Sakata Gintoki

[Name]: denise
[Age]: 23
[Contacts]:
♦ DW: sedins
♦ AIM: gutalalasudalala
♦ Plurk: ikolthecrow
[Timezone]: PST - Pacific
[Other Characters]: Haruka Nanase (onlyswimfree)



[Name]: Gintoki Sakata
[Canon]: Gintama
[Age]: Late 20s
[Gender]: Male
[Canon Point]: Last manga chapter (462)

[History]: Background and Story

[Personality]:

Gintama is a series that mixes gag humor with eventual serious arcs. Because of the duality of the show, most of the characters also show a certain duality in their personalities – and both sides can sometimes appear to contradict each other. As the main character, Gintoki is no exception.

KAGURA: I’ve never met a man willing to leave a little girl in the hands of the Yakuza.

GINTOKI: I guess I’m still a boy at heart. More importantly, in this country we don’t call people who can stop a scooter with their bare hands little girls, but rather mountain gorillas.

In many occasions, Gintoki has been shown to be rather self-centered when it comes to other people’s problems, particularly if they’re strangers or people he holds in contempt. An example can be seen during the Screwdriver arc, where aliens turn characters’ body parts (or entire bodies) into screwdrivers. Not only does he laugh at Shinpachi when he finds out his finger has been turned into a screwdriver, but he’s mostly concerned with HIS penis being turned into a screwdriver, caring much less about everyone else’s screwdriver problems.

GINTOKI: You’re gonna lose a year’s worth of pocket money anyhow.

SHINPACHI: WHAT? You’re actually gonna charge him?!

GINTOKI: Remember this. No adult works for free. Keep that in mind and you’ll have taken one step toward adulthood this summer.

SHINPACHI: You’re the one that should act like an adult here!!

Similarly, there are occasions in which he has no qualms taking advantage of other people. In the example above, he constantly extorts money out of Seita, a little kid, saying he will give him advice but instead getting him into weird or dangerous situations (like a pachinko parlor, or asking him if he knows how to play Russian roulette). On another occasion, he and the Yorozuya set up a game stand that would definitely make Kondo, who was desperately trying to impress Otae, lose a lot of money and look like an idiot. Even though he’s the leader of the Yorozuya, arguably a group who helps others, he is often seen taking advantage of this position. He has also been known to be rather ruthless, such as using the body of an old man as a weapon (granted, in a video game) or fooling his own allies as a way to go up in the popularity polls.

GINTOKI: Having no money is like having a sinus infection. If you ignore it and don’t pick at it, it’ll eventually go away.

”In the end… He was a no-good old man all along”.

These characteristics all compile together and make him a “no-good old man”, in spite of being in his twenties. He’s known for wasting time playing pachinko or hanging out at the red district, and for wasting money on Jump Magazine instead of paying rent. In general, he’s seen as a man who should be settling down, finding a good job, a wife and starting a family – but instead wastes his time with menial jobs and generally being a terrible adult. It gains him the contempt of the people around him – even Shinpachi, one of the people who respects him the most, hates the idea that his sister would marry a “useless unemployed samurai”.

With all of these flaws, it might be impossible to think Gintoki has any good characteristics, but-

“The country? The skies? You can have them. I’m busy just protecting what’s right in front of me. I don’t know what’ll happen to me in the future, but if something has fallen at my feet, then the least I can do is pick it up.”

As a child, Gintoki was deeply affected by the death of his teacher, who he respected greatly. Unlike Katsura or Takasugi, he didn’t join the Joui because of politics or because he deeply believed in their side – but rather, because he wanted to protect his friends. This is an ideology that he has maintained to this day. Even though he might initially not care about others’ problems, and act selfishly, Gintoki will always return to help his friends and protect those who need it. When Shinpachi decides to get his sister back from Kyuubei, Gintoki (and everyone else) shows up to help him. During the Benizakura arc, in spite of being so injured he could barely walk, he still went back to fight Takasugi and help his friends who were in danger. When he thought Otose had been killed, he nearly killed the man he thought responsible – and almost died in the process. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone who’s much stronger than him – such as the Yato (a race as strong as a super saiyan) man who almost killed him in Yoshiwara or a “golden” version of himself: Gintoki will always come back to protect those which he holds dear.

”Back then and now… what I protect hasn't changed!”

Gintoki’s personality might seem contradictory at points, and with good reason. He’s a useless old-man (in his twenties), who will either ignore your problems and run away, or take advantage of you and the situation if he can. Nonetheless, Gintoki will never turn his back on someone who needs his help. He uses a wooden sword because he wants to avoid any unnecessary bloodshed. And he will fight until he can no longer stand to protect everything – and every one –he holds dear.

[Abilities / Strengths & Weaknesses]:

Strenghts
♥ Gintoki is an incredible swordsman. He’s faced up against beings who are more powerful than humans and managed to not only survive, but also defeat them by using his skills, intelligence, and some luck. If there’s someone or something he’s protecting, Gintoki will fight until the very end.

Weaknesses
♥ He is ridiculously afraid of ghosts and the supernatural.

♥ He has high blood sugar, to the point that he can only eat sweet desserts once a week. Also, he has a pretty damn terrible personality.

♥ He is human after all – even if he fights until the very end, he has his limits.

[Limited Powers]:
I don’t believe it is necessary to limit Gintoki’s physical strength, as he is a human. Obviously, fights and their results will be discussed with the other players as necessary.

[Other Important Facts]:
♥ Gintoki can break the fourth wall, constantly referencing movies, TV shows, other mangas and animes, as well as their authors – even talking about his own author, calling him a “gorilla”. Similarly, Gintoki can be a very violent individual, usually hitting to get some point across – though by virtue of being a gag manga, the damage done is very minimal. I plan on putting a permissions post for both of these characteristics, and talk with players before I make any references.

♥ Similarly, I want to request that Gintoki be able to come to this world with his wooden sword.

[Samples]:

♦ Thread:
His thread in the test sail. As well as some others: 1, 2, 3.

♦ Post:
Eh? An island? Hey, I know that we are all trapped in this big island we called life, but isn’t this a bit much? I have to get home and see Ketsuno Ana on the weather channel!!

Wait, am I supposed to look for the One P*ece? There’s a limit to how much you can rip off other mangas, gorilla! Are you that eager to get us cancelled?!

What a pain in the ass… Hey, is there anywhere I can buy Shonen Jump here?