"Honestly, the Shinsengumi is full of homos..."note
- Gintoki and Hijikata fight and get stuck with one another so often that many of their interactions come off as Belligerent Sexual Tension.
- They fight it out in a sauna with little towels covering their bits and push each other out of the sauna. Much skin contact ensues.
- In episode 166, they're handcuffed together with both hands while having to ride a motorcycle and using the toilet together.
- The show even lampshades the whole thing with Gintoki holding up a comic featuring the two of them in a very suggestive pose. Said comic covers can be found in episodes 92 and 145.
- Chapter 551, in which the Shinsengumi had to leave Edo, we are treated with 3 moving farewell scenes: Kondo and his crush Otae, who is now treating him nicely, Okita and Kagura having a good ol' fight,... And Hijikata and Gintoki, sharing a meal together (each others' special meals, to be exact) and having a good laugh.
- Gintoki and Katsura bicker to no end and know the best ways to push each other's buttons, and yet have shown that they can completely and unequivocally trust and depend on each other when it matters most (see the Benizakura arc and pretty much any time they end up seriously fighting together), suggesting that a much deeper bond exists between them below the surface of insults and mutual annoyance. That, combined with the fact that they're childhood friends who share a dark history of fighting in the war together, leaves plenty of room for speculation.
- Sakamoto really, really likes Gintoki (or "Kintoki"). To the point of making long life-affirming speeches about the future and the stars and how he can fly freely solely because Gin is waiting for him back on Earth. He even asked Gintoki to come into space with him in the past, although the question was promptly ignored. Since Gintoki has no business sense whatsoever, just what was he planning on bringing him for? On Gintoki's side, Sakamoto is the only one out of the Joui 4 he refers to by his first name (contrast with the way he addresses Takasugi and Katsuranote whom he's known longer); and during the war when Sakamoto got his right hand injured by Batou and could no longer fight as a swordsman, Gintoki 1) comforted him, saying his battle as a samurai has not ended, and 2) sought after Batou for revenge. When they reunite in the Rakuyo Arc, Gintoki gets very pissed whenever Batou makes fun of Sakamoto and mentions the aforementioned incident. And what does Gintoki eventually do in their fight? He stabs Batou specifically in his right hand, with flashbacks of an injured Sakamoto shown as he does it, making his revenge very sweet.
- If one would argue that Okita could have a crush on Kagura because he's a sadist & sadists pick on the ones they love the most, then it also has to be argued for Hijikata, because he treats Hijikata & Kagura worse than anyone on equal levels.
- There's a bit in one chapter of the manga where Okita has a meltdown on a rollercoaster because he forgot to strap himself and is sent flying, and clings to Hijikata as he begs him to hold him because he's so scared.
- As leaders of their fellow groups who happen to oppose each other, a lot of comedy and nice moments play with Kondo getting along with Katsura really well.
- Amnesiac Kondo and Katsura become super best pals during a group date, and spend the entire time talking to each other. And singing to each other. The doujinshi artists had a lot of fun with that chapter.
- They have many touching moments together in the Farewell Shinsengumi arc where Katsura goes out to break Kondo (and Matsudaira) out of jail to save them from execution, and fights alongside him for a good chunk of the arc.
- Some of Takasugi's troops are... exceptionally dedicated to him.
- The most obvious would probably be Nizou, who claims that he follows Takasugi because his presence is like an immensely beautiful, colourful light in the midst of a dark void. He also expresses jealousy/hatred towards Katsura and Gintoki for being the ones by Takasugi's side during the war.
- Bansai appears to harbour some very intense emotions towards Takasugi, going as far as to say that he promised to use his life for his sake.
◊ Another aspect worthy of pointing out is Gintoki's comment on how it's because of Bansai that Takasugi has been able to survive this long, noting that Bansai has always been protecting Takasugi.◊ All in all, a very Lady and Knight dynamic.
- In episode 21, Gintoki grabs a guy's crotch & holds onto it for awhile. Considering what he's dressed like, you could say he's trying to Kappa feel.
- Every so many episodes, a man gets something shoved up his rectum (running gag). The situation is most often Gintoki ramming his wooden sword up a guy's butt.
- Hasegawa hangs out a lot with Gintoki, especially if gambling or betting is involved... as such, their adventures often end with the two wearing nothing but their underwear. Also, Hasegawa always comes crawling to Gintoki for emotional support. One notable time is when he's been accused of sexual results and asks for Gintoki's help. Gintoki ends up coming to his trial as... his lawyer.
- Gintoki and Kondo have a nice, friendly dynamic going on as leaders of the Yorozuya and Shinsengumi, respectively, especially with the implications that the two are qquite alike. The two are also often acting like idiots together.
- In chapter 496, Gintoki & Kondou (under the effects of the love incense) are in a futon out in the alley. Both are shirtless & snuggled up to each other. Gintoki smokes a cigarette, & they were talking about gorillas & bananas.
- If Kondou is going to be nude in public, Gintoki always happens to show up there.
- In the Farewell Shinsengumi arc, instead of going to Shigeshige's funeral, Gintoki visits Kondo who's alone at the Shinsengumi barracks. The two share some tender moments and have a drink together. And then Kondo leaves to to be taken away by the Mimawarigumi to be jailed and sentenced to execution, making Gintoki the last man he spent time with before this particular incident.
- There is the childhood friends Otae and Kyuubei who more or less promised each other as kids that they'd be together. They've become something of a Fan-Preferred Couple to the animators of the anime, who have put the two in every opening and always in some way that makes them look like a couple. On one hand, there is a lot of angst on Kyuubei's part as they are in love with Otae but believe Incompatible Orientation is in effect, so their strongest wish is to be a guy but they also seem to like being a girl; and Otae is just a complete mystery orientation wise or what her feelings toward Kyuubei are (this becomes a plot point to the Gender Swap arc, in which Kyuubei does decide they want to be considered neither male or female, but the status of the two's relationship by the end is still unresolved). On the other hand, they are the least unrequited of a series infamous for Unrequited Love, as both characters enjoy hanging out with each other to the point that it's rare to see one without the other.
- Leukocyte King and Gintoki, in the Tama Quest Arc, both get up and close into each other's faces when they're fighting and they're doing that a lot of the time. Fighting that is.
- Gintoki and Zenzou have a few chummy moments. It doesn't help that Gintoki is a bit of a narcissist and that he and Zenzou have a lot in common, which could even be the reason Sarutobi likes Gintoki.
- Katsura and Shigeshige get along quite well for two enemies, with the former constantly trying to target the government and especially the latter.
- The two have some male bonding & some happy fun naked adventures.
- There's the Confessional Arc where an amnesic Shigeshige becomes good friends with Katsura (who amazingly doesn't recognise him) and decides to become a Joui rebel with him. Even at the end when the two turn out to have realized the situation, they have an exchange about how the next time they meet one will be dead but the other will create a new world.
- Around the beginning of the Farewell Shinsengumi arc, Katsura bids the deceased Shigeshige farewell with a bouquet of flowers as he laments over his death and how he couldn't be the one to kill him.
- Kamui has a pretty creepy interest in Gintoki he doesn't seem to display for others.
- Kagura and Princess Soyo, especially in the latter's debut where there's a borderline romantic comedy style montage of them bonding and by the end Kagura is pleading with Soyo not to leave her because she wants to stay with her forever.
- Zenzou possibly liked Shigeshige better than anyone else, as they are very tight friends for guys who haven't seen each other in years. The two rely on each other a lot during the Shogun Assassination arc.
- In season 1, Gintoki walks around with a big half-naked man named Takatin & plays with his nipples.
- In many of Gintoki's encounters with Shigeshige, most of them tend to be naked moments, with Shigeshige unconscious.
- In Chapter 339, the blow up doll of Gintoki Tsukuyo goes to the movies with gets into some hilarious sexual positions with the dude sitting next to them. The funniest part is that Tsukuyo thinks it's the real Gintoki.
- Kondou & Hasegawa have a short bromance & seemed very comfortable with each other's nudity.
