Gintama

Episode 281

When a popular series changes its tone dramatically, it's usually to the detriment of the franchise. Although certain American comedies elicit a tear from time to time, dramatic shifts work better for some series than others. For example, fans don't bat an eye when Adventure Time dials back the funny and ratchets up the feels, but if Family Guy were to take a stab at humor-lite multi-episode story arcs, viewers wouldn't know what to make of it. Strangely, Gintama has done just that on multiple occasions, and it never feels out of place. Despite the series' comedy-to-drama ratio being roughly 9-to-1, the occasional forays into action and character-driven drama are just as fitting to the franchise as gross-out gags, physical comedy, and satire.

The final episode of the Reaper Arc reveals the reason behind Gintoki's imprisonment and death sentence ten years ago, and it's no surprise that the noble intentions behind his "crime" earned him a pardon from Asaemon's adoptive father. When Gintoki interferes in the battle between Yaemon and Asaemon, there are some truly tense moments between the three of them. However, in true Ikeda fashion, the killing blows are struck faster than our eyes can follow.

As with the previous episode, the visual style of episode 281 is charmingly poetic and lends more emotion to the Ikeda family's history than simple unadorned flashbacks could convey. In addition to its more picturesque splashes of color, we follow Yaemon's decent into madness and jealousy as the screen cracks like glass after each integral moment in his childhood. Yaemon's desire to be the next Ikeda successor and his jealousy of his adoptive sister's bond with their father is a trite motivator for his actions. Nevertheless, it's given more weightiness thanks to the visual cues.

Another drawback to this episode, and the arc as a whole, is that it centers so much of the drama on characters we've just met. Asaemon's story is compelling, but there's a wealth of Gintama cast members who don't even appear during this arc. Additionally, the few who do are woefully underused. If Asaemon isn't going to become a regular—and at this point, the show doesn't need any more regulars—her story won't mean that much in the grand scheme of things. As the introduction to new villain Hitosubashi Nobunobu, who's in league with the series' seldom-seen main antagonist Takasugi, the arc may prove important to the overall plot. However, neither character gets sufficient screen time to make viewers feel threatened by this unholy alliance.

This calls to mind one of the series' primary weaknesses: a general reluctance to actually show its recurring villains, particularly Takasugi. He's so rarely on screen, so perpetually "mysterious," that he almost seems like a parody of a master villain. He's often revealed to be the "Big Bad" behind the more serious arcs, but it's been a long time since he and Gintoki interacted outside of Joi War flashbacks, much less crossed swords. It's a minor gripe, but in order for his menace to be believable, we need to see him in action every now and then. The same goes for Kamui and the other threats Gintoki has encountered throughout the series.

Episode 281 proves that Gintama is a versatile series that can handle solemnity and shonen action sequences almost as well as it handles humor. The fact that there are still moments of levity makes it even more palatable, as the series never forgets its roots or its strengths. While I'd be reluctant to recommend Gintama to action fans due to the infrequency of these dramatic arcs, they serve as entertaining detours for those of us who need an occasional breather from the usual zaniness.

Rating: B+

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

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