Shinpachi Shimura

Shinpachi Shimura
Information
Japanese Name:	志村 新八
Romanized Name:	Shimura Shinpachi
Official English Name:	Shinpachi Shimura
Date of Birth:	12 Aug/Leo
Age:	16
Titles:	Megane (Glasses) Shin-chan Patsuan Pachie
Physical Features
Height:	166 cm (5' 5½")
Weight:	55 kg (121 lb)
Status:	Alive
Professional Status
Affiliation(s):	Terakado Tsuu's Imperial Guards
Occupation(s):	Yorozuya
Strong Point(s):	Glasses
Voice Actors
Japanese VA:	Sakaguchi Daisuke
English VA:	Mark X. Laskowski (movie)

Once a Samurai decides to protect something, he protects it to the very end!

Shinpachi Shimura

Shimura Shinpachi ( 志村 新八 Shimura Shinpachi ) is a member of the Yorozuya, a samurai in training, and one of the three main protagonists of Gintama. He is one of the more serious character of the series, delivering the requisite reality-checks or punchlines against other characters farcical antics. Other than working at the Yorozuya, Shinpachi is also the leader of Terakado Tsuu's fanclub: Terakado Tsuu's Imperial Guards, and is very serious about it.

Background

Shimura Shinpachi grew up with his sister Shimura Tae and his father in their family dojou Koudoukan. Their father died when they were young, leaving them to take care of the dojou and the debt to the Loan Shark Amanto.

At his local temple school, Shinpachi befriended Takachin. When Takachin was bullied by other children, Shinpachi tried to help but ended getting beaten up as well until Otae saved them. They were close friends until Takachin accidently soiled himself while Shinpachi pretended to be sleeping to avoid helping Takachin.

Shinpachi would later become acquainted with Yagyuu Kyuubei due to his sister's friendship with her. When the debt collectors tried to harm Tae and her brother, Shinpachi was knocked out by the time Kyuubei came to help them, although it cost her her left eye.

Shinpachi mentioned that he ate his sister's cooking when he was younger, which made his eyesight go bad and resulted in his need to wear glasses.

While working at a café and being beaten by the manager behind the shop, Shinpachi encountered Terakado Tsuu during one of her street performances. Although he didn't understood her song, he was emotionally moved. After gaining encouragement and motivation from this encounter, Shinpachi would create the Terakado Tsuu fanclub: Terakado Tsuu's Imperial Guards.

Appearance

Shinpachi has black hair and brown eyes. He wears a light blue keikogi with blue linings and a blue hakama. Bespectacled, many other characters have pointed out that Shinpachi's glasses are his charm point. Sakata Gintoki even went as far as to say that Shinpachi's glasses make out 95% of him and that they are more Shinpachi than Shinpachi himself, with the rest being 3% water and 2% garbage.

Throughout the series he is seen wearing various disguises and has been shown in different styles for gags.

More images at Shimura Shinpachi's gallery

Shimura Shinpachi's Gallery Shinpachi Standard Shinpachi during childhood Shinpachi as Otsuu Fan-club Leader Shinpachi as Male Host

Personality

Frequently teased by Sakata Gintoki, supposedly his employer and later on, by Yagyuu Kyuubei for having a 'sister-complex' for being overly attached to his sister. Because he does not have as much physical strength as Kagura, he is often bullied by her, who often tend to literally give him a thrashing. He takes charge of all the household chores in the Yorozuya due to his 'inclination to care for other people ( as he explained during the Goukon in Episode 88 ).He also likes to save leftovers. All of the above, combined with his plain bespectacled look has made him the archetypical downtrodden nerdy character. Shinpachi is also a rabid fan of fictional pop-idol Terakado Tsuu, and often gets so moved by her songs that he starts crying listening to them. He is the strict leader of the Terakado Tsuu's Imperial Guards,a fan club with deep admiration and devotion to her, and has made 99 regulations that he makes sure the members loyally follow. Whenever someone breaks one of the rules and regulations of the fanclub, he personally issues their punishment with a flying nose-hook. Most of the time, the Sergeant is on the receiving end.
Shinpachi also likes to sing, and has been seen singing karaoke-versions of various songs by Tsuu, but is completely tone-deaf.

Strength & Abilities

He has limited dojo training, but inherited a dojo together with his older sister Shimura Tae called Koudoukan (恒道館), specialising in the Tendoumushin sword-fighting style (天堂無心流 - Tendou Mushin Ryuu).

Although Shinpachi's fighting abilities are not as powerful as that of his two friends (Kagura with her monstrous Yato strength and Gintoki with his sword mastery), and his combat ability was merely 1Kelp above normal human, he has been shown to be able to fight with not only his sword, but using hand-to-hand combat in a boxing match, and also using his intelligence; as seen when he was able to knock back Kyuubei and beat her grandfather, winning the game against the Yagyuu clan, when he figured out a way to get past Tosshi's human wall, and when he fought with Tosshi in a boxing match.

In episode 213, he defeated Chin Pirako in two blows, proving he is now a skilled swordsman. And defeated Obi Hajime in a match, causing Hajime to say Shinpachi is strong.

In addition to his skill with the sword, he has also been seen using the powerful nose hook technique used by several characters in the series, and possibly even invented it.

His combat ability drastically changes when he puts on/take off his glasses

Relationships

Family

• Shimura Tae : Shinpachi's older sister, they care about each other very much to the point that Gintoki says Shinpachi has a sister complex.
• Shimura Ken : Shinpachi's father. When they were young Shinpachi & her older sister Shimura Tae always gets punished by their father for fooling around.

Mentor

• Obi Hajime: He was the former chief coach of the Koudoukan. He was like an older brother to Shinpachi and Otae. He went missing before Shinpachi met Gintoki travelling around the Galaxy.

Friends and Allies

• Sakata Gintoki: Shinpachi follows Gintoki with admiration for him in order to learn the way of the samurai, which leads him to workin Yorozuya. He quite regrets following him because of Gintoki's irresponsibility for everything, but at the same time they started to have adventures which leads Shinpachi to start considering him as mentor and brother. He even got mad at Gintoki when he didn't consider him as a brother when Gintoki told Umibouzu about not having a family. Gintoki is the only person he would listen to whenever he refuses to listen to his sister. During the Guardian Dog Arc, he said to Nakamura Kyoujirou that he considered Gintoki as a family.

• Kagura : Kagura is like a sister to Shinpachi even when she beats him or offends him. However they both care for eachother very deeply as comrades as even though they have their differences they would always help eachother when they need it and they have the common care and respect for Gintoki

• Yagyuu Kyuubei:

• Kondou Isao: Shinpachi views him as a annoying stalker and most of the times he would prefer having Gintoki as a brother-in-law Rather than Kondou. He the least person Shinpachi would pay attention to.

• Katsura Kotaro: They are very respectful to each other, but at times Shinpachi wonders about Katsura's lack of common sense.

• Taka-Chin: Taka-chin is Shinpachi's childhood friend from temple school. They managed to reconcile after Shinpachi saved him from his old biker gang.

• Yamazaki Sagaru : They both basically share the same personality and are both considered plain by their companions. They are often opponents to each other when the Yorozuya goes against the Shinsengumi.

Love Interest

• Otsu: Otsu was girl meet on the streets performing that he met during the times he was looking for a job before meeting with Gintoki. He started to like her songs as far to create a fan club for her.

• Kirara : They became penpals after Shinpachi found her message in a bottle near the beach.

• Pandemonium: Pandemonium larvae are snacks for Shikigami. Shinpachi fell in love with one of the crotesque creatures after their lips accidentally met. He sees only a beautiful face of a lady on the disgusting larva. Pandemonium was chomped by a Shirino Clan's Shikigami. Pandemonium was later seen in Satan Festival where Shinpachi once again fell in love with the larva. This time Pandemonium was crushed by Gedoumaru who was irritated by Shinpachi's idiotic behavior.

• Anigasaki Momo: A game character from Love Choris, Shinpachi chose her due to his taste of older sister type.

Enemies

• Takechi Henpeita :for underestimating Shinpachi's swords skill during the benizakura arc.

• Abuto: When Kagura was defeated by Abuto, Shinpachi tried to help Kagura but was easily defeated. Later, he and Kagura were saved by Abuto from falling.

• Eromes: for tricking him into a love date by trying to rob from him.

Story

Shinpachi would soon start working at the register in a café, but only having known the way of the sword, he made alot of mistakes. Some Amanto who were there as customers, tripped him over so he spilt Sakata Gintoki's chocolate parfait. Enraged by this, Gintoki attacked the Amanto and fled the scene, leaving his wooden sword and the blame with Shinpachi. Shinpachi followed him and they would soon encounter Tae, who brought them back to the dojou. Debt collectors then came along and took Tae with them so she could start working in an illegal flying nightclub. However, after a series of events, the nightclub crashed into the ocean, Tae was rescued by Shinpachi with help from Gintoki and the debt collectors went to jail, as stated by Gintoki in episode 3. This led Tae to give her "permission" for Shinpachi to join the Yorozuya, after which he would become a regular member, share many exploits and do various jobs with Sakata Gintoki and Kagura.

Harusame Arc

On this arc, Shinpachi with Kagura and Gintoki is trying to search for a missing person. In the club where they suspect the missing person frequently come. While Gintoki was in the bathroom because of his hangover Kagura asked Shinpachi if they could just fool the client by bringing in a stranger, but the stranger passed out and was suspected for the drug "Tensei Kyou" 

A group of pirates from the Harusame, suspects Shinpachi and Kagura from the Joi Faction because of their suspicious act and they were captured.

In the boat they were forced to wake up and talk where the Joi faction HQ or Kagura will be killed byDaraku, even though Shinpachi doesn't know anything. Kagura doesn't want to trouble him so she kicked Daraku and let herself fall but was saved by Gintoki. 

Gintoki then piggyback ride them home. 

Gengai Arc

Otose calls the Yorozuya to help the neighbours stop a noisy inventor, Gengai. So the Yorozuya prepared a mic and speaker for Shinpachi to sing in a louder volume enough for Gengai to come out scolding for being noisy. After a while one of the man's robots comes out and they soon manage to get inside his garage. They move Gengai's invention to a place that wouldn't disturb the neighbors. But then Gengai needs to fix the robots all over again to prepare them for the Amanto festival, so when he asks the Yorozuya to help, they run away instead but ended up helping him anyway.

At the festival, Kagura and Shinpachi became somewhat attached to robot Saburo until he was called out by Gengai. Shinpachi and Kagura continued to enjoy the festival and meet Hasegawa and Okita Sougo along the way. 

When Gengai tried to attack the Shogun and the Shinsengumi, Shinpachi faced and tried to convince him to stop before Gin came to the scene and finally stopped him.

Rengokukan Arc

Okita Sougo offered to Yorozuya a job which involved them tracking down the champion of Rengokukan, Kidoumaru. They later found out that Kidoumaru raised dozens of orphaned children and in the end tried to aid them to escape from the wrath of Tendoshu. Kidoumaru was killed by the new Rengokukan champion, Onijishi, as he was escaping with the children. Later on, the children asked Yorozuya to avenge their sensei's murder as they offer to give away their toys as payment. After Gintoki finishes his speech to Hijikata ignoring his warning of not to interfere, he decides to join him along with Kagura. When Gin finishes off Onijishi in their revenge mask, he enters the arena with Kagura to fight the Rengokukan forces. The Shinsengumi then also shows up to arrest the Rengokukan owners even though their interference would have cost them their heads.

Memory Loss Arc

Kagura and Shinpachi drag an anmesia-stricken Gintoki around town. Kagura and Shinpachi tried to restore his memory, almost succeeding few times, but always returning back to start by outside interference. They met with various characters like Otose, Catherine, Katsura, Sachan, Otae and Kondo. When their place becomes a crash landing pad for Sakamoto Tatsuma's spaceship, Gintoki encourages them to live on without him and disbanded the Yorozuya. Despite their attempts to reason him, Gin leaves them behind.

Shinpachi goes to the Yorozuya building and whatever has remained. He finds Kagura there waiting until Gin comes home. He feels that Gintoki's memory tree has withered and their existance is like a small branch of the tree, not being able to rustle Gintoki's memories. But Kagura believes even if she is just one branch in his memory tree, so she'll still cling and believe in him. After that Shinpachi joins her and wait together for Gin's return.

With a tip from Otose, they learn of a "silver-haired worker" in the Justaway factory. Kagura and Shipachi arrive just in time to protect Gintoki from harm along with the Shinsengumi, only to trigger his memories. After Gin destroyed the cannon that was threatening Edo, Gin walked away telling Shinpachi and Kagura that "We are going home".

Train Samurai Arc

The Tsu Terakado Fan Club is on a train discussing about a new pop idol with cat-ears that has overthrown Otsu in the Edocon sales ranking. The Sergeant of the Fan Club comments on how cat-ears are the factor that make the new pop idol better than Otsu, which infuriates Shinpachi. In the meantime, next to them a drunken Matsudaira is harassing a cat-eared Amanto girl. Shinpachi throws the Sergeant and accidentally knocks out Matsudaira, helping the girl unwillingly. The girl thanks Shinpachi and wants to show her appriciation to him in the future.

For the next days, Shinpachi is dazing off unable to take that girl out of his mind. He goes to the Yorozuya and finds out that Kagura and Gintoki have opened a box mailed to him, eating the cake and reading the letter it contained. Shinpachi grabs the letters and learns that it's from Eromesu, the girl he saved at the train. She wants to meet with him to show her gratitude towards her hero. Shinpachi gets all nervous because he has a date, but he wants to stay loyal to Otsu as the President of her fan club. As he can't find anyone to ask advice, he goes to an Internet shop and asks question on a Samurai Chat. Several characters of the show with humorous nicknames respond to him like Katsura, Hasegawa, Kondo and Sachan. This results in a hilarious exchange of messages through the net, which leads Shinpachi to go to the date prepared for anything that will come.

He goes to the meeting place in order to meet that girl. During the date, Eromesu displays a huge level of cuteness, which makes Shinpachi even more shaky than usual. After taking a walk, Eromesu proposes to Shinpachi that they go at her home because she is tired, taking advantage of the fact that her parents are missing. Eromesu takes a bath, while Shinpachi is worrying about moving on too quickly, having also fears that "the show will get cut off, if they show such stuff in a shounen anime". As soon as Eromesu finishes her bath and encourages Shinpachi to take a bath and that she will be waiting at the bed, he forgets about his doubts and decides that he will become a man this day no matter the consequences to the show.

Shinpachi takes a bath and heads to bed to meet Eromesu and become a man. Meanwhile, outside of her house, Gintoki, Kagura and Otae continue to stalk the pair, when they suddenly see Eromesu leaving the house with a laugh on her face. Shinpachi finds his clothes along with a card from her saying that he stole his heart and his wallet. The same thing has happened with Matsudaira before while they were on the train. Shinpachi is furious about that. As Eromesu is attacked by Gin, Kagura and Otae, who have been stalking him during his date, a huge sign is about to fall on Eromesu. Shinpachi comes in and protects her at the last moment. He forgives her and says that he doesn't have any hard feeling towards her, but at the last moment he draws his sword and knocks her out, telling that what he said was a lie. Shinpachi says that he has become stronger after this incident and he will be more loyal from now and on having Otsu in mind.

Owee Arc

A brand new game console is hitting the streets of Edo... The Owee! The Yorozuya and Shinsengumi compete against each other for the Owee. Katsura v.s. Kondo in dating sims and Yamazaki v.s. Shinpachi in Tetris. The final match is a tag team battle in a role-playing game simulator.

Love Choriss Arc

Shinpachi gets addicted to a dating sim game called Love Chroiss, his character is Anigasaki Momo which he choose due to his taste of older sister type. Shinpachi later introduce her to his sister Shimura Tae

Trivia

• When the characters of Gintama were being made, Shinpachi was originally going to be a part of the Shinsengumi as Nagakura Shinpachi 永倉新八, who was the captain of the Shinsengumi's second unit. Instead, he was given glasses and became the one to throw the punch lines, receiving his last name from Shimura Ken 志村けん, a Japanese comedian.
• Whenever Makoto, the 'Centaur' character/mascot played by Gintoki with Kagura as a corpse makes an appearance, Shinpachi is the hind quarters of the horse (for example Episode 124).
• The name of his okama counterpart and his genderbend version is Pachie.
• The name of his magical girl counterpart in his own version of the Gintama ending  is Magical Yun Yun Pachina.
• In Episode 106 of the Gintama anime he was portrayed as a horse with eye-glasses while the others were shown as warriors on horses.
• Shinpachi's name contains "Hachi" which means 8, which also means infinite or glasses (he wore glasses). He also placed on 8th rank in 3 Gintama character polls.
• Until now fans created 'Shinsengumi' version of him along with Hijikata Toushirou, Kondou Isao, and Okita Sougo.
• Shinpach is similar to Gintoki that they both are in love with their idols and got upset when their idols were engaged.
• In the popularity poll result, Shinpachi has been placed 8th place 3 times in a row.

Quotes

• (To loan shark amanto) "I don't care about the dojo. I love the dojo where my sister laughed, if it only makes her cry, then i don't need that kind of dojo!"
• (To Daraku ) "This is the Samurai Country, you guys get the hell out of here!"
• (To Taka-Chin) "Taka-Chin I'll always be with you, I hated my own weakness so I always want to be stronger, that's why..."
• (To Sakata Gintoki about Terakado Tsuu ) "Anything is fine, if i'm able to, i want to repay her from that time"
• (To GAEMON) "Do you still call yourself human? You're mother is a XX!!!"
• ( To Terakado Tsuu) "Scandal or not, we'll never stop being your fans"
• (To Banzou along with Kagura ) "If you want to shoot then go ahead and shoot, whether Edo burns or what ever that has nothing to do with me! But if you shoot this person, it'll be a problem."
• (To Sakata Gintoki along with Kagura ) "Without you saying, we're already living how we wanted to. We're here because we wanted to. We're with you because we wanted to!"
• (To Sakata Gintoki) "Just so you know, I'll always be at Yoruzuya, so you can think of me as a family"

Battles

Fight	Outcome	Time it Occurred
Yorozuya and Shimura Tae vs. Eromes	Win	Episode 30
Shimura Shinpachi vs. Takechi Henpeita	Interrupted	Episode 61
Sakata Gintoki and Shimura Shinpachi vs. Yagyuu Kyuubei and Yagyuu Binbokusai	Win
Kagura and Shimura Shinpachi vs. Abuto	Win	Episode 142
Shimura Shinpachi vs. Hijikata Toushiro (Tosshi)	Win
Kagura and Shimura Shinpachi vs. Chin Pirako and Saigou Tokumori	Win
Yorozuya, Kaientai, Katsura Kotarou and Elizabeth vs. Dark Vader	Win
Shimura Shinpachi vs. Obi Hajime	Win

References

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