By Hideaki Sorachi. Released in Japan by Shueisha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump. Released in North America by Viz.
There is little to no drama in this volume of Gin Tama, which I’m sure will make many people thankful. The closest we get is the plotline with Hasegawa and his estranged wife, and even that was half-serious, half-silly. Meanwhile, you also have some of the funniest comedy this series has scene yet.
I had been relatively unimpressed with the end of 17, which showed the gang all battling to try to get a Nintendo Wii (or copyright parody thereof). However, that plotline is resolved in the first chapter here, and is pure 100% fantastic. From the random HP division, to Hijikata being named ‘Turd’ (as his name is too long for the system to deal with), to everyone’s use of the kindly old village elder, this is a magical parody of the old RPG worlds. And naturally, being this is also a VR environment, everything ends in chaos.
This is then followed by a wonderful parody of old-school shonen, where a bearded man appears to our three heroes in a dream, and tells them it is time to learn how to grow stronger! Except none of them really have the desire to, and are mostly irritated with the man. And in fact, it turns out he probably didn’t have much to offer, as he’s still living with his mother. Secret Deadly Techniques apparently involve a lot of kicking people in the nads.
The majority of this volume is devoted to the Hasegawa plot I mentioned above. Due to his wretched luck (the man has the worst luck in the whole series, which is saying something as this series also has Kondo in it) he has been arrested for assaulting a girl on a subway train. He’d actually tripped and accidentally bumped into her, then when trying to save her from an oncoming train he pulled her into a move from Kinnikuman, the Muscle Buster, showing the whole subway station her panties. Needless to say, no one believes he’s innocent.
What’s worse, the prosecuting attorney is in love with his estranged wife, and will send Hasegawa up the river unless he signs divorce papers. Which he refuses to do, as he plans to win his wife back once he gets a decent job again. Luckily, Gintoki is on the case, and tries to do everything he can to help him… including being his defense lawyer.
The overall premise is serious, but the execution is utterly stupid, with Hasegawa continually making Dog of Flanders references, involving him in a dog suit and the girl he ‘assaulted’ as Heidi. Gin even shows up as Clara, in a rocket-powered wheelchair. The whole thing does eventually end in a rather touching flashback, showcasing Hasegawa’s stubbornness and his wife’s good heart. And then he trips again…
The last 2 chapters in this volume are probably the most ludicrous, dealing with the main female cast gaining too much weight, and having to go work it off at a dojo. The chapters are not as good as the rest of the book, but there’s still several funny moments. Seeing Kyuubei be cool is always worthy. Gin Tama is noted timed for volumes as precisely as, say, One Piece is, so you don’t always end with a band or with a cliffhanger.
This continues to be one of the funniest series being released by Viz, with great characters and a premise that lets its creator gleefully mock anything and everything, while still allowing for kickass samurai drama when it has to. Highly recommended.
