Gintama Notes, Episode 3

Hello, I'm just here to clear up some major translation errors and unclear jokes/references that appear in Gintama.
Also to give random trivia and historical facts.

To start with, there are no available translations that I can truly consider to be 'good' for Gintama, though the crunchyroll translations can actually be great at times.
Though because the translator for Gintama on crunchyroll was rotated around a few times, there are also some absolutely abhorrent complete guesswork translations as well for certain batches of episodes.

First, during the post-opening 'this show was sponsored by' section there are quite often jokes written on the sides directly from the anime staff about the episode or Gintama's animation process in general.
In episode 3 it said:
"Sorry, the last couple of episodes were specials so we went a bit over the top.
This time we're starting from the top with Gin-san and Shinpachi's first meeting."

Now, the actual episode:
-"Even if the time comes when you must give up your sword, don't give up the true sword that exists within your soul." - 'true sword' should be 'completely straight' or 'unwavering' sword. It might seem minor, but I would say it's a key theme of Gintama, and of Gintoki, overall.

-English Shinpachi says 'a race called the amanto', but that's a bit confusing since within the world of Gintama any extraterrestrial intelligent aliens are considered 'amanto'. He also says that 'the samurai now tread a fine legal line' which isn't a false statement, but what he actually says is that samurai are on the decline.

-When Gintoki pulls his wooden sword out, the cat amanto says "What the hell is your deal, carrying a wooden sword around with you during the era of the sword prohibition!?" So he does comment on it being a 'wooden sword'.

-In response, Gintoki's line should be "Blah, blah, blah, blah, quit your babbling. What, are you in heat or something? Look at this. (presents empty parfait glass) Because of all your commotion, my chocolate parfait... all fell on the ground!"

-His next line says "You know, my doctor told me that my blood sugar level is too high... so I can only eat one parfait a week!"

-Shinpachi then says "He was far too rowdy to be called a samurai, but the focus his eyes showed was too great to call him a thug." I wouldn't call Gintoki 'dignified' and I do feel that comments on Gintoki's eyes specifically are always very interesting so I consider this important.

-Title card should say 'There's no way somebody with naturally wavy hair could be a bad guy' instead of 'There is no bad permanent man,' which makes no sense. They mistook '天然パーマ' (tennen paama) or 'natural perm' with 'naturally permanent' I guess.

-When Gintoki says 'I need my fix,' he actually said 'If I don't have enough sugar, I get really irritated.'
-Gintoki: "Isn't that a shame?" in response to Shinpachi saying that his boss said that he was the criminal should be "You got cut off then." Or fired.

-The cardboard box joke doesn't really come off well in the translation. Re-translated: "Quit your whining, rotten four-eyes. Don't think that you're the only one with problems. There are some samurai in the world who even call cardboard boxes their own home! Why can't you live with that kind of positive outlook on life?"

-When Gintoki runs away he says "Sorry, but there's a soap opera re-run that I've gotta catch at 4..."

-Gintoki apologising to Otae was translated as "Um, I'm kind of a violent guy and I got a little carried away. I'm sorry!" should be "Um, well, it was my debut scene and I got a bit excited, or a little carried away. I'm sorry!"

-Otae's response is a play on the 'If all problems could be solved with apologies then we wouldn't need the police' argument. She says "If all problems could be solved with apologies then we wouldn't need seppuku."

-If it wasn't obvious, when Otae says that there are only two siblings in the dojo she's referring to herself and Shinpachi.

-That's not a sword, it's a shortsword or dagger used for seppuku. If the sword ban (which was a real thing) prohibited knives as well, then people wouldn't be able to cook.

-Gintoki: "I can't commit seppuku, but even I at least clean up after myself."

-This conversation was badly translated:
Gintoki: "If you ever have any problems, I'll make sure to solv..."
Otae: "And you're the one causing problems for us!"
Shinpachi: "Find me a job then! A job!"
Gintoki: "I-I can't introduce you to a job, but I can teach you a charm to calm yourself down during interviews..." (A reference to the 'write the kanji for person 人 on your hand three times and swallow it' charm)
Otae and Shinpachi: "We don't need it!"

-Conversation with the Nameless Kansai-dialect Loan Shark Amanto (henceforth shortened to LS), Re-Translated:
LS: "Today I'm gonna finally get ma money back from ya! I can't hold it anymore! I'm gettin' really, really irritated!"
Gintoki: "What, you've got a debt? Hey now, for kids you two are sure trying to make a living dangerously!"
Shinpachi: "It's not our debt, it's our father's!"
Otae: "Shin-chan."
LS: "Why tha hell are ya just chattin' over there!? Hurry an' bring me my money, idiot! I gotta head home soon ta watch tha soap opera re-run!"
Shinpachi: "Wait a minute, we don't-"
LS: "Shut tha hell up! I've been waitin' since before yer pa passed away! [It's been so long] I'm basically balding already! Ya promised me that if ya couldn't pay ya'd sell off tha dojo, right? Do I need to keep ya to yer word!?"
Otae: "Wait a minute..."
LS: "Hey, why don't ya just forgeddaboutit already! Ya don't need to feel any responsibility to hold onto ya indebted, dead, dumb pa's dojo. Just throw it awa-"

-High-Leg Shabu-Shabu Tengoku: This was translated to High-Leg Sucky-Sucky Heaven, but shabu-shabu is a type of beef hot-pot, not 'sucky-sucky'. Also, it was 'no panties' in the manga, not high-leg. High-leg is a type of form-fitting clothes with a high-cut hem, completely exposing the thighs. Like a bunny suit.

-Re-translated Shabu-Shabu Tengoku talk:
LS: "Well, simply put, it's a floating brothel. They're prohibited in Edo now, right? But the eyes of the lawkeepers don't reach ta the skies, ya can do whatever ya want there! So I can drink in those high-legs while I shabu-shabu-shabu-shabu! I'll capture the hearts of my customers with those dangerous high-cuts!"

-LS: "You're quite the submissive girl." Should be "You're a real responsible daughter."

-Shinpachi: "Sis! Why would you go that far!? You don't need to do this! Hey, Sis!"

-Shinpachi, about sacrificing everything to live life with pride: "In this day and age, those things only get in the way. I'm going to live my life more practically (lit. skilfully)." He does not say 'elegantly,' and I would say that if he did then that would be going against his character. Same with Gintoki saying that he can't see Shinpachi living life practically, or skilfully.

-Gintoki: "If you want to protect her, you must draw your sword." -> "If there's something you want to protect, you just need to draw your sword."

-The shabu-shabu pamphlet, as read out by Shinpachi should be: "Go to Heaven as you watch the spectacular sunset. Grand opening at... 4:00 in the afternoon!?"

-Gintoki, Shinpachi, and the Policeman, re-translated:
Shinpachi: "Can't this thing go any faster!?"
Gintoki: "Well, you have to make sure to consider safety first. And it would hurt to fall off."
Shinpachi: "Now's not the time for that! My sister's currently in high-leg shabu-shabu danger!"
Policeman: "Hey, you with no helmet! Stop right there!"
Gintoki: "What are you talking about? There're no need for road traffic laws in this day and age."
Policeman: "Yeah, you're right, but it'd hurt if you fell off. I'm telling you this for your sake."
Gintoki: "It's alright, I have a hard head."
Policeman: "Huh!? What's that!? What kind of attitude is that! I'm trying to help you! It'll really hurt! It'll be a huge mess!"
Gintoki: "Shut up already, I told you I have a hard head!" *headbutts policeman*
Policeman: "Ah, I have a nosebleed! And at my age, a nosebleed!"

-Next:
Otae: "I'm Otae. Please, do as you wish with me." -> "I am Otae. Please treat me gently/lovingly."
LS: "And I've been telling ya, that's not how ya do it! Ya need ta show off more cleavage as ya do that!"
Otae: *Holding LS' face* "In all my life, I've never had any cleavage."
LS: "Oh, sorry. Ya couldn't do it if ya wanted to. Oh well. Next is tha practical training. Ya'll put on some high-legs, and then it'll be time for shabu-shabu heaven!"
Otae: "Wai-, the cut on that is a bit too..."
LS: "Tha cut's our sellin' point. What's tha problem? Put 'em on already. If you're havin' second thoughts, it's too late for that! If ya think that just because this is airin' in prime time that I'm supposed ta go easy on ya, then you're sorely mistaken! This is all ta protect yer dojo, so deal with it!"

-Next:
Goons: "Prez, what happened!?"
LS: "A car just crashed into us... *dust settles, gasps* This is bad! It's a police car! Did tha government sniff us out!?"
Gintoki: "Don't worry, this is just a rental. Hello, I'm a jack of all trades."
Shinpachi: "Sis! They haven't made you put on a high-leg yet, have they!?"
Otae: "Shin-chan"
LS: "You guys! What tha hell do ya think ye're doin'!"
Shinpachi: "We've come to get my sister back!"
LS: "Are you an idiot!? How many times do I have to tell ya all that it's too late!? Yer dojo an't gettin' off without a scratch if ya keep on pushin' it!"
Shinpachi: "I don't give a damn about the dojo. What I loved was the dojo my sister was always laughing in. If it means having to watch my sister cry, then I don't need that dojo!"
LS: "Ya idiot! What can just tha two of ya do!? Do I need ta hurt ya!?"
Gintoki: "Hey, I'll distract them so you guys go find an escape pod or something and get out of here."
Shinpachi: "And what about you?"
Gintoki: "All you need to worry about is your sister. I'll protect what I want to protect."
LS: "What tha hell are ya blabberin' about!? Die!"
Gintoki: *attacks once* "Okay, next!" *attacks again*
Goon: "What's with this guy!?"
Shinpachi: "What!?"
Otae: "His style is crazy, but..."
Shinpachi: "So strong!"
Gintoki: "Shinichi! Go!"
Shinpachi: "It's Shinpachi, idiot!"
Otae: "Shin-chan, will he be alright? Why is he doing so much for us?"
Shinpachi: "I don't know! But he'll come back. After all, I feel like he has it... What our father always talked about, the... *Gintoki appears running down the corridor from goons* He really came back!"
Gintoki: "It was tough! It was tougher than I thought it would be!"
Shinpachi: "Hey, try a little harder! You didn't even last one minute!"
Gintoki: "Idiot, making just one minute of anime is a ton of effort! Anyway, we need to hurry up and find an escape pod!"
(Here the translation says 'My life is burning up!' but really it's just Gintoki grunting. As far as I can tell he doesn't say anything)

-Skipping forward a bit:
Gintoki: "The country? The skies? You can have them. I'm busy just protecting what's in front of me. I don't even know how many things I've lost because I couldn't even protect that much. I may not have anything left, but at least if something has fallen at my feet, I want to try picking it up."
LS: "What a boring warrior's creed! Whatever, I don't care about you! Die!"
Goon: "Ya shouldn't do that, Prez. Ya know what'll happen if ya accidentally shoot that with yer gun!? The entire ship will sink!"
LS: "Ah, right! I forgot! Hey, wait, he's climbing it! Hey! Wait! Don't do that! It's the heart of the ship!"
Gintoki: "What's important to my clients is also important to me. And to protect that, I'll do whatever it takes!"
LS: "He really did it!"

-Later:
Gintoki: "I helped arrest the criminals who were disturbing Edo's peace! You could at least let go of the fact that I borrowed a police car!"
Policeman: "Borrowed!? My car and I are both a complete wreck now!"
Gintoki: "You were a wreck from the beginning. You actually look better like this!"
Policeman: "Seriously!? What part?"
Gintoki: "Try searching for yourself... (the rest is illegible over the other voices)"

-Even later:
Otae: "I don't want to watch you cry either, after all." (a callback to Shinpachi saying that he doesn't value the dojo if she isn't there, laughing.

Also, Shinpachi said that the light within Gintoki is dim, it still shines. Not that Gintoki himself is dim. This is another important theme within the show, I would say.

Post-credits side messages (like the sponsor messages):
"The Super-Gluttonous Beautiful Girl! Is she the Heroine? Introducing Kagura!!
Sorachi-san, please come over to play again. Next time let's finally go to that one shop!"


With how long that ended up, I might as well have just translated the entire episode.



Now for the Trivia Corner:

-Edo and Meiji:
The Edo Period was the classic 'samurai period'. It went from 1603 to 1868.
The end came when Japanese officials first witnessed the West's military might and some were determined to end the anti-foreigner ideas of Edo and gain new technology from trade with the West, leading to a rebellion and the fall of the old empire to be replaced with the Meiji Empire, from how I understand it.
The Meiji Empire wanted to maintain good relations with the Westerners (read: aliens) to gain new technology, but there were still rebelling forces stuck in the ideals of the Edo period. The sword ban was proclaimed, and only a select few were permitted to carry swords by the government to carry out justice and enforce the sword ban. Those few were the Shinsengumi.

-Sakata no Kintoki:
Sakata Gintoki's name comes from not a historical figure like a lot of the other characters but a folk tale figure named Kintarou, or Sakata no Kintoki.
There is a post-credit corner that discusses this later, so that's all I will say until that point.

-Nagakura Shinpachi and Shimura Ken
Shinpachi's name comes from two different people. First is Nagakura Shinpachi, a captain of the Shinsengumi. Shinpachi was originally supposed to be a member of the Shinsengumi, but that was changed later to him playing the tsukkomi (straight man) role in the main cast, so Sorachi-sensei had his name changed to also include a reference to Shimura Ken, a comedian.