Thread: Gintama

Grumble Grumble Grumble

For those of you who are looking for another shounen adventure series (like Bleach), there is another unlicensed 'Shounen Jump' based series that is out in fansubs called Gintama. The series has very much the same feel as Bleach with a psudo-Bushido based society, but instead of it existing in the after-life, Gintama is based on a future Japan, in a world that's been conquered by invading aliens, and the Shogunate government just a puppet for the alien masters. The valiant Samurai were the last to put up futile resistance against the invaders, and now outlawed with swords banned.

In this world, the main character of the series is a silver-haired samurai (who has a permanent hair perm) who's basically a lazy out of work bum with samurai honor. Other main characters include his teenage apprentice, who's older sister has a infatuated stalker that leads the Shogunate elite Shinsengumi force. A red haired teen aged girl, who comes from a alien clan of vicious & infamous mercenaries. And a giant man eating space monster, who resembles a small short haired, short eared puppy dog, except that its not small at all... Together they search and perform odd jobs in the future Edo under-world, (with contacts ranging from a unemployed former Alien Liaison officer, to a leader of a Nationalist faction trying to expel the invaders, to the elite Shouganate Shinsengumi strike force, to the leader of the elite Shougunate Assassin force), to try to make the rent on their hole in the wall apartment...

Being a Shounen Jump based series, the stories are action packed and light-hearted, (but when compared to Bleach, there is more comedy involved) The series is now over 114 episodes in Japan and still going strong, and is popular enough to have OVA episodes included as a part of the Shounen Jump Fest DVD releases...