Gintama Reviews Episode 29: Part 1: Don’t Panic-There’s a Return Policy/Part 2: I Told You to Pay Attention to the News!

THE STORY THUS FAR: during my little 7-episode mini-marathon last night we were introduced to the last of gin’s war buddies, gin and zura were forced into working at an okama bar as punishment for being assholes, the threat of a recap episode instead turned into an epic battle of wits over some sukiyaki, shinpachi got an episode all to himself, shit got depressing when the odd jobs crew helped okita investigate an underground fighting ring, and kondo had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

This episode is a two parter (in the “has two stories” sense, not the “ends on a cliffhanger” sense). There haven’t really been all that many 2- or 3-part episodes so far. I think the last time was the one with the kappa and the fan.

The first story is about Kagura going around trying to pawn Gin’s wooden sword when a sword hunter finds her using it to destroy a bridge and mistakes it for the legendary Star Destroyer. Obviously, Gin’s cheap souvenir is no sort of legendary sword and is only capable of doing ridiculous shit because Gin (and Kagura) are themselves ridiculous, but the punchline that there’s no such thing as a Star Destroyer and it’s just a scam to sell cheap souvenirs for more than they’re worth on the shopping channel was funny.

The real highlight of the segment is the action scene between Kagura and the sword hunter, particularly the part where Sadaharu runs up the side of a building carrying her, and she gooses the bad guy with the sword. That was simultaneously awesome and hilarious, as Gintama always is when it’s at its best.

Part Two is about an infestation of giant space cockroaches, and as someone who once had to live in an apartment suffering from an infestation of regular-sized Earth cockroaches, I really feel the characters pain in this one. Fortunately, Sadaharu saves the day. I know I said I didn’t like Sadaharu in the pet show review, but that’s mainly because the writers never really seem to know what to do with him. He’s a still Very Good Dog.

The second segment was definitely stronger than the first this episode. The first wasn’t bad, but aside from the punchline and the action scene, there wasn’t much interesting going on. The cockroach story, while gross, was consistently entertaining, and the deadpan way everyone always insults Prince Baka is never not funny.

I have no idea what the next episode is about, because neither did the characters. Something to do with Otsu and Kagura wearing a princess dress.

Till next time!

[ko-fi]