In a new episode of Gintama: 3-Z Ginpachi-Sensei, the anime makes a reference to Gojo Satoru (Jujutsu Kaisen) and All Might (My Hero Academia). The team decided to censor their faces with dark bars. They did it because Gintama is famous for its fourth-wall-breaking humor. In these scenes they parody other series Shounen Jump while jokingly pretending to avoid lawsuits or copyright issues.
That Gintama, even sharing editorial with Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia, deciding to “censor” his own characters is a clear example of his humor. This self-censorship works as a direct mockery to how strict and sometimes absurd copyright rules and permissions between series can be. Why hide faces that everyone recognizes? And what does this gesture reveal about how complicated a wink between works can be? With simple black bars, Gintama transforms copyright bureaucracy into an impeccable joke.
Gintama's self-censorship: Humor turned into criticism of the industry
Although all these works come from the same publisher, each works as an independent property with specific rules and permissions, which turns any crossing into a process full of internal procedures. Gintama transforms that bureaucracy into comedy: by placing a black bar on gojo, makes it clear that “we all know who it is, but let's pretend that we follow the protocol”. It is a direct mockery of the rigidity with which legality is handled even when it is not necessary.
Who we have followed Gintama For years we immediately recognized this style. The series has always used absurdity and breaking the fourth wall to expose the oddities of the industry. This self-censorship not only allows reference to the character, It also functions as a sharp criticism of a legal system who seems more concerned with formalities than with common sense.
Gintama's satire as a criticism of copyright
Parody is legally protected in many countries, and Gintama Take advantage of that freedom by taking the fear of litigation to the extreme. The contrast between the obvious, everyone recognizes All Might, and the absurd decision to censor it creates an immediate comic effect. This exaggeration points directly to the disproportionate power that the laws of copyright and how they limit creativity or prevent the natural coexistence between works. The scene functions as a lesson in meta-narrative where censorship, instead of hiding, reveals the message.
Gintama has always stood out for its ability to shamelessly reference other series, even the most popular ones. That daring is part of his identity. The censorship scene keeps that tradition alive, mocking the rules that try to stop it and demonstrating that ingenuity can overcome any restriction without losing the irreverent spirit that defines the series.
The Verdict
The “censorship” of Gojo and All Might in Gintama offers a funny and sharp criticism that the industry directs at itself. He also argues that copyright laws have become so rigid that the trick is to fake compliance even when it's not necessary.
We maintain that this type of humor not only makes longtime fans laugh, but educates new ones about the wealth of references in Shonen Jump and the bureaucracy that regulates it. Gintama proves that the most powerful form of criticism is comedy.
Do you think other Shonen Jump series should be more permissive with crossovers and internal references to foster cohesion between fandoms? Leave us your opinion in the comments.
Post a Comment