‘Gintama’ Live-Action Sequel Reveals First Visuals

The first live-action Gintama film was such a big hit in Japan and in the West that fans were curious as to when the sequel was going to show itself off. Preparing for its August 17 release in Japan, the sequel confirmed the return of some major favorites.

The official website for the live-action Gintama sequel, currently titled Gintama 2 (Working Title), announced that leads Shun Oguri, Masaki Suda, and Kanna Hashimoto are returning for the sequel as characters Gintoki Sakata, Shinpachi Shimura, and Kagura, respectively and celebrated the announcement with three brand new character posters.

The caption for Gintoki’s poster reads, “It’s double the pressure for a sequel.” The text on Shinpachi’s poster reads as, “I hope it’s double the ticket sales too,” and Kagura’s visual text reads, “It’d be great if the lunches on set are double too!” Jiro Sato has also be confirmed to return for the sequel, but in a different role, and Yuichi Fukuda is returning to direct the sequel film as well.

Film distributor Azoland Pictures partnered with Well Go USA and screened the live-action Gintama film in theaters in both the United States and Canada January 19. Well Go USA has also recently released the film on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD in North America on March 6. The Gintama live-action film opened in Japan on July 14 and earned about $8.9 million USD in its first four days of release.

For fans who want more Gintama, the anime is currently adapting the final arc of the series as well, the “Silver Soul” arc. It’s the 64th and final arc of series creator Hideaki Sorachi’s manga. The longest running arc in the series to date, “Silver Soul” begins when Utsuro – whose immortality has forced him to find a way to truly die – reveals his final plan: to start a war that’ll encompass the entire universe and lead to the destruction of the Earth. Gintoki then must team with old allies and make friends with older enemies in order to stop the rising army of space aliens – the Amanto – from wreaking havoc.

The series has seen different forms since its initial anime run from 2006 to 2010, with a second series airing from 2011 to 2013 with sporadic hiatuses in-between, a third series running from 2015 to 2016, two feature-length animated films, a few OVAs, and even a live action film releasing in Japan last July.

Gintama Season 4 recently 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.