Gintama

Episode 286

This week's Gintama consists of two half-episode segments that both poke fun at Japanese summertime traditions. The first story revolves around Princess Soyo playing a twisted game of watermelon-splitting under the guidance of her best friend Kagura. Knowing full well that Gintoki and Shinpachi are buried up to their necks in the dirt beside her target—she allows it for "added drama"—the shogun's soft-spoken sister dons a blindfold and attempts to split the watermelon with a bokuto. (How the men were buried in the first place is left unexplained, but Kagura's Herculean strength likely played a role.) To prevent their heads from being cracked open like melons, Gintoki and Shinpachi wildly shout directions to the princess as she swings the sword with wild abandon. Unfortunately, this leads to the blindfolded Soyo wandering off and being abducted by Joi rebels. Realizing that heads will roll if any harm comes to the princess, the Odd Jobs Trio sets out to rescue Soyo and convince her that nothing actually went awry.

A great deal of the humor in this segment revolves around Dragon Quest references and Japanese wordplay. Although a handful of Dragon Quest games have made their way stateside, many of these references are liable to be lost on Western viewers. Additionally, since the cultural notes found in earlier episodes of Gintama are sorely missed this season, the puns won't make a lot of sense to fans who aren't proficient in spoken Japanese. Despite featuring more action and being more ambitious than the second story, this is the weaker of the two segments.

In the second segment, it's the last day of summer vacation, and Seita's barely made a dent in his summer homework. When he turns to the Odd Jobs Trio for help—i.e., to pawn off the task and have Gintoki and company divide and conquer the various subjects—he gets what he deserves: a complete lack of practical assistance. Like many stories this season, this one features a prevalent running gag. The sole piece of summer homework Seita completed—a picture diary in which he mentions watching Castle in the Sky—inspires the group to reference the acclaimed Miyazaki classic at every turn.

Gintama is always rife with comedy, and the fast-paced nature of a two-segment episode is often ideal for delivering more laughs. While this episode is perfectly adequate, none of the gags are among the series' best. Of course, that isn't to say there aren't standout moments. For example, Kagura's attempt at writing Seita's picture diary is easily the highlight of the episode. She actually points out some good tips for developing an effective dramatic arc, suggesting that Seita turn a single day's worth of activity into a multi-chapter adventure. It soon becomes clear that her suggestions are only intended to pad out the diary, as her dramatic tension stalls when she stretches the events out as much as humanly possible. The diary then devolves into a choose-your-own-adventure tale, which comes out of nowhere but makes the proceedings all the more amusing.

Seita's diary entries about the lowlife who extorted money from him are also very funny. It starts subtly, but if you're paying attention, you'll notice that Gintoki immediately freezes as the tale begins. The revelation that the "mysterious" man in question was none other than Gintoki is so predictable that even Kagura and Shinpachi admit they were only playing along when they pretended not to know. Nevertheless, it's amusing to see Gintoki squirm as his heinous actions are depicted through adorable child-like illustrations.

The biggest drawback of both segments this week is predictability. There are few surprises, and while Gintoki and company are always amusing, they're at their best when they push the limits of comedy and surprise us in ways we never saw coming. Flaws aside, there's a lot to like here, and Gintama fans are sure to welcome the opportunity to bid farewell to summer alongside their favorite characters.

Rating: B-

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Amy is a YA fantasy author who has loved anime for two decades.