Why Gintama is King of Comedy

    satyam tiwari
    @satyam-tiwari
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    Gintama is the king of comedy. Fans and viewers already claim and support the title of Gintama as the king of comedy. This article explores this claim and brings out the truth in front of you. 

     

    Gintama is an animated series adapted from the manga of the same name.  It was illustrated and written by Hideaki Sorachi and was serialized in Shonen Jump magazine from December 2003 to September 2018.  Gintama aired on TV from 2005 to 2021. 

     

    Genre  

    Adventure, Comedy, Samurai, and science fiction.

     

    Characters 

    Gintoki Sakta, Shinpachi Shimura, and Kagura are the series' main protagonists. Together they run Yakuza or odd jobs business. They accept various types of jobs for the money. 



    Gintama is like a candy shop. In the shop, one can find various types of sweet humor.  Slapstick, dark, depressing, light, and parody comedy types are found in Gintama. Gintama has done a meta-parody. Meta parody is hard to pull but this show has done it flawlessly. 

     

    What is Meta Parody?

     

    Meta Parody is a literary technique consisting of “parodying the parody of the original.” In other words, it is a parody of a parody. 

     

    Kintama Arc(253-256 episode)

    Kintama arc which aired in 2013 is such an example of meta parody. It is a parody of Gintama. In the arc, Kintoki steals the identity of Gintoki and what follows is a hilarious parody that ends on a happy note. 

     

    Self Referential Humor 

    Self-referential humor or meta humor is a comedy expression aimed toward the self or towards a selective target. 

     

    Character Poll Arc(182-184 episode)

    In this arc, characters are assigned ranks based on the fan poll. Lowered-rank characters use various tactics like bribing other characters and kidnapping other characters. To climb up the rank which results in a hilarious situation. Characters go as far as to threaten the author. So in this arc, the writer has portrayed a parody of self.

     

     The author has portrayed himself as a gorilla and wishes to eat and sleep instead of working on the manga. Even the show takes a dig at the staff and its animation quality. This shows the quality of the self-referential humor of Gintama. 

    Black Comedy 

    Black comedy deals with subjects that are considered taboo in society, like death, suicide, depression, etc topics. Black Comedy adds humor to taboo subjects to bring laughter to the user. Black comedy is also used to make users think about a topic. 

     

    An Observation Journal Should Be Seen Through To The Very End(188 episode number)

     

    In this episode, Daigoro reads an observational journal in class. In the journal, he talks about the old man he met in the park. Hasegawa, or the Madao is the old man who met Daigoro and the episode is on him. What follows is an event of dark humor that ends on a sad but fulfilling note.  

     

    Hasegawa becomes the main character in the episode and finally gets a moment of his own. Hasegawa's experiences and emotions are explored in the episode, which gives more depth to his character.  

     

    The topic of depression, suicide, and betrayal shown in the episode along with humor doesn't feel forced and out of place.  Hideaki has created a rare world where all humor falls in the right place. 




    World 

    Gintama world is set in an alternate Edo period, where the earth is invaded by aliens called Amanto, and humans are subjugated. Amanto banned the samurai sword and the samurai way of life. Many people lost their lives and jobs. The world-building of Gintama is unique due to its premise as one could find Jahangir with an iPhone and it will work. 

     

    So the depression of losing a job, family, and home leads to depression in humans. So the dark humor stems from the situation and doesn't feel forced. The characters'  absurd reaction to the situation creates a sense of humor and connect the audience.  

     

    Blue Comedy 

    Comedy related to sex, innuendos, and sexual themes is called Blue comedy. 

     

    When You Go to a Funeral for the First Time, You're Surprised by How Happy the People Are(231 episode number)

    In this episode, the owner of the local restaurant passes away. His funeral is held and Gintoki meets Hijikata. The owner comes to the funeral in ghost form and the situation becomes absurd for both characters. Gintoki and Hijikata's reaction leads to many blue jokes. The inclusion of Amanto in the episode makes the blue joke work. It is a perfect example of the usage of blue jokes. 

     

    Breaking Of 4th wall

    Fiction is separated from the real world by an imaginary 4th wall. This term is used in theater and from there the concept was adopted. If any characters become aware of their real selves, or real-life situations they break the wall. 

     

     Gintama opening 9

    This opening is a big surprise for the user. The opening fails and the character breaks the 4th wall talking about shame and the real world. 

    Like these, there are many examples of breaking, of 4th wal in Gintama and they don't feel cringe or forced.

    Serious Episode. 

    The serious arc of Gintama perfectly balances the comedy of Gintama. Serious arcs like Shogun Assassination arc(300-308 Episode), Farewell Shinsengumi Arc(309- 316 Episode)

    Creates tension, and sadness in the storyline. The shift in tone catches the viewer by surprise and later comedy moments feel more comedic than before. 

     

     Gintoki is the main character but all other character gets a moment of their own. Every character has depth and a unique reaction to the absurd situation. The world of Gintama is unique and comedy is flushed out. Gintama offers a wide range of humor with its variation. No show executes comedy like Gintama even the sneezing in Gintama is funny. No other, show has invested time, tricks like Gintama and Gintama do every type of comedy better. So, Gintama is the King Of Comedy.