Gintama
Set in an alternate-history Edo where the Amanto — extraterrestrial beings — have forced the country open, Gintoki Sakata runs the jack-of-all-trades 'Yorozuya' with Shinpachi Shimura and Kagura, taking on odd jobs while confronting the scars of his past. A manga by Hideaki Sorachi blending sci-fi, gag comedy, action, and human drama, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2004 to 2019 (77 volumes).
- Genre:
- SF / コメディ / アクション / バトル / 少年漫画
- Medium:
- Manga / Anime / Film
Gintama — Timeline20 events
Birth of Utsuro — the Altana Mutant and the Beginning of Immortality
A human exposed to Altana — the life energy emitted by planets — awakens as an immortal mutant. Over five centuries of repeated death and revival, the being develops countless personas and is eventually absorbed into the Tendoshu. This entity would later manifest as both Yoshida Shoyo and Utsuro, becoming central to the series' endgame.
— Backstory revealed in the Rakuyo and Silver Soul arcs. The '500 years' figure is stated in-story.
Yoshida Shoyo Establishes the Shoka Sonjuku School
Yoshida Shoyo, a gentle persona formed within the immortal being Utsuro, opened the Shoka Sonjuku — a free private school teaching swordsmanship and learning to children regardless of social status. He discovered young Gintoki Sakata wandering a battlefield and took him in as his first student, setting the stage for raising the generation of Joui patriots.
— Revealed in flashbacks across the Shogun Assassination and Rakuyo arcs.
The Amanto Land and Force the Country Open — the Shogunate Surrenders and the Sword Ban Is Imposed
Extraterrestrial beings called Amanto arrived on Earth and used overwhelming military force to coerce the Edo shogunate into opening the country. The shogunate surrendered and became a puppet regime controlled by the Tendoshu, the secretive ruling body of the Amanto. A Sword Abolishment Edict was subsequently issued, stripping samurai of their defining purpose.
— Core world-building backdrop of the series. '20 years ago' is referenced repeatedly in-story.
The Joui War Breaks Out — Gintoki, Takasugi, Katsura, and Sakamoto Go to War
Joui patriots across Japan rose up against the Amanto occupation and the shogunate forces that aided them, sparking the Joui War. Shoka Sonjuku disciples Gintoki Sakata, Takasugi Shinsuke, Katsura Kotaro, and Sakamoto Tatsuma all took to the battlefield. Gintoki fought with overwhelming sword power, earning the fearsome epithet 'White Demon' (Shiroyasha).
— Referenced and depicted in flashbacks throughout the series. The 'Shiroyasha' epithet is mentioned across multiple arcs.
Execution of Yoshida Shoyo — Gintoki's Choice and the Fracturing of the Joui Patriots
The Tendoshu's machinations led to the massacre of the rebel forces; Gintoki, Takasugi, and Katsura were captured. The Tendoshu gave Gintoki a cruel ultimatum: execute Shoyo or watch Takasugi and Katsura be killed. Gintoki killed his teacher to honor Shoyo's own wish to protect his students, creating an irreparable rift with Takasugi. Takasugi subsequently lost his left eye and swore to destroy the world.
— Fully revealed in the Shogun Assassination and Rakuyo arcs. Depicted as the defining tragedy of the characters' shared past.
End of the Joui War and Formation of the Shinsengumi
The protracted Joui War ended, and Japan transitioned into a coexistence regime with the Amanto. The Sword Abolishment Edict took firm hold and the country's resources were depleted. In parallel, the Shinsengumi — a special armed police force — was formed by the shogunate to apprehend surviving Joui activists. Kondou Isao, Hijikata Toshiro, and Okita Sougo became its key leaders.
— Series world-building. Shinsengumi's founding is depicted as post-Joui War in various sources.
Gintoki Sakata Opens the Yorozuya — Shinpachi Shimura and Kagura Join
After drifting following the Joui War, Gintoki Sakata settled in Kabukicho, Edo, and opened 'Yorozuya Gin-chan,' a jack-of-all-trades shop. Shinpachi Shimura, heir to a struggling sword dojo, started working there; soon after, Kagura — a girl of the fierce Yato clan — and her giant dog Sadaharu joined, forming the trio-plus-one at the heart of the series.
— Established in the opening chapters and first episodes. Shinpachi and Kagura join within the early chapters of the manga.
Benizakura Arc — the Cursed Blade and Takasugi's Kiheitai
A series of street killings and Katsura Kotaro's disappearance lead the Yorozuya to investigate the cursed blade 'Benizakura.' Behind the incidents stands Takasugi Shinsuke's terrorist organization Kiheitai, which has fused Amanto technology with the dangerous sword. Badly wounded, Gintoki defeats the Kiheitai with the help of his allies and rescues Katsura. This is the first major serious arc in the series.
— Corresponds to manga vols. 8–9. Anime episodes 58–61 (original broadcast).
Shinsengumi Chaos Arc — the Cursed Sword and Internal Coup
Hijikata Toshiro comes into possession of a soul-devouring cursed sword and undergoes a drastic personality change. Busujima Henpeita, a former Mimawarigumi member who recently joined the Shinsengumi, attempts an internal coup to oust Commander Kondou. Gintoki and the Yorozuya work alongside the Shinsengumi to stop the plot and preserve the organization.
— Manga vols. 19–20. Corresponds to the second anime season.
Yoshiwara in Flames Arc — the Underground Pleasure District and the Yato Clan's Past
In Yoshiwara, the underground pleasure district controlled by the Amanto, Kagura's brother Kamui and the hired fighter Tsukuyo stir up conflict. The district's lord is revealed to be of the Yato clan; Gintoki and his allies are drawn into the blazing battles and Yato clan strife. The arc explores the savage nature and sorrow underlying Kagura's people.
— Manga vols. 25–26. Anime episodes 139–146.
Red Spider Arc — an Organization Targeting Yoshiwara and Tsukuyo's Past
A man with a spider tattoo on his neck plots to destroy Yoshiwara. Gintoki and Tsukuyo infiltrate his organization, the Red Spiders. Tsukuyo's past and her troubled relationship with her mentor are revealed as the battle to protect Yoshiwara unfolds. This arc serves as a sequel to the Yoshiwara in Flames arc.
— Long arc following the Yoshiwara in Flames arc in the anime's second series.
Shogun Assassination Arc — Conspiracy to Kill the Shogun and Truths of the Past
An assassination plot targeting Shogun Tokugawa Shigeshige draws Gintoki, the Shinsengumi, and the Yorozuya into a sweeping political conflict. Multiple factions — including Takasugi and Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu — maneuver in the shadows, and fragmented truths about who executed Yoshida Shoyo are revealed. Shogun Tokugawa Shigeshige is killed by the arc's end.
— Manga lessons 502–524. Anime season 4, episodes 300–307.
Farewell Shinsengumi Arc — Escape from Kurounawashima and Resistance Against the New Regime
Under the new Shogun Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu, the Shinsengumi faces dissolution and Commander Kondou is imprisoned on the near-impregnable island prison Kurounawashima. The Yorozuya, Katsura's Joui forces, and remnants of the Mimawarigumi unite to mount a rescue operation. After fierce battles against the Naraku assassination unit, Kondou escapes.
— Manga lessons 525–551. Anime season 4, episodes 308–316.
Rakuyo Decisive Battle Arc — Utsuro's True Identity, Kagura's Family, and the Reunion of the Joui Patriots
The stage shifts to outer space as Kagura reunites with her brother Kamui and father Umibouzu, confronting the fate of the Yato clan. Meanwhile, Utsuro — a key figure in the Tendoshu — is revealed to be the same immortal being as Yoshida Shoyo. The former Joui patriots Gintoki, Katsura, Sakamoto, and Takasugi converge, and open conflict with Utsuro and the Tendoshu begins.
— Anime season 4, episodes 317–328. The major arc immediately preceding the manga's endgame.
Silver Soul Arc — War Begins: the Altana Liberation Army Invades Edo
Utsuro corrupts the Altana reserves of multiple planets to trigger a universal war, and the Tendoshu's greatest enemy — the Altana Liberation Army — invades Edo. With the shogunate on the verge of collapse and the Yorozuya missing, the people of Edo are left defenseless. Former students of the Shoka Sonjuku set aside their differences and unite for the final battle to reclaim the Earth.
— Manga from lesson 596. Anime season 5 (Silver Soul Arc) from episode 342.
Death of Takasugi Shinsuke and the Final Reckoning Among Old Comrades
Takasugi Shinsuke, who had sworn to destroy the world, confronts Gintoki in the final phase and ultimately acknowledges their shared fury at Utsuro. He expends his remaining life protecting his comrades and dies. The long-standing rift between the former Shoka Sonjuku disciples finds its resolution in these final moments.
— Late Silver Soul Arc. Takasugi's death is depicted at length in the manga.
Final Battle with Utsuro — Resolution of the Earth Liberation War
Gintoki, Katsura, Sakamoto, and the broader coalition — Yorozuya, Shinsengumi, and the navy among them — wage an all-out war against Utsuro, the Altana mutant who sought Earth's destruction as his path to death. As Earth's Altana fluctuates, Utsuro is ultimately stopped and the planet's annihilation is prevented.
— Climax of the Silver Soul Arc (around manga lesson 700).
Post-War Recovery in Edo — the Yorozuya Disbands and Gintoki Disappears
With the Liberation Army defeated, Edo begins to recover. Gintoki vanishes in the postwar upheaval, and Shinpachi and Kagura go their separate ways for a time. The Shinsengumi also reorganizes. Each character steps into a new chapter following the battles and partings they have endured.
— Late-to-final chapters of the Silver Soul Arc. The disbanding and subsequent reunion are depicted in the manga.
The Yorozuya Reunites — a Promise of 'See You Tomorrow'
Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura — who had scattered after the war — return to Edo and reconvene as the Yorozuya. Despite the harrowing battles and farewells, the trio's bond remains unchanged, and they step back into the everyday rhythms of Kabukicho.
— Final chapters of the Silver Soul Arc. The Yorozuya's reunion is depicted in the final volume of the manga.
Epilogue — Each Character's Afterwards and the New Everyday of Edo
After the Silver Soul Arc concludes, survivors each begin new everyday lives. Edo continues to change while people's lives go on; the Yorozuya keeps taking odd jobs in Kabukicho as always. The story ends with the completion of the manga's 77 volumes.
— Manga vol. 77, final chapter. Serialization concluded in 2019.
About data reliability: This is an unofficial, fan-made site. All rights to each work belong to their respective owners. It is an index and guide to the official works, not a substitute for them.