‘Gintama’ Creator Comments On Series’ Fake Finale

It looks like the create of Gintama just pulled the best bait-and-switch on fans. After reports confirmed the manga would end in the next week, it seems Hideaki Sorachi has had a change of heart. The series is still going to continue on past this week, and the artist shared a hilarious message addressing the change.

Recently, social media began buzzing when a “honest” note from Sorachi went viral. The message is said to part of the next Weekly Shonen Jump issue, and it sees the creator liken Gintama to an old grandpa who refuses to die.

So, as always, you can blame Gintoki for this snafu.

“For everyone out there who read Gintama for these long 14 years, thank you so much. And I’m so very sorry. So, uh, with this week, Gintama will no longer be running in Jump, but it’s not actually ending at all,” Sorachi wrote, giving fans the surprise update. (via Kewl0210)

Continuing, the artist says he thought he would be able to finish Gintama as expect in Jump, but the plan didn’t pan out as expected. Sorachi went on to compare Gintama to an old man who tells his family he’s definitely going to die by a certain date. However, when everyone gathers on his death bed, the grandpa finds he’s still got a little life left in him. However, Sorachi thinks he can bring an end to this life should Gintama move to a new home.

“For just a little bit, we’ll be doing it in a different place. I honestly would’ve preferred to bring you the story all the way to the end of Jump, so I really have to apologize for screwing that whole thing up,” the artist wrote.

“This is goodbye to all of those that just skim through Gintama chapters in Jump, but even if I’m gone, I hope you continue to enjoy yourselves reading Jump.”

According to the promo, Gintama will carry on in Jump GIGA starting this December. The irregular magazine is known for having longer pieces given its non-weekly release, so it will give Sorachi more time to draw more pages.

So, are you surprised to hear Gintama faked out fans with its finale? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime.

Hideaki’s Gintama is one of the most popular manga series in Japan with 50 million copies printed since it began in 2004. It has gained fame among fans online with its balance of humor, drama, and action while still jokingly referencing other popular Shonen Jump series like Dragon Ball. Its largely episodic nature has been a hit with fans, especially when it dives into longer story arcs like the final “Silver Soul” arc.