Gintama: Collection 1

Based on an ongoing manga series written and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi beginning in 2003, Gintama presents an alternative-universe version of feudal Japan, where extraterrestrials known as the Amanto have conquered the country and banned the use or public display of swords. The aliens' gifts of modern technology—including motorized vehicles and television—fail to mollify the disgruntled samurai, who find themselves out of work in this new weapon-free Japan. The story centers on silver-haired Gintoki Sakata, who defies the Amanto ban on blades while embarking on freelance endeavors in this strange and frequently inhospitable environment. Supported by teenage sidekick Shinpachi Shimura and alien girl Kagura (with her raucous dog), Gintoki engages in plenty of slapstick action typical of the genre. To its credit, Gintama never takes itself too seriously and Gintoki's offbeat slacker personality brings some welcome humor to the mix (how often does a central character routinely fall behind in his rent payments?), but the series begins to tread fairly familiar ground (bad-attitude heroes, violent aliens, inept gangsters, assorted weirdoes) before long. Compiling the first 13 episodes of the 2006 debut season in a two-disc set in Japanese with English subtitles, rated TV-14, this is a strong optional purchase. [Note: Gintama: Collection 2 is also newly available.] Aud: P. (P. Hall)