History UsefulNotes / TheShinsengumi

Something of a popular favorite for inclusion in samurai shows, the Shinsengumi have the advantage of actually having existed. The group, originally called the Roushigumi (lit.: "Roushi Group," Roushi being a synonym for {{ronin}}), later changed its name to the Shinsengumi ("Newly Selected Corps") and moved to Kyoto. There, taking the side of the current shogun, they requested and were granted policing powers to deal with the revolutionaries who wished to see the return of the emperor to power. The raid on Ikeda-ya, where the Shinsengumi managed to stop revolutionaries from setting fire to the city, is probably the most well-documented single engagement of the group during their existence.

* The Kyoto Arc of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' had one chapter where Konoka and Setsuna hide in Cinema Village, which had reproductions of Edo-era Japan and samurai movie sets. Being the resident {{Samurai}}, Setsuna was [[{{Bifauxnen}} naturally dressed up as a Shinsengumi member]]. And if there are any doubts about her clothes, the title of the chapter was "The [[BodyguardCrush Bodyguard]] is a Member of the Shinsen Group".

* The {{OVA}} and later television series, ''Anime/KidouShinsengumiMoeyoKen'' deals with female (supposedly lineal) descendants of the original leaders of the Shinsengumi.

* ''Manga/ShuumatsuNoWalkureRecordOfRagnarok'' features Okita Sōji as one of the ''Einherjar'', human warriors selected to fight against Gods from various pantheons in battles to the death to determine the fate of humanity. Kondō Isami also appears to support Okita from the sidelines.

* ''VideoGame/{{MGCM}}: One of limited-time events has Shinsengumi-theme, about the heroines are trapped in an Edo-era AlternateUniverse. There are also Shinsengumi dresses (with [[WhoWearsShortShorts extremely short shorts]]) for Ao, Cocoa and Kaori, which the first two can only be acquired in limited-time gacha, while the third one in completing the Shinsengumi event story.

* In ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', Okita Souji has a starring role in the GUDAGUDA events as a HistoricalGenderFlip of herself. Portrayed as a cheery, excitable girl with an IncurableCoughOfDeath, she's dangerous nonetheless when she gets serious. Her superior, Hijikata Toshizo, makes an appearance in the second GUDAGUDA event, leading the Shinsengumi once again, albeit only consisting of himself, Okita, and an army of defected Mini Nobus. The fifth GUDAGUDA event saw the debut of Saitou Hajime as a Saber-class Servant and Yamanami Keisuke in a non-playable but still important role.

* In ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', Okita Souji has a starring role in the GUDAGUDA events as a HistoricalGenderFlip of herself. Portrayed as a cheery, excitable girl with an IncurableCoughOfDeath, she's dangerous nonetheless when she gets serious. Her superior, Hijikata Toshizo, makes an appearance in the second GUDAGUDA event, leading the Shinsengumi once again, albeit only consisting of himself, Okita, and an army of defected Mini Nobus. The fifth GUDAGUDA event saw the debut of Saitou Hajime as a Saber-class Servant.

* In ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', Okita Souji has a starring role in the GUDAGUDA events as a HistoricalGenderFlip of herself. Portrayed as a cheery, excitable girl with an IncurableCoughOfDeath, she's dangerous nonetheless when she gets serious. Her superior, Hijikata Toshizo, makes an appearance in the second GUDAGUDA event, leading the Shinsengumi once again, albeit only consisting of himself, Okita, and an army of defected Mini Nobus.

* TheSouthpaw: Saito Hajime was left-handed, which means he held his katana in the opposite grip to the vast majority of swordsmen. Even other left-handed people usually had to learn to fight right-handed, so his fighting style would have been extremely rare at the time.

* BladeOnAStick: Notably, Harada Sanosuke was a master of ''Hozoin-ryu sojutsu'', a spesr style, and was said to prefer using a spear to a sword.

Texas {{Ranger}}s were pretty much the equivalent to these guys, except they didn't have cool blue coats.

** To be exact, this is usually played straight with Hijikata (not that he needs it; the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Toshizo_Hijikata.jpg real-life Hijikata]] was said to be incredibly handsome) and Okita, averted with Kondō (who is either depicted [[Manga/PeaceMakerKurogane realist]][[VisualNovel/{{Hakuouki}} ically]] or [[Manga/{{Gintama}} worse]]) and played UpToEleven with others like Saitō Hajime (or at least it was thought so, before his real portrait was published and showed him as reasonably atractive).

* Both Hijikata and Okita can be summoned as Servants in ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', the latter being a GenderSwap. Okita has also a Swimsuit version and an Alter version.

[[folder:Other]]
* (One of) The most popular fashion doll(s) in Japan, Takara's Jenny, is available in a Shinsengumi uniform.
** And so are a lot of characters, from [[http://japanhk.blogspot.com.es/2009/08/and-now-for-other-side-shinsengumi.html Hello Kitty]] (Kyoto limited version) to Domo-kun (for the promotion of the NHK dorama). There are official Volks ball-jointed dolls of [[http://www.angelden.net/volks/sdgr/okita.php Okita]] ([[http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd13/okita.php several]] [[http://www.volks.co.jp/htd_kyoto10/volks_sd02/ times]] over), [[http://www.angelden.net/volks/sd17/hijikata.php Hijikata]], [[http://www.volks.co.jp/htd_kyoto10/volks_sd03/ Saitō]] and [[http://www.volks.co.jp/htd_kyoto10/volks_sd01/ Kondō]].

* In [[Franchise/{{Nasuverse}} TYPE-MOON]]'s KOHA-ACE manga, the identity of a "joke character", [[http://i.imgur.com/qbNYVbw.jpg Sakura Saber]], is revealed to be a GenderFlip of [[http://livedoor.4.blogimg.jp/otaku_blog/imgs/f/1/f15ace7e.jpg Okita Sōji]]. She, along with Hijikata Toshizo (who is not gender-flipped), have been made into playable characters in the mobile game ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder''. Okita is one of the main characters in Fate/KOHA-ACE and its DarkerAndEdgier manga adaptation ''{{Webcomic}}/FateTypeRedline''.

* In [[Franchise/{{Nasuverse}} TYPE-MOON]]'s KOHA-ACE manga, the identity of a "joke character", [[http://i.imgur.com/qbNYVbw.jpg Sakura Saber]], is revealed to be a GenderFlip of [[http://livedoor.4.blogimg.jp/otaku_blog/imgs/f/1/f15ace7e.jpg Okita Sōji]]. She, along with Hijikata Toshizo (who is not gender-flipped), have been made into playable characters in the mobile game ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder''. Okita is one of the main characters in Fate/KOHA-ACE and its DarkerAndEdgier manga adaptation ''Fate/Redline''.

* In [[Franchise/{{Nasuverse}} TYPE-MOON]]'s Koha Ace manga, the identity of a "joke character", [[http://i.imgur.com/qbNYVbw.jpg Sakura Saber]], is revealed to be a GenderFlip of [[http://livedoor.4.blogimg.jp/otaku_blog/imgs/f/1/f15ace7e.jpg Okita Sōji]]. She, along with Hijikata Toshizo (who is not gender-flipped), have been made into playable characters in the mobile game ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder''.

* Both Hijikata and Okita can be summoned as Servants in ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', the latter with a GenderSwap.

[[WesternCharacters Texas Rangers]] were pretty much the equivalent to these guys, except they didn't have cool blue coats.

* The ''Fall of the Samurai'' expansion to ''VideoGame/TotalWarShogun2'' features Shinsengumi (and their Imperial counterparts, the Ishin-Shishi) as agents on the campaign map. They can be used to assassinate rival generals and agents, bribe troops into joining your cause, instil discipline in your troops (which translates to a boost to melee defence), and incite rebellions in enemy provinces. Shogunal factions also have access to Shinsengumi police as battlefield units, where they prove themselves to be both excellent line infantry and deadly melee combatants, especially with their 'Banzai' ability.

* The organization of the Gotei 13 in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' seems quite similar to the shinsengumi. In addition to being divided into "Captains" and "Divisions", later chapters reveal that the initial group were "defenders of the peace" in name only were bloodthirsty Knights Templar like the shinsengumi. It is unclear, however, whether the organization was actually based on them (though there are definitely [[{{Expy}} expies]] of the captains among them, most notably Ukitake being a tuberculosis-laden warrior a la Sōji).

* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' includes both a GenderFlip of Okita as a Saber and Hijikata as a Berserker.