Gintaka

GinTaka is the slash ship between Sakata Gintoki and Takasugi Shinsuke from the Gintama fandom.

Canon
Sakata Gintoki and Takasugi Shinsuke from Gintama are childhood friends/rivals and the disciples of Yoshida Shouyou. Due to the events of the Joui War the pair become enemies, however after their fight and the revelation about their past they eventually become allies and friends.

First encounter
Gintoki and Takasugi first meet, or rather reunite, in Episode 17 where Takasugi appears behind Gintoki in a festival under the fireworks and presses his sword up against his back. The encounter is not a friendly one and is tension filled with Gintoki questioning Takasugi's motives and why he is there, to which the latter informs Gintoki about how he manipulated the resident elderly inventor, Gengai to use his robots against the Shogun by taking advantage of his son's death during the Joui war. Takasugi alludes briefly to his internal suffering stating that "the black beast is still writhing within me now" while taunting Gintoki that as someone who's fangs have now dulled he couldn't possibly understand his state, as a response Gintoki grabs his sword with his bare hands, much to Takasugi's surprise and mild excitement, completely immobilising it.

Later in the ending scene with Katsura, Takasugi expresses interest and glee at Gintoki not losing his fangs and states that he doesn't "have anything to protect" his words are later proven false when he protects Gintoki in arcs like Shogun Assassination and Silver Soul Aftermath.

Nizou and Takasugi
When checking up on his Kihetai comrade Okada Nizou, Takasugi is teased by him for having lingering feelings of attachment for Gintoki since Nizou had cut Gintoki down an episode prior and left him in a wounded condition. While the bait doesn't affect Takasugi as he walks calmly towards the man, it's Nizou's next words that elicit a reaction from him. "Your former comrade was beaten so easily does it make you sad?... or is it something else?"

- Okada Nizou to Takasugi Shinsuke (Episode 60)

The implication of Takasugi's feelings being "something else" is enough to send him into a rage as he brings his sword towards Nizou, who blocks his strike noting that Takasugi had a real intent to kill him. While walking away from him Takasugi warns Nizou to never call Gintoki his comrade again and that "there are no warm feelings" between the two further setting up the teasing for their eventual clash.

Nizou and Gintoki
Before battling Gintoki, Nizou, because of his blindness, notes that Gintoki has the same light as Takasugi, starting the trend of characters noticing the similarities between the two (namely Kamui and Imai Nobume are among them). "There are a few who's light shine just as bright while they are alive. These lights are extremely unstable, aggressive... and tinged with sad colors"

- Okada Nizou

Nizou goes on to state that both Takasugi and Gintoki have the ability to attract and "draw in others around them," but he for some reason cannot stand Gintoki's silver light, closing in on the man and commencing their battle, as Takasugi watches on with glee urging Katsura who is on the ship with them to do the same. The fight ends with Gintoki victorious and Nizou dead. As Gintoki is walking back to the main deck of the ship, Katsura tells Takasugi that Gintoki "who has the most reason to hate this world has always endured it" and therefore so does he, unbeknownst to Katsura, however, Takasugi is already painfully aware of this more than anyone else as he states later in Shogun Assassination, and Gintoki's suffering and tears are the main reasoning for his want to destroy the world.

Gintoki's warning to Takasugi
During their fight with the Harusame, Gintoki and Katsura swear to take down Takasugi, pointing their joint blade up towards him as he smirks back down on them. "The next time you see us, there is nothing left to say, with all our strength. we will cut you down. So watch out! Don't let us catch you walking down the street!"

- Sakata Gintoki and Katsura Kotaro to Takasugi Shinsuke (Episode 61)

The irony of this declaration is that Gintoki fails to follow through with his warning, faltering when Takasugi walks past him in streets during the Courtesan of a Nation Arc - choosing instead to turn back to look at him, an action he repeats even at the end of Benizakura itself, despite him stating that "he hates looking back on the past" in the Patriot Reunion Party Arc.

Benizakura movie
Though the events of the Benizakura movie generally seem to be the same as the anime and manga there is one noticeable change, where Gintoki has a dream about Takasugi killing him. In the dream Nizou morphs into Takasugi who, after stabbing Gintoki, leans in towards him and says his catchphrase line "I simply destroy." The sequence ends with Gintoki falling out of consciousness as Takasugi smiles down at him. The dream is so horrifying to Gintoki that it shakes him out his sleep and he wakes up visibly rattled and sweating profusely.

Itou's meeting
In the Shinsengumi Crisis Arc, Takasugi enlists the help of Itou Kamotarou, a member of the Shinsengumi and has a meeting with him. In this meeting Itou tells Takasugi that "geniuses are always alone. I have no one who understands me" to which Takasugi is shown to have a melancholic and thoughtful look on his face, pondering over Itou's words. This is because at that point Takasugi is estranged with Gintoki and believes that he has lost the one person who understands him better than anyone else in the world, as stated by Gintoki himself later on in Shogun Assassination. "I have no one who understands me"

- Itou Kamotarou

Bansai updates Takasugi
In the last act of the arc, a defeated Bansai (defeated at Gintoki's hands), returns to Takasugi and informs him about the man. Takasugi asks Bansai "can you feel the rhythm of my song?" Bansai instead of answering his question tells him that "the White Knight says the things he fights for haven't changed" and asks "do you know what he meant, Shinsuke?" to which Takasugi doesn't reply but instead looks upset.

Kamui and Takasugi
When Kamui (Kagura's older brother) first meets Takasugi one of the first things he tells him is that he has the same scent as Gintoki, who simply laughs it off, following the trend Nizou set of pointing out the similarities between the pair "You smell the same as that other samurai"

- Kamui to Takasugi Shinsuke about Sakata Gintoki (Episode 215)

Takasugi in response informs Kamui that he's "been itching to kill that silver haired samurai" referring to Gintoki to which Kamui asks him whether there's a "secret behind" that left eye of his. Takasugi falls silent and the secret behind his missing left eye is later on revealed in the Shogun Assassination Arc.

Parallel lines
In Episode 260 of the Courtesan of a Nation Arc, Gintoki before defeating Naraku member (and later on former disciple) Oboro, says "give my regards to Sensei" and one episode later in Episode 261, Takasugi repeats the same line before killing Tokugawa Sada Sada in jail, completing what Gintoki failed to do in the arc.

Shogun Assassination Arc
In this arc, the truth about Takasugi and what he really thinks of Gintoki is finally revealed. He never hated or blamed Gintoki for Shouyo’s death, he actually blamed himself, not only for Shouyo’s death but also for Gintoki’s suffering. He in fact wanted revenge against himself, as stated by Gintoki: “Thats why you slash not yourself, but your alter ego. Thats why you try to search a revenge that will hurt you far more than cutting yourself.” Killing Gintoki was a self-punishment for him, being even more painful than killing himself. It was not only Shouyo’s death that made Takasugi crazy, but the fact that Gintoki suffered a lot by having to kill their master, thinking it was his fault for being so weak. He revealed the last thing his left eye saw was Gintoki’s crying face and it was burned into his memory, being one of the main reasons of his suffering. Later Gintoki states that he will not go down. He will protect the soul of Takasugi Shinsuke, disciple of Yoshida Shouyo. Meaning not only he knew Takasugi wasnt this way and he wanted to save the true nature of Takasugi from turning into a monster, but also confirming he still cares for him. After his words, Takasugi gets shocked and emotional, as he didnt know Gintoki still cared about him, he says: "Im surprised you can still say that now... I see... I had no idea, I havent been expelled yet, have I?"

Silver Soul Aftermath
Silver Soul Aftermath is mainly foccused on Gintoki’s and Takasugi’s relationship, being the arc where they officially join forces again, having a lot of moments, lines and feelings developed together. It gets clear in this arc that Takasugi is one of the most important persons to Gintoki and the same goes to the other one. Gintoki states that one of the mainly reasons he was there with him was because he didnt want to lose him again, since now that they were together he felt complete again. Takasugi sacrifices himself countless times for Gintoki’s sake in this arc, stating in one of his monologues that if he was going to die for this, it wasnt too bad. Some seconds later he is saved by Gintoki and borrows his sword again.

When Takasugi suffers a serious injury, almost dying, Gintoki goes mad, attacking the enemy without even thinking before in order to protect Takasugi. He later loses his hope as he thinks Takasugi may be dead but he gains his composure again when Takasugi gets up. In the manga’s final battle, when Utsuro tries to taunt Gintoki by saying he knew Gintoki wanted to protect Takasugi, that he knew he was there for Takasugi cause he saw everything since they joined forces together it is showed a lot of flashbacks like Gintoki smiling while looking at Takasugi’s smile. While being protected by Takasugi’s will, Gintoki states that “the one he wanted to protect was right there, in his soul”. This arc again makes a lot of symbolism about them both being soulmates, the way it is stated one completes the soul of the other a couple of times seems to highly suggest it, also the way Gintoki says: “We may both have been born under that same kind of star” to Takasugi haves a big symbolism to it.

Gintoki haves a lot of flashbacks with Takasugi while fighting Utsuro in his body, remembering for a really long time the first time he saw Takasugi smiling when they were kids (more than 20 years ago). After the fight Gintoki embraces Takasugi on his last moments. They share his last moments together in a soft conversation, Gintoki uses the word “love” a couple of times while saying the things he wanted to do with Takasugi and the moments he wanted to share with him. Takasugi says he couldnt let Gintoki cut their sensei again, still blaming himself for Gintoki’s suffering. Gintoki imagine drinking with Takasugi in a boat, a scene where they are surrounded by sakura petals, a really romantic scenary and moment, while Takasugi expresses his suffering cause of Gintoki’s crying face burned into his memory as the last thing he saw with his left eye. He begs for Gintoki not to show a sad face when his right eye closes, he then says: “the kid that appeared before me that day… the man I always wanted to defeat… the man I spent my whole life chasing… is better than that, isnt he?” After hearing it, Gintoki forces a smile to him, telling Takasugi to wait for him in hell, Takasugi smiles back to him before dying. Unable to hold back his tears anymore, Gintoki cries, his tears falling down Takasugi’s face.

Quotes
"We might have just been born under that same kind of star, but that's... not too bad, is it?"

- Sakata Gintoki (Gintama the final)

"The one... the man I spent my whole life chasing after.... is better than that, right?"

- Takasugi Shinsuke (Gintama the final)

"We have someone far more intimate to cut and curse. I have you and you have me!"

- Takasugi Shinsuke (Episode 305)

Fanon
GinTaka is a popular ship among fans because of the-childhood-friends-turned-lovers trope. After Gintama ended, some fans agree that Gintoki and Takasugi's feelings towards each other might be more than just friends, with Gintoki remaining single after Takasugi's death. This is due to the fact that during Takasugi's last moments, Gintoki in particular used sentimental lines such as "We might have just been born under that same kind of star" and "Wait for me in hell, Takasugi" The later line is believed by many to indicate possible romantic feelings as previously in the Courtesan of a Nation Arc it was used for a canon couple, it was not the only paralel, since the Suzuran's death scene was really similar to Takasugi's death. Dying in the arms of the other in front of the moon with sakura petals around them.

Some shippers noticed that in a certain flashback during the Patriot Reunion Party Arc, Gintoki and Takasugi were fighting for a girl while visiting a brothel. However, Sakamoto later mentions that Takasugi did nothing to the woman and just stared angry at her, despite her choosing to spend the night with him. Fans interpreted this as the man not being interested in women, as he hasn't shown any sexual nor romantic interest for women throughout the entire series, being seen as queercoded for many and an example of Comp Het, (this is furthered by the fact that Takasugi is the only male character to not have a female love interest, as Matako's love for him is one sided and never reciprocated). Not only this but fans also interpreted that Takasugi's fight for the woman was jealously about the fact Gintoki showed interest for her, since after this Takasugi was so angry he didnt talk to Gintoki for a while, even though he won the fight and didnt really have a reason to be mad.

Another moment of note is in the Rakuyou Decisive Battle Arc when Gintoki and Takasugi finally reunite on healthier terms, they both slay their enemies, facing each other, while creating a string of blood around them. This has been interpreted as symbolism for the popular trope: The Red String of Fate, emphasised by the fact that an episode prior to this, Takasugi had wanted to Gintoki to be the first person he saw after waking up from a coma, and Gintoki fought through a crowd of enemies to get to Takasugi to ensure he was the first person to greet him as well, during this they also swapped and used each other's swords - protecting those were dear to the other (Takasugi protected Shinpachi, while Gintoki protected Bansai). It should also be noted that in samurai culture one's sword is their soul and so by giving each other their swords to use, Gintoki and Takasugi were entrusting their souls to each other.

During the Love Chorris Arc many fans also noticed the striking similarities between the virtual girl who represented Gintoki's ideal type and Takasugi:


 * Gintoki’s ideal girl: wants to avenge a loved one (her son) dying at the hands of Gintoki
 * Takasugi: wants to avenge a loved one (Shouyou) dying at the hands of Gintoki
 * Gintoki’s ideal girl: tries to kill Gintoki because she needed someone to shift the blame to after her loss despite knowing he isn’t the root
 * Takasugi: tries to kill Gintoki because he needed someone to shift the blame to after his loss despite knowing he isn’t the root
 * Gintoki’s ideal girl: according to Gintoki needs 2 years in real time to reconcile with and get over her loss
 * Takasugi: in actual real time needed 2 years to fully reconcile with Gintoki and get over his loss

Fandom
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Trivia

 * In "Shura" the 5th ending song of Gintama by DOES, the lyrics touch upon the theme of Takasugi haunted by Gintoki's sad face, stating that "In despair, I tried to pick up the broken pieces from faded memories. When I put the pieces together, what I found was a face, looking down in sadness "


 * In "Kirimusubi" a song written for the final scene of Gintoki and Takasugi by DOES, Gintoki expresses his feelings towards Takasugi through the lyrics, stating that "I should love without questioning anything." "the two of us vowed to never be apart ever again."
 * In "Kyo mo Sakura mau Akatsuki ni", the 6th opening of Yorinuki Gintama-san, not only the lyrics remembers them both, butthe clip of the song is about two boys: a silver haired and a purple haired that are childhood friends and rivals and that also shares some Gintoki and Takasugi lines. The clip haves a shoujo style and can be seen as romantic, they also appear together under a sakura tree, just like Gintoki and Takasugi.