The official "Gintama" accounts recently celebrated fan-favorite Toshiro Hijikata's birthday by dropping a special photo on X (formerly Twitter), bringing his iconic, hilariously gross "Hijikata Special" dish to life.
The pic shows a blue rice bowl piled high with white rice, absolutely smothered in a mountain of yellow mayonnaise, even sculpted into a flower-like shape. In the background, a scene of Hijikata himself enjoying the same dish in the anime completes the uncanny recreation.
The official post invited fans to "Celebrate with the Hijikata Special! And tell us your favorite mayo dishes!" They also added a classic "Gintama" touch of absurd sincerity with a note below the image: "P.S. Staff enjoyed this delicious meal afterward."
Given Toshiro Hijikata's legendary status as a mayo fiend in the series, this mayo-tsunami of a donburi is pretty much the perfect birthday tribute.
The "Hijikata Special" has popped up countless times in "Gintama" storylines and fan discussions, serving as both an exaggerated symbol of his character and a beloved running gag among fans. Seeing an official, real-life version had many netizens cracking up, calling it "the ultimate character meal," while others wondered if the staff actually managed to finish it.
On a related note, Taiwanese creator RICO also took on the "Gintama" mayonnaise donburi challenge in their "Real-Life Anime Food" series, with the video titled "Gintama Mayonnaise Donburi," aiming to bring anime dishes to life.