Gintama

Episode 270

When a human-sized (hint, hint) mirror suddenly appears in front of Gintoki's kitchen sink, the Odd Jobs trio doesn't appear to question it. Instead, one by one, they reveal their darkest secrets to the audience and the mirror—and to crazy stalker Ayame "Sa-chan" Sarutobi who's lurking behind it. In the second half of the episode, Yamazaki, frustrated that his fellow Shinsengumi don't fully appreciate what he does as a spy, decides to add another credential to his resume: licensed ninja. Zenzou, everyone's favorite hemorrhoid-stricken shinobi, is happy to show him where to take a one-day course to become a registered genin.

This week's Gintama follows the two-story pattern that serves the show well. Given the rapid-fire nature of the series' humor, a two-story format is often ideal for adapting Sorachi's twisted tales. For the most part, this week's attempts at shock humor and satire hit their marks. References to other shonen series like Dragon Ball Z and Naruto are well-executed. However, for most Westerners, learning more about Ninja Hattori-kun, the NES game frequently referenced throughout the second half, will require a trip to Wikipedia.

This episode also provides examples of how Gintama is so madcap, you're never sure if it's intelligently parodying stupidity or just unabashed about being crude. For example, in the first segment, many audience members would suspect that the Odd Jobs trio knew Sa-chan was in the mirror all along and their dark "secrets" were merely an act to punish her for such a flagrant invasion of their privacy. Still, right up until the last minute, it seemed entirely possible that these things were real. (For one thing, Kagura's Saiyan tail actually braided her hair.) The continuity has been known to reset on occasion—Gintoki has even died a couple times—but the end of the storyline revealed that our heroes had indeed pulled off an epic trolling. Similarly, the end of the second segment goes the way you'd expect when Yamazaki is given the choice between the license he wanted and a chikuwa. (His possibly dead sensei was an option too, but an unlikely one.) Gintama is so fast-paced and insane at times, you second guess yourself even when you've guessed the twist right the first time.

Episode 270 keeps the "action" contained—half of the episode takes place almost entirely in front of a mirror—but demonstrates the appeal of the character and situational-based crude humor for which the series is known. Gintama is a show that rewards anime fans, particularly Shonen Jump devotees, with references, but these references are aimed primarily at non-foreign viewers. At the very least, it serves as an excuse to brush up on your Japanese pop culture. Unsurprisingly, it appears that some DMV jokes are universal, as are "Human Centipede" jokes of the fart variety, apparently.

Rating: B+

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

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