Gintama 2: Rules are Made to be Broken || A Review

Have you ever tried watching Gintama? Well, I think it's really a must that you already know or at least have watched an episode of it if you're going to read this review. By the way, this isn't a review of its anime because I still haven't watched the whole series yet, but this one will be all about the most recent live-action adaptation of Gintama. I already watched the first movie and I somehow expected that the second one would not be as good as the first—but I'm wrong. Actually, I like this one a little bit more than the first adaptation. Why? I'll tell you after I share with you a gist of what this live adaptation is all about.

About the Movie

Gintama 2: Rules are Made to be Broken is a 2018 live-action adaptation and a sequel to the first Gintama live-action, way back in 2017. This two-hour and fourteen-minute movie was written and directed by Yûichi Fukuda and was first released last August 17, 2018. So, like usual, the Odd Jobs (The Yorozuya) are again facing a tight money problem. They still haven't paid their monthly rents, and Otose is quite relentless in making them do so. To pay their rent and also to solve all their money-related problems, the Odd Jobs decided to hunt for jobs instead of waiting for them to come.

However, it seems that all of them have rotten luck because in every small job they do, they always meet the Shogun— who unfortunately became a victim of their rotten luck. But their problem doesn't end in meeting the Shogun because they also got involved in some kind of trouble, and this time it's an internal conflict within the Shinsengumi. A traitor stands amidst them, and he's bound to paint the Shinsengumi black. With Hijikata acting odd, the Odd Jobs were forced to mediate and protect the peace in Edo Japan again.

Compared to the 2017 adaptation, I find this also more entertaining to watch. Plot-wise, I find this movie more engaging because there are more characters introduced, plus I like how things turned out. The way they smoothly transitioned from comedic scenes to serious ones was something else. Further, I find this surprisingly funnier than the first adaptation. Well, that beetle hunting scene in the first movie was unforgettably funny, but overall I find this more entertaining and comedic. With all its vulgarity and dark humor, that shogun scene indeed me laughed really hard.

Also, the expressions of the actors and actresses who portrayed the Odd Jobs were undeniably silly. It's apparent that they definitely did their best to portray their characters and their silly expressions. I know they didn't tone down the expressions they wanted to portray because even though they didn't a hundred percent copied of those expressions, I can really see a resemblance. Further, at some point, I heard that they somehow sound so alike with the anime VAs of the characters they portrayed and for me, that's quite amazing.

This adaptation incorporates fewer CGIs, which didn't diminish the enjoyment I felt while watching it. Like the first movie, it also has cool action scenes and well-choreographed fights. And before I forget, Gintama won't be fully Gintama if it doesn't have its opening bloopers and signature anime parody. Like the anime, the opening credits also took more than one take because of the banter of the Odd Jobs. As for its parody, even though I haven't watched Evangelion, I immediately recognized the characters they're portraying. That scene was supposedly not funny, but with Gintoki as Misato, I couldn't help but laugh again.

Also, that part where they're about to go protect the Shogun...ahhhh they censored the title, but who wouldn't recognize the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro. All across the whole movie, you can see a lot of stuff from other anime, and they're something that you really need to expect from a Gintama adaptation. But what totally caught me off guard in this movie is that it was able to bring tears to my eyes. I was surprised by how affecting the backstory of the villain was, yet that still doesn't justify his actions against Shinsengumi. I'm glad that he was able to get the end he deserved, and it was a satisfying resolution.

Overall, this movie was a solid sequel to its first live-action adaptation. There are no boring moments while watching this one, and every scene hooked me to the point that the more than two hours of viewing time seemed to just pass so fast. So if you're interested in a live action that wouldn't disappoint you, then it's high time that you should try the Gintama 2!

Before I end this review, I'll share with you its trailer, so—

Have you watched this live adaptation before? Or is this your first time encountering it? If you have thoughts about it, then feel free to share them in the comments. That's all for now, minna-san! I hope you enjoyed reading my review.