Ep 83. Episode 83 - "Rank Has Nothing to Do With Luck"

Gintama Season 1 Episode 83, "Rank has Nothing to Do with Luck" is a story of a man who is down on his luck but has a never give-up attitude. The episode follows the story of Takasugi, a former comrade of the protagonist Gintoki, in his attempt to get back at the people who betrayed him.

Takasugi, who used to be the captain of the elite force "Kiheitai," has been ousted from the group and subsequently, the group has fallen from grace, with most of its former members becoming mercenaries. Takasugi, who now considers himself an outcast, wants revenge against the person who betrayed him- his former comrade, Katsura. He wants to destroy all that Katsura has worked for, and in turn, ruin Katsura's reputation. To do so, he needs to get his hands on a forbidden weapon, which he knows is in Katsura's possession.

The episode starts with Takasugi being chased by a group of mercenaries who are after the forbidden weapon. In his escape, he happens to stumble upon Gintoki, who is a freelance samurai. Takasugi recognizes Gintoki from their common past and enlists his help in acquiring the weapon. Gintoki, though hesitant, decides to help Takasugi, thinking that it's the right thing to do.

The pair of Gintoki and Takasugi head toward Katsura's base, where they are met with resistance in the form of Katsura's loyal followers. Takasugi has a plan, and after convincing Gintoki to trust him, the two of them set out to infiltrate the base. The plan involves a diversionary tactic used by Takasugi to distract Katsura's followers, while Gintoki sneaks into Katsura's office to retrieve the weapon. However, things go awry when Gintoki, while on his way to retrieve the weapon, is stopped by Katsura himself.

In their conversation, Katsura reveals that he had cast out Takasugi from the Kiheitai, simply because Takasugi couldn't accept the idea of losing comrades in battle. Katsura explains that he had to make the hard decision of losing one comrade to save many others. He tells Gintoki that a leader's responsibility is to make decisions, even if they are not popular. Gintoki, who has always viewed Katsura as a comical figure, is stunned by the depth of Katsura's words.

Meanwhile, Takasugi has succeeded in his diversionary tactics and has managed to retrieve the weapon. However, as he is about to make his escape, he is stopped by Gintoki. Their conversation reveals that Takasugi views Gintoki as a traitor, who had sided with Katsura instead of him. Gintoki, in turn, tries to reason with Takasugi, telling him that Katsura had made the decisions as a leader, and as such, everyone had to accept it.

The altercation between Gintoki and Takasugi results in Takasugi attacking Gintoki, but his attack is intercepted by Katsura, who arrives just in time. Katsura, recognizing the weapon in Takasugi's hands, tells Takasugi that he had kept it safe, knowing that it could do more harm than good.

The episode concludes with Takasugi reflecting on his actions and wondering if his obsession for revenge was worth it. Gintoki realizes that there is more to Katsura than just a comical figure, and Katsura manages to keep the weapon out of harm's way.

In conclusion, Gintama Season 1 Episode 83, "Rank has Nothing to Do with Luck," is a story about leadership and the responsibilities that come with it. The episode shows the aftermath of decisions and how people cope with it, and how leadership can at times involve making unpopular decisions. It's a lesson in not losing faith in people, for they might surprise you when you least expect it.