Updated January 27, 2023 by Ernie
Gintama, as we all know, is one of the most beloved and best known comedic anime of all time. If that wasn’t enough already, the creator also added a historic, and sci-fi undertone to it to make it as complex as it comes. If you’re into hilarious, action focused anime with great stories, this one is definitely for you.
Table of Contents
What’s this? Do you have difficulty figuring out what order you should watch the anime and its extras? Well, you’ve come to just the right place.
Today you will receive whatever info you may have needed concerning this topic, right here. Join me then, and let’s travel back to the age of samurai that looks a little too modern, all thanks to the aliens who own the land. Let’s dive in!
HOW TO WATCH GINTAMA
The Chronological order
Gintama Release Order
Gintama consists of a total of 367 episodes, divided into 7 different series spanning from 2006 all the way to 2018. The original series was 201 episodes in total in 4 seasons. The remaining 166 were split between the other 6 series respectively.
Gintama (2006-2010, 4 seasons, 201 episodes)
Total Episodes: 201
About Season:
An alien race called the Amanto came down from outer space and conquered Earth, especially the feudal era Japan. Due to this, swords have been banned across the country and the samurai have lost their way of living.
There is one man though, Gintoki Sakata, who pretty much spits at these changes and the early appearance of modern day technology in his world. He still lives the honorable life of a samurai, even if this might not be completely clear from the way Yorozuya, his team works. Together with his friends, Shinpachi, Kagura and their pet dog Sadaharu, they go on odd and epic adventures.
They work odd jobs for a living, but that’s far from meaning their lives are simple or peaceful. The police, assassins, terrorists, and other weird elements constantly keep getting in their way. This almost always results in crazy, odd and hilariously funny situations.
Gintama (2011, 51 episodes)
Total Episodes: 51
About Season:
After being away from Edo for a year, Shinpachi notices how much Gintoki and Kagura have changed in the meantime. And not just that, all of Edo has undergone some extreme changes in appearance and personality alike, not just Yorozuya.
If this wasn’t enough, his sister married the leader of Shinsengumi, Kondou, and is now pregnant. After the initial shock, Shinpachi agrees to join Shinsengumi by their request. Here is when he finds out that even the organisation has changed drastically. He does find an ally in the only person who has not changed at all.
Together, the two of them set out to return the entire city to normal. This is however just scratching the surface of an even bigger adventure of the Yorozuya group.
Gintama Enchousen (2012, 13 episodes)
Total Episodes: 13
About Season:
Gintoki has been away for some time and in his place a new leader named Kintoki, his blond doppelganger was elected. In fact, no one seems to remember Gintoki, and he needs to fight his way back to his old position of leader and main character of the series.
Yorozuya later travels to the Red-light District of Yoshiwara where they learn the past of the denizens in the form of a bunch of flashbacks, while fighting to protect the everlasting love with all their might.
Gintama (2015, 51 episodes)
Total Episodes: 51
About Season:
Yorozuya is back once again, to their regular, jobless, but funny as hell lives. All while continuing to live day-to-day due to Gintoki’s pachinko addiction.
After an alien ship crashes near their home, Gintoki meets one of the crew members. The alien hands him an item that looks like a watch supposed to possess incredible power and is just as dangerous. He accidentally breaks the watch and soon the entire world is seemingly frozen in time.
Yorozuya’s next adventure begins, to get the watch fixed, but nothing is ever easy for them, now is it?
Gintama (2017, 12 episodes)
Total Episodes: 12
About Season:
Yorozuya joins the resistance against the Bakufu and is being pursued by Katsura and the Joui rebels. They are later requested to find Takasugi who went missing after his ship was attacked by pirates who turned against them.
Nobume meanwhile makes an interesting discovery about Tendoushuu, a secret organisation in control of numerous factions in Edo during that era. Their leader is Utsuro who resembles Gintoki’s former master.
Later, the Yorozuya and Katsura set out to Kagura’s home planet, where a war is brewing slowly. Here, the final fight against the Tendoushuu finally ensues.
Gintama Porori-Hen (2018, 13 episodes)
Total Episodes: 13
About Season:
Taking a break from the usual daily routine of fighting against Tenshouin Naraku and the Tendoushuu, the series once more takes back to the classic times when Yorozuya were still working odd jobs.
Umibozu, the great space hunter, returns to Edo only to be greeted by the news of his daughter, Kagura, having a boyfriend. Since Gintoki was left in charge of her, he’s first to be blamed, but maybe it’s time he let his daughter stand on her own feet in life. Good thing, there isn’t any love triangles happening by then, or is there that I might not be aware of?
Gintama Silver Soul Arc (2018, 12 episodes)
Total Episodes: 12
About Season:
After a huge battle on Kaguya’s home planet, Rakuyou, Utsuro who is the leader of the Tendoushuu reveals his grand plan: lure out the Altana Liberation Army. Utsuro’s plan is to destroy both Earth and himself, and almost succeeds.
The final battle to retake the land of the Samurai begins at the O-Edo Central terminal. Yorozuya is nowhere to be found, the Shogun’s missing as well, and the Liberation army ransacks the land under the false guise of freeing them from the Tendoushuu rule.
Gintoki and his team have to put their differences with others aside and fight together in defense of what is most important to them.
Gintama Movies Watch Order
Gintama: The Movie (2010)
Duration: 1 Hour 35 Minute
Movie Storyline:
Gintoki, Kagura and Shinpachi live their ordinary life, day after day, working to make a living in Edo. However, their old acquaintance, Katsura, disappears after an assassin attacks him. Kagura and Shinpachi start investigating the case, trying to find Katsura and the identity of the assailant.
Gintoki at the time takes on a job that seems in no way related to this: The blacksmith, Tetsuya, requests him to recover Benizakura, a mysterious and incredibly powerful sword. The sword was stolen recently.
However, the two cases seem to cross paths more than one time and soon Yorozuya are involved in a conspiracy focused around the dark powers of the Benizakura. Gintoki and some unexpected allies are formed, settling out unexpected twists in the story finally settle this case.
Gintama: Yorinuki Gintama-san on Theater 2D (2012)
Episodes: 2
Duration: 1 Hour 36 Minute Per Movie
Movie Storyline:
Second commander of the Shinsengumi, Toushiro Hijikata gets his hand on a cursed sword that turns him into a hopeless otaku. He tries his hardest to break the curse. While a new ambitious member of the Shinsengumi successfully disposes of him.
Itou Kamotarou not only gets one up against Hijikata, but he also turns out to be much more sinister than it seems at first. His actions endanger Shinsengumi itself.
Meanwhile, Yorozuya may be in for getting a new member. A young woman with a hidden dark craving for violence approaches them, but on the outside she seems harmless enough. Pirako as she’s called has strong connections with the Kabuki District in Edo, and due to her arrival, a war erupts in the district.
Gintama: The Final Chapter – Be Forever Yorozuya, Gintama Movie 2 (2013)
Duration: 1 Hour 50 Minute
Movie Storyline:
Gintoki apprehends a movie pirate, but ends up transported into a post-apocalyptic version of Edo. A mysterious epidemic, the White Plague, has beset the whole world here. As it later turns out, what Gintoki apprehended was not a movie pirate, but an android time machine, which sent him five years into the future.
Kagura and Shinpachi have turned against each other and now work as solo players since Gintoki disappeared without a trace with only a message left in his diary.
Gintoki has to reunite his team and get to the bottom of the White Plague. Thankfully, he succeeds in finding a way to save the future, but it lies in his own past. Luckily enough, even while facing impossible odds, he’s not alone, thanks to his friends and allies, even in the darkest hour.
Gintama: The Final (2021)
Duration: 1 Hour 44 Minute
Movie Storyline:
The Series ended in a dud, as it never was finally finished, but Utsuro was put out of commission for some time in the most epic one on everyone battle in anime history. However after a time skip, he turns out to still be alive, in a way.
The movie depicts Utsuro’s rebirth, as well as Shoyo and Utsuro’s inner battle.
The film is produced by Sunrise studio, directed by Yoichi Fujita and written by Yousuke Kuroda, both of them having worked on the anime series adaptation. The film is considered the conclusion to the original series, following a story arc that brings closure to the main conflict of the series. Gintama: The Final received positive reception from both the fans and critics, being praised for its storytelling and character development.
It was commended for staying true to the tone of the original series while also bringing a satisfying conclusion to the long-running story. The film brings back all the beloved characters from the series, as well as introducing new ones, making for a memorable experience for both new and long-time fans of the series.
Gintama OVA Watch Order
Gintama: Aizome Kaori-hen
Episodes: 2
OVA Storyline:
The drug, Aizen Kou, spreads in the Yoshiwara Red-light District, and it causes anyone to fall in love with the first person they see. The drug was thought to have disappeared completely, but now it’s back and has all of Yoshiwara under its spell.
Tsukuyo, the cold-hearted Hyakka captain is among those afflicted, and the worst part is, the first person he sees is Gintoki. What’s funny is that she was already attracted to him, but now these feelings burst onto the surface stronger than ever.
Gintama Specials Watch Order
Gintama: Jump Festa 2005 Special
Episodes: 1
Specials Storyline:
The Amanto Aliens have conquered feudal Japan and caused the world to go into complete chaos and despair. Swords were banned and the samurai lost their old position and fame, while the Amanto terrorized the country.
Katsura, the leader of the Anti-Foreigner Faction, takes up arms to get rid of the Amanto, even if he needs to resort to violence. He gets his hands on a giant robot and attacks Shinsengumi, the protectors of Edo.
The Yorozuya in the meantime are hanging out, to look at the cherry blossoms. The Shinsengumi show up to cause trouble, but the incident is finally settled by Rock-paper-scissors.
Gintama: Jump Festa 2008 Special
Episodes: 1
Specials Storyline:
A movie trailer spoof that was meant to depict a trailer for an animated movie that never came to be.
The episode acts as a bridge between two arcs of the series, featuring a stand-alone story that centers around the characters of the anime and their usual antics. This episode is notable for introducing the character of Katsura’s companion, Elizabeth. Gintama: Jump Festa 2008 Special received the expected applause from the audience and it is considered as one of the best episodes of the series. It features a mix of comedy and action, which is the staple of the Gintama series. It is a must-watch for fans of the series and also a great entry point for newcomers.
Gintama Harumatsuri 2010
Episodes: 1
Specials Storyline:
A sort of recap of the first four seasons of the show. A few of the most important characters get together and recall events and regrets connected to the series thus far.
Gintama: Shinyaku Benizakura-hen (2010)
Episodes: 1
Specials Storyline:
A special episode bundled with the movie of the same title. The gag about it is that they reuse footage from the beginning of the season and all that changed was the conversation, especially when Shinpachi complains about reused footage being used more and more.
Gintama: Jump Festa 2014 Special
Episodes: 1
Specials Storyline:
A special included with the 58th edition manga. The catchy tagline reads: „”It’s time for the Yorozuya Members… to wake up just one more time.”
This is actually a special episode that is not even aired! But we still got the storyline so listen up. You know Lake Toya Hermit? He somewhat thinks that the series is about to end. So, what he did was pursue Gintoki to finally learn the techniques kept secret for a long time. Unfortunately and unexpectedly his parents showed up, so considering how chaotic things can go in this series, it’s up to you to watch what happened!
Gintama: Jump Festa 2015 Special
Episodes: 1
Specials Storyline:
A special episode that also serves as the preview of the upcoming new story arc that is promising to be the biggest hit yet. Speaks of the difficulties of this having been produced mid season.
Conclusion: Did Gintama Watch Order Help You?
And I guess that concludes this blog post. Gintama has earned its reputation well among its fans, and I can see why they consider it the never ending epic… it has no bad episodes! Even if the final movie has officially ended the story. But we can never be sure. Gintoki and his crew could be back some day. Anyway, leave your humorous memories about this anime epic in the comments below! Until next time.
