Blog posts

From the Gintama exhibition through Sakata city down to Katsura river

This year (2024-25) I got the chance to work in Japan, specifically in Okinawa as a divemaster. When I prepared my documents for my visa I had to fill out a tentative planning about what I want to visit in Japan. As I looked up what I possibly wanna see, I accidentally found out that the 20th Anniversary Gintama Exhibition is held this year. Just to give some context, I never follow even Gintama events or pages, nor do I collect anything despite being a fangirl. So, once I realized how lucky I was getting this possibility in Japan just in the right year, I was set to plan my trip around Gintama (not exclusively, of course). Upon closer inspection of the map, I found the city of Sakata (in Niigata) and Katsuura (in Chiba) and I became sure that I will do a name-hunting trip chasing the four most iconic names of Gintama for me: Gin, Takasugi, Zura and Sakamoto. Of course, any other Gintama related name, event, place was welcome too. Some finds were planned and even more just turned out to be on my way or in the cities which I visited, without me knowing ahead what I would stumble upon. I started my planning by typing in all the variations of their names in Google maps, and seeing what came up. That's how I ended up pinpointing the Sakamoto Castle Ruins, the Katsura river and Imperial Palace in Kyoto, the Takasugi district in Sanda and since I knew that Sorachi Hideaki was from Hokkaido I also planned 2 trips there (also because I love the snow). I made a promise to myself that even though, I do not read manga, nor do I collect merchandise, I'd buy a Gintama volume, and it had to be from Hokkaido. I handed in a very honest visa application stating that I'd do this trip for work and Gintama and it got accepted.

I reached Okinawa and started working there in May. On my 1st holiday I went to Fukuoka in November, then I went to Sapporo in December to be in the cold weather after the scorching heat in Okinawa. To be honest, Sapporo was a mistake for someone like me who is not a big city person, but the surroundings were amazing with the infinite little hidden gem onsens in the snowy mountains. I spent my nights in the city centre and as I walked through the central station I basically headbutted a draft beer station: the Sorachi beer's stand. I had no idea that Sorachi beer existed at all, let alone that it is a Hokkaido speciality beer so I got super excited...and I didn't order one. I told myself I would come back the next evening for it. I never ended up crossing the central station again, and because I didn't like Sapporo, on my 2nd trip to Hokkaido, I didn't go there either. I thought that when I would come back to Hokkaido, I could find another Sorachi beer stand somewhere else but how wrong I was… a missed accidental catch. However, I did go to a manga store on this trip and bought a volume of Gintama manga just as planned.

My next holiday and the main event of my Japanese adventure was the GINTAMA EXHIBITION in January. IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH EVERY SINGLE MOMENT OF MY LIFE UP UNTIL THEN! I stayed in Chiba knowing that I cannot survive Tokyo, plus I had to go to Katsuura too on this trip. The exhibition was fantastic, simple but well-thought and -organized. I cried as I revived the scenes and saw Sorachi's handwriting imagining how much work he put into this, into the anime I watched 9 times from ep 1 to ep 367 and keep watching anytime I feel that I need it… and I thanked him silently inside while my tears were openly rolling down on my cheeks. I am somewhat proud that I didn't buy any merchandise. The next day, I visited Katsuura, the amazing little port town with breathtaking cliffs and a beautiful view. Zura is my favourite character in Gintama, not because of his personality (which is also awesome) but because what he is in the series for Gin and Takasugi: he is THE BEST FRIEND. Through it all, he never judged or left Gin, and even when he was treated coldly or offensively by Gin he stayed by and fought on his side. And did the same for Takasugi too. He stood by both of them. So, I cried in Katsuura too (even though the town's name has an extra "u").

The next find was in February when one day, my boss messaged me that we would have a dive in Cape Hedo early in the morning and that the meeting point was Ginama fish harbour (a place that I didn't even know of). I am not a morning person, but I woke up super easily on that day and was extremely happy just because of the name even though it misses a "t" :D. On top of it, once there, I realized that 2 months before I had climbed the surrounding mountains and taken a picture of Ginama fish harbour from above without knowing what its name was… 1st successful accidental catch.

February was my best month for Gintama treasures. After the abovementioned dive, I went for a 2-weeks break with my best friend who was visiting me. We went up north starting in Sakata. There, we spent the 1st day sick in the room so I had lots of time between two vomiting to look around what to visit aside from the can-be-found-anywhere shrine. That's when I saw that there was a park named Yoshida… in Sakata… A Yoshida park !! Our Airbnb host was an amazing old Japanese man, and he offered us that he would bring us anywhere by car if we needed it… well, after finding out the existence of THE Yoshida park , we needed a ride. We drove out of the city alongside some abandoned fields and arrived to the Yoshida park which was literally a cemetery and a 20 square metres empty park with one tree. Still, I was the happiest person on Earth and our host clearly decided that we were not normal when I started to take pictures. The fun didn't end here, after the small disappointment, I checked the map again and realized the miracle: there was another park called Shoyo . I cried a little out of happiness then we drew up the route and saw that said park is 10 minutes' walk from our house, so we walked there. It was a 15 square metre empty park with anything but a slide in it… Yet, I met Yoshida Shoyo in Sakata , and honestly both parks being abandoned, silently covered by snow and empty like Utsuro, the Void…what is it if not the greatest symbolism of Gintama? 2nd and 3rd successful accidental catches.

We continued our journey towards Hokkaido by train and plane. We stopped at Oga (because of Belzeebub, an anime ranked 2 on my list) and wandered around the cold sea and snowy paths. We enjoyed some days in Akita and travelled through a snowy mountain range and a huge snow tunnel by train and bus via Hirosaki to Aomori. There, we got on a plane and went to Kitami and Shiretoko. The drift ice and the winter landscape of Hokkaido were unforgettable, spiced up with the fox park and lots of onsens, but my search for a Sorachi beer (by now I 'd have been satisfied with a canned one too) was in vain. I even checked that there is a draft Sorachi bar in New Chitose airport from where I was supposed to fly back to Okinawa, so hoped I could get a draft one there, but by the time I reached, the bar was closed. As a revenge, at least, I took a picture of the draft beer tap. Nevertheless, I found some keychains featuring Gin, Toshi and Sogo in a Lawson. I didn't buy them, of course.

I returned to Okinawa to work and my best friend stayed in the mainland for a Kyoto – Osaka combo. One day, he messaged me with a picture showing some canned Sorachi beer . Although, they were not from Hokkaido, I told him to bring me one which he did on his way to me in Okinawa (his last stop before leaving Japan). In Okinawa Orion is THE beer, and I have never seen Sorachi, that is also why I hadn't known about it before. He brought a can of Sorachi for me and I opened it with great expectations… well, Okinawa is right to sell Orion instead… BUT IT WAS WORTH IT ANYHOW, IT IS CALLED SORACHI AFTERALL!! 5th finally successful accidental catch.

After this trip, the season started meaning busy days at work, so my last holiday was also the last name-hunting adventure too. I went to Izu and Kyushu. Izu , because of Grand Blue (that's where this diving anime ranking 3 on my list takes place) and I randomly picked a hostel (Hostel Knot) in Shuzenji because it is in the middle of the peninsula and I could go to the shore easily. Reaching the location was also relatively easy. I travelled from Shizuoka this time, by train and on the way, there was a stop Yoshiwara so I stepped out of the train and took a picture of the station name board. 4th accidental catch. In Shuzenji, which is a cute little old-style town, there is an admirable river flowing through along the main street. Unknown to me, this river was called Katsura. I only got to know it once the hostel staff gave me a map to show me what to see in town. I cried again and spent 3 wonderfully calm and beautiful days in Shuzenji. I travelled through one of the most amazing mountain ranges in my life to Heda and watched the Fuji for hours in peace with a cup of horrendous ice cream. Every night I'd spend hours by the Katsura river to take hot footbaths on its shores. 6th successful accidental catch.

The next step was Kyoto where I had plans for the Katsura Imperial Palace, the Sakamoto Castle Ruins Park and the Katsura river. I went there from Izu with the Shinkansen and then, from my hostel I took a local train to the Sakamoto Park. On the way, I had to change from train to bus in Otsu, another place I hadn't known of before. 7th successful accidental catch. Well, at least that because on the day of the Ruins the rain was pouring down and buses only came every 2 hrs. The Castle Ruins were literally 1 little rock, a sculpture of Sakamoto (the real one!) and some other stones here and there on the shore of a tiny bay of the otherwise huge Lake Biwa. I walked the park in 30 minutes then I waited for my bus in the rain for 1.5hours. The same night, I wandered around in the city close to my hostel, and I just noticed a little tiny bar called Sakamoto on the street. Of course, I had to go in to grab a cocktail. Then I licked the name tag on the bar to take the memory in with all my senses and went back home. The following day was supposed to be the height of my Kyoto stay: the Katsura Imperial Palace. I went to the bus station all excited, and rode the bus to the Imperial Palace's stop en route crossing the Katsura river. After getting off the bus, I confidently started to walk in the indicated (and wrong) direction to the entrance then I turned back and went down to the riverside. Admiring the river and crying out of happiness once again, I continued walking towards the entrance. I arrived and read a script saying that pre-booking is needed but you could also do that on spot. Obviously, I went for the on-site booking just to hear the answer: no more open slots for the day. The story of how I didn't get to go in to the Katsura Imperial Palace…but I WAS THERE! I left Kyoto the next morning to go to Sanda and close my Gintama trip with the Takasugi district.

Towards Sanda, I spotted a board saying that Takatsuki (I know, I know but almost, isn't it?) is to the right. I considered it the 7.5th successful accidental catch. As if Sanda was trying to make up to me for all the "let downs" (they weren't really let downs, of course), it was just the perfect closure and end of the trip. Sanda itself is amazing, Hotel Celecton, where I stayed is outstanding, cheap and the view and surroundings are indescribably beautiful. When I arrived there, I just simply enjoyed a light evening walk then the sunset and night view from my balcony. And finally, the next day, I went to the Takasugi district! On the way, I crossed the train station, where I again spotted a train destination being Takatsuki. I moved on and walked around in one of the loveliest, cutest, calmest and most traditional Japanese districts ever. I visited the Takasugi Hachiman shrine, the dam and flooded paddy fields just above it, then took a round among all the blue tiled houses and well-maintained gardens. It was just perfect. On the last day, I took the bus to Osaka airport and flew out of Japan with the sweetest taste in my mouth: Zura, Takasugi, Sakamoto and Gin were physically a part of me, they became an unerasable memory forever.

Coming soon! What does it mean to be a best friend?

Hisoka from HxH

Many will hate me for this but I think Hisoka Morrow is the best written, most layered, most in depth character ever created in anime history. Sexuality, strength, misunderstanding, adversity, ambiguity, capability, manipulation, fighting spirit, relentless search for something, craving, creativity, smartness, wit, silence: just a couple of words to describe him. No, he is not a paedophile. No, he is not into kids. But he is sexuality itself, it oozes from every pore of him. He is also super interested in strength that can challenge his own both physically and mentally. He is not afraid of the opinions of others, he is driven by his lust to find the strength that even he cannot conquer, manipulate or defeat (if you know Getbackers, he is similar to Jackal). That is why many think he wants Gon and Killua in “that way”. I don’t think the anime would have ever aired if that was the case…

I know it is an old one, but I think this is what describes him the best (not just sexually):

-Are you straight, bi, gay or what?

-Yes, I am definitely what.

He is indescribable by simple and binary terms because he has so many sides. You could ask “Are you a fighter, a strategist, a coward or what?”And the answer would be the same all the time. He is definitely what. The most what I have ever seen. He is a “what the fuck was that” character. Fair and unfair, a dishonest player if you don’t know his real motives but he is very true and honest to himself; thus, he is the most straightforward person in the anime world. He never betrays himself, his desires or his way of living. His skill is not the strongest physically but combined with his infinite smartness and bottomless creativity, it makes him unbeatable. To be honest, I don’t really know why he chooses Gon as a potential challenger of that. Gon is a way too straightforward fighter who doesn’t use his brains much but pure strength. In contrast, I can see Killua or Kurapika as real challengers of Hisoka’s wittiness and skill in the future.

Hisoka is with Illumi – I think he has been with everyone who is marginally more interesting and stronger than your average person – and they do not hide it. They don’t care much about worldly things like people’s opinion or repulse. They care for their goals and they want company in that. They use each other. They manipulate the hell out of each other and everyone else too just to reach their own personal goals. I find this intriguing. Finally a character through which a mainstream anime stands up for human differences…

Hisoka saves Gon and Killua multiple times and guides them silently from behind the scenes while creeps everyone out. He doesn’t care. He wants them strong and grown up so he can measure himself up against them. He wants Chrollo. Kurapika takes that away from him. Yet, he doesn’t seek revenge, but solution for Chrollo’s condition. He wants to test himself, not senseless killing. It shows he respects Kurapika’s choice too. I kind of feel that Hisoka wants to die and he is looking for a worthy person to take his life. Until then, he wants to enjoy life and take the most out of it. He tries everything out, tastes, touches, feels everything up and decides if he needs them in his life or not for entertainment. He HAS a personality that is not clichéd. I think any sapiosexual person should be, at least, intrigued by him (or Chrollo for that matter).

Beelbo from Beelzebub

A little baby is my 2nd favourite character and not because he is cute. He is anything but cute anyway most of the time. It is because of his bonding skills and character development (he does have a steep one!). He is a very intelligent demon baby. He measures situations correctly, is able to build a safe bond with his human (and delinquent) father while not delineating himself from his idiotic demon father. Whenever his real father calls or shows signs of his presence, he cares and doesn’t give a cold shoulder. But for Oga, he changes.He listens and learns in the love of Oga; what is more, he earns his love and respect too and keeps growing in them.

It is funny how he uses his crying and lightnings to shape Oga according to his will and it is awesome to see how he stops using that method and rather starts using some more silent yet much more powerful ones to make Oga listen to him: grimaces, touches and play. He starts a two- direction communication from the moment he starts to trust Oga (When they fight with Tojo and he chooses not to mark Oga). In exchange, Oga chooses to win for him. Beelbo reaches the heart of a human despite being a demon baby and very honestly, takes that heart with him when he leaves. He is jealous and is a little troublemaker, a very loveable demon who stands up for his friends. He is a much more mature personality than his older brother, or for that matter than his biological father. Despite being on the side of a delinquent -or maybe exactly because of that-, he learns to understand the subtle and rough forms of love which don’t have words but actions, don’t always show through gentle care but rough honesty. Oga would never let Beelbo fall, holds him when he cries; despite getting hurt by his lightning, feeds him, cleans him up, sleeps next to him, searches for him relentlessly, protects him and eventually fights for him.

Beelbo learns all these silent forms of love, often shadowed by aggression, takes them in and gives them back. A less then 4 yr old baby can do things that even real human adults can’t: recognise love and return it the best he can. Beelbo is a funny character and yes, duh, he is cute:D.

Yami from Black Clover

Yami is one of the most human anime characters. Some might think he is a goof but he is everything but. Knowing WHEN to be goofy is a different story and he knows exactly when and how to relax and let the steam off. He is spot on about what to take seriously or when to take it easy and he does both seamlessly.

He trusts the group he chose because he trusts himself. He shows respect and a high level of care towards people who deserve it and he never abandons his squad members. “I will show you that you were not wrong and that I was not wrong either” -he says this to the Mahote. He stands up for his opinion, earns credit and trust, is extremely skilful and wilful. He never runs from a fight, understands how to speak to whom (with his sword to Jack, with friendly respect to the mahote, with a drink to Vanessa, with rough care and love, in general, to his squad and with strength to Asta). He doesn’t sugar coat things and speaks his mind if that is needed to protect his squad or make them grow.

He is likely the strongest among the captains but he doesn’t show off and is always ready to hone his skills both as a swordsman and a mage. He is unique among anime characters because he doesn’t fit just the “tough guy” category. He can be soft: he actually means that it hurts him when Charlotte behaves rude towards him. His care towards his team runs deep and they are definitely his weak point which he doesn’t hide. He knows when to ask for help. He rewards his squad through his behaviour, actions, and attitude, encourages his friends and team and doesn’t give in in front of the enemy even when he is sure to die. He surpasses his limits here and now leading by example. He recognises each of his squad members’ personality well and arranges their lives around that. He knew that a force which would pull his team together was missing so he searched until he found it. He pushes where Asta pulls. He doesn’t give his guy tasks they cannot do and by watching over and fighting alongsdie them, he knows exactly what they can do. He is proud of them, and this pride, rooting in his own skill to select people and his true love for them and the Mahote, makes him more than just a good fighter or a strong captain. It makes him human: vulnerable and unpredictable. Sometimes one would expect him to show up, to see through situations earlier, to not make mistakes but he does. He was late to Julius death. He let himself be deceived by Licht/Vengeance. He let Vanessa be hurt by the witch queen and let his squad face Fana and Salamander alone. He is human with superhuman qualities but not in a magical but a very human sense: self-trust and -improvement, not being afraid of showing love or weakness (gambling…), choosing people correctly, taking the right path even when it is the hardest and admitting mistakes. Yami is a badass you cannot dislike.

He is similar to Sakata Gintoki but he never takes a joke or laziness that far, he is vulgar and robust too but not loud and flashy in his stupidity or skills. He actually trains and doesn’t hold onto the past that strongly. Contrary to Gin, he chooses his people, not his people choose him, and he has the strength to trust this choice.