COMMENTARY BY ANIME PRODUCER, MR. SUSUMU MIURA

We asked Mr. Miura, who has been involved in the production of the Gintama anime from the beginning, about the story behind the production of every episode.


PART 1 (EPISODE 266-286)

A reunion and a gender reversal… See Gintoki’s crazy life.


Episode 266: “You Can Never Pause at the Perfect Time” (一時停止はうまい具合には止まらない)

The whole place was buzzing because of the apology at the beginning of the conference. I thought “Is he going to apologize for real?”. I was a bit nervous.

On the other hand, unlike the first episode of a normal anime, the number of pictures was limited. So, it was a big help for our budget.



Episode 267: “Even a Matsui Stick Can’t Handle Some Kinds of Dirt” (マツイ棒でもとれないゴミがある)

I had no idea how the director and supervisor were going to handle the original story, which is based on the manga. I took my hat off to the director and supervisor for their technique.


Episode 268: “An Inspector’s Love Begins with an Inspection” (観察の恋は観察から始まる)

This is the original work that everyone wanted, and how can this be on air at 6:00PM? This is really an apology tour isn’t it?

We are grateful to Mr. Matsuyama of TV Tokyo for making the wise decision to air it.


Episode 269: A. “Rather than Memorizing Years, You Should Burn Human Beings into Your Memory” (年号暗記より人間焼きつけろ) / B. “You Can Hide Erotic Books but You Can’t Hide Your ****” (エロ本隠して○○○隠さず)

Part A is a test of basic knowledge for viewers. Thanks to the crammed education I had, I was able to laugh properly. Part B is a story about how all boys who have gone through puberty can be 100% in sync with Shinpachi.

If you haven’t hit puberty, please ask your parents what’s so funny about this.


Episode 270: A. “Mirrors Show Both Beauty And Ugliness” (鏡は美も醜もありのままを映し出す) / B. “No One Interested In License Photos” (免許証の写真を気に入ってる奴は皆無)

Part A is Tom Cruise with glasses. It’s gorgeous. Part B is a story about old people, farting etc., which will appeal to the generation that grew up watching the old Drifters* comedy shows. The original story climax is from “Centipede Human”, right?

*Japanese rock n’ roll band and comedy group.


Episode 271: “Arriving Late to a Reunion Makes it Hard to Enter” (同窓会は遅れてくると入りづらい)

We didn’t expect that Mr. Kensho Ono, who plays the role of Kuroko Tetsuya, would have been able to appear in person. We were very happy to hear him give us ideas during the recording, but also nervous. The episode was an all-around parody story.


Episode 272: “A Reunion Also Brings to the Surface Things You Don’t Want to Remember” (同窓会は思い出したくもない思い出も蘇ってくる)

The recording of Mr. Sugita’s “Doraemon” song was fun. His singing performance was impressive, and he wasn’t afraid of making Gintoki feel frightened, raising the tempo three times more than that of the original song.


Episode 273: “When Compared to Time in Heaven, Fifty Years of Human Life Resembles Nothing but Dreams and Lottery Tickets” (人間五十年下天のうちをくらぶれば夢宝くじの如くなり)

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a group of hijackers! The fast-paced, high-octane storyboarding, which was supervised by Mr. Fujita, doubled the fun! This was also the year in which the new Mad Max movie was released, and when the world caught up with Gintama.



Episode 274: A. “Guys With Big Nostrils Also Have Big Imaginations” (鼻の穴のデカイ奴は発想力もデカイ) / B. “You Never Accept a New Sentai Series at the Start, But By the Final Episode, You Don’t Want It to End” (新しく始まる戦隊モノは最初はこんなの認めねェみたいになっているが最終回の頃には離れたくなくなっている)

Both parts A and B were teasing celebrities from all walks of life, and it was another chilling episode. Mr. Ogura, the director, also participated in the older seasons. We often hit a bad episode, and this time was no exception. Good morning!


Episode 275: “9 + 1 = Yagyuu Jyuubei” (９＋１＝柳生十兵衛)

We were all wondering how to cast the characters after the gender swap. We had a lot of problems in the sound department. It’s an arc with gorgeous voice actors and actresses.


Episode 276: “Calories Come Back to Bite You Just When You’ve Forgotten About Them” (カロリーは忘れた頃にやってくる)

The gender swap trope is a common one in anime and manga, but in Gintama it becomes a different kind of fun. The gender swap version of the ED was also a big hit.


Episode 277: “10-1=9”

I think the biggest appeal of Gintama is that it can make you laugh, cry and also give you a serious message. The Gender Reversal arc which appeals to the audience with the message of “Be yourself!”, is a personal favorite. I recommend it to all people who live with all sorts of problems.


Episode 278: “All Mothers Pack Too Much Food Into a Lunch Box and Ruin the Shape” (母ちゃんの弁当はいつもつめすぎて若干つぶれている)

Izumi’s overly angelic charm is bursting at the seams. She has one of the highest mental ages in the history of Gintama. The main character here is Seita, and the OP & ED have been renewed for the first run of the second cour. It’s simply a matter of the calendar.


Episode 279: “The Reaper by Day and the Reaper by Night” (朝と夜の死神)

The first serious arc in a long time. Asaemon’s melancholic character is quite likeable. The motif of the musical accompaniment of the Shinigami arc is Celtic music. When I chose it I was a bit worried, but Audio Highs turned it into a perfect background music.


Episode 280: “Human Or Demon” (鬼か人か)

I was very happy to be able to ask Yoshihito Hishinuma to be the semi-part-time animation director. Marina Inoue, who voices Asaemon, gave such a wonderful performance that I almost cried during the recording.


Episode 281: “Farewell, Reaper” (さらば死神)

The Shinsengumi’s cleverness is very touching. It’s very standard for Gintama to have a theme song play at the end of an arc, but this time “Pride Kakumei” by CHiCO with HoneyWorks fits in very well. It’s as if it was purposedly made for the Shinigami arc.


Episode 282: “A Phoenix Rises from the Ashes Over and Over” (フェニックスは何度も蘇る)

It was a story that in many ways made me afraid to walk alone at night. We would like to thank all the parties involved for their coordination. And a big thank you to all the creators who did their best to make this adult prank work.


Episode 283: “Amen” (アーメン)

A comical situation that often takes place in Gintama. It’s hard to keep up with a story like this if the story itself and the dialogue aren’t interesting, but as expected of Sorachi sensei, it pulls you in. And the story takes an unexpected turn!


Episode 284: “Being a Leader is Tough” (リーダーは辛いよ)

When I read the original work, I didn’t expect it to be a continuation of the previous story. I can’t stop thinking about the Shogun who tells us what a leader is through his actions. I didn’t know about Kuro No Jokyoshi* at the time, and even if I didn’t, I still laughed out loud at the weird gags.

*A Japanese action-suspense drama.


Episode 285: “Love Is a Roach Motel” (恋はゴキブリポイポイ)

I enjoyed reading the original story, but when the director told me that the relationship between Kondo and Otae changed for the first time in these episodes, I remember being impressed. The line “Do you want to save the old man or scoop the goldfish?” always makes me laugh.


Episode 286 A. “A Begirama Summer” (ベギラマな夏) / B. “Not a Damn Thing Happened in Summer 2015” (何もねぇよ夏2015)

You need to have a basic knowledge to enjoy Gintama to the fullest, but you also need to have the knowledge and experience from playing with your friends at school to enjoy it. I’ve already experienced Dragon Quest, so I was able to keep up with Princess Soyo’s jokes. I watched part B thinking that I wished I had a Yorozuya when I was in school.


PART 2 (EPISODE 287-299)

Sakamoto and Mutsu meet, and a new character, Saito Shimaru, makes his debut.


Episode 287: “He’s the Sweet Tooth, and I’m the Mayo Guy” (おれがマヨラーで あいつが甘党で)

When you work in a company, you wish your boss was either Masato Sakai or George Tokoro*… It’s easy to think that the grass is greener next door. But this story reminds us that the grass is always greener on the other side. But, it’s a choice choice between Gintoki and Hijikata… I wouldn’t like my salary to be overdue, but Sadaharu sitting on the floor with a sad face looks painful too…

*Popular Japanese actors.


Episode 288: “I’m a Failure as a Leader and He’s Also a Failure as a Leader” (おれがリーダー失格で, あいつもリーダー失格で)

Sorachi sensei has a story he often uses, doesn’t he? The original story behind the rice serving robots was from The Fly… Do you know it? It used to be shown frequently on the TV program Nichiyo Yoga Gekijo (Sunday Western Movie Theater). It’s a very scary movie. Nothing as funny as Gintama.


Episode 289 “I’m Yorozuya and He’s Shinsengumi” (おれが万事屋で, あいつが真選組で)

This story is the ultimate in swapping stories. It’s so interchangeable that I had to read the original story many times before I understood it. In the recording studio, the actors asked a lot of questions to the directors…


Episode 290: “Always Open Bags Like They Have 50 Million in Them” (バッグは常に5千万入るようにあけておけ)

Sakamoto’s first appearance. This is also kind of a leadership theory, isn’t it? A leader needs to be popular, generous, and have a good heart. Sakamoto’s face is so cute…


Episode 291: “Always Leave Enough Room for Pebbles in Your Bag” (バッグは常に石ころが入るようにあけておけ)

It’s interesting to see the commander of the 2nd Chidori Division gets covered in vomit every time. I’m always impressed by Sorachi sensei’s great ideas like this. The extras in this episode are also fun. It’s also nice to see BG-only after a long time.

Time’s left for a recap!!!

Three versions of Gintoki and Sunrise characters appear and reminisce about the past… In the end, it was all a bit goofy and the real recap was played.


Episode 292: A. “Style Goes Out of Fashion the Moment It’s Put Into Words” (オシャレとはオシャレと言葉にした時点でかき消えるものなり) / B. There Are Two Types of People In This World: Those Who Yell Out Their Attack Names, and Those Who Don’t (世の中には二種類の人間がいる それは必殺技を叫ぶ人間と叫ばない人間だ)

The OP is new from starting from this episode, but Shinpachi did something unnecessary and it was hard to produce. I understand that he’s at an age where he wants to get taller, but it’s important for people to know their place…


Episode 293: “Two Apes” (二人の猿公)

This is a story about humanity that sometimes takes place in Gintama. It might be rare in this season. It’s a very good story that makes you fall in love.


Episode 294: “Afros Of Life And Death” (生と死のアフロ)

It’s been a while since we’ve had a new character. Takahiro Sakurai, who voices Saito Shimaru, impressed me with the subtle nuances he was able to bring out in the way he said “Z…”


Episode 295: “Afro & Wolfro” (阿腐郎とアフ狼)

The subtle “pause” in the confrontation scene between Katsura and Shimaru is hilarious. I think this season’s Gintama had a lot of scenes with these kind of strange pauses. This is the sense of Mr. Hiromi Sasaki who’s in charge of editing. If you don’t know the meaning of the konjac cut, please ask your parents.


Episode 296: “Take the Initial Premise Lightly, and It’ll Cost You” (初期設定はナメたら命取り)

You can enjoy all kinds of gags by Sorachi sensei, such as surreal gags like reading Jump, inappropriate gags and more. The black exchange between Gintoki and Otose makes me laugh no matter how many times I watch it.


Episode 297: “Keep Your Farewells Short (別れの挨拶は簡潔に)

The bonus BGM was the biggest problem for us when we decided to animate this story. After a lot of adjustments, we ended up with a much different song. Hats off to Fujita for the lyrics and Audio Highs for the craftmanship.


Episode 298: “One Editor Is Enough” (担当編集は一人で足りる)

This is a story about manga that doesn’t require a lot of drawing, so it’s very easy to produce. This time, the manga material was drawn by Kae Takakura. I’ve asked her to draw harikomi material for an erotic book in the past. I’m very grateful for the quality of her work, which is fun to look at on its own.


Episode 299: A. “Strike When the Sword and Overlord are Hot” (鉄と魔王は熱いうちに打て) / B. Oil Rain (オイルの雨)

Part A is a one-off story. Since Doraemon is about basic knowledge, you will enjoy it! Part B is a typical Gintama story about humanity. It’s a story that I’ve been looking forward to watching since I read the original story. It will make you cry…


PART 3 (EPISODE 300-307)

An assassination attempt is made on Shigeshige. The Oniwabanshu are called back.


Episode 300: “Shoguns of Light and Shadow” (光と影の将軍)

There is a shocking depiction of a beheading, but it was an unavoidable part of the story, so it had to be included in order to make the idea of a “loss of life” more convincing. Of course, we didn’t want to make the audience feel too uncomfortable, so it was difficult to find the right balance. We’re grateful to the director for his direction.


Episode 301: “Ninja Village” (忍の里)

From this episode onwards, the action started to get flashier. The Okita vs Kamui battle in particular, was eye-catching. Komuro-san, Sasaki-san and Honjo-san were in charge. Even in the midst of the instantaneous action, there’s a lot of facial theatricality that makes you want to watch it over and over again.


Episode 302: “Ninja Soul” (忍の魂)

Zenzo seems to be aloof and elusive, but he also has an inner passion that makes him very cool. Keiji Fujiwara voices him with such subtle nuances that is fascinated to hear. Basically is eyes are hidden, so it may seem difficult to play him. By the way, this is also the first time you can see his eyes.


Episode 303: “And Then There Were Five” (最後の5人)

There was a lot of content, so it was a very difficult episode to produce. The number of cuts and drawings were twice as many as in a normal episode. I would like to thank the director, animation director, and all the staff for their hard work.


Episode 304: “Those Who Protect Everything” (万事を護る者達)

The flashbacks of Kagura and Kamui, and Gintoki and Takasugi, add more emotional weight to the action, making it all the more moving. The cheerful smile of child Takasugi at the end, brought tears to my eyes. Here, the theatricality of the drawings was as detailed as in a movie, and it was very good.


Episode 305: “Sworn Enemy” (仇)

The Gintoki vs. Takasugi battle was fiery! When I read the original story, I thought the fist-fighting action was just like in a shonen manga. Sugita-san and Koyasu-san’s acting was also different from what has been seen before, and it was refreshing.


Episode 306: “The Crows Caw After The Battle Ends” (将軍暗殺篇七 戦のあとには烏が哭く)

During the scenario development, the original Shogun Assassination was not finished yet, so we wondered, how many stories in total could we make. We were worried about that. I learned how difficult it is to structure a series, such as how to balance the story after the Shogun Assassination arc, and how to keep it going until the next installment. That’s why there’s a extra story in this episode. However, I thought it was good way to take a break from the seriousness.

(Note: The extra story is “Teach us, Ginpachi sensei!”)


Episode 307: “Farewell, Pal” (さらばダチ公)

The unsettling atmosphere at the end of the story creates a different from the previous Gintama story arcs. The delicate acting in the scene between Shigeshige and Princess Soyo was done by Yuki Masutani.


PART 4 (EPISODES 308-316)

The Shinsengumi, the Joui rebels and the Yorozuya rise up against Kondo’s execution.


Episode 308: “The Day the Demon Cried” (鬼が哭いた日)

This is the first adaptation of the Farewell Shinsengumi arc, which is a continuation of the Shogun Assassination arc. When we were developing it, we didn’t know how long the story would last, so we had a hard time structuring it. The dark and shocking depiction of the story is also unlike anything Gintama had shown so far, and it felt new.


Episode 309: “Heroes Always Arrive Fashionably Late” (ヒーローは遅れてやってくる)

During the recording, there were some people who thought that Katsura’s disguise as a woman might be recognized by his voice. However, when we tried it, it didn’t feel uncomfortable. As expected of Akira Ishida! By the way, Kozenigata appeared in this arc for the first time in a long time. It’s been said he’s one of Unsho Ishizuka’s favorite characters to voice.


Episode 310: “Lost and Found” (忘れもの)

One of the highlights of the Farewell Shinsengumi arc is the change in relationship between each character. There are many places where Okita’s true feelings can be seen. In particular, the exchange with Hijikata at the end of this episode’s Part A, is very moving. It’s one of the best scenes.


Episode 311: “Jailbreak” (脱獄)

Just as episode 306, this episode will also have an omake. Depending on the structure of the arc, it could have been shelved. In the omake, the burden of drawing was much less compared to the content in the main episode, and it was a great help to us… (Note: the omake is “The Walker’s Guide To The Galaxy”).


Episode 312: “Stray Dogs” (野良犬)

In this season’s arc, the drawing of the mobs was often drawn in CG. I wasn’t sure how cost effective it would be, but I think it turned out so great that you can barely tell it’s CG. We are very grateful to Asahi Production’s CG team for working on this project under a very tight schedule.


Episode 313: “Undelivered Mail” (届かなかったメール)

There are many things to see in this arc, such as the episode when the Shinsengumi was established, and the relationship between Isaburo and Nobume. When the Mimawarigumi first came out, they seemed like jerks, but over the time, Isaburo started to seem more of a good guy, and it made me want to see more… I felt how good Sorachi sensei’s skills were.


Episode 314: “Karma” (業)

The design of the feathers around the shoulders of Utsuro is a challenge to draw. But if it’s simplified too much, then he won’t have the aura of the final boss, so it was a hassle. We are very happy with the way the filming process was added to the anime, but it must have been very difficult for the cinematographers who had to work on a tight schedule. A big thanks to the director of photography, Yuki Teramoto, and everyone at Asahi Production!


Episode 315: “Nobume” (信女)

After Shigeshige, Isaburo also loses his life in this arc. Toshiyuki Morikawa’s performance as Isaburo when he wasn’t so cold-hearted and the present Isaburo, is wonderful. Gintoki’s “Tatakae, Shinsengumi!!” gave lots of goosebumps in the original work, and I was looking forward to the recording the whole time. Even during the recording, I felt the goosebumps.


Episode 316: “Farewell, Shinsengumi” (さらば真選組)

I was surprised when I read that the original took a sharp turn and ended with Yamazaki’s observation diary. Gintoki and Hijikata, Kagura and Okita, Otae and Kondo. Each relationship has grown, and I’m very emotional about it. The up-tempo positive song by DOES that ends the arc also helps the story to end in a way that’s not too sad.