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Gintama Watch Order
Gintama's eras hide behind apostrophes, degree signs, and periods. Here is the simple chronological path: the original Gintama run, then Gintama', Gintama': Enchousen, Gintama°, and Gintama., capped by the send-off film Gintama: The Final. Two earlier movies and a bridging special are optional extras you can slot in or skip.
Gintama Watch Order — complete list
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Why this order?
Gintama is a beloved gag-and-action series, but its title cards are a genuine obstacle. Across its run the show was branded "Gintama," then "Gintama'" (with an apostrophe), then "Gintama°" (with a degree sign), and finally "Gintama." (with a period). Those marks are not typos; they are how the studio distinguished each new broadcast era. The good news is that the story is almost entirely linear, so you can simply follow them in release order and never feel lost.
The default watch order walks straight through that sequence: the original Gintama (2006, a 201-episode run sometimes counted as four yearly seasons), Gintama' (2011), Gintama': Enchousen (2012), Gintama° (2015), and Gintama. (2017). That last era is itself split into three broadcast chunks — the comedic Slip Arc, the lighter Porori-hen, and the climactic Silver Soul Arc, which ran into 2018 — but it is one continuous story, so it stays as a single entry here. We avoid hard "Season 2/3/4" numbering because the era titles are the names fans and the studio actually use, and the official season counts do not line up cleanly with them.
The journey caps off with the animated film Gintama: The Final (2021), which adapts the remainder of the Silver Soul Arc plus new material and serves as the intended finale.
There are a few optional, out-of-band entries. The 2010 Benizakura Arc film is largely a recap of a TV arc; the 2013 Be Forever Yorozuya is an original time-travel story written by series creator Hideaki Sorachi and is well regarded, though not required to follow the main plot; and the 2021 two-part special Gintama: The Semi-Final bridges Gintama. and the finale film. None are needed to follow the core story, so they sit outside the main path.
If you enjoy Gintama's blend of absurd comedy and sudden, earnest drama, the natural neighbors are other long-running Shonen Jump epics like One Piece, Bleach, and Naruto — series Gintama relentlessly parodies. Watch the eras in the order above and the franchise's reputation for chaos becomes a feature, not a barrier.
Timeline 2006–2021
Every entry plotted by release year — see the gaps, clusters and revivals at a glance.
Where to play it today
Affiliate links (Bookshop.org for books, store links for games/films) slot in here.
Frequently asked questions
How many seasons of Gintama are there?
It depends on how you count. By broadcast era the anime is grouped as Gintama (2006-2010), Gintama' (2011), Gintama': Enchousen (2012), Gintama° (2015), and Gintama. (2017-2018). Officially the original 2006-2010 run is often split into four yearly seasons, so total counts vary. Across everything there are roughly 360-plus episodes, plus the 2021 finale film Gintama: The Final.
What order should I watch Gintama in?
Watch in broadcast order: Gintama (the original run) > Gintama' > Gintama': Enchousen > Gintama° > Gintama. > the film Gintama: The Final. The odd punctuation marks each new era, but the story runs in a straight line.
Why do the Gintama seasons have weird symbols in their names?
The apostrophe in Gintama', the degree sign in Gintama°, and the period in Gintama. are deliberate era markers used by the studio. They are not errors; each symbol signals a fresh broadcast run while keeping the same base title.
Do I need to watch the Gintama movies and specials?
For the core story you only need Gintama: The Final (2021). The 2010 Benizakura Arc film is mostly a recap of a TV arc, the 2013 Be Forever Yorozuya is an original (and well-regarded) time-travel story by the creator, and Gintama: The Semi-Final (2021) is a short bridging special before the finale. All three are optional rather than required.
Is Gintama. one season or several?
It is one continuous story that aired in separate broadcast blocks: the Slip Arc, Porori-hen, and the climactic Silver Soul Arc, which ran from 2017 into 2018. We list it as a single entry because it is one continuous arc story-wise.
Where can I start with Gintama?
Begin with the original Gintama (2006). It introduces Gintoki, the Yorozuya, and the world's tone. Some fans skip a few early filler episodes, but watching from episode 1 gives the cleanest experience.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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