The episodes of the Japanese anime series Gintama were animated by Sunrise. The first 99 episodes were directed by Shinji Takamatsu. Episodes 100 to 105 were directed by Takamatsu and Yoichi Fujita, while following episodes only by Fujita. It premiered on TV Tokyo on April 4, 2006, and finished on March 25, 2010, with a total of 201 episodes. The anime is based on Hideaki Sorachi's manga of the same name. The story revolves around an eccentric samurai, Gintoki Sakata, his apprentice, Shinpachi Shimura, and a teenage alien girl named Kagura. All three are freelancers who search for work in order to pay the monthly rent, which usually goes unpaid anyway.