What she says: Gintama has no plot
What I scream back: Gintama is a complex, historical anime based on the transition Japan makes at the end of the Edo Period. This period is marked, historically, by the arrival of « the black ships »; which has brilliantly been mapped onto an alien invasion. While not keeping with history entirely, many characters have corresponding historical figures who the author, Sorachi-sensei, has taken real traits and historical facts about and incorporated them into their character development in a way to fit his own story. The plot follows through the different ways Edo (the planet Gintama takes place on) has been stricken by corruption, each plot arc deepening the complex web of characters and organizations involved in all the conspiracy within or influencing the government and/or universe. The plot, then, is Gintoki and all of his comrades’ (sometimes accidental) endeavour to keep their friends, and consequently Edo, safe from the evil influencing the bakufu, all while incidentally uncovering new, more sinister threats to their planet, government, and way of life. Bring this further to before the series began with the war that brought us to where we begin, and you will find a sub-storyline of Gintoki’s past and how his former allies have taken the paths they have chosen, justifying the good, evil, and sometimes stupidity they exude. Gintama, however, is now at the very end of the Edo Period, and most recent arcs involving the Shogun and Shinsengumi mark the transition Japan will make into the Meiji Era. Gintama is filled with death, war, tears, laughs, hope, and strong bonds of friendship across all walks of life. This plot is broken up by long chunks of nonsensical, outrageously comedic chapters/episodes and arcs that are meant to either develop characters or their relationships across and within their respective groups or organizations in order to justify their actions taken and teamwork in the plot arcs, or have no purpose at all except to make you laugh and fall in love with all of the silly, beautiful characters. Now, say Gintama has no plot one more time, bitch.