# 256 - The Meaning of a Main Character
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GYQ4MKDZ6/gintama)
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Meaning of a Main Character
**[00:04] Tojo**
Lady?
**[00:05] A**
Boss?
**[00:06] B**
Sarutobi-dono?
**[00:08] Kin**
You're siding with him?
**[00:11] Kin**
You're going to betray
your friends, betray me,
**[00:14] Kin**
for a man who attacked your friends?
**[00:21] Gin**
What do you think you're doing?
**[00:23] Gin**
If you do this...
***SIGN*** Field Trip Groups
***SIGN*** Boys
***SIGN*** Sakata
**[00:26] Sa**
Stop it, boys!
**[00:28] Sa**
Let Sakata-kun join in!
**[00:30] Kyu**
Are you okay, Sakata-kun?
**[00:32] Sa**
Teacher, can we let
Sakata-kun join our group?
**[00:36] Gin**
...I'll feel like that pathetic
left-out boy who
**[00:39] ---**
ends up in a group of girls
out of sympathy!
**[00:43] Kyu**
Kintoki, we trusted you.
**[00:46] Kyu**
That's why we're here.
**[00:48] Tsu**
So trust us.
**[00:50] Tsu**
This man isn't what you think he is.
**[00:53] Sa**
The Kin-san I know would back off.
**[00:58] All**
If you consider us friends...
**[01:04] Kin**
I see.
**[01:05] Kin**
I suppose you're representing
the Yagyu and Hyakka.
**[01:11] Kin**
Get out of this town
**[01:14] Kin**
with Gintoki.
**[01:16] Tojo**
Kintoki-dono?!
**[01:17] Kin**
If you're taking that man's side,
**[01:20] Kin**
you're an enemy of this town,
**[01:21] ---**
an enemy of the Kabuki district!
**[01:25] Kyu**
I see.
**[01:26] Kyu**
Is that your answer?
**[01:39] Zura**
In that case...
**[01:39] Both**
We also have our answer.
**[01:43] Kin**
What do you think you're doing?
**[01:46] Kin**
Women are quick to betray you,
**[01:48] Kin**
but men are supposed to have honor.
**[01:52] Kin**
Aren't we frien—
**[01:53] Zura**
We're friends.
**[01:54] Mada**
No doubt about it.
**[01:56] Zura**
Kintoki, I once made a
promise with a friend.
**[02:00] Zura**
*Never change.*
**[02:03] Gin**
*If you ever change, I'll
be there to cut you down.*
**[02:07] Mada**
Kin-san, a buddy of mine
used to smack me around.
**[02:11] Gin**
*Fool! Don't blame everything
on your sunglasses!*
**[02:15] Mada**
That's who we are.
**[02:17] Zura**
When we believe you're
taking the right path,
**[02:21] ---**
we stick with you,
no matter how hard it is.
**[02:24] Mada**
But if you're taking the wrong path,
**[02:27] ---**
we'll stop you, even if it turns
the whole world against us.
**[02:32] Zura**
That friend is...
**[02:33] Mada**
That man is...
**[02:35] Kyu**
That idiot is...
**[02:36] Tsu**
That lazy ass is...
**[02:38] Sa**
That sadist is...
**[02:43] All**
Our friend, Sakata Gintoki.
**[02:49] Tojo**
Huh?
**[02:50] Tojo**
I-I kind of went with the flow,
but I can't remember a thing.
**[02:53] Gin**
Y-You guys are...
***SIGN*** Middle School Class Reunion
**[02:58] Zura**
Yo, it's been forever.
You been doing okay?
**[03:01] Mada**
You still look like a
loser. Have a drink.
**[03:04] Gin**
...acting all friendly and mature
at our class reunion as though
**[03:08] ---**
you never shunned me
when we were kids.
**[03:11] ---**
Screw you!
**[03:19] Gin**
Bastard!
**[03:20] Kin**
Impressive, brother.
**[03:22] Kin**
So this is the power of
a bond forged through
**[03:25] ---**
60 volumes of DVDs?
**[03:27] Kin**
But it's no use.
**[03:29] Kin**
You can try to win them back,
**[03:31] Kin**
but I can undo your work
with a wave of my hand.
**[03:34] Kin**
Want to know why?
**[03:36] Kin**
It's because the main
character in this anime...
**[03:39] All**
...is Kin-san.
**[03:43] Kin**
You thought I couldn't
brainwash people anymore.
**[03:46] Kin**
Tama threw away her life for nothing.
**[03:49] Kin**
Come on, let's protect our town.
**[03:53] Kin**
This sideshow continues to defy
**[03:56] ---**
the main character and his friends.
**[03:59] Kin**
Send him packing!
**[04:06] Zura**
Go ahead and try!
**[04:09] Zura**
But we hold inside us
**[04:12] Zura**
ironclad memories of the
battles we fought together!
**[04:16] Zura**
A silver sword lies inside our souls!
**[04:20] Gin**
If you think you can
break those swords,
**[04:24] Gin**
break them!
**[04:26] Gin**
*My hypnotism isn't working!*
**[04:30] Kin**
Crush them! Beat them down!
**[04:32] Zura**
Go!
**[04:33] Tsu**
Gintoki!
**[04:36] Gin**
Yeah, I'll let you watch my back!
**[04:40] Gin**
While...
**[04:41] Both**
I handle being the main character!
**[05:06] Kin**
I'll obliterate you.
**[05:07] Kin**
Erase your memories, your
friends, your very being...
**[05:13] Gin**
You're the one who's
getting obliterated.
**[05:15] Gin**
Let's see if your memory
bank is fried first,
**[05:19] Gin**
or if my soul burns out first.
**[05:23] Gin**
Let's finish this.
**[05:26] Kin**
Whether gold or silver wins
this battle for existence,
**[05:29] ---**
you will be the one who disappears.
**[05:32] Kin**
I installed a special program
in myself that will activate
**[05:36] ---**
when certain conditions are met.
**[05:38] Kin**
This program will cause
a hypnotic explosion
**[05:40] ---**
that will blanket the
entire Kabuki district
**[05:43] Kin**
and reset everyone's memory.
**[05:47] Kin**
There are two conditions.
**[05:49] Kin**
The first is when my core is broken.
**[05:52] Kin**
The second
**[05:54] Kin**
is about to happen.
**[05:58] Otae**
Shin-chan! Kagura-chan!
**[06:00] Otae**
What are you doing here?!
**[06:02] Otae**
Come on! Pull yourself together!
**[06:05] Shin**
Sis...
**[06:07] Shin**
We remembered everything.
**[06:11] Shin**
Who Sakata Kintoki really is,
**[06:14] Shin**
who Sakata Gintoki really is...
**[06:18] Shin**
The person who altered our
memories just restored them.
**[06:22] Shin**
After that, we lost consciousness.
**[06:25] Kag**
Boss lady, we did terrible
things to Gin-chan.
**[06:30] Kag**
How do we say we're sorry?
**[06:33] Kag**
How can we make up?
**[06:38] Otae**
Stand up, you two.
**[06:41] Otae**
Let's go back to our leader.
**[06:45] Kin**
The second is when the four people
**[06:48] ---**
who started this all appear before me.
**[06:55] Kin**
Understand?
**[06:58] Kin**
If you defeat me or
recover your friends,
**[07:03] Kin**
everything will end.
**[07:05] Kin**
That was my true objective.
**[07:08] Kin**
You thought I wanted to take
over this lousy anime?
**[07:11] Kin**
Sorry, but I'm not going
**[07:12] ---**
to be satisfied with
your sloppy seconds.
**[07:15] Kin**
I take everything from you
**[07:17] ---**
and become the worst
enemy you've ever faced.
**[07:21] Kin**
But still, you're able to recover
your friends singlehandedly
**[07:25] ---**
and work together to defeat me.
**[07:28] Kin**
Yes, that is what I was hoping
to see in this final battle.
**[07:34] Kin**
I wanted to give this
show its last episode
**[07:37] Kin**
so I could return as the main character
**[07:39] ---**
of a show that was neither
Gintama nor Kintama.
**[07:44] Kin**
Sakata Gintoki, this anime returned
**[07:49] Kin**
as a tombstone to mark an end
to your pathetic existence,
**[07:54] ---**
to this joke of an anime.
**[07:57] Kin**
Well done.
**[07:59] Kin**
You and your friends have
**[08:02] ---**
made the atmosphere perfect
for a final episode.
**[08:06] Kin**
Don't worry about me.
**[08:08] Kin**
I've backed up my data
and prepared a new body.
**[08:12] Kin**
Rest easy.
**[08:14] Kin**
The finale will be very soon.
**[08:18] Gin**
That's it?
**[08:20] Gin**
Is that all you have to say?
**[08:26] Gin**
Sorry, you took so long that I
missed half of what you said.
**[08:32] Kin**
Y-You'll pay for ignoring my warning!
**[08:35] Kin**
If you kill me...
**[08:36] Gin**
You're finished, right?
**[08:41] Kin**
B-Bastard...
**[08:44] Kin**
You think you can end this yourself?
**[08:47] Kin**
Without recovering
everything you've lost?
**[08:55] Gin**
Nothing's going to end.
**[09:00] Gin**
Except for
**[09:03] Gin**
you and me, brother.
**[09:06] Kin**
Seppuku?!
**[09:07] Kin**
You'll lose more than your memories!
**[09:09] Kin**
You're going to cripple yourself!
**[09:11] Gin**
That's just fine.
**[09:12] Gin**
Everyone else forgot about me.
**[09:15] Gin**
It's my turn to forget.
**[09:17] Kin**
Fool!
**[09:18] Kin**
Have you forgotten that I've
made a copy of myself?!
**[09:22] Gin**
I have my own copies.
**[09:26] Gin**
They don't listen to a word I say,
**[09:29] ---**
but they share the same soul.
**[09:32] Gin**
Listen up, Kintoki.
**[09:34] Gin**
The main character in Gintama
**[09:37] Gin**
is every last idiot alive in this show!
**[09:46] Kag**
Gin-chan!
**[09:50] Gin**
Can I hold him back by myself?!
**[09:57] Gin**
*Sorry, everyone.*
**[09:59] Gin**
*You finally remembered me,*
**[10:02] ---**
*but I doubt we'll be
seeing each other again.*
**[10:04] Gin**
*I was hoping to see your
stupid faces one last ti—*
**[10:11] Shin**
Sorry, Gin-san. We kept you waiting.
**[10:14] Kag**
We won't let you go off
by yourself, Gin-chan.
**[10:17] Kag**
We'll always be together.
**[10:20] Otae**
Don't worry.
**[10:22] ---**
We won't forget you this time.
**[10:24] Otae**
If you forget about me, I'll punch you.
**[10:30] Gin**
Fools...
**[10:32] Gin**
Now that you're here, this
anime is really going to end!
**[10:36] Gin**
And it just started again!
**[10:38] Shin**
That's not true.
**[10:40] Shin**
You'll be there.
**[10:41] Shin**
We'll all be there
**[10:43] Shin**
to save the day.
**[10:50] Kag**
So it doesn't matter how
many times we forget,
**[10:53] ---**
how many times we're separated.
**[10:55] Kag**
Isn't that right, Gin-chan?
**[10:59] Gin**
Yeah...
**[11:02] Gin**
I'll find you.
**[11:06] Gin**
We'll see each other again.
**[11:45] Toki**
A sword isn't meant to be
sheathed in underwear.
**[11:49] Toki**
It belongs in a scabbard.
**[11:52] Toki**
I don't think I can be
your scabbard anymore,
**[11:56] Toki**
but I'm sure there's a girl out there
**[11:59] ---**
who's worthy of being your scabbard,
**[12:01] Toki**
so you must find her
so you can be happy.
**[12:04] Kin**
I don't wanna.
**[12:05] Kin**
I want Tokiko-chan.
**[12:08] Toki**
Geez, you're so stupid.
**[12:12] Toki**
Will you make me a promise then?
**[12:15] Toki**
If I'm reincarnated,
I'll find you again.
**[12:20] Toki**
So promise you'll also find me.
**[12:24] Kin**
Uh-huh, I promise.
**[12:27] Kin**
I'll find my precious scabbard.
***SIGN*** Mantama
***SIGN*** aren't cute at all.
***SIGN*** Sponsors
Oedo Expendables
Matsuo & Kiyo Drugstore
°Not real sponsors. We made them up.
***SIGN*** Gold and silver
***SIGN*** The new show Mantama
***SIGN*** begins now.
***SIGN*** Sponsors
Andromeda Sweets Shop
°Not real sponsors. We made them up.
***SIGN*** Episode 1: A Man's Sword
**[13:50] Kin**
Love Country.
***SIGN*** Be sure to watch Mantama in a well-lit room
and sit some distance from the TV!
**[13:53] Kin**
There was a time, long ago, when our
**[13:55] ---**
country was called by that name.
***SIGN*** 20 Years Ago
**[13:57] Kin**
Twenty years ago, a mysterious
building appeared out of nowhere
**[14:03] Kin**
and spread a mysterious virus
**[14:06] Kin**
that caused every man's
pride to rot and fall off.
**[14:11] Kin**
Where men and women once talked of love,
**[14:14] Kin**
we now had trannies and women bitching.
**[14:17] Kin**
Where men and women once spoke of love...
**[14:20] A**
Fantabulosa!
**[14:21] Kin**
...was all that remained.
**[14:23] Kin**
However, there was one last samurai
with a resistance to the virus,
**[14:27] ---**
whose sword of steel remained strong.
**[14:30] Kin**
Sakata Kintoki.
**[14:32] Kin**
Yes, he was the last hope for mankind.
**[14:36] Kin**
The man who had the right to
claim every woman on the planet,
**[14:40] Kin**
but instead continued to search
for a single scabbard.
**[14:42] Kin**
That man was me.
**[14:44] A**
Good morning, Sakata-kun!
**[14:45] A**
Let's go to school together!
**[14:47] B**
I made an extra lunch today.
**[14:49] B**
Would you like it?
**[14:50] C**
Sakata-kun promised to
have lunch with me!
**[14:54] D**
What are you talking about?
He promised me, too.
**[14:56] Kin**
Sorry, but I don't remember making
**[14:58] ---**
any promises to you girls.
**[15:00] Kin**
My promise is to someone else.
**[15:02] Kin**
A promise that was made
long before you were born.
**[15:06] B**
Huh? What does that mean?
**[15:09] Kin**
*How much time has passed*
**[15:11] ---**
*since I started looking for you?*
**[15:14] Kin**
*To keep my promise to you,*
**[15:16] ---**
*I changed my sword, my body, into metal,*
**[15:19] Kin**
*so I could remain a man, even
if I was no longer human.*
**[15:23] Kin**
*Eventually, the human race will
die and I'll be left alone.*
**[15:28] Kin**
*But my sword will never break.*
**[15:31] Kin**
*Even if you're reincarnated
as a cockroach,*
**[15:33] Kin**
*you will still be my precious partner.*
**[15:36] Toki**
Oh no!
**[15:37] Toki**
I'm late on my first day
at my new school!
***SIGN*** Wham!
**[15:42] All**
Are you okay, Sakata-kun?
**[15:44] Kin**
Ow...
**[15:46] Toki**
Ouch.
**[15:48] Toki**
Oops, I screwed up!
**[15:53] Kin**
*Could it be...*
**[15:53] Toki**
I'm sorry. Are you hurt?
**[15:54] Kin**
*Is it truly...*
**[15:56] Kin**
*...her reincarnation?*
**[15:59] Toki**
Um, excuse me.
**[16:03] Toki**
That's my plastic bottle.
**[16:06] Kin**
*Sh-Shit!*
**[16:08] B**
A plastic bottle is stuck on
**[16:10] ---**
the only sword left in the entire world!
**[16:13] Gor**
What's all this fuss about?
**[16:15] C**
Ms. Goriko!
**[16:16] C**
It's terrible!
**[16:18] C**
Look at Sakata-kun's crotch!
**[16:20] Gor**
This is...
**[16:21] Gor**
Don't touch it!
**[16:22] Gor**
If the main character of
this anime loses his crotch,
**[16:25] ---**
his only unique feature,
**[16:27] Gor**
Sakata-kun will no longer be
**[16:28] ---**
qualified to be the main character!
**[16:29] Kin**
Teach!
**[16:30] ---**
Don't make it sound like my
crotch is all there is to me!
**[16:33] Gor**
For now, let's carefully carry
him to the nurse's office.
**[16:36] Gor**
Here we go!
**[16:38] A**
Teach! Could you *be* any less careful?!
**[16:41] B**
Look out! There's a
ball coming your way!
**[16:45] E**
Teach! Please go to
the nurse's office!
**[16:48] E**
Thanks, Teach!
**[16:49] Kin**
Hold on!
**[16:51] Kin**
You've got two balls and
a bat in your mitt now!
**[16:54] ---**
Okay, here I go!
**[16:55] Kin**
Wait!
**[16:56] Kin**
Those are my balls and bat!
**[16:58] E**
Kick off!
**[16:59] Kin**
Aren't you playing baseball?!
**[17:02] Kin**
She hit the school!
**[17:04] Kin**
My sword!
**[17:06] F**
What's going on?
**[17:08] F**
This came flying into the art room.
**[17:11] Kin**
Is it okay?!
**[17:12] F**
Yes, there was a broken
screw in the bottle,
**[17:16] ---**
so I repaired it.
**[17:17] Kin**
*Bon voyage!*
**[17:20] A**
Sakata-kun's crotch
has gone bon voyage!
**[17:25] Gor**
Okay, let's take attendance!
**[17:28] Kin**
*It's over...*
**[17:30] Kin**
*I finally found someone who
appeared to be her reincarnation,*
**[17:34] Kin**
*but my scabbard is a plastic bottle,*
**[17:36] Kin**
*and my sword has set
sail for a new world.*
**[17:40] Kin**
*I can no longer...*
**[17:44] Toki**
Excuse me!
**[17:45] Gor**
Hey, what do you think you're doing?
**[17:47] Gor**
You're late on your first day.
**[17:48] Toki**
I-I'm sorry.
**[17:54] Toki**
Nice to meet you.
**[17:55] Toki**
I'm a new transfer student.
**[17:58] Toki**
Sorry about being late.
**[18:00] Toki**
I was looking for something.
**[18:04] Toki**
It took forever,
**[18:05] Toki**
but I was finally able to find it.
**[18:10] Toki**
Find you...
**[18:14] Toki**
Sorry it took so long.
**[18:21] Kin**
Tokiko-chan!
**[18:26] Toki**
You don't need to cry.
**[18:28] Toki**
Didn't we promise
**[18:32] Gin**
that we would meet again?
***SIGN*** Sakata Gintoki
**[18:36] Gin**
Let's start over.
**[18:38] Gin**
I'm the new transfer
student, Sakata Gintoki.
**[18:43] Gin**
Hey, what's with the look on your face?
**[18:45] Gin**
Did you forget the promise we made?
**[18:49] Shin**
Of course not.
**[18:51] Shin**
It doesn't matter how
many times we forget...
**[18:53] Kag**
How many times we're separated.
**[18:55] Otae**
We'll find you.
**[18:59] All**
Right, Gin-san?
**[19:02] Gin**
There you go, brother.
**[19:05] Gin**
Sorry to ruin your main
character gig, but Mantama
**[19:09] Gin**
was created to be your tombstone.
**[19:24] Tama**
Did you enjoy your brief
experience as a main character?
**[19:28] Tama**
Did you enjoy having
everything important
**[19:31] ---**
to you taken away?
**[19:33] Tama**
That's what you were doing.
**[19:36] Kin**
I see...
**[19:37] ---**
So that world was a virtual
one that you created.
**[19:41] Gen**
When I was repairing you,
I added a few safety measures.
**[19:46] Kin**
That's why they still
have their memories
**[19:48] ---**
after being hit by the
hypnotic explosion?
**[19:51] Gen**
Heh, they didn't need my help.
**[19:55] Gen**
Kintoki, the bond people share
**[19:58] Gen**
goes deeper than the memory.
**[20:04] Gin**
Tama, I've settled my score with him.
**[20:08] Gin**
He's all yours now.
**[20:10] Gin**
Boil him, fry him,
do whatever you want.
**[20:13] Shin**
Please wait, Tama-san!
**[20:15] Kag**
Can you spare him?!
**[20:18] Shin**
We were the ones who
asked you to make him!
**[20:21] Kag**
He was just trying to take
Gin-chan's place as our leader!
**[20:24] Kag**
He just went too far!
**[20:27] Shin**
We'll join him in begging
everyone for forgiveness!
**[20:31] Shin**
Please!
**[20:33] Tama**
Did you hear that?
**[20:36] Kin**
You people are too soft.
**[20:38] Kin**
Gintoki, this is the reality
of what you've achieved.
**[20:42] Kin**
See how your friends are too
weak to finish off your enemy.
**[20:46] Kin**
See how you were too powerless
to do anything alone.
**[20:51] Kin**
Your imperfect character was
**[20:53] ---**
destined to fail, even
without my intervention.
**[20:56] Gin**
You're absolutely right.
**[20:58] Gin**
I can't do anything alone.
**[21:01] Gin**
Everyone here has their
flaws and imperfections.
**[21:04] Gin**
But that's what drives
us to work together
**[21:07] ---**
to make up for those flaws.
**[21:10] Gin**
Together, we make the
perfect main character.
**[21:14] Gin**
If you don't believe me,
you can come back.
**[21:17] Gin**
We'll take you on again.
**[21:19] Gin**
See ya, imperfect plastic model.
**[21:22] Kin**
Wait! Did you say I was imperfect?!
**[21:24] Kin**
Take that back!
**[21:26] Tama**
No, you are certainly imperfect.
**[21:31] Tama**
You were so focused on altering
other people's memories,
**[21:36] Tama**
you didn't realize that other
people were altering your soul.
**[21:41] Tama**
You should treasure the
life your friends spared.
**[21:50] Kin**
Gramps...
**[21:52] Kin**
Can you polish me up?
**[21:55] Gen**
No idea. I can start by
making you shiny gold.
**[22:00] Gen**
No, shiny gold won't do.
**[22:03] Sa**
Gin-san!
***SIGN*** Gintama
**[22:08] All**
Welcome back!
**[22:11] Gen**
Let's try making you
***SIGN*** Gintama Episode 256
**[22:14] ---**
shiny silver.
***SIGN*** We're Back