This How-To Guide For 'Gintama' Will Help Your Last-Minute Marathons

Watching Gintama can be an intimidating task. The classic series is one of the biggest shonen titles out there, and it has the length to back it up. This year, Gintama entered its final anime arc, but there are a few hundred episodes fans need to watch before they can prepare for the show's last hurrah.

Luckily, one detailed fan has made a how-to guide for Gintama if you need to watch it on a tight schedule.

Over on Reddit, one fan shared their lengthy explanation of Gintama with otakus who want to try the series but aren't sure how to start.

"If you're one of those people who has ever considered Gintama but quit after 10-15 episodes because nothing ever picked up or you're intimidated by the length of the show, I'm here to help. A friend and I worked to make this GUIDE long ago to help people have an easier time watching this show or to help get through the initial slower episodes. I'm just reposting it now for potential newcomers," user /JustAnotherCrazyWeeb posted.

The guide, which can be found here, is an in-depth one that is worth the read. The list breaks down the episodes of Gintama which are a must-watch and which are not. If you want to get to the anime's main plot points, you will have to cut out some of its purely comedic romps to focus on its serious arcs.

Unlike other lengthy shonen titles, Gintama is more rooted in episodic storytelling. One Piece and Naruto are way more concerned with overarching stories, but Gintama enjoys a slower pace. Everything comes at its own time, and it is sure to be sandwiched between some slapstick jokes. But, when you get to a dramatic arc like Benizakura, everything seems to fall into place.

Hideaki Sorachi'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.

Gintama Season 4 began airing on October 1 with the "Porori" arc, and you can currently find subbed episodes on Crunchyroll. The "Silver Soul" arc, which will serve as the series' final story, began airing January 7.

Are you ready to give Gintama a try? Hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to let me know and talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!