Gintama The Movie: Shinyaku Benizakura-hen takes place in Edo era, where a mysterious man appears in front of Katsura Kotaro and kills him with a sword called ‘Benizakura’. The next day, there are rumors about ronin killings, and Gintoki is asked to find the whereabouts of the sword that has claimed multiple victims. This film anime is a remake of the ‘Benizakura’ story from the Gintama series. The focus of the story is to solve the mystery of the Benizakura sword.
Synopsis
The year is 2010, and the genre of this film is action, comedy, and sci-fi. The production is by Sunrise, with Takamatsu Shinji as the director, and Sugita Tomokazu, Kugiyama Rie, Ishida Akira, Sakaguchi Daisuke, and Takamatsu Shinji as voice actors.
In the movie, Katsura Kotaro is killed by a mysterious man who uses the Benizakura sword. The next day, Elizabeth seeks help from the Yorozuya trio to find Katsura. However, Gintoki receives a call and hands Elizabeth’s case over to Shinpachi and Kagura.
Meanwhile, Gintoki meets Murata Tetsuya, a swordsmith who asks him to find the stolen Benizakura sword. According to Murata Tetsuya, the sword is cursed and cannot be used by just anyone. Shinpachi and Kagura, on the other hand, investigate Katsura’s murder.
They split up to find clues, with Shinpachi and Elizabeth together and Kagura with her dog Sadaharu. They wait for the killer to show up, and Nizo appears, claiming to have killed Katsura. Then, Gintoki appears and protects Shinpachi and Elizabeth. However, Gintoki struggles against Nizo, who wields the Benizakura sword. The sword not only emits the trademark cherry blossom color but also takes possession of its user’s soul.
When Nizo is about to strike Gintoki fatally, Shinpachi slices off one of Nizo’s arms. Nizo escapes while people start gathering. Kagura and Sadaharu find a clue about Katsura’s whereabouts on Shinsuke Takasugi’s terrorist ship. While recovering from his wounds, Gintoki receives a visit from Murata Tetsuko, who seeks his help to stop her brother, Murata Tetsuya, from completing the Benizakura sword.
Thanks to the map brought by Sadaharu, Shinpachi and Elizabeth infiltrate the terrorist ship, intending to rescue Kagura. Elizabeth leads Katsura’s group, while Shinpachi goes to save Kagura. However, when Shinpachi saves Kagura successfully, Takasugi appears and cuts down Elizabeth from behind. Shinpachi and the others are shocked when Katsura emerges from Elizabeth and strikes back at Takasugi.
As chaos ensues between the two groups, an explosion occurs in the factory, destroying all the Benizakura sword copies. Now, Katsura, Shinpachi, and Kagura must face Kijima, a skilled shooter, and Takechi, a military strategist.
Conclusion
Gintama The Movie: Shinyaku Benizakura-hen is a must-watch for fans of the Gintama manga and anime series. The film delivers the same witty humor and action-packed scenes that the original story is known for, with an added sense of thrill and mystery. With the impressive voice acting and well-designed animation, this movie undoubtedly brings the Gintama universe to a new level.
