The Best Gintama Quotes, From Funny to Sad

Gintama is a one-of-a-kind show. It's set in a version of old Japan that has been taken over by aliens called "Amanto." These aliens banned swords, which brought big changes to the country.

The story follows Sakata Gintoki, a goofy, sugar-loving ex-samurai. He runs an odd jobs business with his friends Shinpachi Shimura and Kagura. They'll do pretty much anything for money.

The show mixes silly comedy with serious, heartfelt stories. Its main idea is about finding purpose in a chaotic world where the old rules don't apply anymore. It teaches that protecting the small, everyday things is what really matters.

Sakata Gintoki's Best Quotes

As the main character, Gintoki has some of the show's most famous lines. He seems lazy and goofy, but he's also a wise war veteran who has been through a lot.

Gintoki's Thoughts on Life

Gintoki's past failures taught him to focus on living well now instead of worrying about the future. He doesn't believe in big ideas anymore. He just follows his own personal rules.

His most famous line explains this perfectly. He says, "If you have time to fantasize about a beautiful end, then why not live beautifully until the end?"

This goes against the old samurai code, which often focused on dying an honorable death. Gintoki knows from experience that death isn't beautiful. It's better to live true to yourself, even if your life gets messy.

His loyalty isn't to a master, but to his own soul. He once said, "Inside me, there is an organ more important than my heart. If I stopped here, my soul will break." Because of this, he focuses on protecting what he can see.

"The country? The skies? You can have them. I'm busy just protecting what's right in front of me."

Gintoki's Funniest Quotes

Even though Gintoki can be deep, he's a total goofball most of the time. He often breaks the fourth wall and makes jokes about being in an anime.

One of his best speeches is a long, weird explanation for why he loves strawberry milk. It sounds serious at first but ends up being completely ridiculous.

"Listen up! Let's say you drink too much strawberry milk, and have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. But you're still in bed! That feeling of lukewarm wetness spreads like wildfire! That's what I'm talking about! That's the truth of the strawberry milk!"

He also knows he's a character in a manga from Shonen Jump. He makes fun of tropes and other famous shows.

• On Jump: "Oh crap! Today is Jump release day! I forgot it comes out on Saturday this week! We have to go back!"
• On Bleach: "Ah, I wish I could have a bankai like that."
• On One Piece: "We're looking for the fabled treasure they call 'One Pack', right Zura?"
• On Rent: "I've come to pay the rent." (He almost never actually pays it.)

This humor shows that he's an outsider in his own world. He doesn't fit into any single category, so he's free to make fun of everything.

Gintoki's Serious Side: The White Demon

In serious situations, Gintoki's lazy personality disappears. His past as a fearsome warrior known as the "Shiroyasha" (White Demon) comes out. He got this name for being a terrifying fighter during the war.

This side of him is linked to his past trauma. When his friends are in danger, he uses that pain to find the strength to protect them. This is when he delivers some of his most powerful lines.

• "The night is darkest just before dawn. But keep your eyes open. If you avert your eyes from the dark, you'll be blind to the rays of a new day."
• "Even a dirty sword like mine, can still protect something."
• "I am Sakata Gintoki, disciple of Yoshida Shoyo."

He once re-defined what his "country" meant to him. Since he couldn't save his actual country, he created a new one.

"Listen. I don't care what you do somewhere else in the universe, but anywhere within reach of my sword, is my country!"

What "Lake Toya" on His Sword Means

Gintoki carries a wooden sword, or bokuto, with "Lake Toya" written on the handle. Lake Toya is a real place in Japan known for selling souvenir swords just like his.

The show has a running joke about where he got it. Gintoki claims it was a gift from a wise old man. The truth is he just bought it from a TV shopping channel and orders a new one whenever it breaks.

This sword is a perfect symbol for Gintoki himself. It's not a legendary blade, just a cheap souvenir. But in his hands, it's incredibly powerful. Gintoki is also seen as a washed-up joke, but his strength comes from his powerful soul.

Quotes from the Rest of the Yorozuya

The heart of the show is the family Gintoki, Kagura, and Shinpachi have formed. They are the source of most of the show's comedy and emotion.

Kagura's Best Quotes

Kagura is from the Yato clan, a race of super-strong aliens. She struggles to control her violent instincts. She is often blunt and crude, but she is fiercely loyal to her friends.

• On Humor: "The hottest girl around will still fart and poop."
• On Ambition: "Whether doing good or evil, I will be the boss."
• On Her Heritage: "I choose my own battlefields. Not by my blood, but by my heart! I stand on the battlefield to protect what's important to me."

Kagura's fight is a lot like Gintoki's. She refuses to be defined by her bloodline, just as Gintoki refuses to be defined by his past. They both choose to live by the code they made for themselves at Yorozuya.

Shinpachi Shimura's Best Lines

Shinpachi is the normal guy of the group, and his main job is to react to Gintoki and Kagura's crazy antics. He's the one who keeps the comedy grounded.

There is a running joke that Shinpachi isn't a person but is actually just a pair of glasses. The show says he is 95% glasses, 3% water, and 2% trash.

While he may seem plain, his normalcy is his greatest strength. Gintoki and Kagura are powerful, but Shinpachi is just a regular human. His courage is real because he chooses to stand up for what's right without any special powers.

Great Quotes from Other Characters

Gintama has a huge cast of supporting characters. Many of them are just as funny and deep as the main three.

Hasegawa Taizou (MADAO)

Hasegawa is one of the show's most tragic characters. He was a government official until he lost his job, his home, and his wife after an incident with Gintoki.

Now he's known as a "MADAO," which means "Totally Useless Old Man." He is homeless and jobless, but his words are often surprisingly wise and funny. He is a symbol of never giving up.

In one episode, he gives up his only chance to get his life back to help another man. The narrator says of him, "He already bloomed long ago." Hasegawa proves that living true to yourself is more important than having a "clean" life.

Shinsengumi & Joui Rebel Quotes

The Shinsengumi police force and the Joui rebels are Gintoki's main rivals and allies. They are responsible for some of the best jokes and rivalries in the series.

• Hijikata Toshiro (The "Demonic Vice-Commander")
  • Gag: He is completely obsessed with mayonnaise and puts it on everything he eats.
  • Serious: "If you run into a wall and pretend it doesn't exist, you'll never make progress. The wall will never change, so you are the one who has to change."
  • Heartbreak: "I just want the girl I love to be happy."
• Okita Sougo (The "Super Sadist")
  • Gag: He is always trying to kill Hijikata with a bazooka to become the new Vice-Commander. "Goodbye, vice captain. Why don't you suck on some mayonnaise in the afterlife?"
  • Serious: "There's nothing to gain. I know that. But if I don't do anything now, I won't be able to live with myself."
• Katsura Kotaro (The "Absurd Patriot")
  • Gag: Katsura is Gintoki's old friend and the target of the show's most famous running gag. Everyone calls him "Zura," and he always shouts back.
  • "Zura janai, Katsura da!" (It's not Zura, it's Katsura!)
  • This simple joke is about him holding on to his identity. In a world where his cause is no longer relevant, insisting on his own name is an act of rebellion.

Gintama Quotes by Theme

While Gintama is known for its comedy, it also has a lot to say about life.

Quotes About Life and Hardship

The show's main message is that life is often hard and weird. But people can find their own meaning and strength in the middle of all the chaos.

• "Tears are handy for washing away troubling and sad feelings. But when you grow up, you'll learn that there are things so sad, they can never be washed away by tears." — Obi Hajime
• "Life is basically like a soap bubble. It rides on the wind, flying here and there, and before you realize it, pop! It's gone." — Sakata Gintoki
• "Manga endings might always end the same. However, if it comes to life, neither you or I are mere readers. We are writers. We can change the ending." — Sakata Gintoki
• "You yourself have to change first, or nothing will change for you!" — Sakata Gintoki

Quotes About Friendship and Family

The answer to life's problems in Gintama is family, especially the families we choose for ourselves. This is where the characters find their real strength.

• "You're not strong because you cut people out and choose to go through life alone. You're strong for opening your heart up and being willing to carry important things on your back."
• "The Sakata family will always share when times are tough, with food and also pain." — Sakata Gintoki
• "If someone went the wrong way, the other two would beat him up until he got back on track. That's how it always been. That's why we'll always stay on the right path!" — Kondo Isao
• "Everyone has their flaws and imperfections, but that's what drives us to work together. Together, we make the perfect main character." — Sakata Gintoki

Quotes About Love

Gintama doesn't have a lot of typical romance. Instead, it explores connection in other ways. One of the best examples is Gintoki's speech to his friend Tsukuyo.

Tsukuyo was taught that to be strong, she had to get rid of her feelings and attachments. Gintoki tells her that being "dirty" and messy is what makes her human and that she should not carry her burdens alone.

"Weep and ask for help. Lean on me with your runny nose. Cry when you feel like crying. It's far better to get dirty while living true to yourself, than to throw away yourself and die a clean death."

This isn't a love confession. It is about completely accepting someone for who they are, scars and all. In a show that avoids romance, this is one of the deepest connections two characters can share.

Quotes in Japanese

A lot of the humor and meaning in Gintama comes from the original Japanese language. Simple translations can sometimes miss the full picture.