Gunpowder, treason & plot: (1/2) Keisei arc in review
Sporadic thoughts:
- Loved Audio High's music. Highlights include the fast-paced piano piece that was like dancing on quickfeet, accompanying Gintoki and Oboro's fight (and Tsukuyo+Nobume vs the Naraku). Also love the other piano piece applied to the past-and-present parallel scene from 259. There's a grand, cinematic, imperial drama feel to the soundtrack.
- Speaking of that scene, it is probably one of my favorites to have come from Sunrise's adaptation of this arc. The way they juxtaposed the scenes was clever. The monologue's deceptiveness and the turn of mood from melancholy to sinister was well-played. Wish there was a handy clip to show but I think the screencaps here should show the parallels clear enough.
Other than the subtle use of music, what really makes the scene work is Sadasada's voice actor. Hearing Sadasada's monologue about Suzuran turned from somewhat wistful to lewd and predatory was chilling.
- The crack trio Nobume, Gintoki, and Tsukuyo was amazing. SugiTomo, Yuko Kaida and Aya Hirano really brought those stupid scenes to life. Highlights include Nobume imitating Shogun's voice, her stuffing the Shogun upside down into a giant vase like a lady playing ikebana, the Shogun's underwear on Gintoki's head and Tsukuyo's "my target is the former shogun."
- The art was great. Read that they brought the old-timer from Kyuubei arc to supervise the character drawing, which really shows--everyone looked wonderful Iconic scenes from the manga are all presented satisfyingly.
- Aya Hirano's gotten a much better grasp at Nobume since Baragaki. I thought she nailed the stoner, deadpan humor that was Nobume's style, and her quiet, mannered, serious side. 'Gimme a Pon de Ring!' was hilarious.
- Yuko Kaida: It's just great to see her display such colorful range of expressions. Boke humor, Tsukkomi humor, deadpan humor, exasperation, righteous anger, dignity, fear, sadness.
- All the feminist message, ladies kicking asses and fighting side-by-side and saving the male protagonist's butt. And. The somewhat meta-political reference about men and countries that rise "from the tears of women". It was bold, powerful, fantastic and wonderfully adapted. Pure classic shonen with a feminist twist. The fact that they're using one of their old-school BGM from Kyuubei arc to accompany the scene makes it all the more special.
The speech is really meaningful to me as it's both kind of timely and timeless. All countries have their own misogyny problems, and many have had the suffering of women washed out from history textbooks and everyday conversations. Combined with dismissiveness in which politicians often refer to women (think of Shintaro Ishihara saying that older women who didn't reproduce being disposable),"...castle built on the tears of women" is a real concept, and to see it referred to in a highlight scene in a shonen show is...amazing.
- In Gintama's cathartic universe, men who screw over women can't actually expect to get away with their crime, even if they are powerful heads of state.
- Exhibit two of #ladieskickingass, Kagura vs Giant Cannon. Really love the animation of her face there, (those bold lines) which really follows the manga. I've written more extensively my feelings about this scene up at the link above.
- In fact, all the ladies bonding in this arc was wonderful. The sadisteers, Nobume and Tsukuyo at the palace, Kagura-Nobume-Tsukuyo owning the guards completely, and of course The Anti-Okita Sisterhood.
- Pacing: 257 and 258 had a leisurely pacing, which is a good thing since it allows for a lot of hilarious moments to shine through. Compared to that, 259, being so action packed and fast-paced, is almost like riding in a speeding car that suddenly turns into a spaceship blasting off to Mars.
Some people said it's too fast; my only complaint is that the manga builds up the desperateness of the situation before the Shinsengumi and Mimawarigumi arrived more effectively. Still, though, what an episode. What an arc. In summary, this post. nd this post