Gintama: 3-Nen Z-Gumi Ginpachi-Sensei #1

First published in 2006, Gintama: 3-Nen Z-Gumi Ginpachi-Sensei #1 is the inaugural volume of a long-running light novel series written by Tomohito Osaki, based on the original manga by Hideaki Sorachi. The series originated as a comedic spin-off that reimagines the cast of Gintama as students and faculty at a high school, a setting that had previously appeared in the manga's omake chapters. These novels allowed for a more text-heavy exploration of the series' signature meta-humor and satirical take on school life.

The illustrations for the volume were provided by Hideaki Sorachi, ensuring visual consistency with the source material. The series was designed to appeal to existing fans of the manga, offering self-contained, humorous narratives that play with character archetypes while maintaining the irreverent tone of the original franchise. Upon its release, it became a staple of the Shueisha Jump J Books line, proving popular enough to spawn numerous sequels and adaptations.