Gintoki Sakata
Encyclopedia
is a fictional character
in the manga
and anime
franchise Gin Tama created by Hideaki Sorachi
. Gintoki is the main protagonist
of the series and his name serves as the basis of the series' title. He is introduced as a former rebel
samurai
who lives in a fictionalized version of 1860s Japan
after being invaded and transformed by aliens. Gintoki once fought the alien invaders until he realized the lack of sense in doing so, leading to him choosing to instead make a living as a freelancer
for hire in Edo
alongside his friends Shinpachi Shimura and Kagura in order to pay the monthly rent.
Gintoki's character has received critical response from various reviewers and publications for manga, anime and other media. Gintoki has also remained highly popular with Gin Tama fans, ranking first in all of the popularity polls. As the main character, Gintoki has appeared in most of the episodes of the anime series Gintama and Gintama, as well as in other media related to the franchise, including the film and all of the spin-off
video games and original video animations. Merchandise based on Gintoki has also been released, including figurines.
's editor commented, "Do you think a silver samurai would be cool?" This inspired Sorachi to create the main character after deciding the series should be named Gin Tama. Sorachi's initial plan for his first major series was to center it around a fictionalized version of the Shinsengumi, mostly to ride off the hype for Shinsengumi!
, a Japanese drama starring idol actors as the famous Japanese special police force. However, Sorachi's version was planned to be as unrealistic as possible; his force included both men and women possessing bizarre traits that were nothing like the original Shinsengumi, and that would seep into many of the characters that would be part of his eventual manga. One of the characters from this set was a silver-haired man who was to be the representation of prominent member Hijikata Toshizō
. Sorachi particularly liked Hijikata and wanted this character (though nothing like the real Hijikata) to be the hero of his series.
Unfortunately, while Sorachi loved the design he created for his silver-haired Hijikata, he couldn't draw out his character or figure out what he would do in the series. He considered dropping the character and his editor nearly forced him to give up on him just as the original Shinsengumi concept was falling apart. Eventually it was decided that the silver-haired character would be an original lead character, while the Shinsengumi would be portrayed as comedic foils. Changing the name to "Gin-san" at first (before ultimately making him "Gintoki"), the original concept of the silver-haired Hijikata was shattered and Sorachi recreated the character from the ground up into the lazy-eyed freelancer he would be in the series. Sorachi has mentioned that Gintoki was roughly based on Sakata Kintoki
, but added that he did not intend Gintoki to be a descendant of Sakata.
After his group's defeat Gintoki chose to open a freelance business where he could handle matters his own way, while continuing to live by his own samurai code
. In his job, he gets two employees, the samurai apprentice Shinpachi Shimura and the alien girl Kagura and comes to have a close relationship with both of them. The group often have problems to pay the monthly rent for Otose, Gintoki's landlady whom he swore to protect after eating the food offerings meant to her husband's grave.
Despite his age, Gintoki often shows various childish behaviour. He has a sweet tooth and obsession with sugary and sweet foods. However, Gintoki has been warned by his doctor to control his sugar intake. He is also obsessed with reading the manga
anthology magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump
. Gintoki will go to great lengths to get the latest Jump issue which includes reckless behavior. Additionally, he blames his naturally permed silver hair for his lack of a love-life. Though several female characters have shown an interest in Gintoki, he usually does not show any response back and merely puts up with them as annoyances.
Despite his appearance and initial behavior, Gintoki has a great amount of pride for his samurai code. He takes it upon himself to rescue or avenge not only his comrades and friends but also people he barely knows. Despite being a fearsome fighter with nearly unmatched skills, he acts like a coward most of the time to to avoid needless bloodshed after suffering the loss of most of his friends and allies during the Joi war. He is described by others as lazy, unmotivated, and useless though they see his kind, responsible, and unpredictable self.
As a former samurai, Gintoki is an extremely powerful swordsman with virtually unmatched skills even among other strong samurai. His weapon of choice is a bokuto
with the words "Lake Toya" inscribed on it. The bokuto he wields is a , which he purchases through a TV shopping program, whenever one is broken. Using this sword, he is often seen cutting, smashing and basically destroying all kinds of strong objects such as a metal cannon. Occasionally, though, Gin has used other swords, including real ones such as katana
, in combat when he needs to due to a tougher encounter. Although Gintoki is more than capable of defeating powerful Amanto warriors and various other samurai, he will not hesitate to use tricks and manipulation if it means a quick and easy victory.
-based video games: Jump Super Stars
and Jump Ultimate Stars
, both times alongside Kagura. Though also part of the Gin Tama franchise, Gintoki is also the lead character of the spinoff stories "3-Z Ginpachi-Sensei", where he is a high school teacher putting up with the idiocies of all of the other characters who are his students at the school.
Though he has not appeared outside Gin Tama on his own, Gintoki does occasionally have extra exposure alongside Bleach
lead Ichigo Kurosaki
, of whom the duo have worked side-by-side on certain matters. Aside from parodying Ichigo in a promo for Bleach, both characters were featured together in an audio CD depicting a conversation between the two Jump leads.
Japanese journal, Gintoki has commonly appeared within the top ten of best male characters between the 7th and 8th spot. In another Newtype poll from March 2010, Gintoki was voted as the eighth most popular male anime character from the 2000s. In the Anime Grand Prix polls, Gintoki was voted as one of the most popular male anime character.
Gintoki's character has also received critical response from various western publications for manga, anime and other media. While reviewing the fifth volume from the manga Carlos Santos from Anime News Network
found Gintoki's personality as one of the sources of comedy in the series, remarking the way he talks as well as his actions through the chapters. In the chapters where Gintoki suffers from amnesia
, Carlos noted that Gintoki's different personality in such state makes him "decidedly not funny". On the other hand, About.com
writer Deb Aoki found Gintoki's carefree attitude and his desire to protect people as a "tradition of other shonen anti-heroes." She also noted him "low-blood sugar moments" make him look cranky. Michael Aronson from mangalife.com criticized Gintoki's expression in the first volumes from the series as he mentions it does not reflect his dialogues. He also commented that series succeeds if it is about Gintoki's job, adding that some of his fights against other characters do not help increasing the series' popularity.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
franchise Gin Tama created by Hideaki Sorachi
Hideaki Sorachi
is a Japanese manga artist best known for his work Gin Tama.- Works :* Bankara One shot, 2010* Gintama Serialization, 2003* 13 One shot* Shirokuro One shot* Samuraider Discontinued at sketch phase...
. Gintoki is the main protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the series and his name serves as the basis of the series' title. He is introduced as a former rebel
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
who lives in a fictionalized version of 1860s Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
after being invaded and transformed by aliens. Gintoki once fought the alien invaders until he realized the lack of sense in doing so, leading to him choosing to instead make a living as a freelancer
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
for hire in Edo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
alongside his friends Shinpachi Shimura and Kagura in order to pay the monthly rent.
Gintoki's character has received critical response from various reviewers and publications for manga, anime and other media. Gintoki has also remained highly popular with Gin Tama fans, ranking first in all of the popularity polls. As the main character, Gintoki has appeared in most of the episodes of the anime series Gintama and Gintama, as well as in other media related to the franchise, including the film and all of the spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
video games and original video animations. Merchandise based on Gintoki has also been released, including figurines.
Creation and development
While brainstorming on the name for a manga, Hideaki SorachiHideaki Sorachi
is a Japanese manga artist best known for his work Gin Tama.- Works :* Bankara One shot, 2010* Gintama Serialization, 2003* 13 One shot* Shirokuro One shot* Samuraider Discontinued at sketch phase...
's editor commented, "Do you think a silver samurai would be cool?" This inspired Sorachi to create the main character after deciding the series should be named Gin Tama. Sorachi's initial plan for his first major series was to center it around a fictionalized version of the Shinsengumi, mostly to ride off the hype for Shinsengumi!
Shinsengumi!
is a Taiga drama television series produced by Japanese broadcaster NHK. It was a popular drama about shinsengumi, the Japanese special police from the Shogun period....
, a Japanese drama starring idol actors as the famous Japanese special police force. However, Sorachi's version was planned to be as unrealistic as possible; his force included both men and women possessing bizarre traits that were nothing like the original Shinsengumi, and that would seep into many of the characters that would be part of his eventual manga. One of the characters from this set was a silver-haired man who was to be the representation of prominent member Hijikata Toshizō
Hijikata Toshizo
was the vice-commander of Shinsengumi, a great swordsman and a talented Japanese military leader who resisted the Meiji Restoration.-Background:...
. Sorachi particularly liked Hijikata and wanted this character (though nothing like the real Hijikata) to be the hero of his series.
Unfortunately, while Sorachi loved the design he created for his silver-haired Hijikata, he couldn't draw out his character or figure out what he would do in the series. He considered dropping the character and his editor nearly forced him to give up on him just as the original Shinsengumi concept was falling apart. Eventually it was decided that the silver-haired character would be an original lead character, while the Shinsengumi would be portrayed as comedic foils. Changing the name to "Gin-san" at first (before ultimately making him "Gintoki"), the original concept of the silver-haired Hijikata was shattered and Sorachi recreated the character from the ground up into the lazy-eyed freelancer he would be in the series. Sorachi has mentioned that Gintoki was roughly based on Sakata Kintoki
Kintaro
is a folk hero from Japanese folklore. A child of superhuman strength, he was raised by a mountain hag on Mount Ashigara. He became friendly with the animals of the mountain, and later, after catching Shutendouji, the terror of the region around Mount Ooe, he became a loyal follower of Minamoto no...
, but added that he did not intend Gintoki to be a descendant of Sakata.
In Gin Tama
Gintoki Sakata is a freelancer former samurai living in an era where aliens known as the Amanto have come to Earth after the Joi War, a battle in which the latter defeated the former. As a child, he was taught by Shoyo Yoshida, with his classmates being two of his future Joi allies, Kotaro Katsura and Shinsuke Takasugi. The three joined the Joi War, with Gintoki wishing protect his country. During that period, he was known as the due to his silver hair and white coat he wore in battle, which, combined with his impressive capabilities as a swordsman, made him famous among his comrades and struck fear into Amanto.After his group's defeat Gintoki chose to open a freelance business where he could handle matters his own way, while continuing to live by his own samurai code
Bushido
, meaning "Way of the Warrior-Knight", is a Japanese word which is used to describe a uniquely Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and...
. In his job, he gets two employees, the samurai apprentice Shinpachi Shimura and the alien girl Kagura and comes to have a close relationship with both of them. The group often have problems to pay the monthly rent for Otose, Gintoki's landlady whom he swore to protect after eating the food offerings meant to her husband's grave.
Despite his age, Gintoki often shows various childish behaviour. He has a sweet tooth and obsession with sugary and sweet foods. However, Gintoki has been warned by his doctor to control his sugar intake. He is also obsessed with reading the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
anthology magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
. Gintoki will go to great lengths to get the latest Jump issue which includes reckless behavior. Additionally, he blames his naturally permed silver hair for his lack of a love-life. Though several female characters have shown an interest in Gintoki, he usually does not show any response back and merely puts up with them as annoyances.
Despite his appearance and initial behavior, Gintoki has a great amount of pride for his samurai code. He takes it upon himself to rescue or avenge not only his comrades and friends but also people he barely knows. Despite being a fearsome fighter with nearly unmatched skills, he acts like a coward most of the time to to avoid needless bloodshed after suffering the loss of most of his friends and allies during the Joi war. He is described by others as lazy, unmotivated, and useless though they see his kind, responsible, and unpredictable self.
As a former samurai, Gintoki is an extremely powerful swordsman with virtually unmatched skills even among other strong samurai. His weapon of choice is a bokuto
Bokken
A bokken , "wood", and ken, "sword") , is a Japanese wooden sword used for training. It is usually the size and shape of a katana, but is sometimes shaped like other swords, such as the wakizashi and tantō...
with the words "Lake Toya" inscribed on it. The bokuto he wields is a , which he purchases through a TV shopping program, whenever one is broken. Using this sword, he is often seen cutting, smashing and basically destroying all kinds of strong objects such as a metal cannon. Occasionally, though, Gin has used other swords, including real ones such as katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
, in combat when he needs to due to a tougher encounter. Although Gintoki is more than capable of defeating powerful Amanto warriors and various other samurai, he will not hesitate to use tricks and manipulation if it means a quick and easy victory.
In other media
Gintoki's character appeared in various video games based on the Gin Tama series. Gintoki has also been featured as a playable fighter in two crossover Weekly Shonen JumpWeekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
-based video games: Jump Super Stars
Jump Super Stars
is a 2D fighting game for the Nintendo DS. It was developed by Ganbarion and published by Nintendo. The game was released on August 8, 2005 in Japan and accompanied the release of a red Nintendo DS...
and Jump Ultimate Stars
Jump Ultimate Stars
is a fighting video game developed by Ganbarion and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It is the sequel to Jump Super Stars, also released for the DS. The game was released in Japan on November 23, 2006...
, both times alongside Kagura. Though also part of the Gin Tama franchise, Gintoki is also the lead character of the spinoff stories "3-Z Ginpachi-Sensei", where he is a high school teacher putting up with the idiocies of all of the other characters who are his students at the school.
Though he has not appeared outside Gin Tama on his own, Gintoki does occasionally have extra exposure alongside Bleach
Bleach (manga)
is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
lead Ichigo Kurosaki
Ichigo Kurosaki
is a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Bleach by Tite Kubo. He is the story's main character. The series begins with Ichigo receiving Soul Reaper powers as a result of a run-in with Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper assigned to patrol his city, Karakura Town...
, of whom the duo have worked side-by-side on certain matters. Aside from parodying Ichigo in a promo for Bleach, both characters were featured together in an audio CD depicting a conversation between the two Jump leads.
Reception
Gintoki remains the most popular character in the series based on polls taken within Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. He has also been featured in various types of merchandise connected to the franchise. The Japanese music distributor Recochoku has made two annual survey of which anime characters that people would like to marry. Gintoki ranked second twice in the category "The Character I Want to Be My Groom." In the NewtypeNewtype (magazine)
is a monthly magazine publication originating from Japan, covering anime and manga . It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985 with its April issue, and has since seen regular release on the 10th of every month in its home country...
Japanese journal, Gintoki has commonly appeared within the top ten of best male characters between the 7th and 8th spot. In another Newtype poll from March 2010, Gintoki was voted as the eighth most popular male anime character from the 2000s. In the Anime Grand Prix polls, Gintoki was voted as one of the most popular male anime character.
Gintoki's character has also received critical response from various western publications for manga, anime and other media. While reviewing the fifth volume from the manga Carlos Santos from Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
found Gintoki's personality as one of the sources of comedy in the series, remarking the way he talks as well as his actions through the chapters. In the chapters where Gintoki suffers from amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
, Carlos noted that Gintoki's different personality in such state makes him "decidedly not funny". On the other hand, About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
writer Deb Aoki found Gintoki's carefree attitude and his desire to protect people as a "tradition of other shonen anti-heroes." She also noted him "low-blood sugar moments" make him look cranky. Michael Aronson from mangalife.com criticized Gintoki's expression in the first volumes from the series as he mentions it does not reflect his dialogues. He also commented that series succeeds if it is about Gintoki's job, adding that some of his fights against other characters do not help increasing the series' popularity.