Hideaki Sorachi’sGintamais one of the most popular anime series in the world. It was a part of Shueisha’s Shonen Jump until its conclusion in June 2019. The series is critically acclaimed, with each season boasting very high ratings on MyAnimeList.
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The series takes place in a sci-fi setting, in which aliens have conquered the city of Edo. Along with its incredible story and diverse cast of characters,Gintamaalso has a unique quality of referencing other anime, TV shows, and even celebrities throughout its run.Gintamahas referenced all sorts of anime, but these ten nods to other shows are among the best and the cleverest.
10Hajime no Ippo
Hajime no Ippois one of themost popular sports anime of all time. The award-winning series follows Ippo, a talented young boxer who wants to become a professional.
The reference toHajime no IppoinGintamacan be found as early as episode 28. In this episode, Otae uses the Dempsey Roll, a popular move fromHajime no Ippo. It was clear that Kondo stood no chance against such a devastating move, and it put him out of commission temporarily.
9Assassination Classroom
LikeGintama, Assassination Classroomtakes its viewers on an emotional rollercoaster. The series follows the students of Class 3-E as they try to kill Koro-sensei, a strange and uncanny creature.
InGintamaepisode 269, Gintoki finds himself teaching the young Seita about history. In order to hide his obliviousness about the object, Gintoki tells Seita that everything before the Sengoku period was just gorillas with spears. While teaching Seita, Tsukuyo calls him Koro-sensei, which freaks him out.
8JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Hirohiko Araki’sJoJo’s Bizarre Adventureis one of thelongest-running manga series of all time. It has managed to withstand the test of time, a testament to its quality. Each part features a new protagonist and antagonists, which guarantees excitement.
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JoJois known for its bizarre poses, and in the Ghost Ryokan arc, Gintoki used one of these famous poses. To be more specific, he used Caesar Zepelli’s pose. It was a befitting nod, as Gintoki and Joseph Joestar share the same voice actor. Additionally,Gintamahas also used a reference to Jotaro Kujo’s stand, Star Platinum.
7Naruto
Naruto’spopularity in the West is incredible. The series finished many years ago, but still has an active fanbase. There have been several instances whereGintamahas parodiedNaruto.The first can be found as early as episode 13, where Katsura adds dattebayo to his sentences.
Later, in episode 292, Kyuubei used a technique that was a spoof of Mangekyou Sharingan. Yet anotherNarutoparody can be found in episode 209 when Shinpachi’s eye is infected and it takes the same pattern as the Sharingan, an eye technique fromNaruto.
6One Piece
One Piecehas been a part of the Shonen Jump since the 90s, and is easily one of thebest shonen seriesgoing today. With over 1000 chapters, it is one of the more lengthy series out there. Its creator, Eiichiro Oda, is considered a living legend, and it is only fair thatGintamapaid homage to his series.
There are a fewOne Piecereferences inGintama. In one, Shinpachi makes a reference to the Great Pirate Era andLuffy’s devil fruit ability. In another, during a question-answer session, Gintoki dresses up like Luffy.
5Dragon Ball
Not many series can boast the same level of popularity as theDragon Ballfranchise.DragonBallacted as the bedrock for the future shonen jump classics. It has inspired many authors, and it’s easy to see the inspiration reflected in their work.
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InGintama, there is no shortage ofDragon Ballreferences and parodies. In episode 119, Hijikata ends up visiting planet Hamek (a parody of planet Namek) to smoke cigarettes. On his arrival, Hijikata receives unfortunate news about the planet’s factories being ruined by Brieza (a Freiza parody). In the same episode, there is also a reference to the Dragon Balls themselves, which are called Slippery Balls inGintama.
4Saint Seiya
Saint Seiyawas released in 1984. The run had over a hundred episodes, featuring a unique mix of mythology and martial arts. The series follows Seiya, an orphan, and his journey to obtain a priceless artifact.
Gintamaepisode 282 paid tribute toSaint Seiya. The episode’s ending song was a parody of Saint Seiya’s theme song. The characters fromSaint Seiyawere replaced by Gintoki and co.
3Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundamis arguably themost well-known mecha anime. It has been around for several decades and a lot of viewers associate their childhood with it.
Gintama paid a tribute toGundamon its 30th anniversary with a special parody episode full of references to members of Ramba Ral’s unit. Besides the obvious references toGundamcharacters, there’s also the Renho arc, which is filled with many parodies of the sci-fi anime.
2Doraemon
Doraemonhas been a part of the childhood of many viewers, and remains popular to this day. TheDoraemonreferences in Gintama are truly priceless.
Throughout the series, Gintoki makes a lot of references to Doraemon’s pocket. Perhaps the best reference toDoraemonis when a scared Gintoki starts singing the anime’s theme song in order to cope with his hysteria.
1Fist of the North Star
Kenshiro from theFist of the North Staris one of the most recognizable faces in the anime community. The main protagonist of the series, he shot to popularity after the “Omae wa Shinderu” memes.
Gintamareferenced this anime and its protagonist in episode 273, where Shinpachi is seen mirroring Kenshiro. The episode also parodies the mohawk gangs fromFist of the North Star.
