Gintama

Episode 349

After spending a week in space, Silver Soul heads back to the blue planet and focuses on our heroes' efforts to defend the Kabuki District. Even though the neighborhood's residents have locked the place down and set up a number of ingenious booby traps, a Dakini battalion of ALA warriors led by the nigh-indestructible Ougai are easily able to break through the defenses and carry out a brutal assault. However, just when all seems lost, the gang gets some much-needed help from Kyubei and the Yagyu clan, as well as Tsukuyo and the Hyakka. Through the combined efforts of the Odd Jobs crew and their friends, Ougai's siege is brought to a halt, but it looks like the Kabuki District will be facing a new threat in the form of a Shinra battalion next week.

As has become customary with this arc, the proceedings are peppered with tonal yo-yoing. Although the first half of the episode is solidly focused on physical comedy and gross-out gags, the second half contains only a handful of jokes and focuses primarily on edge-of-your-seat action. It's jarring to see extreme physical comedy featured in an episode that contains actual death, but for the most part, Gintama is able to pull it off. For example, when Gin falls victim to several booby traps at the beginning of the episode, he loses an eyeball (which he's able to pop right back in) and a testicle (which is picked up by Agomi), but he's ultimately no worse for the wear. On the flip side, over-the-top acts of violence have actual consequences in the second half, when a man attempting to protect the cabaret girls is brutally killed by a Dakini warrior's club. (Despite this being a late night show, the death is so gruesome that the scene is censored.) Even Nishino of the Yagyu Four Devas loses an arm later on. This being Gintama, it isn't a huge issue, but it does leave viewers wondering how seriously certain threats should be taken when the main cast is perfectly fine after blows that would slaughter secondary and background characters.

Despite the small amount of tonal dissonance, both portions of the episode are well-directed and briskly paced. The physical comedy in the first half is consistently amusing and helps illustrate just how crazy this show can get when it's firing on all cylinders. (Even Glenn from The Walking Dead is given a bizarre shout-out when Gintoki makes a surprisingly apt comparison between the injuries they've sustained.) Even though this isn't the first time Gin has lost a testicle, the image of him chasing his wayward ball down the street is hard not to laugh at. After his latest encounter with Utsuro, the silver-haired samurai had been pretty down in the dumps, so it's a relief to see him transition back into his old comedic self. (Furthermore, the scene with Kozenigata is an excellent nod to Gin's sadistic side, particularly during that silent exchange he has with Shinpachi as to whether or not they should keep pulling the rope.) Things don't slow down when episode 348 enters its second half, with Kyubei and her retainers making their first appearance in a serious arc. Since she's among the show's strongest fighters, this is as good a time as any to put her in a story with actual stakes, and it's compelling to see her feelings for Otae treated with seriousness instead of played for laughs.

In spite of overwhelming odds, the denizens of the Kabuki District continue to valiantly defend their home turf from the Altana Liberation Army. Even characters we haven't checked in with for dozens of episodes are pitching in to curb the ALA invasion and protect their planet. With the Shinra slated to begin their assault next week, Gintoki and the gang will barely have a moment to relax before their next high-stakes battle begins.

Rating: B+

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Amy is an author who has loved anime for over two decades.