Gintama.: Silver Soul Arc

Silver Soul Arc, or Shirogane no Tamashii-hen in Japanese, opens the last major chapter of Gintama on TV. These 12 episodes ran on TV Tokyo between January 8 and March 26, 2018. A second part called the Second Half War aired later that same year and finished the TV run in October. Hideaki Sorachi, who created the manga, kept writing his story in Weekly Shonen Jump until 2018 and wrapped it up in 2019.

New viewers should know the basics first. Gintama takes place in an odd version of old Japan. Long ago, space aliens known as Amanto arrived and forced the government to obey them. Swords were banned for samurai. Old wooden houses stand next to rocket ports, and people in kimono use phones and watch TV. This clash of eras is one of the show's running jokes.

At the center is Gintoki Sakata, a laid-back man with curly silver hair and a love of strawberry milk and manga magazines. In his youth he was a legendary swordsman who fought the aliens. These days he takes any odd job to pay rent, together with Shinpachi Shimura, a sensible boy with glasses, and Kagura, a girl from an alien race of mighty fighters who eats enough for ten people. Their little shop is called the Yorozuya.

In these episodes, the threat grows to the size of the whole planet. Utsuro, a man who cannot die and whom the heroes have met before, sets events in motion that could end the Earth. Fleets of furious alien warriors close in, and the streets of the city turn into a war zone. To stand any chance, the three friends must unite with almost everyone they have ever met. Police officers of the Shinsengumi, old comrades from the war, rebels, and even former foes all take up arms.

Long-time viewers get a real treat here. After so many years, nearly every familiar face returns for a big scene, and watching them stand together is touching. The action is grand and the tone is often heavy. Still, the writers never forget to be silly. Gags, odd jokes, and parodies of other shows pop up even during serious moments. Characters also speak straight to the audience about being cartoon figures, a trick called breaking the fourth wall.

This is not where a beginner should start. The arc depends on the history and bonds built over many earlier seasons. For people who have followed Gintoki and his friends that far, it is the first step of a long, exciting, and emotional farewell.