Hi :)

OKIKAGU AND OKAERI

Because I literally have no self-control, I dived into a new ship willy-nilly. I can’t believe I got into Gintama and OkiKagu right as the manga is about to end. Anyway, watched the Silver Soul arc, and of course their reunion, and I couldn’t help but think how sweetly Okita says ‘okaeri’ to Kagura. It’s sweet by his standards okay. He says it so softly and slowly as if he’s relishing it. And because something nagged me about it and I love overanalyzing ships, I searched for the cultural implications like the weeb I am. I mean I knew that Japanese greetings aren’t like most greetings and usually they have symbolic meanings

I just love that it was Okita who answered her unspoken ‘tadaima’, that it was Okita who literally welcomed her back home. Just from that one line, the implications are many. In fact from the chapter itself, there were a ton of implications already, and it’s a pity not all of the dialogue made it to the anime, like how Okita knows her so well, highlighting her compassion of all things as the reason why she’d eventually come back to earth (going off-tangent here but it makes me remember how he fed her tabasco-filled cake that one time, and definitely it’s because he’s a sadistic li’l sh*t, but you also remember that’s how Mitsuba showed her appreciation to Gintoki that one time, force-feeding him tabasco parfait, the implication being that Okita might have wanted to show his appreciation to Kagura for believing he wasn’t a murderer, anyway I digress), also that he missed her, and that his sword dulled and his bloodlust waned without her and there could be many interpretations for that, either that there wasn’t a worthy opponent or even that he might have felt sad as if he felt abandoned (not that he’d even admit it or even realize it himself).

King Emma: “For the Ghost Festival this year, we are inviting friends from Heian-Kyo over for a celebration. Welcome, Seimei-sama!”

Seimei: “Hello everyone.”

Hangan: “Hozuki-sama, I’ve heard of your fame and deeds, would you like to have a drink together?”

Ibaraki: “My friend is a demon king of Oeyama, but he has gotten decadent ever since some incidents, and now he’s obsessed with wine and women.

Ootengu: “Dark Seimei-sama is so devoted to the work of justice that he often forgets to eat or sleep, I hope he can relax a little sometimes.”

Hangan: “…..my problem is rather shameful comparing to yours…. I just wish Emma-sama would pay the…. employment benefit that she promised me, but I don’t know how to ask…”

Hozuki: “Hangan-sama shouldn’t feel ashamed. Proper payment is a basic motivator for hard work. You should talk to your boss straight about it.”

Enma: “The employment benefit that I promised you? I was wondering when you were going to ask.”

Hangan: “THANK YOU ENMA SAMA!”

Hozuki: “Good bosses never delay payments.”

Hozuki: “Your problem about the hard-working boss… you may think of it as a blessing rather than nuisance.”

Hozuki: “Everyone has unique hobbies. Some like to play games, some like to chase idols, some like to whip, some like to be whipped.”

Hozuki: “Why can’t someone find work a hobby?”

Ootengu: “Exactly! I should feel honored to serve someone like Dark Seimei-sama! I’ll help him complete the work of justice before these garbage return to Heian-Kyo! Thank you for the advice!”

Hiromasa: “Hey where are you going? Come drink wine and dance with me.”

Hozuki: “Next, Ibaraki-sama’s problem…”

Hozuki: “It’s one that I deeply sympathize.”

Hakutaka: “Hehehe, young lady, you’re so cute.”

Hozuki: “Obessed with wine and women…..”

Hakutaka: “Do you have a boyfriend?

Hakutaka: “Impossible! You are so cute!.”

Hozuki: “……”

Hakutaka: “Would you consider me?”

Hakutaka: “Let me treat you to a drink—“

Hozuki: “SUPER ANNOYING!”

Hozuki: “This is what I do usually. Hope this helps.”

Ibaraki: “But I don’t want to hurt— I mean, I can’t beat him, I’m destined to lose to Shuten.”

Hozuki: “Is that so? It would be a problem if you aren’t as powerful as him. You need a strategy. Perhaps try matching his weakness with your strength?”

Fem!Iba: “Can I get some wine from the demon king?

Shuten: “I hate you cross dressers. Don’t you have anything else to do as a man. Tanuki, give him some wine and let him go.”

Shuten: “Even if I have to jump off Mount Ooe, even if I have to die single, I would not look at you once!”

One month later.

This is what happens when you leave me unsupervised with @fabricatedghost and her brilliant ideas.

I have no excuse.

Original art by Jun Mochizuki.

KAGURA: AAAAAAAAAAA!!!! WTFFFFF SADIST WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM YOU PERVERT!! I’M GONAAAA KILL YOUUU

SOUGO : FOR GOD SAKE CHINAAAA WE ARE MARRIEDDDD!!!!!

Would run TF out screaming: 

Gintoki

Sakamoto

Shinpachi

Kondou

Hijikata

Hasegawa

Yamazaki

Survives with no problem, doesn’t even get scared: 

Takasugi

Bansai

Matako

Sougo

Shouyou

Kyuubei

Gets banned for accidentally falcon-punching a ghost actor: 

Mutsu

Otae

Kamui

Kagura

Makes acquaitances with the ghosts: 

ShigeShige

Makes acquaitances with the ghosts and invites them to join forces to overthrow the government and win back the honor of the samurai country: 

Shinpachi: Are you sure?

Gintoki: Yes, I’m sure.

So in the midst of my okikagu fangirling that i went through especially since eps 364 aired last Monday, i also noticed some dissatisfied posts about Okikagu, or Okikagu shippers in general.

“Kagura hates Sougo!!!”

“Okikagu shippers acts like Okikagu is canon”

“Shinkagu/Ginkagu is more relevant because Kagura obviously love them both”

I’m not one to defend my ship or hates on other ships, just want to point out my takes on things.

1. Rokkaku arc

Notice Kagura’s face when Kirie was broken down about Sougo. It’s of sadness and uncertainty because she knew he was hiding something.

She knew Sougo is hiding something and that he was too skilled to mistakenly cut someone.

You can see Sougo was surprised that Kagura came, he asked what she’s doing there. This shows that in our and Sougo’s POV, Kagura is acting out of character.

Sougo and (also the reader) will expect Kagura to not care/hate/annoyed by Sougo. He was surprised that she came and asked these questions.

Kagura doesn’t believe that Sougo is simply a murderer, eventhough he himself convinced that he was.

She heard this, she knew Sougo is protecting both her and Kirie.

Kagura knew the only way Sougo will be happy is through fighting, knowing that he stood for what he’s protecting.

2. Farewell Shinsengumi arc

The moment Sougo gave up and again, trying to convince himself he was just a manslayer without anything to protect….

Yes, Kagura showed up, and again, Sougo was surprised.

He didnt think Kagura will come, or he didnt think anyone will come at all. At this point, the shinsengumi was disbanded and everyone is already out of their uniform. (Except for Sougo)

Again, you would think that Kagura doesnt care or hates? Sougo. Hell, even Sougo himself will think that, but Kagura didnt.

She acknowledged Sougo protecting her and Soyo.

Sougo again, in disbelief. He asked Kagura “do you think i was depressed? Are you trying to cheer me up?”

Will Kagura cheer him up if she hated him? I dont think so.

3. Their farewell

Kagura reminding him to take care of himself and become stronger, to not worry about her/yorozuya/edo. It’s like a reassurance that he can leave Edo in peace after the shinsengumi disbandment.

Once again, Sougo looked surprised here. He did not expect Kagura to care. Readers will expect the same (if you are not an okikagu shippers, i mean)

I’m not saying Okikagu is canon. So far up to this point, none of the ships in Gintama are canon. We can pull out hints and fanservice here and there to make up our theory to support our ships, and nothing is wrong with that.

But Kagura does not hate Sougo.

Well she did explicitly said she hates him, i dont dispute that. But its not like Kagura does not care about Sougo. You cant take away the fact that Kagura is the one who understood Sougo the most, and has always been there for him, not only in times of their childish banter, but also during a crucial developmental arc for Sougo.

Sougo loves Kagura.

That should be obvious, i’m not going into details of that because we can see it clearly during the latest episode where he obviously missed her, searched for her and asked her to be back, reminisce their past a lot, and finally welcoming her home.

As for Kagura’s feeling, yeah, maybe she is not interested in Sougo romantically, but their dynamic is important in Sougo’s character’s development more than it was for Kagura.

1. She turned Sougo from believing he is a manslayer to believing he is a protector.

2. She believed in him.

3. She cheered him up when he was depressed and therefore making Sougo remembered his purpose.

Kagura was the one supporting him, or was he supporting her?

In Gintama, Kagura’s character is the connector of many relationships and dynamic, and an important one to Sougo’s story.

And yeah, i’m not saying its canon. Because none of the ships are canon/or will be canon. Sorachi would not go into that route.

He had boldly and sarcastically critics that route in which Jump’s shonen manga usually will take.

But still!!!

He wrote a full chapter of okikagu’s interaction. That signifies that their story is a part of Gintama as Sorachi wanted to tell it.

As i said eventhough it leaned more on Sougo’s feelings to Kagura and none vice versa, Kagura does not hate Sougo. Not in the past, and probably not in the future.

As for the events on Episode 364, well… it’s going to hard to explain if you’re not caught up with the manga, which will explain further Sougo’s motivation. Anime only viewers should hold their horses on that one, but you’ll understand why it is impossible for Sougo to hate her–and the Yorozuya in general. On surface-level, luring Kagura out by attacking small children may seems like a dick move and unjustifiable. But I think by that time he already has a hunch about who Kanna actually is, and, knowing Kagura, he’s just doing what he knows will prove his point.

Kagura is technically running away from reality at that point, claiming she’s responsible for Yorozuya’s disband. Shinpachi says that she’s not–and, by saying “Danna may already knows that the man is still alive”, Sougo agrees with Shinpachi albeit indirectly. After all, he’s the one who contacted Kaientai to retrieve her back home–not Shinpachi, not anyone else–and he’s not doing it just to merely beat her up and satiate his sadistic tendencies. By the time she finally retrieves back into her original appearance, Sougo indirectly helps her return to Earth completely as Kagura and not behind another persona.

As for their feelings, I think they’re not canonically in love with each other… yet. But there is an undeniable fact that their relationship in canon is special, thus creating an idea of them as couple which us shippers love. Even as they are now (AND especially as they are now!), I can still die happily for their one-of-a-kind dynamics.

So why does it matter so much that Sougo and kagura fights all the time? If people get disturbed by some violence on their part, then why aren’t they getting freaked out about Otae, gintoki, Hijikata, Nobume, Kamui, Katsura, Takasugi, Kyubei And literally just any gintama character out there? I just love logic sometimes 😩👌🏽

About this– the newest update apparently added ‘reality slap’ in Hoozuki’s skill, which is a great addition (and getting more in character X,))) 

Sougo: What’re your names?

Katsura: Don’t tell him, Gintoki.

Sougo: [writing down] Gintoki.

Katsura: Oh shit.

Gintoki: Nice job, Zura.

Katsura: It's not Zura, it's Katsura!

Sougo: Gintoki and Katsura.