Debuted in 2003, Hideaki Sorachi’sGintamashonen manga lasted until 2019, producing 77 volumes in the process. An anime adaptation launched in 2006, going on to produce numerous seasons and over 350 episodes. It is safe to say thatGintamaleft its mark, and the show is a must-watch for both comedy and action fans.
Gintama: The Very Finalmovie came out a few years ago, supposedly bringing the mainline series to a close. Throughout the years, the Odd Jobs crew have done it all – saved the universe, fought ghosts, argued over a hot pot, and got stuck in the toilet without any paper. While Ginpachi’s journey might be over, the laughter and excitement don’t have to stop here. Feeling the blues after consuming everything this franchise has to offer? Then theseanime similar toGintamaare exactly what the doctor ordered.
Inescapablebattle shounen serieslikeOne Piece,Naruto,Dragon Ball, andBleachwill not be included, but they are all decent picks for fans ofGintama’s more action-oriented arcs.
Updated July 02, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Good news, Gintama is set to make its animated comeback, with 2025 seemingly likely. Now, thisseries is a spin-off based around the teacher Ginpachi characterwho would occasionally make appearances for short skits in the mainline series. These segments and the upcoming show are based on a light novel that produced 8 volumes over about a decade.
While waiting for this spin-off to debut, fans might want to check out some of thebest anime like Gintama.
13Ranma ½ (Original Anime Or 2024 Version)
A Shonen Comedy Classic That Has Mostly Produced Anime Magic
Very few anime comedies can compare toGintamain terms of influence and reputation, butRanma ½might just be an exception.Rumiko Takahashi’s mangais an all-time masterpiece that was quite groundbreaking for the ’80s, with the series challenging gender stereotypes and character archetypes that dominated that era.Ranma ½could be seen as a parody of battle shonen and harem tropes, despite arguably predating the latter’s rise in popularity in manga and especially anime.
Ultimately, the only thing that matters is the humor, and most ofRanma ½is timeless. Both the 1989 anime and MAPPA’s 2024 reboot blend slapstick, misdirection, and innovation in delivering their humor, all the while throwing out some surprisingly great martial arts sequences.
Full Metal Panicstarted as a mix of comedy and action likeGintama, but the main series dropped the humor pretty quickly. For those who prefer the show’s comedy,Full Metal Panic? Fumoffuis the perfect spin-off. Sousuke Sagara is in charge of protecting Kaname Chidori. Whenepic mecha battlesare not taking place, the two attend high school like ordinary students; however, Sousuke has been raised by the military since a young age and has no idea how to switch off.
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffuis a slice-of-life comedy that throws an absurdly outlandish character into mundane everyday situations. Sousuke’s deadpan intensity is comedy gold.
Kusuo Saiki is an extremely powerful psychic who can do pretty much everything. Desperate to not be noticed, Saiki goes out of his way to be as unspectacular as possible. Unfortunately for the stoic high schooler, Saiki seems to naturally attract the most spectacular of people.
Split into short skits,The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.has an impressive roster of characters who come close to rivalingGintama’s eclectic cast of misfits. The anime’s humor is also very character-driven, likeGintama.
10Daily Lives Of High School Boys
Slice Of Life Shenanigans With A Pretty Big Cast Of Characters
Slice-of-life anime comediesare not in short supply.Daily Lives of High School Boysis about as hilarious as any other show produced by the genre, with each one of its 12 episodes delivering multiple hilarious sketches.
The anime follows three boys who attend Sanada North Boys High School, although these characters mostly act as an introductory point to this universe’s wide array of colorful personalities. Despite the two existing in incomparable worlds,Daily Lives of High School Boys' humor is highly reminiscent ofGintama.Nichijou -My Ordinary Lifeis also a solidanime forGintamafans.
Cromartie High Schoolis bizarre. Set in a high school known for its troublemakers,Cromartie High Schooldemands viewers leave logic at the door as they are taken on an absurdist trip featuring robots, gorillas, and Freddie Mercury. Yes, that Freddie Mercury.
Cromartie High Schooldoesn’t follow much of a plot other than loosely orbiting its stories around Takashi Kamiyama, the school’s only non-delinquent, and it is all the better for it. While entertaining from the start, this anime gets progressively more outlandish and hilarious. IfGintamais the definitive samuraiparody, thenCromartie High Schoolis the equivalent series for anime delinquents.
Kenichi is a weakling but he desperately wants to change and become someone who can defend himself and others. After a chance encounter with the powerful Miu, Kenichi joins her family’s dojo and sets out to become the world’s strongest warrior.
Kenichi’s premise is nothing special for a shonen anime, but the show stands out from the crowd by doubling down on its humor. Kenichi is essentially a good-natured idiot, while the rest of the central cast consists of eccentric and likable personalities. Sadly,the anime doesn’t fully adapt the manga, but there is still quite a lot of content to go through.
Grand Blue Dreamingoffers something quite rare in anime: the college experience. In preparation for University, Iori relocates to a town near the coast and moves in with family members who run a scuba diving shop. Despite having no interest in going underwater, Iori winds up dragged into this world, a process that involves a lot of alcohol, shirtless guys, and all the exaggerated facial expressions aGintamafan could possibly want.
While this series does not have any supernatural elements,Grand Blue Dreamingis not all that far removed fromGintama, and it should hit the spot for those who love over-the-top reactions. For those who enjoy this show’s 12 episodes, they should ensure to check out Kenji Inoue’s manga. It is considerably better than the anime.
Anime’s most famous sextuplets have been around in some form or another since the 1960s, but their 2015 incarnation is vastly different from anything that came before it.Mr. Osomatsujumps into the future to find the iconic siblings have fully evolved into no-good NEETs who do nothing but lazy around at home. More importantly, they all work together to ensure none of them ever succeeds in anything. They are the worst, which also makes them hilarious.
Mr. OsomatsuandGintamaare cut from the same cloth, as both comedy anime utilize fourth-wall breaks, references, and dashes of absurdist humor to score their laughs. Pierrot’s series arguably takes a couple more risks thanGintama, and whileMr. Osomatsu’s sequel seasons can be inconsistent, the show’s highs are incredible.
Gintamahas two modes: Serious and Hilarious. The former prioritizes narrative continuity, action, world-building, and drama. The latter predominantly consists of inconsequential episodic stories that pit Edo’s residence in a broad range of silly and strange situations.Space Dandyis the latter taken to the extreme (which is saying something).
Thesci-fi anime’s episodes are like mythical stories told through the ages, ones that don’t have to adhere to any predetermined conventions beyond sticking true to the natures ofSpace Dandy’s core characters. Things get weird in the best possible way.
Bloody, Vicious Action AND Unapologetically Silly Humor…The Blend Works
Golden Kamuymight sound like a strange pick on the surface, but it is incredible just how similar the anime is to parts ofGintama.Golden Kamuycenters around groups of people trying the acquire the hidden riches of the Ainu people, a rat race that Asirpa, an Ainu girl, and Saichi Sugimoto hope to win.
Incorporating historical characters,Golden Kamuyis gory, intense, and surprisingly hilarious. Although not a valid recommendation for people seeking something akin toGintama’s sketch episodes,Golden Kamuyis perfect for those who love the shonen anime’s action arcs.
