Nonsensical and Ridiculous in the Best of Ways: "Gintama" | #PAP Review

Gintama (2006)
MAL Top Anime List*: #10
# Episodes watched (so far): 26 out of 201
Will I continue?: Yes

Aired: Apr 4, 2006 to Mar 25, 2010
Followed by: Gintama'

Comedy, Parody, Samurai

Rating:

The Amanto, aliens from outer space, have invaded Earth and taken over feudal Japan. As a result, a prohibition on swords has been established, and the samurai of Japan are treated with disregard as a consequence.
However one man, Gintoki Sakata, still possesses the heart of the samurai, although from his love of sweets and work as a yorozuya, one might not expect it. Accompanying him in his jack-of-all-trades line of work are Shinpachi Shimura, a boy with glasses and a strong heart, Kagura with her umbrella and seemingly bottomless stomach, as well as Sadaharu, their oversized pet dog. Of course, these odd jobs are not always simple, as they frequently have run-ins with the police, ragtag rebels, and assassins, oftentimes leading to humorous but unfortunate consequences.
Who said life as an errand boy was easy?

The top anime on MAL (currently) is the latest sequel to Gintama. Originally, I tried watching that. I got 7 minutes into the episode (seven hilarious minutes) before I established that I should watch the original series to fully appreciate it.

Which is how I made my way to the #10 seed, Gintama (2006). 

Gintama is the sort of anime I have a trouble keeping up with... because it has no story arc (so far) to carry the "plot", just nonsensical episodes on episodes that don't really connect unless they joke on past episodes events.

The series revolves around Gintoki, Kagura and Shimura. The description of their job is "odd jobs" - they will literally do anything for money (but they're so outrages it usually ends badly, so they're constantly broke). The anime relies and the dynamics between them, which are ridiculous to watch. A bit like a dysfunctional family.

It's extreme funny (though, just from the first episode of the sequel I can determine that one is even funnier) and you spend most of the episodes baffled and going WTF, but with a teasing smile at the corner of your mouth as your brain tries to figure out what's going on and then decides it's just not worth the headache.

It also relies on references and 'inside jokes'. I don't always get the references (I am not that knowledgeable about popular anime, especially in the last few years), but those I did get kind of killed me.

The strength of Gintama is that I can put it aside when I don't feel up to it (and when there's no overall plot to suck me in, I usually don't feel up to it) and pick it up again when I need a pick-me-up without having to re-watch any of the episodes prior to it.

I will definitely keep up with this show, but it might take me years to finish it - it will all depend on when I'm "in the mood" for random nonsense.

*The number detailed here is accurate to the time this post was written on. 
**The # is also based on the anime page and not the list, as MAL's Top List has a general view that includes movies, OVAs and the likes and a narrowed list of just the Anime. I go by the narrowed list, but the anime page goes by the general. 

Anime Review: Asura Cryin' | Less Boobs, More Plot Please!

Asura Cryin'
6 out 13 Episodes, dropped

Aired: Apr 2, 2009 to Jun 25, 2009
Followed by: Asura Cryin' 2

Action, Mecha, Supernatural

Rating:

Natsume Tomoharu is a normal high-school student in every way with one exception: he's being followed by the ghost of his best friend, Misao.
After moving into his brother's old house, Tomoharu expects to continue living his normal life but is one day left with a mysterious and locked briefcase without any instruction. At first he plans to leave it in storage; however, his house is soon invaded by multiple groups of people after the briefcase. Although still not knowing the purpose of the briefcase, Tomoharu and Misao attempt to escape with it.
From there on, Tomoharu tries to learn the secrets behind the briefcase, the connections between it and Misao, and why it has the power to change the world.

The main trio, wearing their best face imo

Once upon a time, I used to religiously watch anime. And by that I mean I watched at least six full anime a month. You could say that's all I did the years I took a break from reading. And then, I re-discovered books and took a step back from anime.

One of my goals in 2016 is to clean my currently-watching list of anime (some of them all the way back from 2011). In order to do that, I'm basically re-watching the anime because god help me but I remember absolutely nothing of some of these.

The first one I'm reviewing is Asura Cryin', a fantasy/sci-fi/rom com type of anime. That I didn't even finish because there is so many better things to do with my time than force myself through pointless episodes of a pointless anime.

Both in my original attempt to watch it and this re-watch I ceased my attempts at episode 6, which is halfway into the series. And if by halfway into it I still have no idea what it's supposed to be about, then that says something.

This series opens up with Tomoharu, our protagonist, moving into a new house with his friend Misao. The ghost. Just another day in the household, I guess. Then we meet an assortment of characters (from Takatsuki to Shuri), none of which stand out in any way. They're all very one dimensional.

Then, the first episode ends with a high-note of what appears like it's going to be an epic battle with machines and firearm and fire powers and--Nope, the second episodes starts the next morning, all chill and relaxed, opting to let the tension fizzle into nothing and let everyone be all calm as if nothing even happened. What?

Looks cool, right?

The series had a tendency to troll us this way often; ending episodes in an exciting cliffhanger (usually one that has to do with fighting) just as someone is about to shoot a gun (metaphorically or not) in order to make us watch the next episode, but then basically say "Oh, yeah, that was no big deal. Just kidding". I didn't like that.

But, had there been some kind of plot, I would've over looked it. But the point is, there is none. Oh, it raises plenty of questions in the six episodes I've seen, but no one is actually looking for an answer. 

Imagine one day, someone gives you a suitcase. That evening, you're attacked from three directions by people who want that case, and in order to survive you open that case and out of it comes a monster, that you can control (eventually) with the help of your ghost friend. Are you going to accept it, or investigate what the fuck is it, and why and where and why you and ton of other shit?

Huh, I guess you accept it and ask nothing at all of anyone because, life.

And, being the type of series this is, if you don't ask... then no one's going to explain. Hence, by the sixth episodes, we have more questions than patient and no foreseeable answers in our futures.

So we just kind of have to accept the fact some humans are apparently "demons" in this show because... fire powers? And machines just come out of shadows and unite with ghosts because it's awesome? And everyone knows something about Tomo is going to bring destruction unless (dot dot dot) but hey, guess it doesn't matter why. Or how. Or to even share it with Tomo to prevent it. Because... err.... just because?

And on top of that, ton of time wasting on stupid sex-jokes (and I say stupid because c'mon, boob and pantie jokes are so third grade. Get a hold of yourselves, seriously). It's not funny and it's time consuming when you're already not spending enough on progressing the plot somwehre.

Random forced boob grab is random!
Especially when the next thing that comes is an exclamation that the world has already ended once before. wtf. 

Yes, when I realized I just wasted 120 minutes of my life on virtually nothing, I had to take a step back and decide this might be better as a dropped series after all.

I'm sure at one point the series gets to the point. But if it hadn't even taken some steps towards that by the half mark, it's not going to be satisfying either way because time-limits will ensure it will be rushed and confusing. 

Plots need time to build. So, less boobs and more plot would've been good. Alas.

At least it's not on my currently-watching list anymore.