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Hideaki Sorachi’s popular manga series Gintama is receiving a TV anime series once again for the first time in two years. This astounding news was announced on Dec. 21 at the Jump Festa 2015 Gintama Super Stage event held at the Makuhari Messe International Convention Complex. Following this announcement, the poster for the new series was also released.
Jump Festa 2015 is a large-scale festival themed around Jump’s four most celebrated magazines. With countless exhibitions and merchandise vendors, it is a hugely popular event.
The Jump Super Stage is undoubtedly one of the highlights at Jump Festa. Each stage event uses a different series as its theme, and its guest speakers include popular mangaka, voice actors and actresses, artists, and so on. Oftentimes breaking news is announced for the very first time right on the Jump Super Stage, thus making the stage a focal point of interest for many fans.
At the Gintama stage, too, countless fans were packed within the area. Present on stage that day were three members of the Gintama cast: the voice of Gintoki Sakata, Tomokazu Sugita, the voice of Shinpachi Shimura, Daisuke Sakaguchi, and the voice of Kagura, Rie Kugimiya. Gintama’s creator Hideaki Sorachi was unable to make it to the stage event that day, but at the end, a letter to Gintama fans from Mr. Sorachi himself was announced. “In the Gintama anime next year, Soracchimii (the comical rambling gorilla that randomly appears in the Gintama series, representing Sorachi himself) will be reborn and will make his return before everyone’s eyes. Until that moment arrives, everyone, please continue to wait and to countdown as usual. Alright, let’s do a countdown together right now. Three, Two, ONE PIECE!!” wrote Mr. Sorachi, his message full of his own Sorachi-like personality and style.
Following this message came the announcement of a new TV anime series. At the surprise of a new Gintama series to be aired, a roar of cheering and applause exploded in the jam-packed venue. The new TV anime series is scheduled to be broadcast starting in April of 2015 on TV Tokyo. The focus of attention is on the choice of the series’ director. Chizuru Miyawaki has been appointed to work on the Gintama series once again, and while she has previously participated in everything from assistant roles to director roles, such as episode director and production director, in this new series she will be participating as the main director. The previous director, Yoichi Fujita, will be participating as the supervising director. Next in line to Shinji Takamatsu and Mr. Fujita, we now look forward to her performance as the third generation director of Gintama.
Message from Tomokazu Sugita, voice of Gintoki Sakata:
“I got the impression that the energy of the series was exploding before me. I think that I’ll definitely feel something when I act in the role of Gintoki again. I can’t believe it’s actually going to be broadcast! I can’t wait!!”
Message from Daisuke Sakaguchi, voice of Shinpachi Shimura:
“I feel like… I really don’t know what’s going on anymore…because I honestly thought that the show had ended already, lol. In any case, since it’s starting again, I’m planning to give it my all.”
Message from Rie Kugimiya, voice of Kagura:
“From the bottom of my heart, I’m really happy to be able to participate in this series again, and I can’t wait until the recording sessions begin. Right now I really can’t decide whether or not I want to abandon my ideas of giving her voice weird upgrades and just act as I always have. In any case, I’m definitely going to give it my all!!”
Gintama
To be broadcast on TV Tokyo, starting April 2015
Original Work: Gintama by Hideaki Sorachi (currently serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump)
Supervising Director: Yoichi Fujita
Director: Chizuru Miyawaki
Animation Production: Sunrise
Gintama
© Hideaki Sorachi / Shueisha Inc., TV Tokyo Corporation, Dentsu Inc., Sunrise Inc., Aniplex Inc.
Source: animeanime
