Something that exists for one sole purpose is eternally elegant and beautiful. Takasugi Shinsuke Gintama: The Movie or Gintama: Shinyaku Benizakurahen is a solid adaptation of a classic arc which is often touted as being what got people hooked on Gintama. While this isnt true for most it does make the most sense that this arc was chosen to get adapted into a movie twice if we are including the liveaction films. Most of the important characters outside of the main trio are new and the plot doesnt rely too heavily on the context given by prior episodes. This means that it can be watched without needing to have recently watched the previous episodes. For those who have already watched Gintama this movie will obviously retread familiar ground however it is a different enough experience to be worth a watch. The usual snarky selfreferential humour and fourthwallbreaking antics are adapted to suit the movie medium something that the animation team working on Gintama have always excelled at. The series utilises the medium it is being presented in and makes it an advantage. There are also enough changes to make it worth a watch most notably including the Shinsengumi retroactively setting up Episode 62 and revising a couple of the scenes to create a more atmospheric experience. There is a nice balance between the old and new which ensures this is a fun watch even when you know what will happen. For those who havent watched Gintama and are a little bit apprehensive about starting the series then Gintama: The Movie might be a good testing ground for whether it will be something you might enjoy. While you wont have a deep connection to the characters they are set up with the series usual flare and so you get a strong grasp of their dynamics. Plotwise there will be a little bit that you might not understand but there isnt much The film moves seamlessly between comedy action and drama showing the potential that Gintama has and that especially the later seasons easily eclipse. There is enough exposition to get a basic understanding of what is happening without it feeling like a lecture. This limited use of exposition works in this films favour as it allows the established relationships between characters to speak for themselves. Gintama: The Movie enhances the Benizakura Arc as an experience polishing up the plot and exploring the smaller elements that couldnt be fully realised in the main series. It uses its time in a constructive way that leaves it feeling neither bloated nor empty. The improvement in animation is noticeable and its nice to see the staff putting their budget to good use especially when animating Kaguras reactions. The only issue I had was that some scenes could be a little bit too dark to clearly see what was happening but these moments were few and far between. The fight scenes have also been improved most notably in the final fight which is even more entertaining with the shots feeling more dynamic. This plays into the strengths of Gintama as the variety of fighting styles make it feel exciting. The pacing and soundtrack work well together and as usual DOES provides some fantastic new songs which capture the excitement of first watching this arc. It goes to show how much of a good job the team did picking out the elements that made this arc special and recreating them. The end is also typical Gintama loud fun and a nice way of including all the characters that make Gintama what it is. It makes this film feel more like an experience for the fans not just the shameless cashgrab that they play it off as. Overall Gintama: The Movie provides a unique balance that informs any newer audience members of what Gintama is without boring those who have already watched the series. While it follows the same plot beats as the main series the subtle changes are really enjoyable to see and it shows how much attention the staff pay. It really captures the thrill that made the Benizakura Arc special to the fans of Gintama and created something new with it.