Tatsuma Sakamoto

Tatsuma Sakamoto
Information
Japanese Name:	坂本 辰馬
Romanized Name:	Sakamoto Tatsuma
Official English Name:	Tatsuma Sakamoto
Date of Birth:	November 15 / Scorpio
Age:	20+
Physical Features
Race:	Human
Gender:	Male
Height:	181 cm (5' 11")
Weight:	72 kg (158 lb)
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	Brown
Status:	Alive
Professional Status
Affiliation(s):	Old Jouishishi Kaientai
Occupation(s):	Merchant
Strong Point(s):	Swordsmanship Shooting Trading
First Appearances
Chapter:	Lesson 13 (Flashback) Lesson 26 (Official)
Volume:	2 (Flashback) 4 (Official)
Episode:	Episode 23
Voice Actors
Japanese VA:	Miki Shinichiro
English VA:	Chris Ayres (movie)

Planets are just places for people to stand on. Planets are just rocks. It takes people to make it a world. You can have as many "Earths" as you want. I only care about what's inside. Although, you won't find any gold. It's just a bunch of old scarred steel. But to me, that steel is the greatest treasure that could ever be

Tatsuma Sakamoto

Sakamoto Tatsuma (坂本 辰馬, Sakamoto Tatsuma ) is the leader of the Kaientai trading company, which is a fleet that traverses the galaxy for business opportunities. Labeled a "natural-idiot", Sakamoto was one of the Samurai that fought alongside Gintoki in the Joui Wars.

Background

Sakamoto is from a family of wealthy merchants that worked in the Tosa province. Because of this, Sakamoto was pulled into the Joui War as someone with an incredible military background.

While fighting in the Joui wars with Sakata Gintoki, Katsura Kotarou, Takasugi Shinsuke and other samurais, he dreamed of traveling through the galaxy in a spaceship rather than stay on Earth, which he considered to be too small, and spend everyday watching his comrades die one by one. He wanted to seek a way that would benefit both humans and Amanto instead of meaningless death for everyone. He asked Gintoki to join him on his trip thorugh space. Gintoki encouraged him to go, saying that earth was too small for Sakamoto, but Gintoki refused the offer and decided to stay on Earth as he liked and still likes this planet a lot. Sakamoto eventually broke away from the Joui movement to pursue his dream, with great commercial success.

Appearance

He has a brown natural perm (similar to Sakata Gintoki) and wears a dark-red coat and sunglasses. His weapon of choice used to be a sword, but is now a gun.

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Sakamoto Tatsuma's Gallery Tatsuma standard Tatsuma in the Joui Wars Tatsuma in Renho Costume

Personality

His overly optimistic attitude sometimes leads him into all sorts of trouble as he tends to dismiss bad things as just "imagination, a-ha-ha-ha-ha". He acts even more stupid than Katsura with Gintoki often saying Sakamoto is a "no-brain idiot".

Sakamoto does, however, show an excellent ability in giving inspirational speeches and is also a brilliant negotiator when he needs to be, convincing the entire Renho race to turn on their leader.

He loves spaceships, but often gets weak and downright ill when he's actually on one.

Strength & Abilites

Master Swordsmanship Specialist: He displayed leadership qualities when he was willing to sacrifice himself to save others, being held captive by a desert alien.

In the Joui War, he made a name of himself as a skilled swordsman but after the war he uses pistols instead.

His main strength would be, however in making deals and trades. He was able to buy off the entire Renho Tribe to Kaientai's and Yorozuya's side during Renho arc.

Relationships

Friends & Allies

• Sakata Gintoki: Much to Gintoki's annoyance, he persistently calls Gintoki "Kintoki" and often gets beat up by Gintoki for this reason, much like Gintoki calls Katsura "Zura". Though, it is shown that he knows Gintoki's name in the past. He once stated that it was because Gintoki was on the Earth supporting him, he was able to go far away chasing his dreams. His lightheaded behavior is also a great source of irritation to Gintoki, who, along with Kagura, gives Sakamoto a trashing more than once.

• Mutsu: His overly affable nature is also less appreciated by his number 2 commander of Kaientai, Mutsu who have to constantly track down her wanderlust leader whose movements are totally unpredictable.

• Katsura Kotarou: Sakamoto and Katsura were comrades in the Joui War. Even after Sakamoto left the war, they still seem to be in good terms, since he gave Elizabeth as a present for Katsura.

Love Interest

• Oryou: Sakamoto is in love with Oryou, Otae's friend. She is a hostess working at "Snack Smile", who would eventually end up kicking him at his crotch every time Sakamoto jumps onto her. In one such occasion, the Kaientai crew found Sakamoto asking Oryo to marry him, only to be rejected with a swift kick.

Story

In Lesson 13 he was first seen in a flashback during the joi war and on Lesson 20 he was mention by katsura that he bought Elizabeth, an Amanto space creature as a gift for Katsura Kotarou. In Lesson 26 he made his first appearance when he going on a trip to space and met up with Gintoki once again.

Memory Loss Arc

Sakamoto crashed into Yorozuya's place. It was hinted that he was drunk driving. He would later send carpenter brothers Unkei  and Kaikei  to fix the Yorozuya's house as an apology.

Renho Arc

Sakamoto fills the Yorozuya and Katsura in about the Renho invasion that involves Elizabeth! On his spaceship, he takes them to the Renho's planet. He helps the group to stop the invasion and defeat Dark Vader. Later he plays Uno with Katsura.

Trivia

• Based on Sakamoto Ryoma 坂本龍馬 of the Bakumatsu period who was an imperial loyalist. Another way to pronounce the "ryou" kanji in Ryoma's name is "tatsu" (kanji means "dragon"), but Sorachi-sensei cleverly uses a different kanji to achieve the same results. At one point, Ryoma envied the west for their power and technology but eventually became familiar with them. Though proficient in Kendo and was a samurai, he preferred guns over the sword. In Gintama, Tatsuma is the leader of the Kaientai, which is also the name of the first modern corporation in Japan that was founded by Ryoma. Ryoma was married to Oryo.
• Whenever Sakamoto tried to ask any women to date him all the women would say "no thank you" in English

Battles

Fight	Outcome	Time it Occurred
Kaientai, Yorozuya, Katsura and Elizabeth vs. Dark Vader	Win	Episode 235

Quotes

• (Referring to Mutsu) "The ones that threw her away like a stone twice was you. I'm a merchant. If you just pay up, I'll sell you a ship or a bag or whatever with a smile on my face. But no matter how big your sacks of cash are, as customers that don't know the value of that stone...as scum that doesn't know the value of a comrade, there's no way in hell I'd give her to you. Now may I please have her back, sir?"
• (To Mutsu) "Until merchandise are on the shelf, they're always "just" something. No different from "just" a rock that's lying on the ground. A merchant is an alchemist that changes that "just" into something with value that can be exchanged for money."
• (To Mutsu) "Even a rock has something it can be used for. There's a way for them to shine that even a jewel can't compare to."

See Also

• Characters

References

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