This brings the tears... "Gintama" fans call illustration of Current, Past, and Childhood Gintoki "Precious"

The official X (formerly Twitter) account for "Gintama Anime & Gintama: 3-Nen Z-Gumi Gin-pachi Sensei" has released a special 20th-anniversary illustration by animation director Kae Takakura, sparking a massive emotional response from the fanbase.

The featured artwork depicts the protagonist, Gintoki Sakata (CV: Tomokazu Sugita), living through three distinct eras: the present, the past, and his childhood. In the center, the current Gintoki is shown smiling and flashing a peace sign with his signature wooden sword over his shoulder. In the bottom-left, a young Gintoki is seen stuffing his face with an onigiri, while the bottom-right features a slightly grumpy-looking Gintoki from his "Shiroyasha" (White Demon) period. On the far left, the mascot character Justaway holds a sign that reads "Congratulations!!" Furthermore, the top-right of the illustration includes a handwritten message from Takakura filled with love for the work: "What's... next? We never know until the very last second. That’s Gintama anime. I’m rooting for us to celebrate the 25th anniversary too!!"

In response to this heartfelt celebratory art, fans have flooded social media with comments of joy and emotion, such as "This makes me cry," "Precious," "Oh my god... this is peak," "As a Gintoki stan, this illustration makes me so happy," and "Justaway is so cute..."

"Gintama" is a hit sci-fi period comedy based on the mega-popular manga by Hideaki Sorachi. Set in an Edo period occupied by aliens known as "Amanto," the story follows samurai Gintoki Sakata and his employees at Yorozuya—Shinpachi Shimura (CV: Daisuke Sakaguchi) and Kagura (CV: Rie Kugimiya). The series has been beloved by fans for years for its blend of slapstick daily life, chaotic incidents, and deep emotional stakes, all centered around characters with unwavering souls.

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