"Gintama" is a very popular manga and anime series that everyone knows. It has many die-hard fans and is quite popular. A new anime movie will be released in 2021, so many fans are excited. One of the famous organizations that appears in "Gintama" is the "Shinsengumi". Shinsengumi is a special police force that protects Edo, the setting of the story. It is made up of various characters, centered around the chief, Kondo Isami. In this article, we will introduce the unique "Shinsengumi" in detail!
What is Shinsengumi?
The Shinsengumi that appears in "Gintama" is a special police force that protects the peace of Edo. The group is led by the chief, Kondo Isao, and includes vice-chief Hijikata Toshiro and first division captain Okita Sougo. Their main duties include capturing anti-foreigner patriots and guarding the shogun to protect the Edo Shogunate. However, the founder of the Shinsengumi, Matsudaira Katakuritora, treats them like a handyman, and they are often called upon for trivial tasks such as accompanying the shogun on skiing trips and interrupting his daughter's date with her boyfriend. There are ten divisions in total, and the group has been in existence for four years.
What is their reputation like in the world?
The public's reputation of the Shinsengumi is that they are actually quite cold. They mainly fight with swords, but they sometimes use grenades and bazookas, and they are often called "thug police 24 hours a day" for assaulting criminals while arresting them. They are also called "dogs of the shogunate" and "tax thieves," among other harsh things. By the way, to improve their image, idol singer "Teramon Michi" once served as the director for a day.
Modeled after "Shinsengumi"
It goes without saying, but the model for Shinsengumi is "Shinsengumi".
Introducing the Shinsengumi members!
From here on, we will introduce the main Shinsengumi members!
Kondo Isao
Kondo Isao is the head of the Shinsengumi. He founded the Shinsengumi by gathering thugs who had lost their jobs, and led them as head of the group. Although he is often treated as a comic relief character in the story, he is respected by his comrades. Although he has a very straightforward personality, he also has a side to him where he rushes ahead and loses sight of what's going on around him. He is a stalker of Shimura Tae, and no matter how much he is punched or kicked, he continues to convey his sincere feelings. He is often called a gorilla, and sometimes he calls himself a gorilla, he has been forced to go on a blind date with a gorilla, and he has even become a gorilla himself. He is a skilled swordsman. The model is Kondo Isami.
Hijikata Toshiro
Hijikata Toshiro is the vice-chief of the Shinsengumi. He looks very cool, but his pupils are always dilated. He is feared as the "demon vice-chief" and the "brain of the Shinsengumi". He has a cool personality and is unsociable, but perhaps because there are many crazy characters around him, he often takes on the role of the straight man. He often plays the role of a follower, and is sometimes called "Follower Toshiro". At first glance, he seems like a normal person, but he is an extreme mayonnaise lover, and he eats everything with a lot of mayonnaise on it. This food is called the "Hijikata Special". By the way, even though he is a Jump character, he is an avid reader of Weekly Shonen Magazine. His model is Toshizo Hijikata.
Sougo Okita
Sougo Okita is the captain of the 1st division of the Shinsengumi. He has a princely appearance, but inside he is a dark, sadistic, and sharp-tongued man. He is a dangerous person who is always aiming for the position of vice-captain of the Shinsengumi and Hijikata's life, and will fire a bazooka. He has a characteristic nonchalant way of speaking, and ends his sentences in a lazy Edo dialect, such as "It's ~" and "It's ~". By the way, when he takes a nap, he wears a unique eye mask with an illustration of an eye on it, which has also become a merchandise item. Because he is a sadist, he is good at making women fall in love with him easily and making them his servants. However, he also has a sensitive side, and he himself says, "Because I'm a sadist, I'm weak when hit! It's a glass sword!". He is modeled after Okita Souji.
Yamazaki Tai
Yamazaki Tai is a spy for the Shinsengumi. He appears many times, but for some reason, he often plays a pitiful role, and has become established as a plain character. He is also more likely to carry a badminton racket than a sword. Because of this, he is sometimes called "Minton". However, rather than actually playing badminton, he is seen practicing, and he often abandons his duties to practice, which gets him scolded by Hijikata every time. He also plays kabaddi. Yamazaki may have a strong image of "anpan" (sweet bean bun), but this is because he only eats anpan when he is on stakeout duty. After being on stakeout for about a month, he went crazy due to various stresses. The model is Yamazaki Susumu.
What are the rules of the Shinsengumi?
The Shinsengumi has a "rules of the Shinsengumi" established by Hijikata. This is a rule that was also set by the Shinsengumi. By the way, while these are strict rules that require you to commit seppuku if you break them, the office rules in Gintama are actually quite ridiculous. There are 46 rules, but not all of them have been revealed. The ones we know so far are "Do not read any manga in the office other than Magazine", "Turn off your cell phone during meetings and important ceremonies", "Those who collude with the enemy will be punished", "Do not appear as a ghost even after death. A samurai should be able to go to heaven with honor", "Hate the Jack-of-All-Trades, but be kind to Shinpachi-kun", etc. It's interesting that they clearly contain personal feelings. The Magazine thing has to do with Hijikata being an avid reader of Magazine, and Kondo being kind to Shinpachi only has to do with his crush on Otome-san.
Shinsengumi have a long-standing relationship with Yorozuya
The Shinsengumi have a long-standing relationship with Yorozuya and are often involved in trouble together. In particular, the main characters Gintoki Sakata and Hijikata are often at odds with each other, but they are probably similar to each other, and there was an episode that featured them both called "Two similar people fight." They may not like each other, but they recognize each other's strengths and sometimes fight together with the same goal.
Personal Relationship
As for the personal relationship between Yorozuya and Shinsengumi, Kondo cannot look up to Shinpachi, Otome's younger brother (there was an episode where he actually married Otome, but the result was different), Gintoki and Hijikata are always fighting, and Okita and Kagura are always fighting. In that respect, Okita has a high opinion of Gintoki, and sometimes the two of them act bad as a "super sadistic duo."
What about the Shinsengumi after the Shogun Assassination Arc?
The "Shogun Assassination Arc" is one of the major long stories in "Gintama". This is the story of Tokugawa Shigeshige, the Shogun in the world of Gintama, being assassinated by someone. It is one of the most serious developments in Gintama, and many fans were heartbroken. Following this Shogun Assassination Arc, Kondo, the head of the bureau, was arrested and ordered to be beheaded. The Shinsengumi was then disbanded, and Kondo was taken away.
In the Farewell Shinsengumi Arc
The long story that began after that was called "Farewell Shinsengumi Arc". The Shinsengumi takes action to save Kondo and Matsudaira, who have been ordered to beheaded. Furthermore, since Katsura, a member of the anti-foreign party, has also been captured, the anti-foreign party and the Shinsengumi, who are usually enemies, join forces, and the Yorozuya members join them to head to Kuronawa Island where the three are. This is a must-see content that lets you feel the bond between the Shinsengumi!
【Gintama】Summary of the Shinsengumi!
That's all for a summary of the Shinsengumi in "Gintama". What did you think? The Shinsengumi is one of the most popular organizations in "Gintama". The Shinsengumi motif makes it popular among history buffs. At first glance, it may seem like a strict organization, but in fact, there are many unique characters, making it very interesting to watch. However, there are some serious developments that are impossible to watch without crying, so don't miss them. What kind of performance will the Shinsengumi show in the new anime movie scheduled to be released in January 2021? I'm really looking forward to it!
