The BEST episodes directed by Kazuo Miyake

#1 - Vengeance Within

Gun X Sword - Season 1 - Episode 7

Thieves maroon Van and Wendy on a remote island where a mysterious man of great wealth, named Joe Lutz, welcomes them into his palatial estate until another boat passes the island in ten days. Although the two feel that there is something eerie about him, they have no choice but to accept his hospitality. Joe is nothing but friendly and caring as he makes the two feel at home, offering quiet counsel and using his vast resources to aid them in their quest to track the Claw, giving his guests hope that their stay will not put them too far behind. Even the suspicious Van finds himself coming to appreciate Joe's compassion and opens up about his quest for the claw handed man and the reason. With 'been there, did that' reasoning, Joe tries to convince Van that even if he were to succeed, Van would find his victory hollow and he asks Van if this violent quest would be something Van's wife would condone. Separately Joe has also convinces Wendy that it is obvious The Claw never intended to kill Michael and that she would be wiser to return to Evergreen where Michael would know where to look for her once the Claw releases him. The man is smooth and convincing, and it appears his gentle approach is effectively separating the two seekers and derailing their intent to continue, but after some deep soul searching Van figures out exactly what Joe is doing. Discovered, Joe reveals his true colors, summoning his armor - the Golden Cradle. Van summons his armor and the resulting destruction sends the inhabitants of the island fleeing for their lives. The Golden Cradle is powerful, but Joe hasn't Van's skill and cunning, and Joe is defeated. Kneeling at Dann's feet, Joe offers one last sacrifice to the friend he is working for - The Claw -- and sacrificially detonates his armor, but when the smoke clears, Dann is still standing. Resuming their journey, Van realizes it has just gotten harder - the Claw has friends and he knows Van is coming after him, but his resolve remains unshaken,

#2 - Beware of Those Who Use an Umbrella on a Sunny Day!

Gintama - Season 3 - Episode 41

Seita was picking pockets to see Hinowa, the highest-ranked 遊女/Yujo (courtesans/ prostitute) in the underground 遊郭/Yukaku (Licensed Quarters) Yoshiwara Tougenkyo, where law has no meaning. But his picking act was all for the sake of seeing the mother he was separated from at a young age. To let Seita see Hinowa, Gintoki and the gang march into Yoshiwara Tougenkyo, where they receive a rough welcome by Tsukuyo – the head of Yoshiwara’s paramilitary force, “Hyakka.”

#3 - Swift Brownie

Gun X Sword - Season 1 - Episode 14

Van, Wendy, Carmen 99, and Joshua arrive at Duel Park, a town famous for holding armor battle events. The favorite contender in the current tournament, the B-1 Grand Prix, is an agile armor called Brownie piloted by a young girl named Priscilla. Giovanni, an armor manufacturer of the Rail Work Corporation, hires Van to defeat Priscilla in a duel while trumpeting the Dann of Thursday as one of their own products. While Joshua is stuck in the hospital, Van, Wendy, and Carmen 99 trail Prisicilla to discover her weaknesses but instead find out she would her prize money to support a group of orphans. Van and Priscilla meet in person before their fight and find they share a great deal in common. They agree to have a fair battle the next day with each side fighting with full strength.

#4 - Wonderful Universe

Gun X Sword - Season 1 - Episode 20

The protagonists stumble upon an abandoned base, where they find a map and an injured survivor. Even though Michael is shocked to hear from Fasalina that Carossa and Melissa died in battle, Fasalina makes loves to him, helping him grasp the meaning behind The Claw's dream of world peace. The survivor, after waking up, yells about Michael being a demon and should be stopped, before dying shortly thereafter. Michael and Fasalina discreetly goes to see Wendy, attempting to ask her to join their side. As the other protagonists find them, Fasalina reveals that The Claw has contracted a fatal illness, and will sacrifice himself by catalyzing the special flower in order to reformat the world, therefore striving to make all inhabitants instinctively equal.

#5 - The Taste of Drinking Under Broad Daylight Is Something Special

Gintama - Season 3 - Episode 47

At last the sun rises above Yoshiwara Shangri-La, the city of eternal light. At the end of a fierce battle, Hosen finally reveals his true feelings for Hinowa and passes away. Observing the entire battle from afar, Kamui is greeted by Kagura and Shinpachi. Kagura is enraged with her reunited brother, but Kamui leaves after “declaring war” with Gintoki.

#6 - The Days of No Return

Gun X Sword - Season 1 - Episode 12

Michael has begun activating Saudade of Sunday deep underneath Zonnet Junction. Gadved, who is a former friend of Van, appears before him at Zonnet Junction offering him to join the reestablished Original Seven. When Gadved reveals he is now working for The Claw, Van becomes enraged and challenges him to a duel. Fasalina, the woman who introduced the poisonous flower to Haeta, confronts Carmen at the train station, stealing the data disk. Joshua loses sight of Wendy, who wanders through the sky park within the train station and unknowingly encounters The Claw himself. They discuss how dreams make lives meaningful. As Joshua finds Wendy, Fasalina gives The Claw his prosthetic clawed hand.

#7 - And the Rain Kept Falling

Gun X Sword - Season 1 - Episode 4

While traveling through a forest, Van rescues Wendy from being harassed by a thug piloting a small armor, and very shortly afterwards collapses with a high fever. Wendy manages to drag the unconscious Van to a cave and where, in the process of nursing him, she discovers a strange symbol on Van's abdomen. As his fever worsens through the night, she determines that she needs to hurry to the nearest town to get help. She is able to get medicine from a disabled doctor and kind nurse at a private clinic called the Denehee Clinic. While she is gone, Van's fever breaks and though still weak, he manages to summon his armor (which lands an unfortunate distance away forcing him to travel to it) which has the ability to heal him, but at the cost of time spent dreaming about the wedding and his bride's death at the hand of The Claw. Meanwhile, Wendy's hurried return back through the forest is interrupted by a boar which prompts her own remembrance of how she received her brother's gun and how she first met Van. She returns to the cave to find Van gone, and while she is despairing his absence, the thug from earlier returns with friends looking for payback. They are more than willing to take it out on her. Van makes a sudden reappearance, in Dann, just in time to save Wendy from the thugs, and then, without Dann, confronts Wendy about her own disappearance. She tells of trying to take care of him, offering the bag of medicine, then collapses against him. She wakes in the cave next to a cozy fire, surprised to be covered with Van's tuxedo jacket as he stares into the bag of medicine. He tells her again she should go home, and then tells her to go back to sleep, ending the conversation by -- deliberately -- calling her by name and wishing her "pleasant dreams." Back at Denehee Clinic, a knock at the door interrupts the doctor's musing over the drawing Wendy made of Van's mark. At the door is a dangerous looking blonde man in a white coat asking about a man with a clawed hand.

#8 - Ninja Soul

Gintama - Season 7 - Episode 37

After it becomes clear that the Iga clan didn't actually betray the Shogun, Gin and co are taken to their village and learn the truth about the Shogun's deep involvement with the clan in the past.

#9 - Some Data Cannot Be Erased

Gintama - Season 2 - Episode 22

Gintoki, Shinpachi, Kagura, and the robot tinkerer head towards the main facility of the inventor and attempts to shutdown the rampaging maid android mob.

#10 - Two Brothers

Gintama - Season 6 - Episode 11

Hajime's secret is revealed and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Gintoki, seemingly ignoring Otae's pleas, decides to settle the score with Hajime himself.

#11 - People Can Only Live By Forgetting the Bad

Gintama - Season 5 - Episode 39

After getting drunk at the year-end party, Gintoki managed to become a six-timer in one night. In order to prevent the show from being pulled off the air, Gintoki is forced into engaging in a relationship with all of them. And now he has to go on dates with all of them at the same time...!

#12 - Love Doesn't Require a Manual (2) / You Can't Judge a Person by His Appearance, Either

Gintama - Season 1 - Episode 35

Part 1 - Shinpachi deals with the kitty-dressed thief. Part 2 - Kondou's uncle gets him, Hijikata and Okita to help get her daughter to dump her boyfriend in which he is not approved of.

#13 - Croquette Sandwiches Are Always the Most Popular Food Sold at the Stalls

Gintama - Season 2 - Episode 9

A serial killer has been going around town-- and one of the crew meets him head on! In the meantime, Gintoki is requested to locate "Benizakura", an unlucky sword stolen from its owner.

#14 - It's Bad Luck to See a Spider at Night

Gintama - Season 4 - Episode 27

Gintoki and the gang return to Yoshiwara at Hinowa’s request for the first time in a while. Although Hosen’s death has brought freedom to Yoshiwara, it’s also drawn the renewed interest of those who previously avoided Yoshiwara in fear of Hosen’s power. Yoshiwara is now troubled with an increased crime rate, especially illegal drug dealing. Odd Jobs are asked to capture the man responsible. The man in question is said to go by various names, titles, and even faces. The only clue available is the tattooed spider on his neck.

#15 - Eating Nmaibo Can Make You Full in No Time!

Gintama - Season 2 - Episode 15

A set of TV crews follow Katsura around for a day to do a television program special interview.

#16 - Iron Town

Gintama - Season 5 - Episode 12

Tama, Tatsumi, Tetsuko, Kozen, Madao, Kyoshiro. Everybody is out in full force to fight for the Kabuki District. Male escorts vs. trannies, Cabaret girls vs. Yakuza, robots blowing things up. It’s an all-out war!

#17 - Not Losing to the Rain

Gintama - Season 4 - Episode 45

Lately the weather forecasts Ketsuno Ana is predicting are always wrong. When Gintoki meets her on the streets he takes her to the Yorozuya's place to help her.But after a monster attacks the house,it is revealed that Ketsuno Anna is an onmyouji and some other onmyouji is targeting her. After that Gintoki and the others are on the way to the Ketsuno residence,where they fight some odd creatures.

#18 - Lost and Found

Gintama - Season 7 - Episode 45

Whilst Kondo And Katsura attempt to break out of prison, Hijikata must decide which path to walk.

#19 - If You Want to See Someone, Make an Appo First

Gintama - Season 2 - Episode 3

It is revealed that the baby isn't Gintoki's; instead the baby was left at Yorozuya by the mother to keep her child safe from her father-in-law. Meanwhile Kagura and Shinpachi try to save the mother; Gintoki is on his way to return the baby.

#20 - The Black Ships Even Make a Scene When They Sink

Gintama - Season 4 - Episode 13

After an intense battle, Shinpachi and Hijikata both fall to the ground with zero life points. Despite being exhausted and battered, the two men rise up to resume their battle. They fight as if their lives—no, their very souls—were on the line and Otsu begs them to stop. But nobody can stop them now. For their battle is no longer just for the title of official fan club...

#21 - The Meaning of a Main Character

Gintama - Season 6 - Episode 4

It's time for the final showdown. Gintoki's friends rally around him once more, but Kintoki still has one more trick up his sleeve that could spell the end of Gintama forever!

#22 - Walk Your Dog at an Appropriate Speed

Gintama - Season 1 - Episode 45

Sadaharu becomes a demon that the Yorozuya tries to rescue with the help of former priestess sisters.

#23 - The Chosen Idiots

Gintama - Season 4 - Episode 19

Gintoki and the gang arrive at Tama’s main system. The group tries to devise a battle strategy for fighting the Great Archfiend Tapir’s black body suit minions. But they can’t come to an agreement. Deciding it’s a waste of time, Kagura charges alone into the swarm of black body suits. Using this as a diversion, the group storms the enemy base, only to be surrounded after Gintoki and the Leukocyte King get into an argument. But during their rumble to decide who’s the strongest, the two wind up destroying the black body suit minions. And finally, the Great Archfiend Tapir appears!

#24 - Watch Out for Conveyor Belts!

Gintama - Season 1 - Episode 20

The Shinsengumi has been haunted by a mysterious being.

#25 - It Takes a Bit of Courage to Enter a Street Vendor's Stand

Gintama - Season 4 - Episode 6

Yatai “Guchiri-Ya” (Whining Store) has three rules: One, a customer can come in alone and whine as much as they want. Two, if there’s a familiar face, pretend like you don’t know them. And three, do not share the stories you hear. Tonight’s customers are a drowsy-looking samurai with a sweet tooth, a Mayo samurai, and finally Mr. Gorilla (pseudonym). Though permitted to whine, the three customers cannot help feeling awkward about it. So the master speaks on their behalf and spills their usual complaints, causing panic amongst the group. Just then, a familiar-looking woman enters the Yatai and begins attacking the other customers with sharp words (and weapons)!

#26 - Gin and His Excellency's Good-for-Nothings

Gintama - Season 3 - Episode 34

Sick and tired of Oiwa’s tyranny, Gintoki decides to shut down the inn by teaming up with Rei. He plans to use Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Mitsuhide (their stands, that is) to bring down the inn’s reputation but is stopped by Okami Otose. Though overwhelmed at first by Okami’s most powerful stand Tagosaku, Gintoki nonetheless manages to exorcize the inn’s customers with the help of Shinpachi and the gang, who are now themselves living stands. With the fate of the inn and himself at stake, Gintoki finally enters a one-on-one battle with Oiwa.

#27 - Sons Only Take After Their Fathers' Negative Attributes

Gintama - Season 1 - Episode 17

A rebel plans to asssinate the shogun during a festival.

#28 - Life Moves on Like a Conveyor Belt

Gintama - Season 1 - Episode 32

Gintoki who still does not have his memory back, works at a factory which produces a mysterious items. Meanwhile, Shinpachi and Kagura goes to retrieve Gintoki.

#29 - Ramen Shops with Long Menus Never Do Well

Gintama - Season 1 - Episode 39

Katsura's injures his leg while escaping from the Shinsengumi and uses a ramen shop as a temporary hideout.

#30 - It's Goodbye Once a Flag Is Set

Gintama - Season 4 - Episode 37

Gintoki and Shinpachi start re-investigating the Rokkaku incident. Upon learning what really happened from Kamiyama, one of Okita’s subordinates, they leave to save Okita. Meanwhile, Okita is captured by Sotatsu Tendo after falling into his trap involving Kirie. Tendo babbles on about how he returned to seek revenge against Okita, who destroyed the Sokai Faction, and goes on to reveal the truth about Kirie’s father.

#31 - A Shared Soup Pot Is a Microcosm of Life

Gintama - Season 1 - Episode 25

The series is entering into its third season! But the Yorozuya have other concerns: a battle of wits and deception to take reign of the sukiyaki pot!

#32 - If You're Going to Cosplay, Go All Out

Gintama - Season 1 - Episode 13

The group is hired to find a missing girl. However, the group is dragged into deeper trouble than they originally anticipated. Gintoki may require the help of his old friend Katsura to help him out of this mess.

#33 - People Who Are Picky About Food Are Also Picky About People, Too

Gintama - Season 2 - Episode 29

The battle at the Yagyu family premises continues.

#34 - The First Day

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Season 1 - Episode 2

On the way to Lior, Ed and Al reminisce about the events that lead to them being trapped in their current bodies by breaking the taboo of human transmutation. Meanwhile, Colonel Mustang looks back on the first time he met the Elric brothers.

#35 - Presents Are Meant to Be Given Early

Gintama - Season 5 - Episode 48

A character from 2 years ago is back with a request for Gin. This favor will take the Odd-Job Trio right in the middle of Satan Festival in this very special Christmas episode.

#36 - Visitor Arc VII

The Irregular at Magic High School - Season 2 - Episode 7

Colonel Balance orders Lina to capture the caster who was behind Scorched Halloween. Balance gives Lina a custom-made device called "the Brionac" which converts Strategic-Class magic into a beam of high-energy plasma.

#37 - Responsible Owners Should Clean Up After Their Pets

Gintama - Season 1 - Episode 7

The group is hired to find an amanto alien prince's pet.

#38 - A Fruitful Autumn

The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime - Season 1 - Episode 8

It's autumn, and time for the harvest. Under the orders of Ririna, the Goblina in charge of the harvest, Gobta and his buddies get to work in the fields. Meanwhile, Shion and Milim make a contest out of digging up the sweet potatoes. With everyone working together, the harvest is over in practically no time, and Rimuru and the rest of the gang finally get to enjoy some delicious roasted sweet potatoes.

#39 - I'm a Failure as a Leader, and He's Also a Failure as a Leader

Gintama - Season 7 - Episode 23

Gin and Hijikata find Gengai, who's newest invention is responsible for their body swapping. He tries to reverse the process but it doesn't work as something is missing. Gin remembers that part of his soul ended up in a dead cat which they must now find. Unfortunately, the Shinsengumi, with their new found freedom, and Odd Jobs, with their new strict codes, seem intent on getting in their way.

#40 - Visitor Arc XII

The Irregular at Magic High School - Season 2 - Episode 12

Tatsuya and Miyuki are invited to a party celebrating the completion of Japan's first hyperbuilding, Tokyo Offshore Tower. At the party, they are astonished when Hayama introduces them to a young girl named Minami Sakurai.

#41 - Visitor Arc XIII

The Irregular at Magic High School - Season 2 - Episode 13

The New Breed Front announces that they are going to explode the Offshore Tower in one hour. There is no telling whether they might set off the bomb any earlier. In order to foil the New Breed Front's plans, Tatsuya and Miyuki take Minami with them and head for the control center on the first underground floor.

#42 - Where Is Santa Claus?

The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime - Season 1 - Episode 11

If you use Shadow Movement to sneak into houses and a pegasus team to pull the flying sleigh... yes, in this world, it's possible to become Santa Claus! But... the Christmas tradition doesn't even exist in this world. When Rimuru tries to explain it in detail to the people of Tempest, they end up summarizing it as a "party." The Christmas cake and presents are ready, and most importantly, Kaijin and the other Dwarves create gorgeous decorations that bring the Christmas mood to Tempest. On top of that, Eren and the children treat everyone in town with their heavenly singing.

#43 - The Legendary Mercenary Tribe, Renho. Elizabeth Was in Fact, One of Those White Demons

Gintama - Season 5 - Episode 32

The Yorozuya and Katsura follow Elizabeth to stop the Renho from taking over the earth.

#44 - The Name Reveals the Person

Gintama - Season 5 - Episode 21

#45 - Meals Should Be Balanced / We Are All Warriors in the Battle Against Fate

Gintama - Season 5 - Episode 4

Yamazaki has a mental breakdown cause of Anpans and Kondo finally gets a date (Or does he!)

#46 - Odorless Body Soap! / Three-Minute Revive

Drug Store in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist - Season 1 - Episode 8

The lord's butler Rayne returns to Kirio Drugstore. Apparently Lord Kasty wants to meet with Reiji. Reiji visits the mansion, where he is immediately accused by the lord. "Recently my daughter Elaine has been avoiding me! You're conducting psychological attacks so you can take Elaine from me!" Surprised by the accusation, Reiji asks for details and learns that the lord's daughter is simply avoiding her father because she's going through puberty...

#47 - Canada Goldenrod

Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria - Season 2 - Episode 5

The Canada Goldenrod, a non-native plant, rapidly grows in many areas all over Japan. Wakamura seems to be allergic to the pollen, but he soon finds out there is more to this plant than the sneezing.

#48 - Beast and Maiden

Concrete Revolutio: Superhuman Phantasmagoria - Season 2 - Episode 10

The Superhuman Bureau is officially disbanded, and its former members either go into hiding or join the government. Then, Master Ultima hosts the Okinawa Superhuman Expo, a major event showcasing the benefits that superhumans possess.