Every now and then, the anime tags on an extra segment or two that are from the manga itself or are there to fill up time, which sometimes end up having the characters break the fourth wall.
The class is told to open the first volume of Gintama while Ginpachi-sensei teaches them the meaning of "Gintama". But before that happens, the students address some issues like their own teacher smoking in class.
In Kabukicho, with the rise of good-looking foreign hosts, Japanese hosts were going down a path of decline. However, this place gave birth to two men of blond hair and a buttchin... the enigmatic vagrant, Sakata Kintoki and the former No. 1 host, Buttchin Shinpachi. With the female boss of the Chinese mafia invited as their patron, now, the two men run through the dirty town of the night!! The new TV show "Kintama" starts next week!
Ginpachi-sensei answers a question about when someone is considered a middle-aged man.
Teach us! Ginpachi Sensei!
Gintama. If the game was like this, wouldn't it be interesting? Or something like that.It's like Seaman. It's a game where communication is measured by talking with a Madao, and you support him until his unemployed self can find a job.The Madao will basically ignore you even if you talk from your side. That's because he's too busy with what he wants to do.Occasionally, there will be times when he's depressed. You might feel like cheering him up, but you shouldn't talk.
You must not say "Do your best!" The reason for that is because he's already giving it his all.
Sometimes he'll play with a rope hanging from the ceiling. When that happens, rapidly press the B button to cut the rope. Occasionally, there will be times when he'll silently stare at the string hanging from the light, saying "Move... move!" When that happens, rapidly press the B button here, too. Sometimes a strange woman will come to his house. When that happens, shout "Change!" with a loud voice. ...In the end, "Change!" is all you can say.
"Kanashibari", a feeling of paralysis that is said to be caused by a ghost. Gintoki wakes up from a bad dream but finds out he can't move an inch. Unable to even talk out loud, morning comes around and he hears Shinpachi arriving. Will they help out this poor main character?
Mutsu and her men meet up with some group from the Aoki corporatio in a secret location to bargain until some masked men steal both the goods and the money.
It's hot outside and no one wants to move. They decide to use this opportunity to take a break since Jump authors do it all the time. The entity behind the sponsor messages disagrees with their actions, and the show goes on.
Otose hears about the complaints about the last episode, so she and Catherine decides to start up a new show in the fall.
Otose Takes Over
Ginpachi-sensei passes the baton to the show that airs after Gintama, but it seems like there's still time left in Gintama. Shinpachi notices that Ginpachi-sensei is trying to waste time, but sensei quickly changes the subject and continues on a little longer.
Gintama is entering the second season and the Yorozuya are glad they're still airing episodes. They want to go even higher, but have heard that the budget is getting a little tight.
It's the end of the year and the Yorozuya are relaxing under a kotatsu, talking about how fast the year has gone by. Shinpachi on the other hand, shouts that it's still February and that there were still 11 months left. But this segment was written in December, and it takes a while to make anime. Shinpachi frowns at the staff's planning while Gintoki continues to talk about the state of the anime...
It looks like the anime will drag on for a third year. Gintoki predicts that lots of people will react to the anime's end and then they'll make a comeback in the golden time slots. Shinpachi thinks that it's an absurd dream. Good DVD sales don't matter because no money is made, and Gintoki blames Aniplex who tricks people into buying the DVDs. He also explains various plans to drag the anime until the third year since anime tends to catch up to manga. Each method doesn't seem to work for Gintama, so what's the one plan that no other has thought of...?
End of the Year
The episode is over, but there's still time left over, so Gin-san hosts an Answer Corner. He answers questions about who cooks for the Yorozuya and how strong Shinpachi is. Somehow even a question about Lavi from D.Gray-Man made its way there...!
Gintoki wakes up realizing that the ceiling is missing, but more specifically the only thing there is the word "ceiling". The world is all white, and in a state of confusion he frantically wonders what's going on, especially with the floating boxes and words he sees! Even Kagura and the whole building has been affected!
With an increase in the number of viewers, Shinpachi intends to bring them up to speed, and though Gintoki still feels the pain from losing the golden time slot a year and a half ago, he feels that spring has come for the show. But Kagura comes in to explain that the Prince of Tennis re-runs before Gintama had been popular so people were just leaving their TVs on...
It's Katsura's birthday and he wishes a happy birthday to himself. He's very pleased with trying to take over the show, so he checks to see if the audience knows the answers to last week's quiz and reveals the answers, while trying Gintoki's patience.
Katsuratama
Tama becomes a super hero robot maid who protects the peace with her two allies, Shinpachi and Kagura!
A commercial for Monkey Hunter online before the start of the episode
Monkey Hunter Online Commercial
Kagura feels bad for cicadas since they die shortly after coming out of the earth, but Gintoki explains that cicadas might live their whole lives in the dirt and get to eat sushi every day, which Kagura feels a little irritated about.
Kagura feels bad for mosquitos who get swatted since all they wanted to do was to feed the babies in their belly, but Gintoki explains that mosquitos spit on you after having a meal, which Kagura feels a little irritated about.
Kagura feels bad for Madao who is desperately trying to reach a 100-yen coin from underneath a dispensing machine, but what excuse does Gintoki give for him?
Kyubei blows her nose into a tissue and aims for the garbage can, saying if it doesn't go in she'll die.
3rd Year Class Z Ginpachi-sensei
Ginpachi-sensei discusses with the class about how the third is always the worst. And here they are in the third year of the Gintama anime. Kondo thought that Home Alone 2 was horrible and Ginpachi-sensei provides a reason for it. Hijikata thought that Dragon Quest 3 was the best one and also finds a flaw in Ginpachi-sensei's logic which Ginpachi-sensei defends.
Ginpachi-sensei answers a question from Sorachi Amachi Hideaki about how Kagura can run along the beach in the sunlight during the ending song when she is from the Yato Clan. Amachi says he draws manga and often forgets to draw the umbrella, but is this all right to do?
Due to some scheduling problems, they're short one episode so the Yorozuya are supposed to freely talk until the staff finishes something. But there are concerns about using a still picture for a long time because foreign countries won't understand unless it's animated...
Gintoki delivers an important message from TV Tokyo: "The current analog broadcast will be ending on July 24, 2011, and will be switching to a terrestrial digital broadcast. After that, analog televisions will require a digital tuner to work properly."
Shinpachi realizes that their TV will stop working too, but the others don't think it'd matter because they believe... the anime won't last until 2011.
It's the end of the year and the Yorozuya are relaxing under a kotatsu, talking about how fast the year has gone by. Shinpachi on the other hand, shouts that it's still February and that they were having the exact same conversation as last year. Gintoki admits that it's recycled footage, but the anime staff had been working hard and it has been nothing but battles every week like other Jump anime. Gotta put in a break or they go over budget. Shinpachi frowns at the talk of money on TV while Gintoki continues to talk about the state of the anime...
It seems the anime was supposed to end in March, but Gintoki says that Season 3 ends in March and Season 4 starts in April. Shinpachi feels tricked by the "Final Chapter" stuff earlier. Gintoki blames the people who fall for the covers and buy the DVDs, and tells us to stop buying them. He also explains the various routes that many anime take if it catches up to the manga too quickly as well as their consequences, and announces that Gintama will be using a kind of alternate route! What kind of route is it...?
The Land of the Hosts. There was once a time when our town was called by that name. The Shinjuku skies where Japanese hosts once drove their dreams are now filled with words spoken by foreign hosts. However, there were two men... the enigmatic vagrant, Sakata Gintoki and the former No. 1 host, Buttchin Shinpachi. Now, the two men run through the dirty town of the night.
A group of male hosts are playing a drinking game with female cheetah Amanto. Shinpachi brings some wine but accidentally spills some of it, which angers one of the hosts. He gets punched for it but one of the Amanto seems to forgive him and requests a light for her smoke. Shinpachi walks over but gets tripped by her, falling onto the table. The male host grabs Shinpachi by the hair and is ready to teach him a lesson, until...
Shinpachi describes the man he saw as the Konjikiyasha, or the "Golden Demon". Shinpachi begs Kin-san to join him in his quest to be number one. They have a brawl with the other hosts, and are met by Kagura who will grant their wish upon serving her. Word gets around, and the rest of the Kintama cast begins to move.
In a hospital bed, Shinpachi describes a happy dream he had, but is strucken with grief by not being able to become the number one host. Kagura is in tears, and Kintoki is listening from nearby. Shinpachi exasperates about his buttchin and almost goes out of control, while Kintoki silently walks in the rain through the streets of Kabukicho.
Kintoki tells him to get a chin job if that's the reason for not becoming the number one host. After some time, Shinpachi has bandages covering his whole face, and it seems the surgery was successful. Kintoki and Kagura tells him to take the bandages off!
In a parody of old silent films,Katsura requests Elizabeth to buy shampoo at a sale as he is unable to freely go out in the streets,Elizabeth journeys out on the streets of Edo on a quest for shampoo!
Tamori Tamo-san hosts a show and invites Terakado Tsu to talk about her new single. They're suddenly out of time so they cut her time short, which she can hardly believe.
Tamo-san notices that it's the same audience and realizes that they're recycling footage. Tamo-san invites Sadaharu to come who was introduced by Makocchan-san. But to his shock, Tamo-san didn't realize that Sadaharu was a dog and is unsure about how to conduct an interview. Surely it'll be fine, right Tamo-san? Right?
The audience are getting bored with the Tamo-San hour
The Tamo-san Hour: Is It Good to Laugh?
Ginpachi-sensei answers a question about what kind of music Gin-san likes and brings up the time when he sang a song badly in Episode 133. He decides to tells us what Sougo likes too.
Ginpachi-sensei also answers a question about what the Gintama manga editors do for the anime since their names were found in the ending credits.
Tamo-san cuts to commercials as soon as the show returns from commercials, and the displeased Yorozuya are spotted in the crowd. Tamo-san cuts to commercials once more after a few words, which infuriates the Yorozuya even more. Tamo-san almost does it again but is told that they're out of commercials to use, so he cuts to Gintama instead which brings satisfaction to the Yorozuya.
Gintoki can't tell the difference between shiruko and zenzai (both are sweet red bean soup but prepared differently) and compares the differentiating problem to real life people. Kagura on the other hand can't tell the difference between Gintama and Kintama.
Ginpachi-sensei passes the baton to the show that airs after Gintama like usual. He eventually realizes that the following show already ended so he gets a little embarrassed. Ginpachi-sensei tries again with another show, but the main issue was the leftover time in the current Gintama episode. All the extras lately were added so the anime wouldn't catch up to the manga. Gin-san thinks up a new extra but wanted to save it for next week when the new ending song began. Tamo-san's show starts up again. Shinpachi said that the whole purpose of that show was to re-introduce characters that hadn't shown up in a long time, which it failed to do.
Gin-san brings up the "Soul Reaper Encyclopedia Silver" and talks about the apple-eating Soul Reaper that wanted to take Taka-chin's soul... Shinpachi catches him on his plagerism. They try once again and this time they bring out the Illustration Corner. The first one is from a four-year old drawing their favorite scene. Upon seeing it, Shinpachi thinks it's incredibly suspicious. But before it could go on, Kagura notes that they're finally out of time.
Gintoki enters a password so they can do a quick recap of the previous episode. Since no password wasn't given last episode, he enters something random and a completely different game starring 8-bit Tama begins.
An announcement of a Benizakura Arc Gintama movie using the previous trailer from Episode 75. The Yorozuya have a little chat about its authenticity with their BG-only scene.
A commercial for the Benizakura movie using clips from the actual movie with Prince Hata instead of shinpachi which angers him but the other yorozuyo member didn't mind.
It's the end of the year and the Yorozuya are relaxing under a kotatsu, talking about how fast the year has gone by. Shinpachi on the other hand, shouts that it's still January and that they were having the exact same conversation 3 years in a row. Gintoki admits that it's recycled footage, but the anime staff had been working hard and they also had the movie to work on. They're used to slacking after four years. Shinpachi frowns at the whining behind the scenes while Gintoki continues to talk about the state of the anime...
Wait, the anime is ending in April? Shinpachi didn't remember stuff that was said a year ago. Gintoki explains the number by the episode title, and reveals that the numbers had been there week after week since the countdown episode. Gintoki doesn't like having a movie right after the show ends for various reasons and also doesn't want people to be fooled by the tickets. From there, even though he warns the audience to not be tricked by it, they air a short commercial for the movie that also states the anime's end.
These three episode are about Kamui after transferring from the Harusame school to the Yato school located in the same district as the Gintama one. In his class, Umibozu is the teacher of a room of Ungyos and a lone Abuto who interacts with Kamui and narrates the beginning of each segment. Abuto, who has apparently failed 8 times, also points out that the new ending shows him as the only one who doesn't graduate.
BE-BOP Kamui-kun
Ginpachi-sensei answers a question about what to do with a Madao uncle who tried to use one of Mutaito (or Muten Roshi)'s moves on him.
Gintoki asks what the "New Translation" stuff is about and scorns at the adults and their intentions behind it. Just so the audience doesn't have to look back to find out what happened, they try to recap the good parts in their own words. As time goes on Gintoki and Kagura seem to forget the main plot.
Kagura explains step-by-step the right method to ask for a Christmas present. You mustn't be direct for various reasons. Give little pushes with words once the signs of victory are close...
Cancelled Segment-A segment was originally planned, but something else happened which resulted in a message that had to be recorded and replaced 3 days prior to the airing of the episode
The Yorozuya announce to the viewers that the movie has been delayed to Summer instead of spring which Shinpachi thinks that it's not something to celebrate about.
Gintoki complains that One piece movie is released on winter,Hunter X Hunter and Dragonball Movie release on Spring,While their upcoming movie is about to be released on Summer. Kagura suggest they should ask TV Tokyo to make a double bill with a Pokemon movie which Shinpachi thinks that the idea is ridiculous
The Yorozuya are ready to be excited for their upcoming movie this summer but Gintoki and Kagura are actually waiting for the Pokemon movie which frustrates Shinpachi.
Shinpachi wonders when is the summer movie going to be released which Gintoki claimed that Summer is the period when the TUBE is active and believes that the movie will be released when Maeda feels about it
The movie finally reveals the title as Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya and that it will be the finale of the anime series much to the shock of the main characters
The main characters are still in panic as they don't understand why the movie is the finale of the anime and thinks that the production crew are just joking.
In a parody of Ryutaro Nonomura's press conference who cried for forgiveness for his political scandal,Gintoki apologized to the audience for not ending the anime series with the movie despite being "The Final Chapter"
Note: This segment was considered controversial according to most of the shonen Jump Editors
Gintoki returns to the same press conference from the previous episode and introduce the current title for the season which is the same title but with "°"
The Yorozuya decided to celebrate not only their return to TV, their change to a different studio as well as a confirmed third course by doing a recap of the past episodes. But they change it up
The first recap introduce the trio of Gintoki, Ginko, and Hijikata-as-Gintoki. Gintoki cries out why this paradox happened; Ginko responds that his other selves became very popular and in high demand. It ends up devolving into a shouting match between Ginko and Hijikata-as-Gintoki with Gintoki awkwardly trying to stop them.
The second recap introduce the trio of Gaia, Mash, and Ortega, a powerful group of Gundam pilots from the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Gintoki abruptly cuts it short, asking why Kagura suggests it. She thought that it could be a chance to ask them why they changed studios although she realizes it might not work.
The last recap introduce Sadaharu, Dozaemon, and Gorilla Hideyoshi, it ends up becoming unintelligible; Gintoki angrily asks why Dozaemon is talking like a cat.
They ended up doing a 30-second recap and thanking the audience, introducing the third course.
Ginpachi-sensei says that doing the segment is very inappropriate, but they're doing it anyway.He answers a question why one flash back scene from the Retelling Benizakura Arc movie remains silent Ginpachi-sensei attempts to answer this question saying that young gintoki accidentally pooped his pants and that his sensei gives him a paper to wipe it.
The Yorozuya are moving into the late night time slot and continue the anime
(NOTE:It was revealed that the object Kagura is holding is actually a 'Limiter' which was used by the character Saiki Kusuke from a jump anime 'The Disastrous Life of Saiki K',It was evident when the same clip is shown at beginning of the Saiki K anime season 2 premiere)
The scenes where Gintoki in the past with Sakamoto, Katsura, and Takasugi was replaced by Pakuyasa when Gintoki tries to tell the viewers that's not him until the last scene cause Gintoki to loose his calm and rants on the studio for ruining his scenes for comedy until he was interrupted by the preview
Shinpachi is excited for the upcoming final arc anime but Gintoki and Kagura tells him it's not ready yet,so they announce to the viewers a rerun series of past episodes called Yorinuki Gintama-san while showing them a preview of the upcoming live action movie which was actually the live action actors voicing their roles in the anime, The segment ends with Gintoki lipsynching his live action actor Shun Oguri picture telling the viewers to watch the rerun series along with the live action movie in July
Shinpachi is narrating the recap of the story which then rips off other Shonen Jump anime series and blames Gintoki and Kagura who are the reasons for ruining it.He tells them the series is entering it's 'slip arc' before the final arc and advice them to be themselves while he considers himself "his live action actor Masaki Suda in 3D" this irritates Gintoki and Kagura as they hit him with their kick and then Gintoki shouts to the director to start the anime.
A Girl who is standing next to Kagura in front of a TV shop are watching Otsuu's latest performance when she asks her how the idol group HDZ48 has influenced Otsuu after they are disbanded, Kagura answers her that their idol group didn't disband they live on in hers and Otsuu's hearts.
The next episode preview was about to announce the upcoming episode but then realizing that there are no more episodes, and that the semi-final miniseries is a tie-in to the FINAL movie so it instead thank the viewers for watching the anime series for the last 15 years.
A post-credit short has Ginpachi-sensei act as interpretator to the sorachi gorilla voiced by Sorachi Hideaki himself who will answer some loose unresolved questions to the class including the fake endings in the manga.
Note- This segment is based on the last pages of the Koujien Fanbook