As more of Gin’s former associates get introduced, we start to learn about how the former revolutionaries have chosen to cope with the arrival of the Amanto.
Creative Staff
Story: Hideaki Sorachi
Art: Hideaki Sorachi
Translation/Adaptation: Matthew Rosin/Drew Williams
What They Say
Exaggerate the Tales of Your Exploits by a Third, So Everyone Has a Good Time
The samurai didn’t stand a chance. First, the aliens invaded Japan. Next, they took all the jobs. And then they confiscated everyone’s swords. So what does a hot-headed former samurai like Sakata “Gin” Gintoki do to make ends meet? Take any odd job that comes his way, even if it means losing his dignity.
Everyone desperately attempts to get some R & R this time! Our cute and invincible warrior Kagura spirits a genuine princess out of the confines of her castle to shop for candy, gamble her riches, and fish for kappa (water spirits) – all while dodging a troop of elite police. But the rest looks to be in the stars when Kagura wins an outer-space trip for three. Unfortunately, her relaxing vacation with her pals is continually interrupted by dognappers, spaceship hijackers and giant sand monsters. Fortunately, the Odd Jobs Trio returns just in time for a soothing summer festival. Until… robots run loose!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Gin and the Odd Jobs gang return in a fourth volume of comedic, episodic tales. The volume starts off with two tales of the “heartwarming” variety, the very type I’d expressed skepticism about in the previous review. These two, however, work well, due to the fact that they involve characters in the main cast, rather than extras we’ll never see again.
In “You Only Gotta Wash Under Your Armpits – Just the Armpits,” Kagura helps a young girl who’s being harassed by some toughs in a Kabuki-cho park. It turns out, however, that the young girl is the daughter of the shogun, and has been reported as missing. While the Shinsengumi try and track her down, Kagura tries to help her live a little. Of course, Kagura is not your average 13 year old girl, and she takes the princess to Yakuza gambling dens, Pachinko parlors, and arcades. When the Shinsengumi show up to retrieve the princess, Kagura vows to protect her new friend and helps her escape.
In “Exaggerate the Tales of Your Exploits by a Third, so Everyone Has a Good Time,” cat burglar Catherine’s past comes to haunt her. The other cat-people of the gang “Cat’s Punch” heard of her whereabouts, and they’re interested in inviting her back into the underworld. When Catherine refuses, the gang members threaten landlady Otose and her Snack House. With seemingly no choice, she decides to meet with “Cat’s Punch” later that night. As luck would have it, Gintoki’s behind on his rent, so Otose is able to “convince” him to investigate and find out what’s wrong with Catherine. Of course, Gin delivers a righteous smackdown to Catherine’s former friends and saves the day. This victory is much more effective than in past chapters, however, because the chapter involves characters we already know and care about.
The funniest chapter involves an underwear thief and the extreme lengths the Odd Jobs gang goes to in order to capture him. However, what really makes the volume stand head and shoulders above the previous ones are the two longer story arcs.
In the first, Kagura wins three tickets for a spaceflight, and she, Gin, and Shinpachi head off for a vacation amongst the stars. Anti-Amanto hijackers threaten the spaceship and its passengers, but fortunately for our heroes, pilot prodigy Tatsuma Sakamoto is on board. It turns out that Sakamoto knew Gin back when they were both fighting the Amanto invaders. Like Gin, Sakamoto decided that continuing to fight after the Bakufu surrendered was pointless. Sakamoto has moved on and become a powerful merchant, as he feels commerce will help bind the formerly hostile communities together in the spirit of self-interest.
On the other end of the spectrum is Shinsuke Takasugi, an ultra-violent anti-Amanto terrorist that even Katsura finds extreme. In the second longer arc, Takasugi has convinced an inventor to avenge his son by attacking the Shogun who had him put to death. To do so, he’s constructed a powerful robot that will assassinate the Shogun in the middle of the Summer Festival. The Shinsengumi are put on the case, but as the reader might guess, it’s once again Gin who ends up saving the day.
In Summary
By adding new characters that Gin knew from his Revolutionary days, Gintama’s Edo becomes more fleshed out and compelling. Some of Gin’s compatriots have decided to cope with the loss of the anti-Amanto movement and move on, and others have become even more bitter and extreme in their hatred of the invaders. Of course, while this world-building is appreciated, this volume is also proves to be much funnier than the previous three. Sorachi seems to finally have a handle on the story he wants to tell, and I look forward to seeing Gintama’s world expand in future volumes. Recommended.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B
Age Rating: T+ Older Teen
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: January 1, 2008
MSRP: $7.99 US / $9.99 CAN
