Lesson 525 is the 525th chapter of the Gintama series.
Summary[]
A national funeral was held in Edo for Tokugawa Shige Shige. The Yorozuya watched from afar, and Kagura ran away after seeing a sad Soyo-hime. Commenting on the former Shogun's death, the Tendoshuu claimed that he deserved it for disobeying them.
Meanwhile, on the side of a river, Momochi said that the Shogun's murderer was a friend of his, and the Tendoshuu had snuck poison in his garbs. Replying Momochi, Hattori showed his resentment of his actions, calling himself a sinner, unawared that Sacchan had been overhearing their conversation on the bridge.
A depressed Gintoki visited the vacant Shinsengumi headquarter, only to find no one but Kondou there. As a way to pay the Yorozuya for their work, the two exchanged sake cups together, with the third one dedicated to the deceased Shogun. Discussing about the battles they had gone through, both of them believed that war is meaningless, and nothing was left after it but corpses and sins.
In the Edo castle, Matsudaira voiced his suspicion of Nobu Nobu's role in assassinating Shige Shige and intended to kill the new Shogun himself in a way similar to how the former Shogun was murdered. Nevertheless, Sasaki stopped him and told him to drop the needle, as well as his cigarette. Nobu Nobu announced that the investigation of the assassination would be left to the Mimawarigumi, and Sasaki was made the new Director of Police Department.
Blaming on Matsudaira for being unable to protect Shige Shige, Nobu Nobu sentenced Kondou and him to be decapitated and disbanded the Shinsengumi. At the same time, Kondou told Gintoki to tell the other Shinsengumi's members not to do anything reckless, and he was soon arrested by the Mimawarigumi, much to Gintoki's shock.
Characters[]
Characters in order of appearance
Quotes[]
- Hattori Zenzou: I couldn't protect a thing and couldn't change a thing. All that's left now is someone dyed in this blood, a sinner.
- Kondou Isao: (To Sakata Gintoki) Well, you know, if it weren't like this with everyone gone, a legendary Joui patriot and a Shinsengumi chief wouldn't have a chance to drink together, right? Stick around for a cup, Shiroyasha.
- Matsudaira Katakuriko: Shogun? Sorry, but there's only one guy that I worked for. I'm the type that, once having decided on my brand of cigs or my master, I don't just change it like it's nothin', Lord Nobu Nobu.
- Sasaki Isaburo: (To Matsudaira Katakuriko) Unfortunately, former Director, your era has ended.
- Kondou Isao: Whether you win or lose, you always lose more than you get. Still, while the winner can count what they won on their fingers and comfort themselves by saying that what they lost was the price they had to pay for it, all a loser can count up is what they lost. Allies they couldn't protect, enemies they cut down, sins born from war, all of its lays a heavy weight on that person. You wonder what our battle even was. Did the price we paid... Did dirtying our hands... mean anything at all?
- Sakata Gintoki: (Referring to Tokugawa Shige Shige and Yoshida Shouyou) Whether you're victorious or you're defeated, no matter what you protect or what you lose, there's no meaning in war. No matter how you tidy it up, it's a pointless act that ends you up with nothing but corpses and sins. There's really... nothing worth going that far to protect. If there were something like that, it would be the souls of those that are trying to build an era without such needless war, or of those that fight against themselves, rather than an enemy. And those souls still aren't dead. Not as long as there are those that carrying on those feelings.