Kintama 8

And so I finish yet another manga. Sort of. I think. Screw it. Next issue FUCKING NOW.



Gintoki: Which is gonna happen first? Your tiny floppy disk of memory data gets burned to bits?

Or my soul disappears?

(Side text- Will it be Silver or Gold?!)

(Sfx- Mishiih grnnnd)

KINTAMA

Gintoki: Let's let this bout decide that.

(Under panel text- 'Gintama' lesson 379.)

Kintoki: Gintoki....

You really haven't realized it yet?

In this war for existence between gold and silver...

No matter who falls, it will be you who disappears in the end.

002

Kintoki: There' was a special condition I activated before fighting in this battle.

A single program that I installed on myself.

If I should self destruct, then an explosive memory destruction ray will engulf Kabuki-chou...

Which will return everyone's memories to Zero.

There are two ways to activate this condition....

One is at the time when my core is destroyed.

003

Kintoki: The second would be..

When the seeds I planted begin to bud....which would be now.

Tae: Shin-chan, Kagura-chan!!

Why are you two lying here?!

Shinpachi: Uuugh...

Tae: What's happened to you?!
Please! Stay with me!!

Shinpachi: S---Sister....

I remember it now...

All of it.

Just who Sakata Kintoki...

is to us...

004

Shinpachi: And more importantly who...

Sakata Gintoki...

No, who Gin-san is to us.

Everything that person...Kintoki wrote over..

Has been rewritten.

Our senses were lost up until now, but are back.

Kagura: Boss lady....We...

We may have done some terrible things to Gin-chan.

I do not know...how should we begin to apologize to him?

What...

is it that we should do?

Tae: Stand up the two of you.

Lets all go back together.

To where our leader is....

005

Kintoki: The second condition is..

When the beginning four members all gather in the same place.

Do you get it now?
No matter what you do, things will never return to how they were.

Whether you defeat me....

Or bring all of your friends together...

(Sfx-Zuhh zshhhft)

Kintoki: Everything will end.

(Sfx- Karan clatter)

Kintoki: And that is my true objective.

006

Kintoki: Although I'd really like to take this manga myself...

I'm not going to do it as your shell or replacement. Sorry about that bro.

I want to steal everything from you..

And turn into the ultimate super villain,

But while you were fighting alone, your friends remembered and returned to your side.

And if they were to seriously combine their strengths..

They'll defeat me.

Yes, this is the exact essence of a final battle....the perfect development.

The final stage that everyone will stand upon and watch as the curtain call beckons the end of the show.

But you know, that’s what I've been hoping for.

Gintoki...

Even from the beginning, it was never about defeating you.

007

Kintoki: I want to destroy the you that is the ultimate enemy...

And then end everything.

All of you and even this manga....I will ensure this is the final lesson.

SORACHI HIDEAKI
KINTAMA final lesson: 'And the protagonist is...'

Kintoki: Allow me to play a Requiem for this manga....

For once I'm done here, it won't be Gintama or Kintama...but a different manga with me as the protagonist.

I'll be the one who reigns supreme in Shounen jump.

You get it now? Everything I've done up until now has been to lead you all to this final lesson.

To hand create a climax...a farce like this and end it.

It's not just you...even the editors and the compilation committee are pawns in my hands..doing edits right up to the scheduled deadline.

Even all the drama and scandals that the anime has dealt with recently were all part of my meticulous plan to bring it to an end.

The whole point of this 'Kintama' arc was to show just how pathetic a protagonist you are, Sakata Gintoki....

No...to show just how deplorable the manga known as Gintama is.

This last stand is nothing more than a grave marker for this series.

008

Kintoki: And now here we all are.

You and your friends...

Although you lack numbers, you still heat up this stage.

Honestly, I would have never in my wildest dreams have figured they'd get their memories back.

Although it's picture perfect for a final lesson.

Now it's just the final blow.

If you defeat me, everything ends.

Kintoki: Don't worry about me though...

As soon as you strike me down, a new me is waiting in the wings as a backup.

His awakening will be at the exact moment this version of me stops running.

The perfect protagonist deserves the perfect manga, no?
Something along the lines of One piece or Naruto....with me at the helm, becoming like those manga isn't impossible.

No need for you to worry...the final lesson..

The grand finale is almost here.

009

Kintoki: The Yorozuya that has it's memories back...

The friends you rely on the most...

Those whom you share the deepest bond with are returning.

And the moment those hands reach out to you..

The four that you started out with..

Will be the last four people you ever see.

It's a perfect final lesson..

If you're not thrilled with that conclusion, you could always just cut me down now.

Well, I think I've explained it well enough, the finale is here no matter what you do.

Whether you get everything back or let it all come to an end...

whether you lose everything or end everything is up to you to choose.

Well as the protagonist, I guess you don't have much of a choice regardless...

Gintoki: Is that it?

(Handwritten- Up we go.)

Gintoki: I'm asking....

If that's all you have to say.

010

(Sfx- Doshhu swfft)

011

Gintoki: My bad.

You were yammering on so long that I only really caught the first half.

(Sfx- Dogagashaaah dsssh)

Kintoki: Wh...

Weren't you listening to what I said?

Here i'll repeat myself...if you should kill me..

(Sfx- Gahh climp)

012

(Sfx- Gapaaah ffssst)

Kintoki: It'll be the end of you.

I---

Idiot...

Do you actually think you can avert the end scenario like this?

Do you actually intend on ending things..

Without meeting your friends...

And without losing anything? Is that what you're after?

Gintoki: It ain't the end...

If anything, the only thing that will end is..

(Sfx- Dosah dfft)

(Sfx- shururuu wnnnd)

013

(Sfx- Zaaan dfft)

Gintoki: The two of us...

Bro.

Kintoki: Seppuku?!

Wait a second, are you saying you intend on taking my hypnosis wave yourself?!
If you do that, you'll lose all of your memories...!!

You'll be nothing more than an invalid!!

014

Gintoki: Sounds like a plan.

Everyone went and forgot me before, so I think it's only fair for me to forget all of them this time.

Kintoki: You idiot! What kind of protagonist would do something like this?!

If you go down this road, the manga really will end!!

Did you forget that I have a copy back at your place?!

(Sfx- Giriih crrip)

Gintoki: Sorry but...

If it's a copy you're talking about...

I've already got some.

Sure, I ain't got shit to say about them...

(Handwritten- Gin-chan!! Gin-san!!)

Gintoki: But the same soul resonates in all of us.

Better remember this well, Kintoki.

There's a certain type of protagonist

Especially for one like this manga, Gintama.

A type of protagonist that...

015

Gintoki: Would do something incredibly stupid...

Just to keep the manga living as long as possible!!

You can try to hijack it a thousand times over..

(Sfx- Kaah sffft)

016

Gintoki: AND I'LL STILL NEVER LOSE TO THE LIKES OF YOUUUUUUUU!!!

(Sfx- Kakashiiiin sheeeeeeeen)

(Sfx- Gofuuuh wfooooom)

{Guess I’m gonna bite this one...}

{All by myself...}

{Nnnnngh}

{Sorry everyone...}

{I know you had just finally started to remember me..}

{And now it seems we'll never meet again.}

017

{At least if I could see...}

{Your stupid looking faces one more time...}

018

Shinpachi: Gin-san...

Sorry we're late....did you wait long?

Kagura: Gin-chan, we will not let you go alone, yes?

No matter what happens, we will go together. Even if it is to forget. We'll forget together, yes?

Tae: Now Kagura-chan, all this talk of forgetting is a big no-no.

Don't worry...this time we won't forget you, and if you should forget me I'll remind you with a jab in your arm.

Gintoki: Yo---you idiots....

If you do something this reckless without thinking, then this manga really will end!!

Shinpachi: It's not reckless....

019

Shinpachi: Because if it were you in this situation..

You'd definitely jump in and save us.

That's why no matter how many times we may be separated or forget each other...

We'll be just fine. Gin-chan.

Gintoki: Yeah...

{No matter how much we get separated or forget one another,}

{Without fail, we'll find each other again.}

{We'll definitely...}

{Meet again.}

(Side text- Thank you for reading and supporting this manga. Please look forward to Sorachi-sensei's newest work.)

KINTAMA..............END.

(Side text- From next issue on, Sorachi-sensei will start a new serial!! Look forward to the start of 'XXXtama!')