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rainsometimesThis is essentially copied from Twitter, but I wanted to put it here as well even if it could be a lot better worded.
Below the cut, Gintama meta about the final arc, especially a moment in chapter 691, but informed by later chapters too. So don't read it unless you've read the final arc. (Read, not watched - this is stuff that hasn't been in the anime yet.)
When Gintoki said "I'll go pure white" between Katsura and Takasugi, I wonder if he meant he recognized himself in both of them.
He called Takasugi his alter ego, and I think they do share a reckless, wild abandon, a drive for destruction. Even if there's a purifying side to it in Gintoki's case. But if Katsura by contrast is associated - in the final arc particularly - with reconstruction, with reforms, even with creation, those aspects are also within Gintoki.
In the "Pure White" scene, Katsura's and Takasugi's intentions and attitudes towards resurrecting their teacher are contrasted, both with each other and the rest of their symbolic stances. Here it's Katsura who favours destruction and finality, while Takasugi craves rebirth, resurrection, and re-connections (wishing not only dearly to see Shoyo again, but for Gintoki to see him, too).
Zura reasons instead that protecting Shoyo means to protect the people of Edo, Japan, and Earth, even if that means destroying the reborn Shoyo/Utsuro... In effect, thus protecting Shoyo's legacy and soul. Which is the kind of stance Gintoki has taken before, like in the Beam Saber arc. But Takasugi's stance is close to his, too, especially the part about re-connecting with someone beloved who was believed lost.
So it makes all kinds of sense that Gin places himself in the middle between them. They reflect different sides of him.
But I feel that Shoyo/Utsuro is probably meant to symbolize more things than I can truly grasp at the moment... (It can't be just "the past", because Shoyo was no blind traditionalist but a reformer at heart. Can it be "being true to the self"? Thinking about what "finding your own way to be a samurai" truly means...)
More thoughts on this are extremely welcome!
Below the cut, Gintama meta about the final arc, especially a moment in chapter 691, but informed by later chapters too. So don't read it unless you've read the final arc. (Read, not watched - this is stuff that hasn't been in the anime yet.)
When Gintoki said "I'll go pure white" between Katsura and Takasugi, I wonder if he meant he recognized himself in both of them.
He called Takasugi his alter ego, and I think they do share a reckless, wild abandon, a drive for destruction. Even if there's a purifying side to it in Gintoki's case. But if Katsura by contrast is associated - in the final arc particularly - with reconstruction, with reforms, even with creation, those aspects are also within Gintoki.
In the "Pure White" scene, Katsura's and Takasugi's intentions and attitudes towards resurrecting their teacher are contrasted, both with each other and the rest of their symbolic stances. Here it's Katsura who favours destruction and finality, while Takasugi craves rebirth, resurrection, and re-connections (wishing not only dearly to see Shoyo again, but for Gintoki to see him, too).
Zura reasons instead that protecting Shoyo means to protect the people of Edo, Japan, and Earth, even if that means destroying the reborn Shoyo/Utsuro... In effect, thus protecting Shoyo's legacy and soul. Which is the kind of stance Gintoki has taken before, like in the Beam Saber arc. But Takasugi's stance is close to his, too, especially the part about re-connecting with someone beloved who was believed lost.
So it makes all kinds of sense that Gin places himself in the middle between them. They reflect different sides of him.
But I feel that Shoyo/Utsuro is probably meant to symbolize more things than I can truly grasp at the moment... (It can't be just "the past", because Shoyo was no blind traditionalist but a reformer at heart. Can it be "being true to the self"? Thinking about what "finding your own way to be a samurai" truly means...)
More thoughts on this are extremely welcome!