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Gintama
Episode 269

by Amy McNulty,

In the world of Gintama, mnemonics have evolved way beyond the standard "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos," thanks to Seita convincing Gintoki to be his new tutor. (At the very least, he doesn't throw kunai at the child's head, as Tsukuyo did when she was in charge of his education.) Unfortunately for the typical Western viewer, you'll need to possess a solid understanding of Japanese language and history to truly appreciate many of the jokes in this segment. Even if you consider your knowledge of either subject above rudimentary, these gags go by fast. Hold your cursor over the pause button during a second viewing if you want a better idea of why the bizarre mnemonics Gintoki comes up with to help Seita memorize important dates in Japanese history sort of work. Luckily, the absurdity itself carries the segment, as Gintoki tries to get Seita interested in history by totally making it up as he goes along. Who knew armor-clad gorillas and microwaved sandals played such an integral role in shaping the country?

As out of this world as Gintoki's (and eventually Tsukuyo's and Hinowa's) take on history is, it's a lot of information to take in, especially for a foreign audience. (Nevertheless, like Seita, I found myself increasingly more intrigued to learn more about the truth behind this crazy, Buck Rogers-esque spin on historical events.) Had the entire episode been devoted to this story, it might have overstayed its welcome.

Fortunately, the second half of the episode tells a whole new story. Gintoki teaches Shinpachi the fine art of hiding porn from his sister and, of all things, the PTA. When Taka-chin asks Shinpachi to hide his stash of a To Love-Ru-homage manga, the latter is so afraid of Otae's wrath, he's willing to let Gintoki help him figure out how to conceal the offensive books. Watching Gintoki teach his loyal straight man how to hide ecchi manga in plain sight through diversionary techniques, as Shinpachi panics more and more with each suggestion, is classic Gintama shtick, and it lands perfectly. Even though the sequence is largely limited to the two characters, it's Gintama through and through. The ending is perfect, as Gintoki and Shinpachi inadvertently shock Otae far worse than Shinpachi ever could have without his mentor's colorful influence. Although the series has an overarching plot that occasionally sends the proceedings into serious mode, inane absurdity of this ilk is where Gintama truly shines, as each joke consistently flabbergasts more than the last.

By the end of episode 269, we've seen Gintoki school younger men in ludicrous history and the art of erotic book concealment, and he carries both segments on his shoulders with ease thanks to his deadpan delivery and preposterous ideas that get progressively more outrageous as the episode wears on. While the first half may go over foreign viewers' heads a little, the second segment puts a twisted spin on a more universal problem to become obscenely funny.

Rating: A-

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

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


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