GINTAMA: A WILD RIDE

Good day, my dear readers! Did you miss me? Well, I guess you didn’t have time to, as I’m back with a new article already, hehe! Today, I’ll be reviewing Hideaki Sorachi’s Gintama, a manga I read just this year. Those of you already acquainted with the manga/anime world have probably heard about Gintama, as it’s quite famous. So without further ado, let’s dive right into the review!

 

Gintama ran for around sixteen years—2003-2019 [I was only two years old when it began serialization]! I think the title is really cool, as it literally translates to “Silver Soul;” the protagonist, Gintoki Sakata, has permed silver hair which forms a large part of his characterization. It wasn’t around in the 90s, but I really dig the early 2000s vibe it brings [I just love older manga]. Gintama is widely known as a parody of the most overplayed shounen tropes [over-powered protags, unbeatable villains, power of friendship etc.], but it’s so much more than that! Trying to shoehorn it into a single genre is practically impossible. It includes historical, supernatural, and sci-fi elements, and represents the amalgamation of the past and the future.

 

Gintama is set in a ‘modernized’ version of 1860s Japan, during the reign of the Tokugawa Shogunate; aliens have invaded and occupied Earth, bringing with them many modern conveniences such as cars, airships, robots etc. Most of the story takes place in Edo, the ancient name for Tokyo. I find this really interesting and creative—this fictional world is as crazy as it gets. The plot follows a 27-year-old war vet [the aforementioned Gintoki], who’s practically struggling to make ends meet [because he’s absolutely useless as a civilian]. He does all sorts of odd jobs for people [initially all by himself], and is quickly joined by two youngsters, a 16-year-old samurai named Shinpachi and a powerful 14-year-old alien called Kagura.

 

The trio names themselves the Yorozuya [‘Odd Jobs Company’]. ‘Odd jobs’ sounds really simple, but it’s not— they’re not simply walking someone’s pet dog, they’re also somehow ending up protecting the friggin’ Shogun [really. I’m not kidding]. Somehow, nothing in Gintama is ever simple; trust me, reading it is literally an enlightening experience. [Did I mention these three also have a huge dog who acts as their mascot? No? Oh well].

Gintama doesn’t have a super connected plot as such. Most of the earlier chapters are episodic, but the arcs begin to get longer and longer as we move ahead. Many people say it ‘gets good’ after the first 20 chapters or so, but I was quite intrigued by the first chapter itself. That’s why I stuck with it till the end [it has 704 chapters, it’s awfully long]. It is most well-known for its brand of humour, so let’s discuss that here.

 

Gintama thrives on a very loud, over-the-top, absolutely ridiculous kind of humour; everyone always has really exaggerated reactions, and almost no one seems to talk in a normal voice. Each character has some defining quirk, such as loving mayonnaise or constantly drinking Yakult. The characters also break the fourth wall very often, and are very aware of their position as fictional. There’s a lot of ‘straight man’ stuff too [as in manzai], and I credit Shinpachi for that, because he is a surprisingly excellent straight man! I’ve heard several folks say that the humour is cringey and/or crude. Well—to an extent, I agree, but that’s sort of Sorachi’s defining trait. Besides, Gintama is supposed to be cringey, so if you feel a little embarrassed after reading it, Sorachi has achieved his goal!

 

Besides the humour, Gintama’s biggest selling point is the colourful cast of characters. A thorough analysis of Gintoki’s character would require at least three pages, but let me just mention this here—he’s quite an intriguing protagonist. At first, he seems like a complete jerk [plus, he’s an alcoholic and quite lazy], but he has his heart in the right place and is surprisingly charismatic. He really grew on me, and I [grudgingly] like him a lot now. Also, he’s literally a tired single dad taking care of two bratty kids—how is that not adorable?

 

Kagura and Shinpachi expertly pull their weight as well. Especially Kagura—she’s the cutest ball of sunshine ever, and a great heroine overall. She’s also one of the strongest characters—not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally [basically, I really admire her]. Shinpachi is very endearing, and very ‘normal’ compared to the other two, but there is far more to him than meets the eye. The supporting characters [especially the women] are solid, and get a lot of development in the later arcs. I also love the fact that many of them are actually based on historical figures!

 

However, the two main antagonists, Shinsuke Takasugi and Utsuro, could’ve been done better. Takasugi is kinda cool [he has purple hair and wears a floral kimono], but I’ve seen his ‘type’ in many other manga. As for Utsuro… he’s beautiful, but quite boring and empty [‘Utsuro’ means hollow]. I don’t generally mind cliché villains, but as Sorachi tries so hard to set Gintama apart from other manga, it’s a little disappointing.

 

Gintama spends most of its time deconstructing stereotypes [and doing it quite well too], but when it becomes serious, the arcs are almost awe-inspiring [the artwork is consistently pretty good as well]. The darkest, grittiest arcs are definitely the best part of the series [they’re always my faves] and Sorachi manages tonal shifts very impressively, for the most part.

 

My biggest critique regarding Gintama is that it eventually ends up becoming what it was satirizing all this time—it becomes much more ‘mainstream’ than before, and loses a lot of its charm. Then, towards the veryyy end, Sorachi suddenly seems to remember what Gintama was originally supposed to be, and tries to include the old humour again… but this time, it’s just the same rehashed jokes over and over, and while it’s still sort of funny, it gets exhausting to deal with. I just wish Sorachi maintained some consistency in the final parts.

 

Whew… that pretty much wraps up everything I wanted to say about Gintama. So would I recommend this manga? Well, that depends on what you like. It’s obviously not a “one size fits all” case; I enjoyed it, and I know many people who do, but if you don’t like it, that’s absolutely fine. However, let me just say this—give it a shot if you’re fond of logic-defying stories that manage to make you happy and sad at the same time.

 

That’s all for today! See you next time!

 

 

 

 

CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF INUYASHA

CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF INUYASHA  

Heya, folks! I’m back with a new article on Inuyasha, one of my favourite manga! It’s been sooo long since I read Inuyasha, and I was hit by a sudden wave of nostalgia today… so here I go!

 

Inuyasha is written and illustrated by famous mangaka Rumiko Takahashi. It ran for a grand total of 12 years, 1996-2008 [dear God, I wasn’t even born when it began]. Takahashi’s other works, like Urusei Yatsura and Ranma ½, are very popular worldwide, but in my not-so-humble opinion, Inuyasha is her best and most enduring work. It was pretty ground-breaking for its time as well, being one of the first isekai [a genre of fantasy where the protagonist is transported into another world, generally set in another historical timeline, and gains a whole new set of powers] manga to gain mainstream popularity. Besides, although it was marketed as a shounen manga, I’ve always thought that it had many shoujo traits as well, especially in the strong and positive portrayal of the female protagonist and narrator, Kagome Higurashi [this would explain the high per cent of female readership].

 

So what’s Inuyasha about? It narrates the story of a high school girl, Kagome Higurashi, who leads a pretty regular and peaceful life until her 15^th birthday, when she falls into an ancient well, situated in her family shrine. The well, which is enchanted, transports her to the Sengoku Jidai, Japan’s feudal era [it roughly lasted for almost 200 years]. Here, she realizes that she is being targeted by evil monsters called yokai [demon], who covet the Shikon Jewel, which is sealed within her body and possesses the power to grant anyone their heart’s desire. She inadvertently frees the half-demon Inuyasha [which means “dog demon”], from an ancient seal binding him to a tree, and reluctantly forms an alliance with him to protect the holy jewel [she feels responsible for it, as she is the reincarnation of the previous guardian of the Jewel, a priestess called Kikyo].

 

However, Kagome—who takes up archery lessons in order to protect the jewel—accidentally breaks the jewel into millions of tiny shards, scattering them all across the country. She and Inuyasha then set out to collect all the pieces of the jewel before they fall into the wrong hands, and are aided along the way by many new allies. That’s the basic premise [I won’t give anything else away!].

 

So what makes Inuyasha so special? I think it’s a fantastic blend of fantasy and mythology, as Takahashi artfully draws upon many traditional elements of Japanese mythology, such as the depiction of many different forms of yokai [dog, fox, bird, wolf etc.], and the presentation of miko [priestesses] with supernatural powers. Inuyasha, who is actually half-demon and half-human, can be interpreted as a metaphor for racism, as he is constantly mistreated by demons, and heavily feared by humans. He is characterized as a rather anti-heroic protagonist, and though he has many faults, he is fairly likeable in a strange way [you’ll understand when you read the manga].

 

However, the biggest highlight [for me, at least] is Kagome! She’s intelligent, quick on her feet, extremely brave, caring, loyal… the list is never-ending. I’ve always admired her no-nonsense and straightforward attitude as well; definitely one of the best heroines out there. Kagome is also a very proactive figure throughout the manga, often taking the lead in tough situations, even while facing the toughest foes. Of course, she has her flaws too, but I genuinely love her too much to dwell on them, hehe!

 

The supporting characters and the antagonists are quite colorful as well. Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha’s elder half-brother, and Naraku, the main antagonist, both add a lot of spice and darkness to the story. I genuinely believe that, rather than the plot itself, it’s the characters who have made so many people love the manga.

 

Takahashi is known for writing a lot of comedic stuff, but Inuyasha has a pretty grim tone overall. It’s got some rather gory scenes and never shies away from depicting the extremities of demons’ violence; it may feel slightly disturbing at first, but I think it suits the tone of the manga. Moreover, Sesshoumaru [what a fussy name] and Naraku, as much as I hate to praise them, are great antagonists.

 

The artwork is really pretty too; typical 1990s style, but with Takahashi’s distinctive flavor. All in all, Inuyasha has few drawbacks—if I have to nitpick, I’d say that the plot and the final confrontation with Naraku are unnecessarily dragged out. The romance between Kagome and Inuyasha could also have been handled better, but it turned out well enough for them in the end.

Most of the people I know have given up on Inuyasha because they thought it was too long and boring, or they weren’t fond of the overt mythological references. Well, to each their own, I guess… but if you ask me, Inuyasha is wayyy better than a lot of the modern manga out there [I won’t name the ones I don’t like, hehe!]. So if you haven’t read it and are willing to try, I definitely recommend it—it’s a solid manga, and although I haven’t watched many episodes of the anime, it seems pretty good too!

 

I hope you like my article!

 

See you next time!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RUROUNI KENSHIN: ORIGINS REVIEW

 

Disclaimer: 

This is not a paid advertisement, I just really like Rurouni Kenshin; if I had the opportunity to be paid to watch what I love so much, I would definitely take it… hit me up, RuroKen makers! :P

 

Hello, folks! I’m back with another film review: Rurouni Kenshin: Origins [2012]! After having reviewed A Silent Voice [2016] in March, I decided that Rurouni Kenshin was the next one I wanted to write about. Yes, it’s a Japanese film; and no, this one isn’t animated—it’s live action!

 

Since I’m not a very big fan of live-action films in general, I wasn’t very sure if I wanted to watch the Rurouni Kenshin ones. I was sceptical, because I wasn’t sure if the adaptations would include everything I wanted to see—character interactions, the typical 1990s anime comedy, or those gravity-defying action stunts I’m so fond of. However, I’m very proud to say that all three films turned my expectations on their heads [in a great way], especially Origins!

 

Rurouni Kenshin: Origins is the first in a series of five films, spanning the years 2012 to 2021, all based on the massively famous historical fiction manga, Rurouni Kenshin [1994-99], written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. And let me just say this—since I first began reading the manga four and a half years ago, it’s been super close to my heart, and has remained my favourite ever since, no matter how many other manga I read! Although I never watched the anime adaptation, I did watch three of the five live-action films.

 

Rurouni Kenshin follows Himura Kenshin [the titular protagonist, portrayed to great effect by Takeru Satoh], who is a rurouni [a wandering samurai who serves no master]. He was formerly known as Hitokiri Battousai, an infamous assassin-turned-warrior, who was instrumental in ushering in the Meiji Era in 1868. Following the establishment of the new government at the end of the Boshin War, he disappears without a trace, only resurfacing in Tokyo in 1878. This time, however, he is simply a wanderer who carries a sakabatou—a sword in which the blunt edge and the blade are reversed—having taken a vow to never kill again. [At the beginning of the film, there is a very impactful scene in which he just thrusts his blood-soaked sword into the ground as a sign that he’s done with killing]. It’s obviously a difficult oath to keep, but my man Kenny is surprisingly good at keeping it!

 

The film, which adapts approximately 5 manga volumes in two hours and 14 minutes (!!!), actually does an excellent job. Having picked a stellar cast, authentic costumes, realistic sets, and amazing action scenes, the film is everything I wanted. [The action scenes, particularly, are more enjoyable than the ones in the manga and anime, because they’re more realistic, and yet absolutely jaw-dropping]. The main themes of the manga [redemption, value of life, atonement for past crimes, trust and comradery, etc.] have been artfully adapted by the film.

 

Satoh is in full form here, portraying Kenshin in a very natural yet subtle manner—he’s slightly less wordy and not as cartoonish as his manga counterpart, but I genuinely like this version of him better. He’s got Kenshin’s attitude down pat—the expressive eyes, the secretive little smile, the rapid change of posture from relaxed to highly alert when danger is near—even his overt politeness and his cute verbal tick, “oro”, which he tends to use whenever he’s surprised or confused [it really is super cute!]. So yes, I was pretty darn impressed by Satoh’s performance. Emi Takei, who portrays the female lead, Kamiya Kaoru [a seventeen-year-old girl who runs a small kenjutsu doujou in Tokyo], also does her part very well—she’s literally the Kaoru I envisaged! Takei’s Kaoru is in equal parts powerful and vulnerable, and she manages to pull off the role without making it seem over the top or exaggerated. She’s the first person Kenshin meets in Tokyo, and her acceptance of him in spite of his bloody past is heartwarming (and equal parts foolish, but we don’t talk about that :P).

 

The film’s plot as a whole is rather cohesive—far more than the manga, I’d say—which came as a pleasant surprise. They’ve done away with all the unnecessary bits, but have managed to retain the essence of Rurouni Kenshin, which is why I liked it. The way they fleshed out the character of Udou Jin-E [a relatively minor, yet significant, antagonist in the manga, and a major one in the film] was also very interesting. All in all, I was so pleased with the film that there was barely anything I could nit-pick. This one is by far the easiest [and most fun] to watch as well, because it isn’t as dark and heavy as the other four! [I won’t be revealing the plot here, so go watch the film, people!]

 

All in all, I felt this was one of those films where you don’t really need to be familiar with the source material [my sister hasn’t read the whole manga, and she enjoyed the film even more than I did]. It’s got subtitles, so that won’t be an issue either. A little knowledge of Japan’s history during the turbulent Bakumatsu and Meiji Era is definitely helpful, but it isn’t a requirement. Besides, anyone who loves really cool fights will definitely enjoy Rurouni Kenshin: Origins! I shall be reviewing the other films in the series soon as well, so stay tuned!

 

I really hope you’ll check out the film, my dear readers! And let me know if you like it!! [If you don’t like it, I’ll probably be going “oro” myself, hehe].

 

Signing off for today! See you soon!

Anubhuti