Twitter points out Gintama dig at Dragon Ball and One Piece, debates ensue

The popular comedy anime series Gintama has often been known for its references to other, more well-known anime, such as Dragon Ball (DB) and One Piece (OP). Recently, a Gintama scene has surfaced on Twitter discussing the lengths various shows will go to in order to maintain source material distance.

The particular scene the tweet points out deals with recaps of the previous episodes being put at the beginning of each new episode. As the Gintama scene points out, for shows like DB and OP, fans can be ten minutes into an episode before the title card appears.

Follow along as this article breaks down Twitter’s reaction to the post and claim, as well as what Gintama is referencing and how it relates to One Piece and Dragon Ball.

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Twitter poking fun at One Piece, Dragon Ball via Gintama scene, debates from fans follow

The tweet

Recently, Twitter user @Based5656 tweeted out screenshots of a Gintama scene. The particular scene is one of many in which Gintama breaks the fourth wall and discusses the anime industry at large.

The particular scene discusses the tactics of long-running, previous generation anime to maintain distance from source material. The two shows @Based5656 felt to call out here were Dragon Ball and One Piece, certainly not inaccurate claims.

While many users are responding by defending or discussing one show in particular, some are highlighting the common thread between the two shows. A common similarity pointed out is that both anime have been animated by Toei Animation.

While Toei Animation certainly has examples of series which don’t do this, one can argue that DB and OP are the company’s two most iconic projects. The fact that Toei is utilizing such pacing tactics with their two biggest shows is certainly concerning for fans of both series.

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One Piece relation and fanbase responses

As far as the Gintama scene relates to One Piece, some good points are certainly made. Nearly every One Piece episode opens with a roughly three-and-a-half minute intro sequence, including opening credits for animation and publisher studios.

Following this, an episode or even arc recap is summarized over the next three to five minutes. At minimum, over six minutes are spent on pleasantries before the actual episode begins, with the maximum being essentially ten minutes.

This is exactly what the Gintama scene describes, and the One Piece fanbase seems to have accepted this. In fact, many are taking this opportunity to point out how this flaw makes the series’ manga much more digestible and enjoyable than the anime.

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Dragon Ball relation and fanbase responses

Dragon Ball fans, on the other hand, seem torn between comparing the described tactics to other shows, and accepting Gintama’s criticism as is. While this isn’t exactly uncharacteristic of the Dragon Ball fanbase, it’s certainly far from the expected reaction.

One DB fan in particular points out how the show manages to avoid filler with these tactics, as opposed to shows like Naruto who opt for filler instead. Although not pointed out, this is also true for OP, which has a shockingly low filler rate relative to the Big Three cohorts Naruto and Bleach.

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In summation

Regardless of fans’ reactions to the claim, the Gintama joke obviously holds some truth to it regarding One Piece and Dragon Ball. Despite being two of the most critically and commercially acclaimed series of all time, they’ve had their respective problems with pacing and adaptation.

In particular, fans have been complaining about recent OP episodes adapting less than one chapter at a time. While the DB Super anime isn’t currently airing right now, it’s likely the show will face similar production problems as described here upon returning.

Be sure to keep up with all Dragon Ball and One Piece anime, manga, and film news as 2022 progresses.