Hit anime series, Gintama, just began the final run of its long-running anime series this week with the Silver Soul arc, culminating an epic samurai/space saga that has drawn loyal crowds to manga shelves and live stage show readings for years. In the meantime, Warner Bros. Japan is making good on its successes with forthcoming sequel, Gintama 2, after hitting it big last summer with starring principles Oguri Shun, Hashimoto Kanna and Suda Masaki all back to reprise as the beloved odd jobs trio.
They’re joined by a mix of returning and new additions to the cast that will mingle both the Shinsengumi Crisis Arc and the Shogun Assassination Arc; Both arcs are packed with kinetic, big-scale action and doeses emotive upheaval to couple with the usual serving of comedic, often forth-wall breaking gags Gintama is known for, which kind of speaks to just how returning director Fukuda Yuichi may have crafted a film that assembles quite the spectacular package.
Actress Kimura Midoriko makes her way to the fray as Kabuki district bosslady and landlord/bar matron, Otose, with actor Miura Haruma portraying Hijikata’s (Yagira Yuya) ill-fated rival, Kamotaro Ito. Debuting Kiheitai cohort, Shamisen string-wielding assassin Bansai Kawakami on the big screen is live-action Tokyo Ghoul star, actor Kubota Masataka, with Katsuji Ryo aboard as the Shogun, Tsutsumi Shinichi as Shinsengumi director Matsudaira Katakuriko, and Fullmetal Alchemist co-star Watanabe Natsuna as clandestined ninja and our protagonist’s uber-affectionate stalker, Sarutobi.
We’ll need further updates on overseas acquistions for Gintama 2 while local moviegoers can catch the hotly-anticipated sequel on August 17. And just so we’re clear, that is, in fact, Oguri-san with pig tails.
Enjoy!
