For fans of the irreverent and unpredictable world of Gintama, the spin-off series GINTAMA – Mr. Ginpachi’s Zany Class (also known as 3-Nen Z-Gumi Ginpachi-sensei) offers a delightful alternate universe where the beloved characters navigate the absurdity of high school life. Stepping out of their Edo-period samurai roles, Gintoki Sakata dons a lab coat as the perpetually unenthusiastic teacher, Ginpachi-sensei, overseeing a class filled with familiar faces and their equally familiar eccentricities. The series, which began as a light novel and later adapted into an anime, has consistently delivered the meta-humor and chaotic charm that Gintama is famous for.
Episode 9 continues this tradition, diving headfirst into the quintessential anime trope of a school festival, albeit with a uniquely Gintama twist. While the overall execution of the festival theme received mixed reactions, the episode did manage to deliver some memorable moments, particularly in its opening sequence and its character-focused comedic bits.
The Premise of Mr. Ginpachi’s Zany Class
GINTAMA – Mr. Ginpachi’s Zany Class reimagines the core cast of Gintama as students and staff at Gintama High School. Ginpachi Sakata, with his trademark silver, curly hair and dead-fish eyes, is the homeroom teacher of Class 3-Z, a group comprising idol otaku, stalkers, mayo guzzlers, sadists, delinquents, and other troublemakers. The spin-off originated from popular segments within the main Gintama anime, which often featured Gintoki as a high school teacher in post-credits scenes. These segments, which were essentially alternate universe gags, proved so popular that they were expanded into their own light novel series in 2006 and eventually an anime television series in October 2025.
The show thrives on the established personalities of its characters, transplanting them into a school setting without losing their quirks. Fights break out, rules are ignored, and sanity is optional, yet Ginpachi-sensei somehow navigates the daily chaos with a nonchalant attitude.
Episode 9: School Festival Shenanigans and AI Humor
Episode 9, which premiered around December 1, 2025, centers on the classic school festival theme. While school festivals are often a staple for generating exciting and heartwarming scenarios in anime, this particular installment from Ginpachi’s class delivers a more subdued, though still comedic, take.
Auditions for the Class Film and the Rise of AI Actors
One of the highlights of Episode 9 is its cold open, where Class 3-Z holds auditions for a class film. Several female characters vie for a role, but in a quintessential Gintama meta-joke, they are ultimately passed over for Tama. The humor here escalates when Mr. Ginpachi casually suggests that using a robot would be cheaper than real actors, leading to the characters comically complaining about the prospect of being replaced by AI and threatening to take their grievances to SAG (Screen Actors Guild). This gag, audacious even for Gintama, resonated with viewers for its topical relevance and the series’ signature self-aware humor.
Yamazaki’s Misanthropic Pursuit
A significant portion of the episode focuses on Yamazaki’s efforts to thwart a misanthropic individual attempting to disrupt the school festival. This subplot involves Yamazaki, known for his somewhat dull personality, and his struggles with unrequited love, as he often laments his inability to get a girlfriend. The resolution of this plotline sees Yamazaki motivated to confess to Tama, only to be comically interrupted by Katsura filming a movie, providing a punchline that some found more obnoxious than funny.
Unfocused Gags and Returning Themes
The episode also features various characters engaging in random school festival activities, leading to a somewhat unfocused narrative. While Gintama is known for its episodic and often disjointed humor, the gags in this episode, such as turning a club booth into a cabaret club with Katsura and Elizabeth in drag, were noted as not fully landing or being underdeveloped.
Despite some criticisms regarding the episode’s pacing and impact, fans still appreciated the return of the familiar cast and the show’s signature style. The series is celebrated for building on one of Gintama‘s most beloved running gags and continuing to deliver the meta, absurd, and character-driven humor that has kept the franchise alive for nearly two decades.
Conclusion
GINTAMA – Mr. Ginpachi’s Zany Class Episode 9, like the series as a whole, serves as a comedic celebration of the Gintama universe. While not every gag may land with equal force, the spin-off consistently brings back the charm and chaotic energy of its predecessor, translating the beloved characters into a high school setting. The episode’s strength lies in its meta-commentary, particularly on AI and the entertainment industry, and its ability to find humor in the mundane – or rather, the utterly bizarre – aspects of school life through the lens of Ginpachi-sensei’s unruly Class 3-Z. As the series reportedly nears its conclusion, it continues to offer fans a nostalgic and entertaining return to a beloved cast and their unparalleled brand of comedy.
