武士道
"Even though Gintama does a lot of crazy things, I’m trying to present my idea of a samurai through this manga, but probably nobody else feels this way. (laugh) When we talk about samurai, we’d have to talk about “the way of the warrior (bushido).” It’s better to illustrate bushido in a world where bushido no longer exists. That way you can highlight its existence. Besides, if you create a story where there’s “loyalty to one’s master,” it might not resonate with the readers. So you might as well go to the extreme. This bushido is just “what we should do,” a type of virtue, and it’s something that anyone can have. The samurai lost, and they don’t have masters anymore or anything to protect. They’re jobless, penniless, at the low point of their lives, and it’s not time to act cool, but even so, they need to keep living. That train of thought.
When I showed Gintama to the editors, they said, “This guy totally misunderstood bushido.” (laugh) Well if it’s a misunderstanding, then it’s a misunderstanding. That’s what bushido is nowadays, you bastard."
-
Sorachi Hideaki