Gintama

Episode 301

The second installment of the Shogun Assassination Arc is quite possibly the most frenetically action-packed episode Gintama has ever given us. The episode feverishly hops from one fluidly animated battle to the next, never once giving the audience a chance to catch their breath. While I prefer this show's sillier offerings to its more dramatic stories, it's hard to dislike the serious stuff when it's executed this well.

Betrayal is the order of the day in episode 301. Not only have the west-bound convoy's ranks been infiltrated by enemy spies, the east-bound sea fleet and Kyo-bound airships are rife with traitors. Fortunately, bloodthirsty sadist Okita Sogo snuck aboard the airship carrying Princess Soyo and made short work of the turncoats before they were able to dispatch her. However, Kamui, his right-hand man/tsukkomi Abuto, and a battalion of Yato soon lay siege to the ship, setting the stage for an epic battle between the bane of Hijikata's existence and Kagura's murderous brother. Meanwhile, Takasugi and the Kiheitai attack the sea fleet, slaughtering everyone in sight and killing Shigeshige's east-bound body double. (Using his dying breath to reveal that he's not actually the shogun wasn't exactly a smart move on his part.)

The Sogo/Kamui face-off serves as this episode's action-packed centerpiece. These two actually have a lot in common aside from their shared disdain for Kagura. However, while Sogo is able to keep his bloodlust in check for the most part, Kamui won't hesitate to kill anyone who catches his eye. It helps that the animation was in top form this week, and it's clear that a lot of work went into this sequence. Before these two monsters can finish their brawl, Zenzo arrives on the scene with Shigeshige's severed head in tow. With the shogun dead, Abuto reasons that there's no need to stick around, convincing Kamui and the rest of the Yato to abandon ship.

Things aren't going much better for the west-bound convoy, as Gintoki and company are besieged by Iga ninja. As Sa-chan explains, the Oniwaban originally came from the Iga Ninja Village. After protecting Tokugawa Ieyasu, a dedicated group of Iga decided to pledge their loyalty to the shogun and formed the first iteration of the Oniwaban. Historically, the Iga have only shown loyalty to the highest bidder, so this represented a huge break from tradition. When the convoy is confronted by the lion-like Fujibayashi Gaimon and the bandage-covered Momochi Rappa, the former explains that the Iga were coerced into aiding the shogun assassination plot by the Yato, who promised complete annihilation if they resisted and a cushy gig guarding the new shogun if they cooperated. However, Rappa soon reveals that Zenzo's loyalties don't lie with Nobunobu, prompting a seemingly unassuming ninja to remove his mask and reveal himself as Shigeshige.

While I still think the story flies by too quickly, the rapid-fire pacing suits this week's installment better than this arc's premiere episode. There are very few action-free moments, and heads (and limbs) literally roll throughout the entire episode, but that makes the proceedings all the more transfixing. Everyone's pulling out all the stops, and we're reminded that characters we've come to know as slackers, stalkers, and tsukkomi are also capable warriors who aren't afraid to kill should the need arise.

If Shigeshige truly is alive, it seems too soon to reveal this fact. The most shocking and memorable part of last week's installment was the surprise ending: Zenzo decapitating the shogun in this arc's opening episode. Exposing that as a fake-out so early on is disappointing because it renders such a heavy moment practically meaningless. (By the way, are the body doubles and traitorous ninja using Amanto technology to create such lifelike masks?)

Since Takasugi appears so rarely, I had almost forgotten about his cool punk rock/heavy metal theme music. The Gintama score is often forgettable, but this is one of the show's better tracks, adding to the menace of a character we know very little about. Additionally, the new BGM track heard during the west-bound convoy's brawl with the Iga (and throughout most of the extended trailer for this arc) nicely accentuates this episode's high-stakes tone.

The non-stop bloodbath and expansive body count make this week's installment something of a rarity among Gintama episodes. However, despite all the gore and mayhem, the episode still contains touches of humor and never feels untrue to the characters. The mystery of Zenzo's betrayal and how Shigeshige knew the Iga would ally with his enemies makes me eager to tune in next week. Despite getting off to an uneven start, the Shogun Assassination Arc is starting to live up to all its hype.

Rating: A

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

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