAMIYAA OF WAKAYAMA PROVINCE

Sensei, I have a question!

Jump magazine often appears in Gintama. How do you personally feel about it? Does it make your soul quiver with dreams and adventure?

ANSWER:

Unfortunately, I didn’t read Jump as a child. Of course, I would read the books I liked, such as Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, etc., but I was quite fond of TV. All I collected of comic magazines was Wanpakku. Anyone familiar with that? When it comes to magazines we used to read, since no one knows about it the conversation never gets going. Although I collected every issue, down to the last one, my mother threw them away without telling me, so I got angry. Who knows Wanpakku?! Is there anyone who can talk about this magazine with me for a whole night?

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 22

QUESTION BY MISS JENNIFER SANDOVAL, FROM THE USA

For Sorachi sensei.

How are you? I’m good. I’m a student of Japanese, and I’ve been reading Gintama, which I like a lot. I learned from this comic book:

“Liars”…

“Pirates”… then…

“You have dumb luck.”

The sentence I like best of all is:

“I’d say a captain… of space.”

Thank you for teaching me that.

Now, last week I read volume six…

I hate cockroaches, because they freak me out. I have a question for you, sensei! Who is Elizabeth? Please, tell me!* By Jennifer Sandoval

P.s. Give me an autograph!

And one for my friend Yuko, also a big fan!

ANSWER:

Miss Sandoval sent me this letter from the distant United States… Thank you very much! You are very good at writing in Japanese.

It’s just that these phrases you’ve learned can’t be used in everyday life… You should avoid saying ” You have dumb luck,” or you might get beaten up.

Be careful, Miss Sandoval!

Finally, I won’t give you an autograph. It’s not about being an American… Yuko, you explain it to her properly. You understand the situation, right?

*Note: This phrase was actually written in English, unlike the rest of the letter.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 23

QUESTION FROM MS KIM ERI, SOUTH KOREA

Hi, I’m Kim Eri (a Korean girl) and a huge fan of yours, Mr. Sorachi. Hope you understand my poor English…

I really love Gintama. It’s too hilarious! I think you’ve got a great sense of humor. Yes you do! I love all the characters in Gintama, esp. Kintoki & Kagura & Ms. Otose. How funny they are! I really really hope you’re in good health all the time and great ideas never stop flowing from your heart!

P.S. Does Kintoki loves Killer Sacchan? If he does, I’ll hate her. 😝

ANSWER:

Miss Kim sent me a letter from faraway South Korea. Thank you. Worrying that I wouldn’t understand it in Korean, she wrote it in English, but she always called the main character “Kintoki” instead of “Gintoki”, which was wrong… Who are you, Sakamoto?! Also, how come you don’t ask for my autograph?! Yuko, explain everything properly. You understand the situation, right? Huh?! Yuko’s not here this time…?

That’s it! The special “Volume 9: The World is One” ends here. Even though Ms. Sandoval and Ms. Kim live in faraway places, we are all united by Gintama. When you come to Japan, don’t say “Gintama” too often… It’s dangerous. Yuko, you should explain it to them properly.

So, I’m still collecting both amanto ideas and questions.

Then I’ll see you in the next volume! See you soon!

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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!

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Thank you for buying the 7th volume! While I was wandering around the bookshop on the day the sixth, the previous book, came out, I saw a young boy buying it in front of me. I thought about telling him, “Wait! I’m the one who draws that manga! Do you want me to give you an autograph?” but I gave up because he’d say, “There’s no way a guy like you is Sorachi sensei! You don’t have to hang around bookstores in broad daylight, you damn M.A.D.A.O.*!”…

I could never ruin a kid’s dream. After all, I’m 162.2 inches tall and look like the actor and singer Tetsuya Takeda. In short, the author of the work is not at all as slender as Gin-san.

Having said that, if anyone is reading this book standing up and not buying it, let them look around: if they find Tetsuya Takeda grinning next to them… it’s definitely him.

*Acronym for “Marude damena ossan”.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 10

QUESTION FROM MR. COFFEE LOVER FROM TOTTORI PROVINCE

Good morning, Sorachi sensei! I’ve been wondering about this for a while… The characters that appear in Gintama are all taken from the Edo era. Who is Gin-san inspired by?

ANSWER:

He was inspired by Kintoki Sakata. He’s the Kintaro from the famous fairy tale, but he wasn’t a character from the Edo era, but from the Heian period*. According to one version, he was the son of the witch Yamanba and possessed unparalleled Herculean strength. In fact, even in the fable he has a sumo match with a bear! It is said that he later became one of the Shitenno** in the service of Yorimitsu Minamoto, and subdued the ogre Shutendoji of Mount Oe. However, Gin-san isn’t necessarily a descendant of Kintaro. Since I was only vaguely inspired by this character, you don’t need to pay that much attention to it…

*The Edo period is from 1603 to 1868, while the Heian period is from 794 to 1185.
**Literally it means “Four Heavenly Kings”, but it is often used to indicate a group that exerts a strong influence over a certain territory.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 11

QUESTION FROM MR. SUGIYAMA, SHIZUOKA PROVINCE

The chapter titles are funny and different from other manga. How do you decide on them?

ANSWER:

I choose them after I’ve completed the panels. At first glance they don’t seem to have anything to do with the story, but there’s always some connection… Try looking for it! By the way, when I don’t have time, sometimes my editor decides them… You may think that the ones that came out wrong were created by him.

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 12

QUESTION FROM MR. CHOCO OF AICHI PROVINCE

From every angle, your manga doesn’t fit well into Jump magazine. What means have you resorted to?

ANSWER:

Well, first of all, I rarely use screens. In this way, the pages turn out to have white as their dominant colour, and they stand out from the others. Secondly, I try not to improve the drawings… So my manga is different because everyone else is good at drawing… What the hell are you making me write?! Damn you!

CONTACT WITH THE READERS: QUESTION CORNER 13

QUESTION FROM MISS KOROWAN OF TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA

Get together with my older sister (gravure idol)! Because she’s nineteen years old, and loves mozuku seaweed. Since this fact is a secret, when she contacts you, don’t tell her that I wrote this letter!

ANSWER:

It was written like this, in pretty handwriting, and there was also a picture of a pretty little girl in the 3rd or 4th grade along with her beautiful older sister. And a mobile phone number.

Well, I won’t be fooled! Even though I’m a country boy, there’s no way I’m going to get such a tempting proposal…! Anyway, the older sister is really pretty! But I’m sure that if I call this number, some incredible person will answer, right? I won’t be overwhelmed by Tokyo…! Anyway, the sister is reeeeaally pretty! But this letter was written without asking her consent, right? Does she like Tetsuya Takeda? That can’t be… She’s really cute though! Well… big sister is cuuute!

SACCHAN’S SONG

Sacchan

Her name is Ayame Sarutobi

Actually.

But nobody calls her

Ayame, but…

“Saru! Hey, Saru!” …that’s what they call her. So…

“Hey, stop it, you guys!

Sarutobi doesn’t want to be called that!

Sarutobi, come here!

We’ll find you a cute nickname!”

So she was called “Sacchan”.

How sad it was…

…to be called Saru*.

*Literally, “monkey”

There, and so volume seven is finished! It seems to be gradually starting to get monotonous, doesn’t it? Well, I’m not talking about the manga, I’m talking about the extra page space. I’m not talking about the manga! I’m still working hard on that!

Having said that, to brighten up the extras that are starting to get boring, I’ve invented a new angle:

It’s about…

“SINCE IT’S A HASSLE, MAKE UP YOUR OWN AMANTOS!”

Send in your postcards with your creations! You may not believe it, but the ones you choose will appear in the actual work! I await your vulgar drawings!

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