Ren quickly finished reviewing the draft.
The story was set during the late Edo period, where aliens known as the "Amanto" invaded. A war between humans and the Amanto broke out, with many samurai and anti-foreign patriots fighting against the invaders.
The shogunate, overwhelmed by the Amanto's power, signed an unequal treaty, allowing them into the country. Later, the shogunate issued a decree banning swords, stripping the samurai of their weapons. From then on, the Amanto ruled unchecked, and the shogunate became a puppet government.
While the plot seemed odd at first, it was clear to the characters in the story that the Porter was referencing Japan's own history during the Black Ship incident in the late Edo period, which resonated deeply with them as citizens of Japan.
The Black Ship incident marked the beginning of Japan's painful opening to the outside world. A once-isolated feudal nation under the Tokugawa shogunate, Japan was forced to open its borders by Western powers, leading to a political revolution and conflict between the isolationists and reformers.
For Senju and Yui, the overall feeling of this story was one of chaotic energy. It seemed like the Porter had thrown together many individually interesting elements, but it turned into a strange combination that shouldn't have worked.
Yet, it was incredibly entertaining!
The exaggerated humor and hilarious dialogue hit all the right notes, making them laugh from start to finish. Despite the chaos, the moments of emotion still managed to be deeply moving.
One moment, they were wiping away tears; the next, they were laughing so hard their sides hurt. The frequent plot twists left them speechless, yet entertained.
Of course, the story wasn't all comedy. It had moments that touched the heart.
For example, certain lines in the manga struck a chord:
"A samurai doesn't need grand reasons to act. As long as there's something you want to protect, just draw your sword."
"Men are boys until the day they die."
Senju had to admit he was deeply moved by the portrayal of the samurai spirit in the character Gintoki from Gintama.
In the chaotic world of Gintama, Gintoki never wavered from his own version of bushido, the samurai code. It was like a small white flower struggling to bloom from the muddy earth, bringing a touch of beauty to a polluted world.
However…
The bushido spirit in Gintama seemed quite different from what Senju knew.
Traditional Japanese bushido emphasized loyalty and obedience to one's lord. Even if the ruler was tyrannical, a samurai was expected to remain loyal. Sacrificing oneself for honor was an absolute value.
But the samurai code in this manga was different.
The protagonist didn't choose to protect everyone. Instead, he chose to protect only his small circle of friends. In his eyes, the country was already falling apart, and no amount of effort would save it. The people he truly cared about were his comrades—his "small family."
As the manga said:
"The sky? The country? I don't care if you take them. Just protecting the things in front of me is already more than I can handle, and I can't even protect those. I've lost count of how much I've already lost. I have nothing left, so when I see something falling, it's only natural to pick it up and keep it."
This philosophy was a far cry from the bushido Senju had been taught.
So...
Senju glanced over at Yui, wondering how she felt about this new version of bushido.
"Hmm…"
Just as Senju suspected, Yui was conflicted about the way bushido was portrayed in Ren's manga.
However, it wasn't that she rejected the bushido spirit in Gintama. After all, she wasn't the type to be bound by traditional thinking. Otherwise, she wouldn't have wanted to mix comedy with the samurai code.
Yui was simply trying to grasp what Ren was truly trying to convey through this version of bushido.
To her, Gintama presented a new take on bushido. It wasn't about blind loyalty to a feudal lord or a bloodthirsty national instinct. Instead, it was about protecting and preserving, about self-reflection and self-improvement, about fighting one's past and gently evolving from the old era to a new one.
"Wait a second!"
Suddenly, Yui froze.
She picked up the name (rough draft) again and looked at it more closely.
On the surface, it seemed to be about protecting others during dangerous times, but when she thought about it more deeply, Gintoki was actually fighting to protect himself—his own soul.
From what she could see, the manga depicted a lonely samurai, running forward, fighting through the cruelty of day and night for those he loved. He was a relic of a bygone era, resisting the modern world.
The bushido code dictated that samurai must value honor above all else, even above life itself. If they lost a battle, they would take their own lives to preserve their reputation.
But to Yui, this behavior seemed foolish. How could anyone play around with their own life like that?
The bushido code also emphasized loyalty, integrity, honor, and martial spirit. Yet, weren't the very warriors who overthrew the feudal shogunate the same samurai class that once upheld these values?
Times had changed.
In Yui's opinion, she agreed with a line from the manga: "A samurai doesn't need a grand reason to act. If there's something you want to protect, just draw your sword."
Why stick to a bushido code defined by others? Living by your own version of honor, protecting what you love, and sticking to your beliefs—that's what makes a true samurai!
After a while, Yui put down the manga and turned to Ren. "Thank you, Porter. I really love this story!"
"Do you?" Ren nodded, satisfied. "I'm glad you do!"
"But, Porter, I have one question," Yui said, a little hesitantly. "This story isn't going to end in tragedy, is it?"
To her, with all the conflict involving the Shinsengumi, Kiheitai, and the shogunate, it seemed like the main characters wouldn't meet a happy end. Especially with Ren's penchant for bittersweet stories, she was worried he might throw in a gut-wrenching plot twist. Better to ask now than be caught off guard later!
"Tragedy? No way!" Ren gave Yui a thumbs-up and flashed a bright smile. "It's going to be a heartwarming, unforgettable ending!"
At most, a few minor characters like Shogun Shigeshige, Sasaki Isaburo, or Mitsuba Okita might die to squeeze a few tears out of the fans.
He wasn't a monster, after all. Not every story had to end in despair.
Though…
Ren rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Maybe he could consider using the false memory ending for Tama, like in the original manga's conclusion.
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