The first episode of the new TV anime Gintama: 3-Nen Z-Gumi Ginpachi-sensei, based on the spin-off novel of the same name, aired today, October 7 (late night of the 6th) on TV Tokyo. From the very beginning, it was filled with over-the-top gags and references to Dragon Ball and Akira Toriyama, quickly becoming a hot topic online.

The episode playfully tackled the question: why is Gintama, a series that already concluded, returning as a new anime even if it’s a spin-off? The explanation, delivered in the series’ trademark tongue-in-cheek tone, featured exchanges such as Gin-san and Ginpachi-sensei quipping, “Dragging Ginpachi-sensei back like this…”, “You still hold a grudge against Dragon…”, and “If anything, the old Gintama owes an apology to Toriyama-sensei!” The dialogue was packed with Dragon Ball and Toriyama references.

Adding to the parody, the characters’ facial expressions were drawn in a style nearly identical to Dragon Ball’s “Toriyama face,” making the visual gag even more striking.

Viewers online reacted with laughter and astonishment, commenting, “They’re really doing this after Toriyama-sensei’s passing!?”, “Only Gintama would start its comeback with a full-on Dragon Ball parody and even poke fun at Evolution in live-action form — classic top-gear Gintama!”, “They’re throwing out wild jokes right from the start with ‘Sorry, Toriyama-sensei!’ and Evolution references,” and “You can’t just say ‘Sorry, Toriyama-sensei!’ like that, lol.” The flood of reactions pushed the hashtag “#銀八先生” (#GinpachiSensei) into the trending list on X.

The anime 3-Nen Z-Gumi Ginpachi-sensei reimagines the world of Gintama, setting its familiar characters in a high school instead of Edo, where they live out a chaotic version of youth. With the tagline “Forget popular or unpopular — this is Gintama-style youth!”, the story follows homeroom teacher Sakata Ginpachi, known for his messy lab coat and lifeless eyes, as he tries to handle a classroom of unpredictable students who turn the school into pure madness.

Gintama originally began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump (Shueisha) in December 2003. Set in an alternate Edo ruled by aliens known as “Amanto,” the series depicts the absurd yet heartfelt adventures of odd-jobs freelancer Gintoki Sakata and his companions in a sci-fi period comedy. The manga concluded in June 2019, having sold over 73 million copies in total. The TV anime began airing on TV Tokyo in April 2006 and ran for four seasons, along with several theatrical films.

The new anime Gintama: 3-Nen Z-Gumi Ginpachi-sensei adapts the spin-off novel series of the same name, where high school teacher Sakata Ginpachi leads Class 3-Z at Gintama High. Packed with eccentric students and outrageous antics, the school becomes a “terrifying amusement park” in this comedy that fully embraces the chaotic energy of Gintama.

Source : ORICON NEWS