Gintama creator Hideaki Sorachi shared a shocking yet humorous story at Jump Festa after suffering extreme pain from a kidney stone, drawing huge laughter by recalling his love for voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda.

Hideaki Sorachi Shares Painful Yet Hilarious Episode at Gintama Stage Event

Hideaki Sorachi, the original creator of the manga Gintama, revealed that he had recently suffered from a kidney stone. The revelation was made on December 20 during the Gintama stage event at Jump Festa, held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

The stage event featured voice actors Tomokazu Sugita, who voices Gintoki Sakata, Daisuke Sakaguchi, the voice of Shinpachi Shimura, and Rie Kugimiya, who voices Kagura. As is customary every year, a letter from Sorachi was delivered to the stage, with Kugimiya reading it aloud on his behalf.

The contents of the letter were displayed on a large screen. Playing off the title of the upcoming film New Theatrical Feature Gintama Yoshihara Great Inferno, Sorachi jokingly proposed an outrageous parody title before explaining that the situation was less about inferno and more about inflammation. He revealed that he had developed a kidney stone several days earlier.

Recalling the experience, Sorachi described it as one of the three most intense pains a human can endure. He joked that even he began seeing his life flash before his eyes, except that what ran through his mind was not memories but various versions of Kenjiro Tsuda. He humorously listed images such as Tsuda enjoying a duel, Tsuda exploding after working overtime, and Tsuda wandering outside while still wearing a paper apron from a soba restaurant. His annual tradition of talking about his favorite voice actor once again sent the audience into fits of laughter.

Kidney stones are a form of urinary tract stone that occur when mineral deposits form along the urinary tract and descend into the ureter. Because the ureter is narrow, stones can block urine flow, causing intense pain and symptoms such as blood in the urine. In some cases, swelling of the urinary tract known as hydronephrosis may occur, potentially leading to reduced kidney function. The condition is most commonly seen in men in their thirties to fifties, according to information from the Osaka National Hospital Organization Medical Center.

Gintama is a manga series created by Hideaki Sorachi that began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in December 2003. Set in an alternate version of Edo ruled by alien beings known as Amanto, the series follows the odd jobs business run by Gintoki Sakata and the eccentric people around him. Blending science fiction with historical comedy, the series concluded in June 2019 and has surpassed 73 million copies in circulation worldwide.

The franchise has expanded into multiple television anime seasons, theatrical animated films, and even a live action movie starring Shun Oguri. A brand new animated feature film titled New Theatrical Feature Gintama Yoshihara Great Inferno is scheduled for release on February 13, 2026.

The story is set in the underground red light district city of Yoshihara, a place stripped of light and ruled by the Night King Hosen. Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura venture into this dark city, adapting one of the most acclaimed arcs from the original manga, the Yoshihara in Flames arc, into a completely new animated film.

Source : ORICON NEWS