Gintama. Episode 12 Discussion

MistyBlue said:
I probably missed something...but how is Utsuro any different from Kouka in the sense that immortal beings die from being away from their home planet?

Monochrome said:
I apologize for quoting an old post because I'm an idiot who fell behind on the series, but I completely agree with this and I think that's why I struggled with the score.

While this isn't the first 12 episode Gintama season, it's the first that only focused on one arc, with little comedy, which wasn't the best either. There were a lot of major developments, both story and character wise, but some fell flat due to unnecessarily long dialogue and some comedic moments.

Oboro is one of the biggest things that bothered me. He's been here since Enchousen, appeared for 3 seasons, and we only NOW hear his backstory, which is strongly connected to Shoyo? I know Sorachi has a habit of telling backstories before a big boss death, but I hate to continually see it for characters that appeared in various episodes. The same thing with Sasaki last season. I probably would have cared more if it wasn't told at the absolute last minute.

Also finally revealing that Sakamoto left the war due to an injury. He's a happy go lucky guy and doesn't care about revenge, but to play that card when the guy who injured him reappeared and then turn it into a complete comedy moment, after Gintoki/Takasugi stated they would avenge him years before. That was awkward.

But I finally got the epic Joui reunion I've been waiting for and of course more Sakamoto screentime. He's such a awesome guy. I'm glad he seems to have tamed Nobunobu as well. The Kamui development was great too. It's nice to finally have a better understanding of his craziness and I'm looking forward to seeing how he's changed.

Though they really have to better explain how Kokoa and Utsuro are the same yet different. He can leave Earth and not die, or does it have to do with there seemingly being no Altana on the planet Kokoa moved to? Unless the answer is simply that they don't die instantly. She surly took ~10 years to die.

Either way I'll end my long post there. This season was entertaining enough for me to watch it all in 1 day so I still rated it a 9/10, though if I wasn't biased it would be 7/10. This is the first season I didn't rate a 10. The streak has ended....

GoldenDevilGamer said:
THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
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The episode switched the OP and ED, just like the finale of the last season. This episode was basically about Utsuro’s past. And man, he’s been through a lot. And we get to know why and how Utsuro created his Shouyou-self. But unfortunately, the Shouyou-self failed to overcome his Utsuro self and his execution resurrected a cold-hearted Utsuro.

Utsuro ended up using his immortality powers to climb up the ranks of the Tendoshuu, while seeking for a strong enough power that can kill him. And we get to know that the most powerful leaders of the Tendoshuu have control of their own planets that have an Altana source. The key for them is encarved in their hands, but it seems like that’s not much useful when Utsuro was able to cut off their hands for himself. And that’s a whole lot of planets destroyed…

And after losing so many fights, Oboro is finally dead… only when we start to actually sympathize him. Well, and it seems like Takasugi is respecting his death and he’ll bring him back to Earth to bury him there. And it’s time for everyone to go back to Earth to defend it from Utsuro’s plans. After ED scene shows the Yorozuya talking about the reruns and the live-action movie.

Last 3 chapters of the arc were adapted (chapters 593-595). Interestingly enough, this arc started off with a backstory for Utsuro, and ended with more backstory for Utsuro. And now when I look back, the Shogun arc started off with Shigeshige and his sister, and ended the same way too. And the Shinsengumi arc started with everyone mourning for the loss of someone, and ended with everyone saying farewell to a group of people. Does that mean that the final arc will end with


When I originally read the Rakuyou arc in the manga, I thought that it wasn't close to the caliber of the SA and FS arc, though this adaptation really changed my view on this arc. Due to a fast paced adaptation, the anime felt much more intense than the manga (minus the episode where Umibouzu loses his other arm). Gintama adapting 4 chapters per episode makes every episode feel like it progressed the story much more. Anyways, the FS and SA arc are still better, but only by a bit. What the Rakuyou arc lacked that the previous two arcs had was a major plot twist. The SA arc had Gintoki killing Shouyou and the FS arc had Utsuro's reveal. Plus Shigeshige and Isaburo's death was more impactful that Oboro's death. But I guess the real "feels" were supposed to come from Umibouzu and Kouka's past. Action and fight wise, this arc was better than the FS arc (since that arc didn't have any major fights except for Utsuro vs. everyone) and worse than the SA arc (because Gin vs. Takasugi can't be matched). Story wise, I would say that this arc was better than the SA arc (since the Joui backstory was really the only super important backstory, while the Shogun assassination became a sub-plot rather than the main focus), but weaker than the FS arc (since the Shinsengumi going rogue, the Joui rebels teaming up and Utsuro really added to the arc).



5/5

Robeast17 said:

Bro, I wanted to ask. The GIF-sorta thing that appears below a comment when you post one shows Gintoki and Takasugi fighting but I haven't seen their fight starting like that when they fought in the SA arc. Where is it originally from?

NordicHorde said:

It doesn't make any sense. If he wants to die, all he has to do is stay away from earth for a while. During the fight with Umibozu, he runs out of magic bullshit juice and is injured. All he had to do was not go back to earth, instead of committing genocide and trying to destroy the planet.