Once we clear out the rubble from this land, we get to see how fish act out of water. I can't wait to see.
Sasaki Isaburo (佐々木異三郎) is the commander of the Mimawarigumi, an elite police force from Kyoto. Initially appeared as the main antagonist of the Baragaki Arc against the Shinsengumi, he actually maintained the latter's existence when it was established in exchange of his family's life as a punishment from the Tendoshu. After his family's death under Mukuro's hand, Sasaki had her as his assistant and served the Tendoshuu and the Hitotsubashi Faction while planning to ignite a revolution against the corrupted Bakufu and Tendoshu to restore Edo.
Background
Nothing is known about Sasaki's childhood, except that he was born into the elite samurai family Sasaki as the main heir. He is also the half-brother of Sasaki Tetsunosuke.
At a certain time period Sasaki witnessed together with Matsurdaira the creation of the Roshigumi in which was the origin group for the Shinsegumi. Seeing Kondo and his allies for the first time, Sasaki started to think that their nature was that more true to a samurai than of the elite classes like himself. While watching their growth and influence Sasaki constanlty recieved emails from his absent wife without actually reply back to her. Later on, he received several children from the Tendoshuu. They were actually assassins from Naraku sent to kill the Hitotsubashi family, with Mukuro being the best of them. Mukuro noted to a shocked Sasaki that, while she was a child, she could kill people, and while he could kill people, he was worrying about the name of his unborn child. Afterwards Sasaki disobeyed the Tendoshu for not using the children for the Hitotsubashi assissnation and the plan became a fail. Because of this Oboro sends out Mukuro to kill both him and his family as punishment for disobeying them. At the same time, when Sasaki had just been starting to send mails back to his wife he realises that she had just stopped emailed him back. In panic, Sasaki rushed to his wife"s side only to find Mukuro already have assassinated her together with his newborn child. An inranged Sasaki then tried to kill her both once he noticed tears from her falling down he hesitated. Mukuro claimed that the reason why she didn"t assassinate Sasaki as well was because she wanted to fight her own weakness and her fragile self in which was something that Yoshida had taught her a time ago. Ready to accept her punshiment Sasaki stops his tracks claiming that she has a duty to carry out for him and until the time that his goal will be in reach he would have her kill him claiming that would be his revenge againts himself for his lack of power for not being able to save his family. Sasaki then takes her in for his duties and changed her given name "Mukuro" to "Nobume" in which was the name of his deceased child.
Baragaki Arc
His first appearance was in the Baragaki arc, he sent his brother Sasaki Tetsunosuke to infiltrate the Shinsengumi. After appearing to arrest Gintoki he used him to discover the whereabouts of the Check It Out gang using Tetsunosuke as the lure. Sasaki eventually squares off against Hijikata realizing it is a distraction to save Tetsunosuke and has Nobume advance to kill off the rebels. After initially overpowering Hijikata, Sasaki gets a call from Gintoki saying he finished his end of the deal and is going to do things his way. Despite having a helicopter and main advance squad proceed to attack the rebels, Sasaki is eventually forced to halt his advance with persuasion from Kondo, Yamazaki and Hijikata. At the end of the arc, he is seen talking to Takasugi about fishing in dirty water while fishing up Nobume from the rubbles with a donut.
Courtesan of a Nation Arc
His second appearance was when Yorozuya and Tsukuyo entered the Shogun castle and the Mimawarigumi guarding the Shogun castle. There, Gintoki once again encountered Isaburo. When Kagura and Shinpachi asked about Suruzan's involvement with Sada Sada, Isaburo answered that Sada Sada had used Suruzan merely as a tool to assassinate high ranked people who opposed his power. Isaburo was stabbed by a Naraku member before he managed to finish the story entirely. Soon after Mimawarigumi was relieved from guarding duty in castle.
Later on, Sasaski recovered from his injure (though still injured) together with the Mimawarigumi infiltrate the castle
Isaburo and other Mimawarigumi arrives the scene
and engage Gintoki and the others in their rampage. As soon as he sees Gintoki's injured condition, he realised the poision in him also and thinks that Gintoki is useless right now. Sasaki then fired off his gun againts Gintoki as at first would though to be a bullet but was actually a cure for the poison. He then together with the Mimawarigumi holds off the Naraku soldiers as Gintoki proceed together med Tsukuyo and Nobume to catch up to Sada Sada.
Farewell, Shinsengumi Arc
After the Shogun"s death Sasaki jumped up to the ranks of the Bakufu with the new Shogun Hitotsubashi Nobu Nobu as Matsurdaira and Kondo gets sentenced to death because of their fallling of protecting the death shogun even though it was really carried out by the Hitotsubashi Faction. After some time in the throne, Nobu Nobu together with Sasaki and his troops arrived at The Host Bar as a similiarity to what the previous Shogun did. However. after killing off some hostesses for bad service and planning to do so as well with Tae for talking back Gintoki present at the place punches Nobu Nobu hard in face resulting him to turn unconsious. Sasaki apologizes for the Shogun"s behavior but still tells Gintoki off about that the time"s were changing and that people would eventually get used to live in the new era. Sasak then i tries to arrest Gintoki before being taken by surprise from a smokebomb by Katsura in disguise.
Appearance
He is a tall person and wears a white version of the Shinsengumi uniform but he also wears a long trench coat. He wears a monocle. His dead-looking eyes are very similar with Gintoki's.
Personality
Sasaki Isaburo is a very calm and serious person. He considers 'elite' people, like himself and all members of the Mimawarigumi, to be far better than other people, and regularly insults people whom he considers to not be 'elite'. Isaburo is ruthless and heartless, and will not hesitate to kill anybody in his path.
Isaburo also has an obsession with texting, and his personality changes immensely when sending texts. In his texts, he goes by Sabu-chan and repeatedly sends pointless texts to his recipient (or victim, if you will), and makes use of very childish "texting grammar" and emoticons. He claims to have very few friends and often asks people to share their phone number, and even gives them a phone for free when they claim not to have one, or when they break the last one he gave them.
Strength & Abilities
Being born in the elite samurai Sasaki family, he was trained as the main heir.
He is known as the "Triple threat" master of three weapons: the swords, gun and the pen.
His fighting style in Mimawarigumi arc was that he shoot's the enemy with his gun and if the enemy dodges the gunshot he would use that opening to slash them with his sword. He is skilled in combat, able to stand his ground against, and even initially overpower Hijikata Toushirou with his fighting techniques.
Relationship
Family
- Sasaki Tetsunosuke: Despite being his half brother, he sees him as the Sasaki family's failure. Isaburo wouldn't hesitate to kill Tetsunosuke if the situation calls it.
Friends & Allies
- Imai Nobume: His vice commander, Isaburo trusts Nobume abilities as a assassin and as his most loyal member of the Mimawarigumi. He seem to know very well also about Nobume's love for donuts as he seem to use it as a reward to her for good work. In a past prior the Bakufu police was establish, she was responsible for murdering his family. Almost blind by desire of vengeance, Sasaki sought her hidden sad emotion, unable to free herself of being a puppet of Tendoshuu, but was thanks to the imprisoned person whom taught her about wisdoms and emotions, Sasaki decide to raise her as his own daughter.
- Sakata Gintoki: Isaburo views Gintoki as his favourite email buddy. After the events in Baragaki arc, Isaburo knows that Gintoki is the infamous Joushishi veteran, Shiroyasha. He couldn't understand how he emotionally moved the Shogun to resign his position, helped the Shinsengumi to find a reason to take up their swords and his influence on Nobume. He got upset when Gin threw away his phone, eventually he gave a new one to him. Make things worst later, Sasaki himself allied with Nobu Nobu after Shige Shige's death. When the Tendoshu finally made their moves to destroy all who opposed their rule, their relationship has been recovered.
- Hijikata Toushirou: Isaburo claims he is a big fan of him and Shinsengumi. This all might be nothing more than sarcasm however, as Isaburo wasn't even slightly hesitant to kill Hijikata. Once Tendoshu made their moves to kill those who oppose their rules, he and Hijikata becomes full-fledge allies.
- Takasugi Shinsuke: Currently not much is known between the two but there is no hostility between them and they seem to plot together once before Nobu Nobu took over after Shige Shige's death. According to Nobume, Isaburo intends to see through Takasugi's lie.
- Katsura Kotarou: Formerly wanted criminal by Shinsengumi mostly after Shige Shige's death and Shinsengumi's defunction when their leaders, Kondo and Matsudaira are about to be executed. Sasaki seems underestimate Katsura's skills on bombing and disguise when he and other Mimawaramigumi, and Nobu Nobu threaten their own people under their tyranny. When the Tendoshu made their moves to kill those who oppose their rules, they finally become allies.
- Matsudaira Katakuriko:
They both were once close friends during the past as they both were on a level of elite samurais.
Enemies
- Tendoshuu: They are responsible for his family's death, as well as turning children like Nobume was into a emotionless assassins to do their dirty work to kill those who oppose their rules. The fact, he, Matsudaira and Shige Shige had been secretly planning a coup against a corrupted Bakufu that has been influenced by Tendoshu.
Trivia
- His character is based on the leader of the real Mimawarigumi, Sasaki Tadasaburo (佐々木只三郎).
- He shares the same birthday with fellow Gintama character Sakata Gintoki