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Gintama
Episode 291

by Amy McNulty,

How would you rate episode 291 of
Gintama (TV 4/2015) ?
Community score: 4.5

This week's episode wraps up Sakamoto and Mutsu's backstory in an entertaining but altogether predictable fashion. How did Sakamoto come to commandeer a space fleet for his merchant enterprise, and how did former space pirate Mutsu come to be his right-hand woman? Episode 291 has the answers.

Continuing hot off the heels of the previous installment, the cackling space merchant and his Gal Friday find themselves at the mercy of Mutsu's former second-in-command, who has sentenced them both to death. Not surprisingly, the villain's face continues to be obscured by an assortment of pixelated gross-out gags. However, he's not the only one to have his features humorously hidden this week. By the end of the episode, even Gintoki and Sakamoto become part of the joke.

This week's Gintama utilizes an interesting storytelling device, interweaving the story of Sakamoto and Mutsu's past closely with the events unfolding in the present. Their current battle against the unnamed, blurry-faced slave ship commander is highly reminiscent of their initial conflict with him. Throughout much of the episode, every scene set in the present has a parallel to what transpired in the past. We eventually learn that the slaves abducted by Mutsu's former crew work for the Kaientai now, and their last-second rescues helped turn the tide of battle in both the past and present. While he may seem carefree and idiotic, Sakamoto is able to inspire loyalty in those who follow him. Equal parts brilliant and foolhardy, he's somehow able to make it through any ordeal, guffawing all the while. Even his dumb idea to sell briefcases designed specifically to carry 50 million yen pays off in the end.

Nonetheless, I'd like to have learned more about what makes Sakamoto so inspiring to Mutsu. Sure, he represented a better alternative to a life of space piracy, but by the time Mutsu chose to rally behind him, she had already been marked for death and didn't have much of a choice. Sakamoto claims to offer a "home" to those without one, such as the freed slaves. Since Mutsu left behind the only life she ever knew when her crew rebelled, this may also apply to her. However, that still doesn't seem like enough to inspire this abnormally strong woman to never leave his side. On the subject of Mutsu's strength, this episode also reveals that she's of Yato lineage. (In hindsight, the sun hat should have been a dead giveaway.) Gintoki, in full-on executive producer mode, reacts to this revelation with anger, claiming that Kagura now seems less special. After the credits, Kagura herself responds in a similar manner.

While the art remains pleasant for the most part, the animation is fairly limited this week. Save for the sequences that showcase Mutsu's Herculean strength, the episode is very light on movement. In most scenes, characters can't even be troubled to blink. Fortunately, there's enough story development and character interaction to make the animation shortcuts less noticeable.

The extended post-credits sequence, which eats up nearly a third of the episode, is actually more humorous than the story that preceded it. In keeping with the episode's limited animation, an establishing shot of Odd Jobs Gin-chan is the only image shown throughout the bulk of the segment. Although we don't actually see them, Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura can be heard discussing various production issues and plot details from inside the building. Sequences of this nature are often used to bookend episodes that don't fill out their entire runtime, and the playful banter between the Odd Jobs crew is funny enough to excuse the utter lack of animation. To celebrate the latest season being renewed for a third cour, fan-favorite characters like Ginko, Hijikata-as-Gintoki, and Dozaemon get cameos. This sequence is a prime example of the show's ability to do a lot with a little.

While not particularly memorable, the two-episode arc highlighting how Mutsu and Sakamoto met ends satisfyingly enough. It's light on animation and not quite as funny as other episodes in the series, but the insight into character backstories that were long overdue makes the whole adventure worthwhile.

Rating: B

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Amy is a YA fantasy author who has loved anime for two decades.


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