Gintama’s 20th Anniversary Arrives in Ichiban Kuji Form

Sakata Gintoki Rubber Stand — Ichiban Kuji Gintama 20th Anniversary

Gintama and the Character at Its Center

Gintama is the manga by Hideaki Sorachi that ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2003 to 2019, filling 77 collected volumes. Its setting is a reimagined Edo-period Japan where alien invaders — the Amanto — have dismantled the old samurai order, producing a world where science fiction, absurdist comedy, and genuinely tense dramatic arcs coexist chapter by chapter. The anime, which began on TV Tokyo in 2006, eventually ran past 367 episodes across multiple broadcast runs and was accompanied by several theatrical films.

The protagonist is Sakata Gintoki — a former rebel fighter now running a one-man odd-jobs business — recognizable for his silver natural-perm hair, red eyes, and the wooden sword he carries everywhere. Over the course of the series, he placed at the top of multiple official Shonen Jump popularity polls, and he tends to be the first character that comes to mind for anyone associated with the franchise. The costume shown on this standee — a black top beneath a white outer garment with blue wave-patterned trim, worn with goggles — differs from his usual look and appears to be a special design created for this anniversary release. Ichiban Kuji commemorative sets sometimes feature alternate costumes rather than defaulting to a character’s standard appearance.

What Ichiban Kuji Is and How the Rubber Standee Fits In

Ichiban Kuji is an officially licensed lottery line run by Bandai Namco Entertainment, distributed through convenience stores, bookshops, and hobby retailers across Japan. Each tier in a set — labeled from A down through the final prize — corresponds to a specific item, so unlike capsule machines or blind boxes, every prize is identifiable before you pull. A complete sales roll covers all designs in the series, meaning each of the ten character standees in this set will eventually surface as the roll sells through.

The rubber standee is one of Ichiban Kuji’s most established prize categories. Character artwork is printed onto a soft PVC sheet, cut precisely to the character’s silhouette, and fitted into a small base so it stands on a desk or shelf without any additional assembly. Thinner and lighter than a cast figure, the format keeps display footprint small and is practical to ship internationally — a straightforward item to add to a collection without committing significant shelf space.

The 20th Anniversary Context

This standee is the H prize in a Gintama 20th anniversary Ichiban Kuji series — one of ten character designs in the set. The “20th” branding places the release around 2023, approximately two decades after the manga’s 2003 debut. Available information also points to a possible connection with a Gintama commemorative exhibition, though whether this was tied to a specific event venue or distributed through general retail has not been confirmed.

Gintama reaches international audiences largely through streaming platforms including Crunchyroll, and its reputation for balancing referential humor with unexpectedly earnest storytelling has built a following well outside Japan. Gintoki, as the franchise’s most prominent figure, tends to be the natural entry point for new collectors. Merchandise produced for a specific anniversary window is made to match that campaign rather than as ongoing stock — once the corresponding promotional period ends, production does not continue.