醉生夢死

When Takasugi died I was in shock, not because I didn’t see it coming but because I didn’t think it was really going to happen for several reasons. At that moment I thought maybe I was being too sensitive and it would be better to let time pass, it could be that there’s something I didn’t understand. However, I still find problems with the writing and, regardless of whether you liked his character, didn’t care or hated him, the implications of his death are unsettling once visible.

Without going any further, the idea that Takasugi finds a solution to his problems in death, it’s pretty messed up. It’s not something foreign to me, but this same series in fact taught me we can be overcome, that it will be difficult, but as long as we don’t give up we can live beautifully, even with the pain. Often the series compares Takasugi and Gintoki, on one occasion Katsura said Gintoki is the one who suffered the most (in reference to the fact that he has the most reason to hate the world). Under the logic that whoever suffers most deserves death to rest, shouldn’t Gintoki have died then?

There is also the notion that lose memories and start from scratch is a favor. Interestingly, one of the first arcs of the series had as a plot Gintoki losing his memories and, although he became a productive member of society and looked less sad, the big problem lay in the fact that that wasn’t Gintoki, it was someone else. That’s why Kagura and Shinpachi struggled to get him back. Takasugi, like all the characters, experienced both sadness and joy. Negative experiences also play a role in helping you grow and nullify that is a mistake.

These are things Sorachi wrote in the past and yet he contradicted himself to put on an ending that wasn’t appropiate for this kind of series. Perhaps for one with a darker tone the idea of erasing your identity in order to be happy would’ve been consistent, but not with Gintama. He tried to give him a nice resolution with his resurrection through the altana, but seems to have forgotten the implications that this entails, to be condemned to immortality. The aforementioned could’ve worked with Takasugi until SA arc, but after that he’d a lot of character development, new goals, his bonds were reinforced, a new worldview, people to live for. That’s why I still don’t understand why he decided to undo what he did with his character and story.

Sorachi said several times he didn’t know how to finish the series and it showed. It also became apparent he wasn’t sure whether to kill Takasugi or not and finally decided to do it in the penultimate chapter. In the later part he focused a lot on his character because all the other conflicts had already been resolved and all that remained was his destiny, but it was set up like it was the only thing that could be done, Takasugi had to be killed in order to kill Utsuro. However, when Utsuro was defeated, Takasugi remained alive for a few minutes, which proofs they didn’t have to die together. When Sorachi made him reincarnate, could it be that he retracted his decision? Who knows.

fandom: i love him though (no you don't)

fandom: it is good for him to be reborn without a memory without suffering

that simply shows u don't understand what made him happiest. u don't understand his character and u outright accept everything that is written for u as long as it doesn't burst your comfort bubble.

the reason ppl love gintama is not because of absence of pain, but the fact that pain is always present, just not forgotten. the characters all carried some form of pain. they learned from the pain and grew from it. their stories give ppl hope. it gives ppl courage, to walk into the future, just like how they walked from the past, into their present. so why should they stop there?

how fandom reacts, though - fandom is relieved that nothing changed, because then they don't have to deal with pain. the pain of their pairings not being realised, the pain of separation, of yorozuya breaking up, of shinsengumi breaking up, i.e., the pain of - CHANGE.

takasugi shinsuke was happiest, when he was fighting for a cause he believes in. when he was fighting for change. he had been like that since a child. and to fight with ppl who think like him, made him very happy.

he lived for people, and he wanted them to live. remember shouyou that male bitch. remember gintoki. he told gintoki to look after shouyou, he begged gintoki not to kill shouyou. he still really cared for gintoki but has gintoki ever given a shit about him? no. read back to shogun ansatsu arc.

with the kiheitai, shinsuke knew they could only live if he lives, so he had always continued to hang onto life. he had always said, he wanted to destroy the world, but everything he has done was the contrary. he didn't want to destroy it? he wanted to change it.

and yet why it was ok to kill him, does it make sense that he has completely abandoned the kiheitai, who had been with him for 12 long years, just to go on a suicide mission himself? wtf? did bansai die in vain? so he could kill himself at the top? i swear you all.

shinsuke's death was only dealt after he was tortured for chapters. and the person who said will save him? killed him.

it pisses me off that ppl continue to fight those who voice their displeasure over this whole shit show. just what the fck are you defending? just why the fck are you so defensive? ppl are simply saying, "no, this is wrong, this is not the gintama i knew."

"i love the ending! and i predicted it will be like this"

let me tell you, you weren't the only one who predicted this shit ending. we just hoped that it wouldn't come to this, that it would end better than what we predicted based on the shit trajectory. because it went against every positive message ever given. STAY STAGNATE! NEVER CHANGE!

kagura went back to stay with two useless guys instead of living her life

"when hasegawa attains happiness this is when this series will end"

jk he's not interested in settling down ever

"one day with heart and soul and all your might, the mud will dry and fall off."

"rather than seek a beautiful end, live life beautifully until the end"

jk nothing changes, let's ignore everything in gintama

"takasugi has always looked for a way to die"

"for real, he doesn't need to be saved, so he dies. but that's bc he is already saved."

"....i know that sounds contradictory but - lol"

"idk how to end his manga, help me"

"i drew what i wanted, thx"

fandom: WHAT A LOVELY ENDING!!!!!

🙄🙄🙄🙄

That’s pride alright lmfao

“When I was growing up, my parents spoke to each other in Spanish, but they didn’t speak to us in Spanish because they were told not to. In school we weren’t allowed to speak it.”

and also???

“… But America is the only country that promotes monolingualism. Here it’s English, English, English. Every other country makes their children learn a second language very early on. So as my political and social activism grew, I was like, ‘I really need to learn Spanish.’ So I did.“ 

idk how many people i’ve known growing up in texas whose parents speak fluent spanish but they don’t speak a lick solely because their parents were afraid or told not to teach their children. it’s unspeakably common and doesn’t in any way shape or form diminish someone’s claim to or pride in their heritage. 

Rereading chapter 703 (½)