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The Shinsengumi is a special police force under the control of the shogunate. They are one of the most recurring protagonists in the Gintama universe. They are situated in and mostly focus their work on Edo.

Operations[]

The Shinsengumi main task was to find and arrest Jouishishi and any other terrorists. They also did regular police duties like patrols, traffic, and handling non-terrorist related crimes. They were sometimes given detective work beyond the scope of the regular police. Since they were created by the Shogunate, they were under the direct control of Police Commissioner Matsudaira and are thus higher ranked than the normal police. Due to this, they were sometimes tasked with protection duty to any government officials and Amanto ambassadors, which also includes the Shogun.

Because they serve under the government, they have been given various negative labels, such as:

  • The Dogs of Bakufu (幕府の犬 Bakufu no Inu) by the Jouishishi,
  • Tax Revenue Robbers (税金泥棒 Zeikindorobou) by Sakata Gintoki.

History[]

Four years before the start of the series, Matsudaira Katakuriko and Sasaki Isaburo, two government officials, decided to create a police force in Edo to counteract the growing problem of the revived Jouishishi called the Roushigumi (Ronin Group). They invited lower class samurai, vagabonds, and ronin (masterless samurai). But for the next few days, factions growing within the gathered men lead to fights determining who will lead this force, the strongest so far lead by Yamazaki Sagaru. He and his group are cowed by a faction that didn't participate in the fighting, a group from a dojo in the Bushuu province lead by the dojo leader, Kondou Isao. His friendly yet commanding nature resulted in the gathered men following him as the leader. His two disciples, also from his dojo, further helped organize and strengthen the group, Hijikata Toushirou and Okita Sougo.

The Roushigumi had brought down crime and became popular over the next few days until it was decided that they would be in charge of protecting the Hitotsubashi head and his son Hitotsubashi Nobu Nobu. Unbeknownst to them, they were meant to be the scapegoats of the father and son's assassination conducted by Tokugawa Sada Sada and carried out by the Tenshouin Naraku. Isaburo created a plan that not only saved the father and son, but also helped increased the standing of the Roushigumi. This led to the Roushigumi becoming an official police force and Kondou changing their name to the Shinsengumi.

Main Regulations[]

Original Version[]

In the original Shinsengumi Kyokuchuu Hatto (局中法度), there were 5 main regulations:

  • Do not betray the bushido creed (士道ニ背キ間敷事).
  • Do not desert the troop (局ヲ脱スルヲ不許).
  • Do not willfully obtain funds (勝手ニ金策致不可).
  • Do not willfully get involved in disputes (勝手ニ訴訟取扱不可).
  • Do not engage in personal fights (私ノ闘争ヲ不許).
  • Personnel in breach of the aforementioned conditions will be ordered to undergo seppuku (右条々相背候者切腹申付ベク候也).

Gintama Version[]

In Gintama, the Demonic Vice-Commander (「鬼の副長」) Hijikata Toushirou formulated the Kyokuchuu Hatto, 47 Regulations that form the disciplinary framework for Shinsengumi members. Two were added during the course of the series.

  • Regulation 1:
  • Regulation 2:
  • Regulation 3:
  • Regulation 4: In the event that the chief is absent, then the Vice captain is to take over the right to command, and the commanders are to carry out his orders (recited by Okita in Chapter 529)
  • Regulation 10:
  • Regulation 12: No comics other than that of MAGAZINE are allowed to be read within the confines of the station (recited by Hijikata in Episode 105).
  • Regulation 17: Turn off handphones during meetings and important ceremonies (recited by Hijikata in Episode 105).
  • Regulation 20:
  • Regulation 21: Personnel conspiring with the enemy shall be punished (recited by Okita in Episode 103).
  • Regulation 25:
  • Regulation 25 (Supplementary Regulation): All personnel must consume 5 bottles of mayonnaise each everyday (recited by Hijikata in Episode 185).
  • Regulation 45: All warriors following the path of bushido must achieve enlightenment upon death and are forbidden to turn into ghosts (recited by Hijikata in Episode 105).
  • Regulation 46: Hate the Yorozuya, but treat Shinpachi nicely. (created by Kondou; recited by Okita in Episode 127)
  • Regulation 47: Keep yourself alive, even if you must violate all the other rules. (recited by Hijikata in Episode 312).
  • Regulation ?: Smoking is forbidden.


Go back to List of Gintama Characters

Hierarchy[]

SHINSENGUMI 真選組 Organization Chart
Shinsengumi overall
Police Superintendent

Matsudaira mug
Matsudaira Katakuriko
松平 片栗虎

|
Shinsengumi
真選組

|
Commander

Kondou mug
Kondou Isao
近藤 勲

Adviser

Itou mug
Itou Kamotarou
伊東 鴨太郎
|
Vice-Commander

Hijikata mug
Hijikata Toushirou
土方 十四郎

|

| | | | | | | | | | |
Spies

Yamazaki mug
Yamazaki Sagaru
山崎 退

Shinohara-shinnoshin mug
Shinohara Shinnoshin
篠原 進之進

Yoshimura Oretaro
吉村 折太郎
1st Division Captain

Okita mug
Okita Sougo
沖田 総悟
2nd Division Captain

Nagakura Shinshichi
永倉 新七
3rd Division Captain

Vlcsnap-2015-10-21-18h10m48s210
Saitou Shimaru
斉藤 終
4th Division Captain

Sugihara Chuji
杉原 忠司
5th Division Captain

BsUjv - Copy
Takeda Kannensai
武田 観念斎
6th Division Captain

Inoue Genjiro
井上 源二郎
7th Division Captain

Oka Sanjuro
丘 三十郎
8th Division Captain

BsUjv
Todo Bokosuke
藤堂 凹助
9th Division Captain

Niki Jiro
二木 二郎
10th Division Captain

Harada mug
Harada Unosuke
原田 右之助
|
Kumanaku-seizou mug
Kumanaku Seizou
隈無 清蔵
|
Kamiyama mug
Kamiyama
神山
Revised organisation chart from http://gintama.wikkii.com/

Members[]

Commander[]

Kondo
Kondou Isao
近藤 勲


Vice-Commander[]

Vice-Commander

Hijikata mug
Hijikata Toushirou
土方 十四郎

Vice-Commander Assistant

Sasaki
Sasaki Tetsunosuke



1st Division[]

Captain

Sougo
Okita Sougo
沖田 総悟
Kumanaku-seizou mug
Kumanaku Seizou
隈無 清蔵
Kamiyama mug
Kamiyama
神山


3rd Division[]

Captain

Vlcsnap-2015-10-21-18h10m48s210
Saitou Shimaru
斉藤 終


5th Division[]

Captain

BsUjv - Copy
Takeda Kannensai
武田 観念斎


8th Division[]

Captain

BsUjv
Todo Bokosuke
藤堂 凹助


10th Division[]

Captain

Harada mug
Harada Unosuke
原田 右之助


Spies[]

Yamazaki mug
Yamazaki Sagaru
山崎 退
Shinohara-shinnoshin mug
Shinohara Shinnoshin
篠原 進之進


Deceased[]

Advisor

Itou mug
Itou Kamotarou
伊東 鴨太郎


Story[]

Gengai Arc[]

Rengokukan Arc[]

Memory Loss Arc[]

Umibozu Arc[]

Inugami Arc[]

Benizakura Arc[]

Yagyu Arc[]

Okita Mitsuba Arc[]

Shinsengumi Crisis Arc[]

Shinsengumi Death Game Arc[]

Otsu Arc[]

Character Poll Arc[]

Rokkaku Arc[]

The Timeskip Arc[]

Vacation Arc[]

Baragaki Arc[]

Courtesan of a Nation Arc[]

Freeze Time Arc[]

Dekoboko Arc[]

Grim Reaper Arc[]

Soul Switch Arc[]

Shogun Assassination Arc[]

Farewell, Shinsengumi Arc[]

Silver Soul Arc[]

Trivia[]

  • In the original Shinsengumi (新選組), the character for 'Shin' (新) literally means new. In the Gintama version, the character for 'Shin' (真) literally means 'real' or 'true'. There is a possibility of the manga author's pun here as there are many other characters that can be read as 'shin', which the author did not choose.
  • The kanji 真 can also be pronounced as ‘makoto.’ Makoto, written with the kanji 誠, was the emblem of the real Shinsengumi.
Gintama Episode 19

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