Lesson 517 is the 517th chapter of the Gintama series.
Summary[]
Continued from the previous lesson's flashback, as a fainted Gintoki was dragged back to school by Shouyou-sensei, Katsura and Takasugi talked about him, who had just opened a school called "Shouka Sonjuku." At present, Gintoki and Takasugi were still fighting against each other, and both were injured. Their standing positions were then mirrored in another flashback.
In the past, at Shouka Sonjuku, the two fought against each other at Takasugi's request, and he lost. Though, Shouyou-sensei commented that he was strong, judging from the amount of time he competed against Gintoki. Comforting the boy, he said that there was nothing to be ashamed of, and that Gintoki was a bit more special, since he had to be stronger to survive. Stating that a samurai did not need a qualification, Shouyou-sensei believed that everyone could become a samurai as long as they had their own bushido in their hearts. He also believed that his own bushido was to watch over as many students as he could. Unbeknownst to Shouyou-sensei and Takasugi, Gintoki and Katsura had been overhearing the conversation nearby.
The following day, Takasugi turned up and wanted to have another match with Gintoki, claiming that he would continue challenging until he won. As a result, from these fights, Takasugi was beaten and starved by his family. As such, Katsura gave some onigiri to him at a temple. There, Takasugi told him that since he was weak and there were many people stronger than him, he had to be stronger than them.
In another fight against Gintoki, he won. As everyone congratulated him, much to his annoyance, Shouyou-sensei joked that Takasugi had become his student, because he had been coming there everyday. While so, Gintoki was annoyed by the scene, given that Takasugi was actually a dojo-yaburi. Katsura gave him an onigiri and told everyone to make them with him, whereas Shouyou-sensei had been eating one. As everyone laughed at the scene, Takasugi also laughed happily with them.
Back to the present, Takasugi commented that Gintoki was really strong, as the latter collapsed from the wounds.
Characters[]
Characters in order of appearance
- Katsura Kotarou (flashback)
- Yoshida Shouyou (flashback)
- Takasugi Shinsuke
- Sakata Gintoki
Quotes[]
- Yoshida Shouyou: (To Takasugi Shinsuke) All a victor receives is a sense of self-satisfaction and conceit. As the loser, you won something far more meaningful.
- Yoshida Shouyou: (To Takasugi Shinsuke) So even if they have no family, even if they do not have a lord to protect or a sword to fight with, if they each carry their own bushido in their hearts, they can each become their own samurai.
- Takasugi Shinsuke: (To Katsura Kotarou) I just realised that I'm weak, realised that there are tons of people stronger than me. So I want to at least become a stronger samurai than them.