Gintama Creator’s New Anime Debuts on Netflix With an Exciting Look

April 17, 2026, 9:45pm

2026 is turning out to be an exciting year for Gintama fans as the franchise keeps returning with one surprise release after another. Based on Hideaki Sorachi’s beloved Weekly Shonen Jump manga, Gintama is one of the most beloved anime and manga franchises of all time, and fans are always anticipating new anime projects even years after its release. Twenty years since its debut, the anime was finally added to the streaming platform this January. Furthermore, a special remake film adapting one of its most beloved arcs, Yoshiwara in Flames, was released in Japanese theaters in February this year and became a massive hit. Gintama is famous for blending its spectacular plot with nonsensical comedy and lovable main characters. As a parody, it’s also known for being a love letter to shonen, paying homage to several classic anime and manga, which is why it’s incredibly rewarding for veteran fans.

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Before Gintama was serialized, Sorachi worked on a one-shot manga following completely different characters in a different setting than his acclaimed show. The one-shot, titled Dandelion, was published in 2002 and was later added to the first volume of Ginatama after the manga’s debut in 2003. 24 years after the debut of Dandelion, Netflix picked up the one-shot for an anime adaptation with seven episodes. Since the one-shot is only a short story, the animation studio behind the anime, Studio NAZ, has added plenty of original scenes to cover everything in seven episodes. The anime began streaming on April 16th, 2026, and revealed an exciting opening theme, Goron to Doron by Kocchi no Kento. The theme was shared via official X handles as well as Netflix Anime’s official YouTube channel.

What Is Dandelion About?

The story is set in a world where Angels associated with the Send-Off Department of the Japanese Angel Federation help earthbound spirits to move on to the afterlife. Tetsuo Tanba and Misaki Kurogane are two such angels tasked with tracking down Earthbound spirits, which are souls unable to move on and find peace. The Angels guide those spirits to pass on without any regret for the lives they led, but these tasks are often more challenging than they bargain for.

Instead of following the usual decorum of the Send-Off Department, Tanba and Kurogane decide to take time with each spirit instead of rushing them. The duo is always eager to help those spirits resolve the regret that’s holding them back from moving on. The anime announcement was a major surprise to Gintama fans after a cryptic post in February this year by a Twitter handle that teased a new series using Sorachi’s mangaka avatar in an image. The post immediately gathered attention from fans, fulfilling its purpose of building hype around the announcement.

The official confirmation was made a day later, which also included a note by Sorachi who shared his thoughts on the surprise anime. The mangaka humrously opens up about his oldest work ever to get an anime adaptation after more than two decades. However, while he jokingly criticizes Netflix, he also looks forward to being reintroduced to the characters after all these years.

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