by The anime “Gintama ” is famous for its risqué parodies. In episode 150, a scene was shown that was almost identical to the “Congratulations End” of the hit sci-fi anime, in which a boy and a girl fight a giant humanoid with a decisive weapon, leaving many viewers astonished.
In the final episode of “Gintama (3rd Year),” episode 150, a fierce battle suddenly breaks out, and a serious development unfolds in which Sakata Gintoki (voiced by Sugita Tomokazu) is defeated. The other members also collapse, powerless, and Shimura Shinpachi (voiced by Sakaguchi Daisuke), left alone, holds Gintoki in his arms and screams.
The screen went blank, and a rough sketch of Shinpachi floated in space. “This isn’t the ending I wanted. I just wanted to carry on my father’s wishes and revive the dojo,” Shinpachi monologues. As the scene plays, the background turns red, and flashbacks to the events leading up to that point play behind a translucent image of Shinpachi.
In subsequent scenes, Kagura (voiced by Kugimiya Rie), Katsura Kotaro (voiced by Ishida Akira), and “Madao” Hasegawa Taizo (voiced by Tachiki Fumihiko) all speak to Shinpachi in the spiritual realm.
After much deliberation, Shinpachi finally answers, and all the characters from before appear at once. Shinpachi is in a place that seems to be high above the city, and the people around him applaud and say “Congratulations” against a blue sky in the background. As the screen goes dark and words like “Thank you, Otsukare” and “Goodbye, Gintoki” appear, Shinpachi furiously retorts, “Isn’t that a complete rip-off?”
The scene where the characters applaud and say “Congratulations” is almost identical in composition and dialogue to the final scene of the popular anime in which the main character fights with a giant humanoid weapon. Many memorable cuts of Shinpachi are also identical to scenes that appeared in the final episode of the same show. Furthermore, voice actors Ishida Akira, who plays Katsura, and Tachiki Fumihiko, who plays Madao, also appeared in the original work on which this parody is based.
Even now in the Reiwa era, the “ 100% synchronization” parody continues to elicit laughter from viewers, with comments such as “It’s so accurate, lol,” “The fact that the voice actors are the same really gets to me,” and “I laugh at the parody of the final episode no matter how many times I watch it.”
The anime ” Gintama ” is based on a hugely popular manga by Hideaki Sorachi. The original manga was serialized in “Weekly Shonen Jump” (Shueisha) and other publications from 2003 to 2019, and the comic series has sold a total of 73 million copies worldwide (including digital versions). It is an exciting entertainment packed with gags, spectacular action, human feelings, and bonds. It has been adapted not only into a TV anime but also into a theatrical anime and a live-action film, both of which have been well received.
