Gintoki

**Sakata Gintoki** is the main protagonist of Gintama. He fought Zoro from One Piece in episode 12 of Mini Rumble.

## Description

**Sakata Gintoki** is the founder and president of the Yorozuya Gin-Chan, as well as a highly skilled samurai, having fought in the Joui War in the past. During the war, he became known as the **White Demon** (白悪魔, *Shiroyasha*) due to his powerful swordplay and demonic white appearance. Now, he is in an era where the samurai are no longer needed. To add to his troubles, oppressive aliens have moved in to invade. Gintoki lives with Kagura and Shinpachi, taking on odd jobs to make the world a better place...and to pay their rent.

Gintoki has naturally permed silver hair, which he blames for his lacking love-life. He has a big crush on the TV's news weather girl, Ketsuno. In fact, to date, the only time he is seen to have blushed is when he tries to make use of Sadaharu and Ketsuno's dog to get a chance to talk to her. Though several female characters have shown an interest in Gintoki, he usually does not show any response back and merely puts up with them as annoyances.

Despite being a fearsome fighter with nearly unmatched skills, he avoids needless bloodshed after suffering the loss of most of his friends and allies during the Joui war.

## Trivia

* Gintoki's last name & character design are recycled from Sakata Tomiko & Gorouzaemon; characters from a rejected one-shot story Sorachi wrote before Gintama.
* According to Sorachi, Gintoki's name was based on Sakata Kintoki, also known as Kintaro, from a famous folk tale set in the Heian Period. Kintaro became friends with the animals that lived on the mountain where he was raised and was even capable of battling with them. After certain events, he became a samurai and eventually went under the name **Sakata Kintoki (坂田公時)**. Sorachi-sensei, in one of the question corners, explains this and doesn't intend on making Gin-san a descendant of Kintaro. His robot counterpart actually does take the name of Sakata Kintoki.

* Gintoki likes to order a custom "red beans on rice"(*Uji-Gintoki-don 宇治銀時ドン)* dish at his local restaurant.

* He might not look like it, but Gintoki was noted by Sorachi as a skilled chef. It was said that he was at the "steel man" level when it comes to cooking  (mentioned in episode 92's behind the scenes). He is also a capable baker, being able to bake his own strawberry cake at Shinpachi's house as shown in episode 2.

* His design was actually meant for Hijikata when Sorachi lost his first design.

* Until now fans created a 'Shinsengumi' version of him which included Hijikata Toushirou, Shimura Shinpachi, Kondou Isao, and Okita Sougo.

* It is only during the second part of Episode 97 that Gintoki did not assault Sarutobi Ayame. This is maybe due to him being sick and feeble, or it could be in the way Sarutobi approached him and slept next to him enchantingly that made him unable to beat to her.

* Gintoki bows to the Shinsengumi for the first time in Lesson 406 in order to save Obi Hajime, which caused Sougo to take pictures or record Gintoki on his phone.

* Gintoki's nickname *Shiroyasha* in the Japanese manga meaning *White Yaksha* is changed to *White Knight* in the English translation VIZ media.
* Ketsuno Cristel is the only female character to not really know him well and not to attack him at all.

* In Episode 111, it was shown that Gintoki has at least 3 pairs of his normal attire (consisting of yukata and his black pants and shirt) when Shinpachi was hanging laundry inside their house.

* In Episode 45, Gintoki accidentally revealed his genitals on the national news after forgetting to zip up his pants.

* Whenever he loses after he gambles, he is commonly shown wearing pink boxers with a strawberry pattern. In episode 111, some of his undergarments were shown hanging including the strawberry-patterned one.

* Gintoki's dominant hand is his right one.

* Apparently, Gintoki can sleep with his eyes open.

* His favorite drink is strawberry milk.

* Shinpachi, Kagura, and Sadaharu have mentioned in episode 283 that his feet stink.

* It is mentioned in episodes 167 and shown in episode 177 that he has a fear of spiders.

* In the Yoshiwara Arc, Gintoki stated he dislikes women that are clingy.

* In Episode 175, it is revealed that Gintoki (as well as Hijikata) is afraid of dentists even though they are old enough to be not afraid of them anymore.
* Gintoki shares many traits to the main protagonist of the Gundam anime, Amuro Ray. As they earn the same title - White Devil - after putting an end of a great war in its final moments, however being traumatized throughout the war, decided to become a NEET for a decade until they return back to the battlefield to protect The Earth.

* Lu Lingqi, a character from Dynasty Warriors, seems to be based on Gintoki's Gender Bender form.

* Gintoki's voice actor, Sugita Tomokazu, also voices Switch from SKET Dance, another Jump Manga Series. He also did the voice of Gintoki when they had a crossover with Gin Tama due to "Time Slot" Argument.

* He cannot swim (as confirmed by Tama in Lesson 472 and hinted at by him using floaties in/avoiding the water throughout the series, and in episodes 290-291 among others).
* Gintoki used to have scooter goggles fastened around his neck during the early stages of the manga, but they soon disappeared due to Sorachi Hideaki stating that they were a pain to draw.
* Sakamoto often mistakenly calls him Kintoki, which Gintoki highly annoyed too. This is a joke to the fact that Gin in Gintoki's name means Silver and is used in the title (***Gintama***, (銀魂)). Kintama (金玉) is a common Japanese word for testicles.