Gintama 251 / Gintama’ 50
Episode title: When Sleeping Under a Kotatsu, Make Sure You Don't Burn Your Balls
Source of subs: HorribleSubs
Episode summary:
The episode starts with a belated (very belated, since the episode aired in spring XD) New Year greeting, and Shinpachi flipping out and accusing the rest of Yorozuya of being lazy. After the opening there are two short New year and winter themed skits, with Sa-chan hiding under Gintoki’s kotatsu and Yamazaki failing at writing a New Year’s greeting because of anpan curse. The actual episode starts with Gintoki bringing his old kotatsu to the junk shop where he wanted to get the ventilator many many episodes ago. He wants to exchange the kotatsu because his doesn’t work, since there is Sa-chan under it. He finds one, even though the shopkeeper seems reluctant to give it away.
Some time after that Shinpachi comes to visit Gintoki and is horrified to see that Gintoki and Kagura have decided to live like slobs and not move from under the kotatsu. Shinpachi wants to unplug the kotatsu, but Gintoki claims there is no plug. Shinpachi lifts the kotatsu cover to check, and discovers there is a black hole under it. He gets partially sucked into the black hole, and only now notices that the kotatsu is covered with anti-evil wards. Gintoki explains that something evil was sealed in the kotatsu by the previous owner.
Shinpachi gets hysterical and screams they can’t possibly spend their lives under the kotatsu. Gintoki objects that it is fine to be lazy once in a while, and that his mental age is 40, and bald. And he removes his wig and shows that he is physically bald, as well! Kagura reveals that she is tired of talking in the manner she does, and also reveals her bald scalp. Kagura and Gintoki are dissing the anime creators who didn’t plan ahead and are running out of manga material. Shinpachi understands that they are in trouble and decides to call help. And at that moment somebody rings the doorbell.
It’s Katsura!
He is shocked to see the state of Gintoki’s room.
Shinpachi’s feelings are hurt, but he tries to explain.
Shinpachi: ‘Katsura-san, please listen to me!’
Shinpachi: ‘Listen to me first! Katsura-san, this is...’
And then we hear the phrase we never thought we would hear.
Shinpachi: ‘Hey! I told you to listen to me!
Bald old man Katsura starts complaining about his life.
Katsura: ‘Honestly, I envy you, Gintoki.’
Gintoki: ‘No, it’s the same for everyone now, given the economy.’
Shinpachi: ‘Hey! When did this turn into a reunion for old geezers?!’
Katsura: ‘Sakamoto’s the only one of us who’s doing well. Takasugi went off his rocker.’
Gintoki: ‘Pretty much. So we should go back to our kotatsu and rethink life.’
Shinpachi: ‘How does that settle anything?!’
Katsura: ‘Yeah, if we bring him in, we’ll have to go through the trouble of a Joi past arc. Do you have anything in mind?’
Gintoki: ‘Hell no. What about you?’
Katsura: ‘What actually happened in our past?’
Gintoki: ‘No kidding.’
Shinpachi realises that there is no help from Katsura, and then Otae and Kyuubei appear. Unfortunately Otae immediately gets under the kotatsu, turns bald and begins behaving like an old man. Kyuubei thinks it’s their chance to be together, gets under the kotatsu and turns into a bald old man too. They all start casually badmouthing Shinpachi, completely ignoring his outraged screams.
Shinpachi desperately yells for help, and Kondo and Sa-chan appear. From under the kotatsu. They are both bald. The start discussing their love lives in a weirdly feminine manner.
Katsura finds Kondo’s words strangely reminiscent of his own experiences.
Katsura: ‘When I close my eyes, I can remember the days the days spent in pursuit and being pursued.’
Shinpachi: ‘ Uh, Katsura-san, you’ve only ever been pursued! You’ve always got the cops on your tail!’
Kondo: ‘That’s right. We are no longer Shinsengumi and Joi.
Shinpachi: ‘That’s not touching at all! You’re both just failing at life!’
Madao appears. He is bald even before getting under the kotatsu, which just hows how much of a no-good human being he is.
They all flop down on the floor to relax.
But there is not enough space for everyone, so it’s not relaxing at all.
They start a fight.
Gintoki: ‘Stop whining, freaks! None of you paid for this!’
They break the kotatsu, thus freeing themselves from the kotatsu curse.
Only Shinpachi turns bald because he is tired of their antics.
Episode discussion:
This episode traumatised me on a deep personal level because of Katsura’s hair loss... A bald Katsura is something I never wanted to see T_T It’s a good thing that at the end of the episode he got his pride and glory back XDD
But if we consider this episode seriously, it is a great insight into the minds of the characters. The cursed kotatsu apparently brings out the worst in people, so Katsura’s deep dark thoughts he always suppressed come to light.
He is talking about being too old for Joi activities and regretting not having a proper job. That definitely does not sound like the Katsura we know. Just compare that with Katsura’s entrance at the beginning of the episode - that Katsura is shocked to see Gintoki living like a slob and considers something like that to be inappropriate for a samurai. And of course his own immaculate appearance and behaviour indicate that Katsura does not tolerate sloppy lifestyle and lax behaviour.
But of course such high standards and rigid moral code can’t be very easy on him, so it is entirely possible that what he says under the influence of kotatsu is in a way a reflection of what he thinks about his life in some dark moments.
Being a Joi patriot is definitely not rewarding, is dangerous, and, as we had discussed in the previous episode, profitless. Even Katsura must have thought about it, but, since he is a hero, he would not give up on his goal. But who knows, maybe sometimes he felt like doing that.
Even his acceptance of the nickname Zura and how he took his wig off might indicate that he is sometimes tired of struggle and swimming against the tide, especially if it doesn’t change anything (like in this case Gintoki doesn’t stop calling him Zura despite having been corrected multiple times).
And what about that part where Katsura says he is being pursued by a monster? That definitely refers to Elizabeth! And we all know Katsura likes Elizabeth in a manner that’s almost illegal. So what does that mean? Is Katsura saying that he would sometimes like a bit of his own space and his relationship with Elizabeth is too close? Or maybe he means that Elizabeth stands out too much, and he would like to walk through the streets without being gawked at? Or am I simply reading too much in this XD
And all that talk about being tired of pursuit and being pursued? Well, Shinpachi is right, Katsura didn’t really pursue anyone. Except maybe Gintoki, but that doesn’t count. But it still indicates that Katsura would like to catch a break sometime and that the stress of his lifestyle does take a toll on him.
But still, despite having turned into a grumbling old man, Katsura remembers that they have to settle things with Takasugi somehow. Does that imply that Katsura was hurt by Takasugi’s betrayal much more than Gintoki was influenced by it? That definitely makes sense, Katsura is such a gentle and sensitive soul, he holds the samurai principles of honour in high regard, so no wonder that Takasugi’s actions left such a negative impression on him - siding with the Amanto they used to fight against and selling ex-comrades to the Amanto definitely would not sit well with Katsura.
It’s interesting how Katsura mentions that Takasugi is actually from a rich family, how come Katsura knows these facts? Were they closer to Takasugi when they were children? Katsura did say he never really liked Takasugi, but I suppose you don’t necessarily have to like people to know about them.
Breaking of the fourth wall was a really amusing moment in this episode because an arc about the Joi past is pretty much the dream of every fan (which is apparently coming true in the manga right now, so that is kinf of worrying, does that indicate the end of the series? O_O) . And Katsura talking so seriously about not having any ideas about the Joi past arc and not having any particular memories about it is really humorous, especially because it is said in his usual serious manner.
By the way, it is already the second time in the series when Gintoki and Katsura turn into old men together, and get along very well despite their aged state. Can we consider that a GinZura moment then? XD
So, even a seemingly humorous episode can give some serious food for thought.
Source of subs: HorribleSubs
Episode summary:
The episode starts with a belated (very belated, since the episode aired in spring XD) New Year greeting, and Shinpachi flipping out and accusing the rest of Yorozuya of being lazy. After the opening there are two short New year and winter themed skits, with Sa-chan hiding under Gintoki’s kotatsu and Yamazaki failing at writing a New Year’s greeting because of anpan curse. The actual episode starts with Gintoki bringing his old kotatsu to the junk shop where he wanted to get the ventilator many many episodes ago. He wants to exchange the kotatsu because his doesn’t work, since there is Sa-chan under it. He finds one, even though the shopkeeper seems reluctant to give it away.
Some time after that Shinpachi comes to visit Gintoki and is horrified to see that Gintoki and Kagura have decided to live like slobs and not move from under the kotatsu. Shinpachi wants to unplug the kotatsu, but Gintoki claims there is no plug. Shinpachi lifts the kotatsu cover to check, and discovers there is a black hole under it. He gets partially sucked into the black hole, and only now notices that the kotatsu is covered with anti-evil wards. Gintoki explains that something evil was sealed in the kotatsu by the previous owner.
Shinpachi gets hysterical and screams they can’t possibly spend their lives under the kotatsu. Gintoki objects that it is fine to be lazy once in a while, and that his mental age is 40, and bald. And he removes his wig and shows that he is physically bald, as well! Kagura reveals that she is tired of talking in the manner she does, and also reveals her bald scalp. Kagura and Gintoki are dissing the anime creators who didn’t plan ahead and are running out of manga material. Shinpachi understands that they are in trouble and decides to call help. And at that moment somebody rings the doorbell.
It’s Katsura!
He is shocked to see the state of Gintoki’s room.
Shinpachi’s feelings are hurt, but he tries to explain.
Shinpachi: ‘Katsura-san, please listen to me!’
Shinpachi: ‘Listen to me first! Katsura-san, this is...’
And then we hear the phrase we never thought we would hear.
Shinpachi: ‘Hey! I told you to listen to me!
Bald old man Katsura starts complaining about his life.
Katsura: ‘Honestly, I envy you, Gintoki.’
Gintoki: ‘No, it’s the same for everyone now, given the economy.’
Shinpachi: ‘Hey! When did this turn into a reunion for old geezers?!’
Katsura: ‘Sakamoto’s the only one of us who’s doing well. Takasugi went off his rocker.’
Gintoki: ‘Pretty much. So we should go back to our kotatsu and rethink life.’
Shinpachi: ‘How does that settle anything?!’
Katsura: ‘Yeah, if we bring him in, we’ll have to go through the trouble of a Joi past arc. Do you have anything in mind?’
Gintoki: ‘Hell no. What about you?’
Katsura: ‘What actually happened in our past?’
Gintoki: ‘No kidding.’
Shinpachi realises that there is no help from Katsura, and then Otae and Kyuubei appear. Unfortunately Otae immediately gets under the kotatsu, turns bald and begins behaving like an old man. Kyuubei thinks it’s their chance to be together, gets under the kotatsu and turns into a bald old man too. They all start casually badmouthing Shinpachi, completely ignoring his outraged screams.
Shinpachi desperately yells for help, and Kondo and Sa-chan appear. From under the kotatsu. They are both bald. The start discussing their love lives in a weirdly feminine manner.
Katsura finds Kondo’s words strangely reminiscent of his own experiences.
Katsura: ‘When I close my eyes, I can remember the days the days spent in pursuit and being pursued.’
Shinpachi: ‘ Uh, Katsura-san, you’ve only ever been pursued! You’ve always got the cops on your tail!’
Kondo: ‘That’s right. We are no longer Shinsengumi and Joi.
Shinpachi: ‘That’s not touching at all! You’re both just failing at life!’
Madao appears. He is bald even before getting under the kotatsu, which just hows how much of a no-good human being he is.
They all flop down on the floor to relax.
But there is not enough space for everyone, so it’s not relaxing at all.
They start a fight.
Gintoki: ‘Stop whining, freaks! None of you paid for this!’
They break the kotatsu, thus freeing themselves from the kotatsu curse.
Only Shinpachi turns bald because he is tired of their antics.
Episode discussion:
This episode traumatised me on a deep personal level because of Katsura’s hair loss... A bald Katsura is something I never wanted to see T_T It’s a good thing that at the end of the episode he got his pride and glory back XDD
But if we consider this episode seriously, it is a great insight into the minds of the characters. The cursed kotatsu apparently brings out the worst in people, so Katsura’s deep dark thoughts he always suppressed come to light.
He is talking about being too old for Joi activities and regretting not having a proper job. That definitely does not sound like the Katsura we know. Just compare that with Katsura’s entrance at the beginning of the episode - that Katsura is shocked to see Gintoki living like a slob and considers something like that to be inappropriate for a samurai. And of course his own immaculate appearance and behaviour indicate that Katsura does not tolerate sloppy lifestyle and lax behaviour.
But of course such high standards and rigid moral code can’t be very easy on him, so it is entirely possible that what he says under the influence of kotatsu is in a way a reflection of what he thinks about his life in some dark moments.
Being a Joi patriot is definitely not rewarding, is dangerous, and, as we had discussed in the previous episode, profitless. Even Katsura must have thought about it, but, since he is a hero, he would not give up on his goal. But who knows, maybe sometimes he felt like doing that.
Even his acceptance of the nickname Zura and how he took his wig off might indicate that he is sometimes tired of struggle and swimming against the tide, especially if it doesn’t change anything (like in this case Gintoki doesn’t stop calling him Zura despite having been corrected multiple times).
And what about that part where Katsura says he is being pursued by a monster? That definitely refers to Elizabeth! And we all know Katsura likes Elizabeth in a manner that’s almost illegal. So what does that mean? Is Katsura saying that he would sometimes like a bit of his own space and his relationship with Elizabeth is too close? Or maybe he means that Elizabeth stands out too much, and he would like to walk through the streets without being gawked at? Or am I simply reading too much in this XD
And all that talk about being tired of pursuit and being pursued? Well, Shinpachi is right, Katsura didn’t really pursue anyone. Except maybe Gintoki, but that doesn’t count. But it still indicates that Katsura would like to catch a break sometime and that the stress of his lifestyle does take a toll on him.
But still, despite having turned into a grumbling old man, Katsura remembers that they have to settle things with Takasugi somehow. Does that imply that Katsura was hurt by Takasugi’s betrayal much more than Gintoki was influenced by it? That definitely makes sense, Katsura is such a gentle and sensitive soul, he holds the samurai principles of honour in high regard, so no wonder that Takasugi’s actions left such a negative impression on him - siding with the Amanto they used to fight against and selling ex-comrades to the Amanto definitely would not sit well with Katsura.
It’s interesting how Katsura mentions that Takasugi is actually from a rich family, how come Katsura knows these facts? Were they closer to Takasugi when they were children? Katsura did say he never really liked Takasugi, but I suppose you don’t necessarily have to like people to know about them.
Breaking of the fourth wall was a really amusing moment in this episode because an arc about the Joi past is pretty much the dream of every fan (which is apparently coming true in the manga right now, so that is kinf of worrying, does that indicate the end of the series? O_O) . And Katsura talking so seriously about not having any ideas about the Joi past arc and not having any particular memories about it is really humorous, especially because it is said in his usual serious manner.
By the way, it is already the second time in the series when Gintoki and Katsura turn into old men together, and get along very well despite their aged state. Can we consider that a GinZura moment then? XD
So, even a seemingly humorous episode can give some serious food for thought.