After years of fake-out endings, Gintama: The Very Final marks the definitive end to the long-running Gintama anime series. Originally a manga published in the Japanese magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump, Hideaki Sorachi’s Gintama is best known in the manga and anime community as a series lampooning the conventions of shōnen media (manga and anime for teenage boys). From Dragon Ball and One Piece to Bleach and Naruto, no major shōnen anime or manga series had been left out of Gintama’s frequent gags. However, beyond parody, Gintama also had a lot of heart and love for its characters and story. The Very Final is no different, balancing humor effortlessly with genuine drama and action.
Intentionally broken into parts as a callback to its serialized roots, the movie opens with a narrator summarizing events that preceded the film. The narration serves as both a refresher for longtime fans and an entertaining primer for any newcomers, offering some insight into who all the important characters are and explaining why samurai from 1800s Japan is facing off with aliens. It’s a fun and intentionally rambling prologue, self-aware and full of the expected fourth-wall breaks and references.
It also sets the tone of the movie, as it’s followed by a more serious flashback sequence that ties more directly to the main plot, focusing on the series protagonist Gintoki Sakata and his former childhood schoolmates, Kotaro Katsura and Shinsuke Takasugi. They have banded together one last time to take down the Tendoushuu, a faction of aliens who seek to achieve true immortality by resurrecting the trio’s teacher, Shouyou Yoshida, no matter the cost.
Not one moment of screen time is wasted. The movie is full of wonderfully animated action sequences and equally enjoyable gags that admittedly sacrifice animation for quality of laughs. This erratic jumping between tone and animation quality may leave some viewers feeling winded, but ultimately this movie is for fans of the anime and manga. The Very Final is at its very best when focusing on its characters and their established relationships, finding its emotional core in the complicated and often antagonistic relationship between Gintoki and Shinsuke.
It’s a satisfying conclusion for the series, though it may not answer everything. Standing independent from the series itself, the movie also proves to be a worthwhile experience for fans of shōnen anime in general, but it is not a movie that’s friendly to anime newcomers due to its reliance on references both textual and meta. But the beauty of Gintama: The Very Final is that it has a clear identity and purpose, perfectly blending comedy and catharsis and knowing who its target audience is. It understands its roots and is sure to satisfy its fans with a loving sendoff.
The Blu-ray and DVD also come with a 16-page booklet featuring character art and storyboard which is fun to thumb through but offers little else by way of special features. However, the movie itself is a worthwhile purchase for any fan of the series, making it a perfect addition to a dedicated anime film collection.
What kind of film collection would this title be suitable for?
Gintama: The Very Final is ideal for anime fans and collectors. It would also make a great addition for high schools, colleges, and universities with a dedicated anime club.
What public library shelves would this title be on?
If available, this title would be found on a dedicated anime shelf. In cases where a public library does not have a dedicated anime section, it would also be best categorized under adult animation or foreign language film.
What ages would this children’s film be suitable for?
Gintama: The Very Final is suitable for audiences thirteen and up. Due to violence, language, and suggestive content, this movie is not recommended for young children.