The Official Report of the Stage Greeting for the Commemorative Screening of "Gintama On Theater 2D: The Courtesan of a Nation Arc" Has Arrived!
Starting from June 21 (Friday), "Gintama On Theater 2D: The Courtesan of a Nation Arc" has been screening nationwide for a limited three-week run. To commemorate the screening, today, June 22 (Saturday), a stage greeting event was held at Shinjuku Wald 9, featuring Tomokazu Sugita (voice of Gintoki Sakata), Daisuke Sakaguchi (voice of Shinpachi Shimura), Rie Kugimiya (voice of Kagura), and Yūki Ono (voice of Tokugawa Shige Shige).
As part of the Gintama 20th Anniversary Project, "Gintama On Theater" is a special project that re-edits popular episodes from the TV anime into a single work and screens it in theaters. Following the great success of "Gintama On Theater 2D: The Baragaki Arc" in November 2023, the second installment, "Gintama On Theater 2D: The Courtesan of a Nation Arc," which tells the poignant story of a fleeting "promise" that began with a courtesan's love, began its limited three-week run.
Amidst the lingering emotions and excitement from the audience who had just fully enjoyed one of the most moving episodes, the talk by the three Yorozuya members began with the familiar BG-only & shadow narration known to Gintama fans! After being told by the staff that a "special guest" was coming, the three made wild guesses until the screen revealed the young Shogun of the Edo Shogunate, Tokugawa Shige Shige! Yūki Ono, dressed as the Shogun himself, appeared on stage, and the shouts of "It's the Shogun!" from Gintoki and Shinpachi sent the venue's excitement into overdrive.
As the crowd erupted into applause, Tomokazu Sugita, Daisuke Sakaguchi, and Rie Kugimiya also took the stage. Sugita commented, "The seasons have disappeared, as it's no longer about summer or spring. But today, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom," which was met with a big round of applause. Additionally, when Ono delivered the famous line, "I wanted to see you, my comrades," cheers erupted from the audience.
The first discussion theme was about "The Courtesan of a Nation Arc." Sakaguchi began by noting, "It's been over 10 years since we recorded this..." which led to a collective realization of how quickly time had passed, causing both the cast and audience to chuckle in response.
Sakaguchi, who loves happy endings, reflected, "Although 'The Courtesan of a Nation Arc' wasn’t exactly happy for me, the beautiful ending left a strong impression. Recently, when asked what my favorite arc was, I found myself answering 'The Courtesan of a Nation Arc.' I think something inside me might have changed a little," he said with deep emotion.
Sugita shared his thoughts, saying, "Gintoki has been desperately avoiding facing certain crucial moments. But this episode marks a time when he must finally confront the serious elements head-on, which directly impacts both his heart and body. It's an unforgettable episode." Many in the audience nodded in agreement.
Ono recalled, "Initially, I appeared as a comedic character in each episode. However, in this arc, I started to truly realize, 'He’s really the Shogun,' and I felt a depth and gravitas to the character that made me very happy." He also mentioned that this was a memorable time as he had just quit his part-time job.
Kugimiya added, "I watched it this morning, and while it’s heavy when you truly confront it, it’s also a truly beautiful episode." She also shared a light-hearted story about how the Yorozuya members frequently visited a favorite spicy ramen shop together, which no longer exists, adding a nostalgic touch to the conversation.
Next, the discussion turned to the surprise announcement at the end of the screening about the third installment, "Gintama On Theater 2D: The Kintama Arc."
Sugita shared a memory from that time, saying, "I was told, 'Starting next week, it's Kintama. You won’t be appearing. The lead role will be played by this person (Yūichi Nakamura),' and I just accepted it without any concern." Sakaguchi quickly retorted, "You shouldn’t have just accepted it!" causing laughter.
Sugita also shared that Nakamura had taken his usual seat in the recording studio. While Sakaguchi and Kugimiya mentioned that the recording had a slightly different atmosphere, Sugita explained that his focus was on figuring out how to make Nakamura’s time on set as enjoyable and comfortable as possible, reflecting the leadership he had shown as the leader of the Yorozuya over the years.
It was then revealed that June 22 was both Tokugawa Shige Shige's birthday and Yūki Ono's own birthday, leading to a huge round of applause from the audience. A special "briefs cake" was brought out, and the quality of the cake sent the excitement in the room soaring. As the audience joined in singing a celebratory song for "Shō-chan & Yū-chan," Ono expressed his gratitude, saying, "Shō-chan would probably say, 'I’m overwhelmed with emotion.' Thank you so much!" This earned him the loudest applause of the day.
After a lively photo session and other activities, the stage greeting event for "Gintama On Theater 2D: The Courtesan of a Nation Arc" came to a close amidst great enthusiasm.
This text was quoted from the official website.
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