Gintama

Episode 297

Last week, I was convinced that everyone was just playing along with Kagura's ruse to guilt her into regretting her actions. However, episode 297 leaves no doubt that Kagura actually did have everyone fooled—everyone but Sogo. It's fitting that her relentlessly sadistic adversary would be able to see right through her deception, and his willingness to take advantage of the situation results in some of the season's funniest moments. Since their first meeting, it's been clear that Kagura and Sogo share a relationship of mutual disdain, but until now, I never got the impression that he was fine with outright murdering her. Sorry, Sogo x Kagura (Sagura?) shippers.

When the key members of the Shinsengumi escort Princess Soyo to Kagura's hospital room, Sogo immediately sees through his old enemy's trick. However, instead of exposing Kagura's lie to her nearest and dearest, he discreetly elbows her in the throat, causing her to black out. She soon awakens at a lavish funeral service (presumably paid for by the Tokugawa family and donations from friends) inside of a casket. In order to prevent Kagura from revealing that she's still alive, Sogo outfitted the coffin with powerful UV lamps, rendering her unable to move or speak. The ever-perceptive sadist quickly realizes that Kagura's initial deception was meant to test her friends' feelings for her, prompting him to reason that if Gintoki and company truly care for Kagura, they'll realize she's not dead when saying their goodbyes.

Of course, Sogo isn't about to make this easy. Shortly after his plan is exposed, Kagura's coffin is put on a cartoonishly long conveyor belt designed to transport the "deceased" to a nearby crematorium. While saying their hurried farewells, Tama, Tsukuyo, and Sa-chan set a darkly humorous series of events into motion, resulting in the stock-still Kagura incurring a barrage of Looney Tunes-esque injuries on her way to be cremated. When the remaining two thirds of Odd Jobs Gin-chan remove the casket from the conveyor belt and say their heartfelt farewells, Kagura accidentally lets it slip that she's still alive. Fearing that they'll be held partially responsible for this epic con, Gintoki and Shinpachi take a cue from Kagura and pretend to be gravely ill, but their friends aren't falling for it. At the urging of Otae, Kagura is placed back on the conveyor belt—along with Gintoki and Shinpachi—and the entire group is cremated. (They're probably okay?)

I've always appreciated the show's ability to be genuinely heartfelt and crazy within the same half-hour. Everyone is saddened by Kagura's "passing," but they express their grief in ways that line up perfectly with the show's goofball nature. Hijikata and Katsura's willingness to set aside their differences for the day suggests that they both deeply care for Kagura, which is surprising for Hijikata. Even Catherine, who usually has nothing but disdain for the Odd Jobs crew, seems upset at the funeral. (Strangely, Sakamoto, Mutsu, and Seita were nowhere to be seen. Maybe they arrived late?) However, despite all the schmaltz, the episode still ends with the three main characters being murdered by their closest friends. Gintama in a nutshell.

The miles-long conveyor belt used to transport Kagura's body is one of the most cartoonish images the series has ever produced. It's outlandishly impractical, but it serves to heighten the tension of Kagura's paralyzed trip to becoming a pile of ashes. It also provides more opportunities for jokes, as nearly every supporting character approaches the belt at some point. As the extended preview for the upcoming Shogun Assassination Arc makes clear, Gintama is about to experience a tone shift in a few weeks. This episode is a good almost-end-cap to the current season's onslaught of comedy. All of our favorite Kabuki-cho regulars are front and center, the jokes all hit their mark, and viewers get the distinct impression that the staff is having a lot of fun with the material.

This humorous two-parter reminds us that we're going to miss the absurdity in a few weeks' time. Whatever surprises the upcoming Shogun Assassination storyline may bring, with appearances by Takasugi, Nobunobu, and Kagura's murderous brother Kamui, it's a safe bet that this arc will feature a veritable "who's who" of Gintoki's rogues gallery. Luckily, previous serious stories have demonstrated that Gintama can carry a dramatic arc without completely eschewing its humor.

Rating: A+

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

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