October 10 Officially Designated as “Gintama Day” by Japan Anniversary Association

October 10 has officially been designated as “Gintama Day” by the Japan Anniversary Association, coinciding with the birthday of series protagonist Gintoki Sakata.

The announcement was made during a September 26 stage event celebrating the release of the special “Cho Enjo” version of Gintama: Yoshiwara in Flames Arc reanimated film, which opened in Japan on September 25.

Tomokazu Sugita, Daisuke Sakaguchi and Rie Kugimiya attended the event alongside former Gintama editor Kohei Onishi and anime producer Hiromitsu Higuchi. Sugita, who voices Gintoki, received the official anniversary registration certificate on behalf of the franchise.

Sugita commented:

“I’m grateful. I think it’s also proof that Gintama as a work has become this widely recognized. Since there is a screening process, not just anything can be officially designated as an anniversary. The fact that it was approved like this might help even more people recognize that October 10 is ‘Gintama Day,’ and maybe someday it will even be written on calendars. After that, I hope it becomes a national holiday.”

The event also looked back on the anime’s 20-year history. Series creator Hideaki Sorachi sent a surprise message recalling his initial expectations for the adaptation:

“Looking back now, I honestly thought it was going to flop. I thought it would be difficult to recreate Gintama’s particular style in anime, and even if they managed it, I figured there wouldn’t be many people who would understand it. But for me, I was already happy just knowing there were people who raised their hands and said they wanted to make Gintama together. If those people were enjoying making the anime, then I felt like the goal had already been achieved, and I honestly wouldn’t have minded if it ended quickly. That’s why I didn’t interfere much. I was only expecting the manga royalties. I never imagined the anime would make those royalties increase so much. Thank you very much.”

Sorachi also revealed a detail from the original voice casting process, saying Shinpachi and Kagura were decided immediately after hearing their auditions, while Gintoki took more consideration. He said Sugita stood out partly because of the way his voice occasionally rose into a higher register during the audition.

At the end of the event, Sugita commented on the franchise continuing beyond what he once thought was its endpoint:

“A future I never thought would come, and time I thought would never move again, has started moving. I’m slowly beginning to feel it, and I hope this calm, filthy, but exciting time continues for a long time. For that to happen, I think it’s important for everyone, including through your voices, to keep expressing that Gintama exists and that you love Gintama. Everyone, let’s meet again.”

Hideaki Sorachi wrote and illustrated the Gintama manga, which first ran in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump from 2003 to 2018, and then in their Jump Giga until February 2019.

The Gintama anime adaptation was animated by Sunrise until Season 4, which is when Bandai Namco Pictures took over. The anime has a total of 367 episodes, as well as numerous OVAs, movies, games, novels and specials. The latest installment was the Gintama: The Very Final movie, which premiered in 2021 and served as the definitive conclusion to the anime adaptation by adapting the manga’s final arc. The film had a strong critical and commercial reception, grossing over 1.85 billion yen (approx. USD 17 million) at the domestic box office and ranking among Japan’s highest-earning anime features of that year.

Source: Oricon
© Sorachi Hideaki/Gintama the Movie Production Committee