I was only aware that Golden Village is playing Gintama 2 when I was searching for the ticket to watch Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald. It is surprising that the show availability is so limited considering that it started to be available only since last week (8 Nov) and because of that I just watched it although usually I avoid watching on Fridays and weekends due to more expensive ticket price.
Gintama 2 does not deviate much from the first live action movie last year: great actors, great comedy that some may consider lame, terrible CGI, and plot that does not make sense. There have been improvements which makes Gintama 2 is a more enjoyable movie after all.
The weakest improvement is in the CGI department. The CGI is exceptionally painful in the first movie because of the amanto aka the aliens. In Gintama 2, the CGI is most obvious during the fight scenes. The fight scenes are actually cool and the actors do great while the CGI ruins it. Jeez.. CGI should enhance fight scenes but unfortunately the CGI is jarringly bad here as if the film makers did not even bother to make the CGI blend better with the live action.
The plot is still quite weak but easier to follow and less confusing than the first movie. The earlier part of this movie is essentially for the sake of laughter as it does very little for the overall plot other than to introduce new characters, the shogun and Kamataro Ito, as the later part of the movie requires them. Ito wants to take over Shinsengumi and is basically made use of by the real antagonist, Shinsuke Takasugi since Shinsengumi is protecting the shogun whom Takasugi wants to kill.
The returning actors are still great and the new actors are equally great to capture the lameness, ridiculousness, and over-the-top comedy. Without these actors and the comedy, the movie will just be a gone case. The comedy goes full throttle right from the beginning with Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura discussing the success of the first movie and then teasing Shun Oguri (who plays Gintoki) who never won Japan Academy Prize while Masaki Suda (who plays Shinpachi) won it last year. The running gags referencing Shun Oguri's other movies/roles and the parodies of other animes (Evangelion and Totoro just to name a few) did not fail to make the whole cinema laughed. The star of the comedy, however, is hands down Yuya Yagira who plays Toshiro Hijikata. As a plot to take over Shinsengumi, Hijikata is planted with a chip to turn him into an otaku so initially he repeatedly switches personality between the serious Hijikata and the otaku before eventually the otaku personality becomes more prominent. All the otaku jokes and stereotypes definitely hit the correct notes from the otaku audience too.
In midst of all the comedy and the things that don't make sense, there are still some touching moments with the Shinsengumi arc. I think the movie does well representing the manga/anime feel with interspersing the comedy, touching moments, action, serious moments, and parts that actually drive the plot quite well. The changes of atmosphere still feel natural or anime/manga-like and manage to avoid being abrupt, awkward, or lame.
Usually I feel happy and light on Fridays but somehow I feel so down and emo the whole day. I was contemplating whether to rest early or to watch just now and I am really glad that I decided to watch. I had good laughing session and it was therapeutic. I am very surprised that I enjoy Gintama 2 much more than the first one. Looking back, I think the first movie is somewhat cringe-y. Perhaps it introduces and de-sensitises me to Gintama gag style and that familiarity enables me to enjoy Gintama 2 more.
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