Announcing a New Gintama Movie: "New Theatrical Edition Gintama: Yoshiwara in Flames"
The Gintama universe is set to expand again. During the "Gintama Maruchibasu Festival," a commemorative event for the manga's 20th anniversary, a new animated film titled “New Theatrical Edition Gintama: Yoshiwara in Flames” was announced. This exciting news confirms that the new adaptation will cover the "Yoshiwara in Flames" arc, which is considered one of the most thrilling and memorable in the original story. The movie is being produced by BN Pictures under the direction of Naoya Ando. The announcement was accompanied by a teaser visual created by author Hideaki Sorachi himself, further increasing fan anticipation.
Plot and Character Details
"Yoshiwara in Flames" transports us to Yoshiwara, the underground red-light district, where Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura (Yorozuya) will face off against the mysterious "King of the Night," Housen. The trailer reveals a tense atmosphere and an imminent conflict, featuring Gintoki's iconic line: “You can't extinguish my fire. You can't extinguish our fire.”
In addition to the Yorozuya members, the film will feature characters like Tsukuyo, Seita, Hiwa, Kamui, and Housen. Surprisingly, Katsura (an ally of Gintoki) and the Shinsengumi team (Kondo, Hijikata, Okita, and Yamazaki) will also appear, although they were not present in the original manga arc. This suggests the exploration of potential new dynamics and storylines.
The Legacy of Gintama
Gintama, a series that blends humor, action, and historical elements in an alternate Japan, has enjoyed great success since its serialization in "Weekly Shonen Jump" in 2003. The franchise has multiple adaptations: four seasons of anime (2006-2018), three films ("Gintama: The Movie - The Red Cherry Blossom Arc," “Gintama: The Movie - The Final Chapter - Be Forever Yorozuya,” and “Gintama THE FINAL”), the recent "3rd Year Z Class Ginpachi Sensei," which will premiere in October, and several theatrical compilations as part of its 20th-anniversary celebration ("Gintama on Theater 2D"). The franchise's success has been remarkable, cementing its status as a cultural phenomenon with over 55 million copies sold worldwide.
Production and Creative Team
The new film boasts a respected creative team from the anime industry. Naoya Ando, known for his work on "Paradox Live The Animation," is directing. Taku Kishimoto ("Fruits Basket" and "Haikyu!!") is writing the script, while Youichi Fujita (supervisor for Gintama and Mr. Osomatsu) is serving as a supervisor. Shinji Takeuchi ("Fairy Tail" and Gintama) is handling character design and animation direction.
A Reflective Comment from Hideaki Sorachi
The announcement of the new film was accompanied by a humorous and thoughtful comment from author Hideaki Sorachi. Despite his gratitude for the continued support for Gintama, Sorachi joked about how his work has been "milked" until it has nearly lost its flavor, ironically considering it the highest honor for an author. He acknowledged the luck and survival ability of the Gintama universe and humorously predicted that the saga might end in the middle of a scandal or some other comical situation, keeping with the franchise's characteristic irreverent spirit.
