Set in the chaotic period of the Bakumatsu, Miburo has many characters split between several factions as Japan has been in the throes of unprecedented turmoil, mostly separated between the Shishi and the pro-Shogunate people. It also includes characters from Bushi no Kodou, which shares the same setting.

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Main Characters

Mita Ken

The protagonist of the story, who decided to leave his native village with his sister Saya, located in the Tokuyama Domain after an incident which killed his step-brother, suspected to be part of the Sonnō jōi. Upon arriving in Kyoto in early 1863, he becomes the unfortunate victim of five self-proclaimed Sonnō jōi ronin who broke into his house to steal his money and kidnapping his sister. Fighting for his life, he manages to kill one of them with a mysterious power, before being saved by the Mibu Roshigumi who proceed to kill the rest of the ronin.

After losing consciousness during the battle, he wakes up in the headquarters of the Mibu Roshigumi, and is asked by their Commander Kondou Isami to join them, sympathetic to their plight and wanting to give them a new home in exchange for working towards peace as an apprentice. Ken eventually accepts her proposal, driven by his desire to protect Saya at all costs. So begins his newfound life in the company of warriors with diverse origins from many places, a choice that will decide his very destiny.

Chick Magnet: Upon becoming a member of the Mibu Roshigumi, several of the captains are attracted to him, especially Okita Souji and Saitou Hajime. By the end of the story, no more than seven women can end up with him, with additional people who expressed some interest for him.
Despair Event Horizon: The sight of her dying sister during the purge of Serizawa is enough to push him over the edge, triggering his power to eventually kill Serizawa himself in burning rage. The whole event was so traumatic for him that he made himself forget about his sister altogether.
The One Guy: Downplayed. While he's not the sole male member of the Shinsengumi, he's by far the most prominent and the only one with a major role.
One-Hit Kill: He possesses a mysterious power, allowing him to see enemies' weaknesses as orbs of light. Striking any of these weak points usually causes his opponent to be knocked out or killed.
Platonic Life-Partners: He considers Hijikata the most important person in his life after his sister, due to the fact she taught him the most about Japanese feudal society. Following the transition to the Shinsengumi, he becomes her right-hand and is granted a special position allowing him to act more independently from the group, all for the sake of the woman who saved him. While they end up as lovers in Hijikata's route, the true ending instead makes their relationship purely platonic.
Pretty Boy: Ken is rather good-looking, which can explain some of his success among the female captains of the Shinsengumi.
Morality Pet: He's one to Hijikata, especially after becoming her subordinate, who's concerned about his health ever since the disappearance of Saya.
Nice Guy: One of the reasons he hesitates to be part of the Mibu Roshigumi at first. However, out of concern for Saya and to repay his debt to the group, he eventually joins it, much to the excitement of the female captains. His kindness and desire to be stronger also attracts some admirers over the course of the story.
Spanner in the Works: His power allows him to find weaknesses with the naked eye, making him a powerful asset to fight off opponents stronger than him. It also works on the battlefield, in which he can see weak points on a map.
Supporting Protagonist: Due to his relatively low rank in the Shinsengumi, he's usually not part of the patrols. However, his special position as Hijikata's aide also allows him to know more about Japan's local politics thanks to her connections with Sakamoto Ryouma and Katsu Kaishuu.
Took a Level in Badass: Following Saya's disappearance, he let go of his doubts to become a full blown member of the Shinsengumi, who doesn't hesitate to handle ronin by (sometimes lethal) force. By the end of the story, he's on the same level as Hajime and Shinpachi.
Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Downwplayed. When first joining the Mibu Roshigumi in 1863, he hesitated to be a part of the group due to their reputation as a violent police force who can resort to killing if necessary. By 1864, after the loss of Saya and the death of Serizawa Kamo, he becomes fully integrated into the Shinsengumi, having lost his doubts on the question.

Mita Saya

The younger sister of Ken, who accompanied him ever since his travel to Kyoto. Her brother means everything to her, to the point she's ready to follow anywhere he goes, ignoring danger as long as she can be with him.

She has qualms about Ken joining the Mibu Roshigumi, but she nonetheless accepts his choice, and goes on to live with him and befriend everyone, becoming the honorary little sister to the squad captains thanks to her kindness and talent with cooking.

Big Brother Worship: She admires her brother a lot, to the point of following him anywhere he goes.
Damsel in Distress: The story starts with her life being threatened by ronin, prompting Ken to fight for her life. After being rescued by the Mibu Roshigumi, one of Ken's main reasons to join the group was to specifically avoid endangering Saya again.
- Attempted again by Sasaki, one of the spies of Choshu who took her outside of the headquarters until Serizawa kills him on the spot.
Everyone's Baby Sister: She's adored by everyone upon joining the Mibu Roshigumi, especially since she's also a good cook. Even Serizawa and Niimi treat her with kindness, being the only person from the "Kondou Faction" to visit them regularly.
Living Emotional Crutch: Her presence is what allow Ken to keep himself from killing criminals, out of concern for her. When she effectively dies during Serizawa's purge, the trauma makes Ken essentially forget about her entirely in order to focus about the Shinsengumi.
Morality Pet: She's one to the most morally ambiguous members of the Shinsengumi, especially Hijikata and Serizawa who enjoy spending time with her.
Pink Means Feminine: Her casual attire is entirely made of pink, emphazising her feminine stature as a non-combatant who cooks for the captains.
Rose-Haired Sweetie: The most innocuous character of the story, loved by pretty much everyone on the Shinsengumi, including Serizawa and Niimi.
Supreme Chef: One of the reasons most of the cast love her. Because of the group's lack of resources, they couldn't afford to hire a cook, and mostly relied on rice and nothing else, up until Saya becomes the official cook.

Roshigumi / Mibu Roshigumi / Shinsengumi

Founder

Kiyokawa Hachiro

The original founder of the Roshigumi, a band of ronin which he gathered as improvised bodyguards for the shogun, alongside Yamaoka Tesshu. However, he is quickly revealed to be a shishi and attempts to convert the Roshigumi into a pro-Sonnō jōi unit, but is quickly put down before he's able to do much and he's executed on the streets one month later by Sasaki Tadasaburou, who deemed him too dangerous. The remnants of the original Roshigumi went back to Edo, where they formed a new group known as the Shinchougumi, while a few a of them choose to stay in Kyoto, forming the Mibu Roshigumi.

Big Bad Wannabe: He created the Roshigumi as a means to stage an armed uprising against the Tokugawa Shogunate, but he was quickly outed as a Sonnō jōi sympathizer, and was eventually assassinated by Sasaki Tadasaburou for his crimes.
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: How Tadasaburou kills him.
Rebel Leader: Attempted to become the leader of an armed group through the creation of the Roshigumi. However, he fails due to the Shogunate having an eye on him prior to 1863 for another crime, who then sent a spy to keep an eye on him.
Small Role, Big Impact: In the grand scheme of things, he went down as an unremarkable samurai who attempted to create a group for his personal agenda. However, one part of said group eventually became a dreaded special police, and later paramilitary organization.
Worf Had the Flu: He's stated to be skilled with the sword, but he went down on one hit. Hijikata states that he would have perfectly been able to defend himself, but Tadasaburou's sneak attack caught him off-guard.

Commanders

Serizawa Kamo

The first Commander of the Mibu Roshigumi, who actually delegates much of her work to others. A strange woman of mysterious origins, who likes to do whatever she wants and drink sake all day, claiming that a true samurai ought to enjoy life as much as they can. Nonetheless, she can be serious and professional in times of crisis, demonstrating good leadership skills during the August Incident in 1863, and declaring her intent to expand the Shinsengumi to greater heights following its rename under the command of Matsudaira Katamori.

Because she doesn't do much besides drinking at night and staying in her room, she and Kondou Isami share the leadership of the Mibu Roshigumi. However, she also has a violent and unpredictable behaviour, to the point many members of the Mibu Roshigumi are afraid of her and prefer not to interact with her. As a result, she formed her own faction within the group, which acts independently aside from major operations.

Acquitted Too Late: It turns out she didn't actually injure Saya, who happened to fall near her when Hijikata's sword accidentally struck her. The truth would only be revealed to Ken in the very last route, and implied in some endings.
A Good Way to Die: Ever since participating in the assassination of Ii Naosuke, she wanted to die alongside her comrades, only to escape capital punishment to join the Roshigumi. She also refuses to escape when given the chance by Kondou Isami, content with finding someone who would kill her as she sees fit.
Ambiguously Evil: She's the first Commander of the Shinsengumi, who uses incredibly questionable means to finance the group due to their lack of salary, despite being under the Aizu. Her reputation as a troublemaker and hedonist also helped created the terrifying rumors about herself, and she also likes to entertain the thought when asked about them by Ken. Ultimately, while she's by no means a good person, she helped built the group's dreaded reputation, and perfectly knows about her own character flaws, and is trusting enough of Kondou to take the Shinsengumi into greater heights. The fact that Saya consider her a good-hearted person add further ambiguity on her actions.
Arc Villain: She becomes a major threat to the Shinsengumi near the end of 1863, when she attempts to sell confidential information on the Aizu to her home province in the Mito Domain.
Beauty Is Bad: Downplayed. She's notably prettier than the other members of the Shinsengumi, but her allegiance is unknown at best due to her seemingly erratic behavior.
Big Good: As the First Commander of the Shinsengumi, she's nominally this but delegates most of her work to Kondou Isami.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: She spends all of her nights drinking with her colleagues, while staying in her room during the day, only choosing to go outside whenever she feels like it, but is nonetheless a skilled warrior in her own right.
Cruel and Unusual Death: She's impaled through the heart, then stabbed to death in the back by a berserk Ken.
Death Seeker: She waits for an opportunity to die a warrior's death, refusing to save her own life when given the opportunity by Isami.
Exact Words: She promises not to kill Sasaki Aijiro when outing him as a Choshu spy...Which in turn gets him killed by Niimi Nishiki right after confessing.
Necessarily Evil: She tends to be more violent and decisive than her fellow members of the Shinsengumi, seeing violence and the like as necessary to rise through the ranks and becoming in the streets of Kyoto.
Nominal Hero: While technically being part of the Shinsengumi alongside Kondou Isami, she's far more crueler and prone to violence, rationalizing it as a way to protect more people in the long run.
Not Me This Time: Upon reports of merchants getting racketed by alleged members of the Shinsengumi, Hijikata is the first to accuse her, not helped by the fact that she did racket merchants before.
Pet the Dog: She's surprisingly nice to Ken and Saya, helping them accustomate to the group.
The Tease: During one shared bath with Ken and Saya, she's quick to tease him on his crotch, but her terrifying scares him rather than arousing him.
Token Evil Teammate: Unlike the other members of the Shinsengumi, she has less qualms about murder and killing of criminals, giving her a reputation as an unpredictable and violent person who happened to be part of a special police.
What You Are in the Dark: Upon learning of her incoming execution by Hijikata, she quickly dismisses the possibility of using Saya as a shield to save her life.

Kondou "Isarin" Isami

The second Commander of the Mibu Roshigumi and its de facto leader due to Serizawa Kamo's lack of restraint. The fourth master of the Tennen Rishin-ryū school of swordsmanship, she was a peasant before being noticed by the third master who decided to adopt her into the Kondou family of samurai. Her dream is to become a famous samurai and general, in the hopes of leaving her mark in history.

Before the events of the game, she was in charge of her own dojo known as the Shieikan where most of her students happen to live in relative poverty. By 1863, she decided to join the Roshigumi of Kiyokawa Hachiro, and was one of the few people who decided to stay in Kyoto, recreating the group anew with the name of Mibu Roshigumi and becoming its leader alongside Serizawa Kamo and Hijikata Toshizou. Unlike the other two, Kondou is known as a profoundly selfless and kind individual with a natural charisma, giving her many admirers regardless of their class, as well as many enemies who see her as a potential threat.

Following the death of Serizawa Kamo in late 1863, she effectively becomes the sole Commander of the Shinsengumi, allowing her to become a respected leader and samurai as she wanted to be, with Hijikata and Sannan serving as her advisors.

Big Bad: In Bushi no Kodou. As the leader of the Shinsengumi, she leads her group to find Katsura Kogoro and kill her due to her status as a high-ranking samurai from Choshu.
Big Good: She's the most prominent and important member of the Shinsengumi, to the point one wouldn't consider the group without her.
Death Seeker: Ever since the Tokugawa Shogunate ended in 1868, she's searching for a place to die, feeling that the Satsuma-dominated Imperial Government isn't worth living for. With the exception of her own route, she gets her wish.
Even the Girls Want Her: Her popularity with everyone made her also the center of attention, including girls.
Fangirl: She's a huge fan of The 47 Ronin and romanticizes her exploits, which is also why she choose the same uniforms as them.
Good Is Not Soft: While she's love among her peers for her kindness and generosity, she shows no hesitation when it comes to enforce the law and punishing ronin.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Has blonde hair and is one of the most selfless characters of the story.
Lady of War: Isami is a demure and graceful woman, but she's no slouch when it comes to swordsmanship, easily establishing herself as a master swordsman who taught the sword to several captains of the group.
Noblewoman's Laugh: Downplayed. She has the appearance of a typical Ojou character, but she's actually from the peasantry, and only ever laughs as such in Bushi no Kodou.
Ojou: Downplayed. Isami is non-royal and by no means wealthy, but she possess the same charisma and overbearing personality who allows her to have admirers, smitten by her honesty.
Ojou Ringlets: Her long and blonde hair turns into drills in her back, in addition to her Ojou traits.
The Paragon: She stands out among the other members of the Shinsengumi (with the notable exception of Yamanami Keisuke) as the most heroic of the bunch, encouraging others to follow her ideals. She also taught a young Sakai Hyougo not to steal anymore, instead of punishing her.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The gentle Blue to Hijikata's passionate and bold Red.
Supporting Leader: She's the leader of the Shinsengumi and one of the main characters of the story, but not the protagonist.
Team Mom: Often gives the impression to be the mother of the younger members of the Shinsengumi, especially Okita Souji.
Universally Beloved Leader: Kondou Isami is loved by everyone in the Shinsengumi, due to her sheer charisma, benevolent personality and innocence.

Hijikata "Hijirin" Toshizou

The Vice-Commander of the Mibu Roshigumi, who's in charge of logistics and managing the internal affairs of the group. She's the Childhood Friend of Kondou Isami, being her very first pupil and most trusted companion in her life. Unlike the majority of the Mibu Roshigumi, she doesn't have any formal training in the Tennen Rishin-ryū, instead being largely self-taught, developing her own style involving unpredictable and unconventional moves.

She's known among her friends as a very strict and bold individual, who places Kondou above anything else to the point she would do the dirty work and helps her from the shadows, all for the sake of preserving everything she has built. Her imposing stature and commanding skills allowed her to easily become a high-ranking member of the Mibu Roshigumi, but she can come out as a cold and brutal individual due to her attachment to rules.

Ambition Is Evil: She's the most eager to help Isami rise through the ranks as a daimyo, in spite of the many barriers of the Tokugawa class system. However, she's not above using questionable means to attain her goal, most notably torture at one point. As the country begins to fall into full blown civil war, she ultimately drops her ambitions.
Anti-Hero: She works alongside Isami as her right hand who assists her in patrols, but she lacks the proper etiquette of a samurai, having created her very own strain of swordsmanship, which involves a rather creative use of the sword. In order to protect Isami's dream, she's also ready to do anything for her sake.
Cold-Blooded Torture: She contributed to the group's infamous reputation, as shown when she captures a merchant suspected of hiding weapons for Choshu, and later tortures her in a quite violent scene.
Combat Pragmatist: She doesn't have any certifications of swordsmanship, instead using her own improvised version of Isami's Tennen Rishin-ryū with some tricks, dubbed "Hijikata-ryū" by Ken.
Deuteragonist: Like in history, she's known as the face of the Shinsengumi, to the point she sometimes overshadows Isami despite being of lower rank. As such, she often plays in important role as the second most powerful member of the group as well as taking Ken under her wing.
The Dragon: In Bushi no Kodou, she's the second greatest threat to Choshu due to her ruthlessness in battle and for arresting ronin. She also tends to invoke the trope herself in Miburo in order to frighten her opponents.
The Dreaded: Her name became (in)famous enough to be associated with the Shinsengumi, like her historical counterpart.
My Greatest Failure: Her accidental injuring of Saya made her question her decisions, to the point she contemplates leaving the group. However, when Ken begins to show less restraint to kill, she chooses to stay in order to protect him.
Pet the Dog: After killing one of her allies who attempted to flee during the Boshin War, she immediately prepares money to be sent to his family while also presenting his death as that of a warrior instead of a deserter.
Platonic Life-Partners: In the True Ending of the story, she and Ken form a long-lasting friendship and consider him the most important person in her life, instead of being lovers in her own route.
Pragmatic Hero: She works for the heroic Katamori and Isami, who have the best intentions for Japan as a whole, but her violent methods makes her at odds with the rest of the group.
Psycho Supporter: Hijikata is actually a decent person, but she's perfectly able to become ruthless and downright manipulative all for the sake of Isami, her best friend.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The violent Red to Isami's calmer Blue.
Self-Made Woman: From her humble beginnings as a merchant, she rose in the Shinsengumi as its Vice-Commander and contributed to many of its achievements.
Sergeant Rock: She's very harsh to her subordinates and soldiers, out of genuine concern for them.
Shoot the Dog: How she perceives her methods when dealing with Choshu, especially in the wake of the Ikedaya Incident.
Took a Level in Kindness: Over the course of the story, she gradually softens thanks to Isami and Ken's influence on her. By the end, she even wonders if she has gone too soft.
Tsundere: Heavy on the harsh side. Behind her abrasiveness with others hides a kind person who tends to hide her feelings behind violence and crude words.

Yamanami "Sannan" Keisuke

A samurai of the Sendai Domain, and practitioner of the Hokushin Ittō-ryū school of swordsmanship. Searching for a way to help her country in a meaningful way, she left her domain for Edo and wandered for some time until a fateful meeting with Kondou Isami in 1860. Recognizing her strength and charisma, Yamanami decided to join her Shieikan for the time being, after being defeated in a duel against Isami.

A skilled swordsman in her own right, Sannan is also known as a scholar among her colleagues who possesses a fairly good knowledge of the japanese feudal society and its flaws. Yet, she choose to ally herself with the Mibu Roshigumi, despite their affiliation with the shogunate, out of admiration for Isami and thinking that toppling the government isn't the right way for the future of Japan. Her role as the General Secretary consists of managing both administrative tasks and patrols on the streets.

Ambiguously Bi: Part of the reason she joined the Mibu Roshigumi was out of admiration for Kondou Isami, who defeated her in a duel. She sometimes expresses her love for her by accident, but prefers not to mention it to others. Eventually, she falls in love with Ken by 1865, and has a romance with him in her own What If? route.
Bloodlust: When injuring enemies in battle, one of the first thing she does afterwards is to hide in her room to pleasure herself in order to quell her thirst for blood.
Career-Ending Injury: Her right hand gets injured during a rather long fight against a powerful Sonnō jōi ronin. This event would cause her to stop patrolling altogether and be relegated by Hijikata as a bureaucrat for the Shinsengumi.
Number Two: Alongside Hijikata she's the second most importer member of the Shinsengumi due to her status as an experienced scholar and her wisdom, to the point several people consider her the successor of Kondou Isami.
Pink Means Feminine: She's very feminine in her manners and overall personality, and wears an entirely pink kimono.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The calmer and wise Blue to Hijikata's headstrong Red.
The Smart Guy: She's noted to be one of the few scholars of the Shinsengumi, usually giving advice to Kondou and Hijikata behind the scenes.
Team Mom: Not to the same extent of Isami, but she also has the same motherly and soothing aura.
Thanatos Gambit: When faced with an order from Aizu to remove Isami from command in order to become the new leader of the Shinsengumi, and knowing that the Shinsengumi would disband either way, she decides to leave the group and be executed as a traitor to prevent an hostile takeover of the group and cementing Isami's position.
Yamato Nadeshiko: She's noted to have a demure and placid personality, dedicating her wisdom to Isami and the Shinsengumi. Her selflessness is also noted several times, to the point she would be ready to assassinate Kiyokawa Hachiro for her sake.

Captains

Okita Souji

The captain of the first unit of the Mibu Roshigumi, and the most skilled practitioner of the Tennen Rishin-ryū, being the next in line to inherit the Shieikan. A childhood friend of Kondou Isami since her early days as a master, she's considered by many to be a genius in her field, to the point she completed her training in her late teens.

Despite being born in a family of samurai, their poor living conditions caused Okita to leave them and find her own way in Japan, eventually granted by Isami, who personally took her under her wing to train her, having seen her talent with the sword. As a result, she considers Isami as a mother she didn't have and would do anything for her sake, but it also warped a personality to an extent: Her extraordinary talent and peculiar childhood made her very confident in her swordsmanship to point of arrogance, but she shows a childish side and innocence when it comes to her friends. She considers Saitou Hajime her greatest rival, and often compares her achievements with her, much to her dismay.

The Ace: She's considered one of the best swordsmen of the Shinsengumi in spite of her young age, thanks to her numerous skills with the sword.
A Good Way to Die: After getting ill with tuberculosis, she starts seeking for a way to die a warrior's death rather than dying helplessly in a bed.
Blood Knight: She adores fighting strong opponents to test her limits, gleefully engaging in battles when given the chance.
Does Not Know Her Own Strength: During the whole incident with the sumo wrestlers, she accidentally cut several hands by with her sheer strength.
Drama-Preserving Handicap: If not for her tuberculosis, she would easily defeat most of her opponents without much effort.
Girly Bruiser: She's one of the softest people of the cast, yet she also happens to be one of the most powerful.
Insufferable Genius: Due to her talent in swordsmanship and being Isami's most favored apprentice, she became a little bit spoiled and considered herself the strongest up until her first defeat against Yamanami Keisuke.
Kindhearted Cat Lover: She quickly bonds with a wild cat on her route, spending time with him when not training.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: She represents the passionate Red to Hajime's stoic Blue.
Soap Opera Disease: In the aftermath of the Ikedaya Incident in 1864, she's stricken by a tuberculosis like her real-life counterpart, which becomes one of her main insecurities in the later part of the story and her own route.
Teen Genius: Even before reaching adulthood, Isami considered Okita the greatest pupil she's ever had, as seen when she regularly defeats numerous people on duels.
Womanchild: Because of lack of powerful rivals and spoiled upbringing as a samurai and under Isami, she's quite childish.
World's Strongest Woman: Touted as one of the strongest warriors of her time, easily defeating hardened enemies such as Fuwa Kazuemon or Nakamura Hanjirou.
Worf Had the Flu: However, she begins to suffer defeats after getting stricken with tuberculosis, severely hindering her ability to fight long battles. She's still able to defeat her enemies at lightning speed, but can't fight for more than a few minutes.

Saitou Hajime

The daughter of a Gokenin (low-ranking vassal) of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Yamaguchi Hajime enjoyed a relatively comfortable position as part of the warrior class until she killed a Hatamoto in self-defense. Since murdering a high-ranking member of the shogunate is considered one of the most serious offenses of Japan, she was forced to flee Edo in 1862, and used the connections of her father to teach swordsmanship in a small dojo in Kyoto. However, she quickly grew bored of it and eventually came back to Edo, but unable to go home due to her crime, she aimlessly wandered the streets until finding the Shieikan, in which her friend Shinpachi lives in.

After meeting Kondou Isami, who was sympathetic to her circumstances, she was accepted in the Shieikan as an instructor specialized in Iaijutsu, and was renamed Saitou Hajime in order to conceal her past identity. Following the creation of the Mibu Roshigumi, she became the captain of the third unit, and is known among her peers as a silent girl who rarely shows her emotions but enjoys life with them as her true family, with Okita Souji being her greatest rival. Once Mita Ken becomes part of the group, she quickly goes on to tease him.

Best Served Cold: Ever since she witnessed the suicide of Tanomo's entire family, she vowed to kill the ones she deems the most responsible: Satsuma. After the Meiji Restoration, she kept a low profile for nine eight years until given the chance in 1877 during the Satsuma Rebellion.
Big Damn Heroes: Alongside Shinpachi, she saves Ken from Hanjirou after his final duel with Hijikata in the true ending.
Blood Knight: Downplayed, she also has a knack for good fights but she's also more obedient and isn't a spoiled individual unlike Okita.
The Gadfly: She enjoys teasing Ken when given the chance during their patrols in restaurants.
Gratuitous English: After joining Itou's faction, she learned bits of English and also confessed to Ken with a very crude "I love you".
Iaijutsu Practitioner: Her main style in fights, involving swift and precise strikes.
Karma Houdini: She gets away with the murder of Okubo Ichizou at the end of her route, not facing any punishment.
Meaningful Rename: Twice.
- Born **Yamaguchi Hajime**, she was renamed Saitou in order to escape the Shogunate inspectors ever since she murdered a retainer in self-defence.
- Near the end of the story, after the Meiji Restoration which allows people to choose a new name, Hajime chooses to rename herself **Fujita Goro**, taking parts of Isami and Okita's names.
The Mole: She chooses to join Itou Kashitarou's Goryou-eji in 1865, presumably for being sympathetic to Sonno-joi ideals. However, it is but a ploy by Hijikata, who sent her to spy on the group.
The Quiet One: She always speaks with a quiet and slow voice, except in battles.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The composed and quiet Blue to Okita's childish and passionate Red.
Rose-Haired Sweetie: Downplayed. She's one of the nicest members of the Shinsengumi, but she's as much as a seasoned warrior as anyone else.
This Is Unforgivable!: Upon discovering the suicide of Tanomo's family whom she was friends with, she declares vengeance against Satsuma, which she deems responsible for starting the Boshin War.
Throw the Dog a Bone: Of all four main heroines, Hajime stands out for being the only Love Interest who survives the events of her route.
Yandere: Downplayed. On her route, once she begins a relationship with Ken, she becomes a little more possessive of him when the two are kept in house arrest by the Satcho Alliance.

Nagakura Shinpachi

Née Nagakura Eiji, Shinpachi was born a samurai in the care of the Nagakura family, itself an Edo branch of the Matsumae clan. Despite being technically a part of the Matsumae Domain (present Hokkaido), she never truly set foot in it as her father quickly moved to Edo during her early childhood. As a child of a true family of samurai, Shinpachi learned the ways of the cultured warrior class: Reading, writing, playing koto, and most importantly swordsmanship, among other things.

After obtaining her mastery of the Shindō Munen-ryū at 18, she joined one of the three Great Dojo of Edo, before leaving to further her own skills and finding a husband whom she can enjoy life with. Roaming for some time and even getting involved in fights with local gangsters, she eventually found a new dojo and house as a member of Kondou Isami's Shieikan. After the disbanding of the Roshigumi, she choose to stay with Kyoto alongside everyone else, while looking for her potential husband as the captain of the second unit.

Accent Slip-Up: When threatening someone, her pattern of speech can devolve into a typical yakuza's aggressive tone she gained before joining the Shieikan.
Attention Whore: To have Ken notice her, she usually tries to be paired with him during patrols and goes out of her way to impress and seduce him, even in the midst of battles.
Big Damn Heroes: Alongside Hajime, she saves Ken from Hanjirou after his final duel with Hijikata in the true ending.
Call-Back: It is not the first time that a female red-haired samurai by the name of Shinpachi attempts to be with the protagonist.
Clingy Jealous Girl: She's prone to tears and anger whenever another woman express an interest for Ken.
The Fake Cutie: Shinpachi likes to pass herself off as a all-around nice girl, when she really is about marrying with someone as fast as possible.
Idiot Hair: Sports a little strand of hair on her head, but she's smarter than her cutesy attitude suggests, as seen with her multiple attempts to get through Ken's pants.
Lovable Sex Maniac: She spends half of the story attempting to bed Ken as much as possible, but she's otherwise very social and liked by her colleagues of the Shinsengumi. In a bit of a subversion, she also doesn't want to force Ken to be with her without his full consent; As seen when she creates the Seiheitai unit in 1868 to continue the fight against the Satcho Alliance, she doesn't stay with him should he chooses not to join her. On her What If? route, after living with Ken for some time, she also asks him several times if he's okay with becoming an item with her.
Love at First Sight: Not long after meeting Ken, she falls head over heels for him, to the point she attempts to seduce him multiple times during the story.
Only Friend: Amongst all members of the Shinsengumi, she's the sole friend of Harada Sanosuke, being the only person who respects her as a warrior and who spends the most time with her. When Shinpachi later created the Seiheitai in 1868 during the Boshin War, Sanosuke quickly joins her despite the risks.
Single-Target Sexuality: To her, Mita Ken is her one and only love, turning a blind eye to everyone else when it comes to relationships.
White Sheep: Shinpachi is notable for being one of the few members of the Shinsengumi with less blood than the others, as she was the only captain sympathetic to Serizawa Kamo despite her reputation as a troublemaker.
The Tease: Whenever Ken is around, she quickly changes her attitude to that of a cute and sexy woman.

Harada "Sanoji" Sanosuke

A short and greedy woman from the Iyo-Matsuyama Domain, born to a poor family of chūgen (low-ranking attendants usually working for samurai), trained in the ways of the Hōzōin-ryū school of spear techniques. During her time in Matsuyama, she was once ridiculed by a Matsuyama retainer as being a peon who was unfamiliar with how to properly commit seppuku. Wishing to prove the man wrong, Sanosuke immediately drew her sword and attempted to commit seppuku; however, the wound was shallow and she survived, leaving instead a large scar on her belly.

Unsatisfied with being a simple servant, she left Matsuyama for Edo in the hopes to find an opportunity to find a comfortable place to live: She eventually finds the Shieikan, an obscure and secluded dojo known for accepting everyone, regardless of their social class. However, her poor etiquette and crude language was met with raised eyebrows from most of its members, and while Kondou Isami accepted her as a pupil, most of the other students treat her poorly, with the notable exception of Nagakura Shinpachi. By the time the Mibu Roshigumi was formed, she became the captain of the fifth unit.

Animal Motifs: Tigers, as seen with the motifs on her clothes.
Butt-Monkey: She's casually dismissed as a dwarf by most of the Shinsengumi members, and her Know-Nothing Know-It-All attitude makes her the target of jokes. Her large scar on her belly also serves as a reminder of her failure to properly commit seppuku.
The Friend Nobody Likes: Her smug attitude and crude manners made her quickly disliked when she joined the Shieikan, not for learning the sword but because she was homeless and looking for easy money.
Height Angst: Sanosuke doesn't take well upon being mocked for her height, to the point she gained the nickname of "Chibisuke" among the other captains.
Javelin Thrower: She holds her own with her spear techniques, and her trump card consists in throwing her weapon full force towards the enemy.
Know-Nothing Know-It-All: When introducing herself to Ken, she becomes quick to exagerate her own achievements and acts as she knows everything about feudal Japan, up until the captains told Ken about her actual lack of knowledge.
The Lad-ette: She lacks any feminine traits while using the very masculine "Ore" as a pronoun, and would rather spend her day drinking and sleeping rather than working.
Only in It for the Money: Freely admits she joined the Shieikan at first because she was searching for quick money and lodging, which is part of the reason the other captains don't like her. However, she remained in the Shinsengumi despite everything, even in the prospective of civil war.
Pint-Sized Powerhouse: While Sanosuke is the shortest member of the Shinsengumi, she compensates with her talent with the spear.
The Slacker: Whenever possible, she prefers not to work and sleep all day while doing nothing.
Small Name, Big Ego: She likes to act as a seasoned warrior to people who doesn't know her, when she really is an above-average ronin.
The Napoleon: Fits the trope to a T by being short, aggressive and the target of jokes.
Uncertain Doom: She's rumored to have lost her life during the Battle of Ueno in 1868, but neither Shinapachi nor Kuwajirou saw her actual death, as the bodies of the battle were burned afterwards. In Shinpachi's What If? route, it is suggested she survived.

Toudou Heisuke

A young woman of unknown origins who spent most of her childhood in poverty, alone with her mother. She trained in the Hokushin Ittō-ryū school of swordsmanship under the tutelage of famed scholar and samurai Itou Okura (later known as Kashitarou), who allowed her to attend her classes for free, aware of her difficult situation with her mother. However, everything changed when she was assaulted by jealous students who almost beat her to death before being saved by one Kondou Isami.

Touched by her kindness and generosity, Heisuke decides to leave her former dojo in order to join the Shieikan, wanting to pay back Isami and also because of her own lack of resources. Following the creation of the Mibu Roshigumi, she became the captain of the fourth unit, and later on developed a rivalry with Ken.

Disappeared Dad: She grew up as the daughter of a servant and the lord of the Toudou Clan. As a result, she didn't see her father once, and her dream is to meet him one day.
Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Upon being given mercy by Ken during the Shinsengumi's purge of the Goryo-eji, she refuses it at first, blaming herself for her own failure to see through her teacher's true intentions. When Ken ultimately convinces her, she's accidentally killed by a new recruit who didn't know about her relationship with the core group of the Shinsengumi.
Girlish Pigtails: She has hair twintails, reflecting her status as one of the youngest members of the group.
Heel–Face Door-Slam: Upon the Goryo-eji's destruction by the Shinsengumi, she's convinced by Ken to return to her friends...If not for a new recruit killing her without knowing who she was. Averted in her What If? route, dedicated to her romance with Ken during the Boshin War.
Karmic Nod: Heisuke considers her death as a fitting punishment for a turncoat like her, feeling guilty about joining her teacher responsible for multiple assassinations.
I Owe You My Life: She considers Itou Kashitarou and Kondou Isami her saviours, as the former allowed her to learn the ways of the sword, while the latter gave her a home and friends.
My Master, Right or Wrong: Due to her high loyalty to her mentor Itou Kashitarou, she chooses to join her when she creates the Goryo-eji, a breakaway group loosely affiliated with the Shinsengumi.
Perpetual Poverty: She lived for many years with her impoverished mother, up until she was given an opportunity for a job when joining the Mibu Roshigumi.
Really Royalty Reveal: As it turns out, she's the illegitimate daughter of Toudou Takayuki, the daimyo of the Tsu Domain.
Took a Level in Jerkass: After joining the Goryo-eji, she becomes more distant with the Shinsengumi due to the influence of her mentor, who strongly opposes Kondou Isami. She realizes later her mistake when she understands what kind of woman Itou Kashitarou really was.
Tsundere: The most vocal about her hostility with Ken, but slowly warms up to him over the years despite saying the contrary.
Wake-Up Call Boss: She's the opponent of Ken during his bid to stay in the Mibu Roshigumi following an ultimatum by Hijikata. Although he gets a lot of help from the other captains, Ken almost loses and manages to end their duel with a draw, due to her greater experience with the sword.

Inoue Genzaburou

The oldest member of the Mibu Roshigumi, who followed Isami and Hijikata since their early days in the Shieikan. Somewhat taciturn and not prone to small talk, she prefers to stay in the background as the captain of the sixth unit. Despite her status, she doesn't take part in many armed operations, displaying instead good skills for negociations and non-violent investigations. She also likes to act as an older sister figure to the other members of the Shinsengumi, especially Hijikata Toshizou.

Boring, but Practical: Despite being one of the captains of the Shinsengumi, her strength lays with her negociation skills and her pragmatism, when it comes to solving conflicts. Otherwise, she usually stays on the sidelines as backup.
Cool Big Sis: As the oldest member of the Shisengumi, she acts as this for the other members of the Shieikan.
Guile Hero: Unlike the other captains, she prefers to solve problems with diplomacy rather than strength.
Informed Ability: She's stated to have a mastery in Tennen Rishin-ryu, the same as Isami and other members of the Shieikan, but she doesn't get the occasion to show her swordsmanship, except for Ikedaya.
Not So Above It All: Behind her serious and detached attitude hide a rather ordinary woman driven by a sense of responsability over the other captains, whom she consider her sisters.
Not So Stoic: During Sannan's visit in the Shieikan, her food got stolen by Isami in order to convince the former to stay in the dojo, much to her dismay.
Seen It All: One of the reasons she appears as a mature and serious individual is due to her status as the oldest member of the Shinsengumi, having witnessed all sorts of events during the early years of the Bakumatsu, thus she's quite cynical about the samurai ways of life.
The Stoic: Always seen as a stoic and no-nonsense woman, except when someone steals her food.

Others

Niimi Nishiki

The main lieutenant of Serizawa Kamo, being her most prominent ally of her faction, who's often derided by the members of the Isami faction for being Serizawa's personal spy and lapdog, without much notable feats of her own. Nonetheless, she's considered a full-time member of the Mibu Roshigumi, as part of the original Roshigumi members who stayed in Kyoto.

Big Damn Heroes: Acts as Serizawa's accomplice when saving Mita Saya from being kidnapped by Sasaki Aijiro, by killing him through a loophole.
Captured on Purpose: During the events of late 1863, she acts as Serizawa's pawn in her gambit to leak sensitive intel to her native (pro-Sonnō jōi) Mito Domain, by letting herself by Mito samurai in Kyoto. However, she gets freed by Hijikata after she threatened her captors, who ultimately kills her for betraying the Shinsengumi.
Dropped a Bridge on Her: She's killed by Hijikata for her actions in late 1863, which threatened the survival of the Shinsengumi and the Aizu.
Pet the Dog: Outside of being Serizawa's lapdog, she's also surprisingly nice to Mita Saya and is the one who saves her from her kidnapping.
Mauve Shirt: She doesn't have as much screentime than the other captains, but has an expanded role as Serizawa's right-hand who spies on potential enemies on her behalf.
No-Respect Guy: Most of the captains dismiss her as nothing more than a small fry who hides behind her master, much to her ire.
Number Two: She's the most prominent member of Serizawa's faction, and the most active in helping her with spying and intrigue.
She Knows Too Much: By attempting to leak sensitive information to the Mito Domain, the Aizu considered her and Serizawa too dangerous to be left alive, and Niimi gets killed as a traitor after failing to escape.
Spanner in the Works: Her skills for spying helped the Shinsengumi more than expected in the long run, thanks to her overhearing spies from Choshu.
Yes-Man: She rarely acts on her own, instead following the every command of Serizawa and presenting her as the strongest warrior of the Shinsengumi and its true leader.

Itou Kashitarou

A famed samurai and scholar in Edo, notable for her large knowledge about Western culture, and being one of the few Japanese fluent in English. She's also the master of Toudou Heisuke, who taught her the Hokushin Ittō-ryū style of swordsmanship and took her under her wing before her encounter with Kondou Isami. She studied the Mitogaku, one of the main schools of study of the Mito Domain, known for its strong Sonnō jōi influence: By 1863, she's currently waiting for an opportunity to rise within the ranks of the Shogunate.

Affably Evil: She always stays polite and composed at all times, even when confronting her enemies. The one exception comes when she's about to be killed by Ken, taunting him about the futility of the Shinsengumi's fight.
Arc Villain: Starting from mid-1865, she becomes the main threat of the Shinsengumi, trying to undermine it from within and collaborating with Satsuma.
Asshole Victim: Except for her most fervent supporters, no one complains about her assassination, albeit Heisuke expresses some regret for her teacher.
Cool Teacher: She's a pretty good teacher and knows a lot about the western world, including the English language.
Hate Sink: Up to no good from the start, Itou quickly makes a plot to overthrow the Shinsengumi from the inside, in order to help the Sonnō jōi movement, but also to further her ambitions in order to have a high position in the future government.
Hero Killer: While not directly killing them, she ultimately caused the death of several members of the Shinsengumi through her plots, including Sakamoto Ryouma for not helping her with her plans.
Laser-Guided Karma: After two years of wrecking havoc in the Shinsengumi and leaking info to Satsuma, the former carry out an assassination plan to get rid of her, with Ken killing her in a duel.
Manipulative Bastard: Thanks to her wits and natural charm, she was able to gather several followers, several of them displeased with the pro-Shogunate leaning of the Shinsengumi. She also makes a deal with Satsuma in order to undermine the group from within.
The Mole: While technically working for the Shinsengumi, she also acts as a mole for Satsuma, the most prominent anti-Shogunate faction following the failed coup of Choshu in 1863.
Pet the Dog: She accepted to teach the sword to the impoverished Toudou Heisuke, who didn't have any money.
The Starscream: Itou Kashitarou has the ambition of becoming part of the future government, preferably a high position. However, Satsuma doesn't trust her and she attempts to use the Shisengumi in order to raise through the ranks.
The Svengali: She uses her status as a teacher figure to influence her followers and students into following the anti-Shogunate movement.
Villain Has a Point: She does have good points regarding the conservatism of the Tokugawa Shogunate, whom she views as unfit for governing since their poor response (or lack thereof) to the incursion of foreigners and western empires.
Villainous Breakdown: Usually calm and polite, she becomes more talkative when Ken confronts her about her intrigues to destroy the Shinsengumi, culminating in a hate-filled speech against the whole Shogunate and the Shinsengumi's status as murderers.

Other Members

Sasaki Aijiro and Saeki Matasaburo

Two members amongst the new recruits of the Mibu Roshigumi, who are actually spies for the Choshu Domain under the command of Kusaka Genzui.

Attempted Rape: During his escape attempt, Aijiro also took Saya with him, intent on keeping her as a hostage and maybe worse, if not for Serizawa's intervention.
Evil Duo: The two of them are up to no good, and often communicate with each other and Kusaka Genzui to undermine the Mibu Roshigumi from within.
Faux Affably Evil: Aijiro always keeps a polite facade, even as he casually murders one of his accomplices in order to keep their mouth shut.
Hate Sink: Both of them have no sympathetic qualities.
In the Back: Aijiro is eventually murdered by Niimi Nishiki with a sword through the back, after being tricked into revealing his plan by Serizawa.
The Mole: Both are them are spies for Choshu, infiltrating the Mibu Roshigumi to learn more about their dreadened enemy.
Oh, Crap!: Under the risk of being discovered, Sasaki breaks down in panic when confronted by Serizawa about his status as a spy. After tricking him into giving sensitive intel, Serizawa has him killed through a Loophole Abuse.

Matsubara Chuuji

A new recruit of the Ono Domain, specialized in Sekiguchi-ryū, with a leaning towards jujutsu. Due to being an experienced dojo master, she quickly becomes a high-ranking member of the Mibu Roshigumi, later becoming an instructor for young recruits as a specialist of Jujutsu.

The Atoner: One of her victims happened to be an unpoverished ronin from Choshu, who joined the joi movement to make ends meet for his sister Misa. Upon discovering it, Matsubara chose to give her part of her salary out of guilt for her actions.
Establishing Character Moment: When introducing herself, Sanosuke immediately derided her for her use of Judo as weak and useless, only for Matsubara to calmly throwing her to the ground with no effort.
In the Back: How she meets her end, courtesy of Hattori Takeo who stabbed her during her confrontation with Misa.
Judo: Besides her naginata, she possesses some skills in unarmed combat.
My God, What Have I Done?: Upon realizing that one of the ronins she killed has a sister, she quickly becomes her friends and give part of her salary to make amends.
Secret Relationship: Invoked by Itou Kashitarou to cover up her murder at the hands of Hattori Takeo. By framing her death as a suicide, she effectively pins the blame on Hijikata, who was allegedly threatening to expel Matsubara from the Shinsengumi because of her relationship with her wife Misa.
Suicide Pact: Invoked in regards to her and Misa's murder. Using the aforementioned Secret Relationship as an excuse, Itou Kashitarou concludes that the threat of having their relationship exposed caused them to kill themselves out of fear.
Together in Death: Another argument for her death by suicide, as she couldn't bear to be separated from Misa, thus choosing death alongside her.

Ogata Shuntaro

A self-taught scholar of the Kumamoto Domain who joined the Mibu Roshigumi, hoping to be something more than a commoner. She's driven by a thirst for knowledge and by 1863 gathered a lot of information about the Tokugawa Shogunate and its customs, establishing her as a very useful asset for the group, despite her lack of fighthing skills.

Cute Bookworm: She's quite knowledgeable about the workings of the feudal society, and is cute to boot.
Ms. Exposition: Most of her appearances has her explaning some concepts of the Edo Period.
The Smart Guy: While she completely lacks in swordsmanship, she makes up with her vast knowledge.
Token Mini-Moe: The smallest member of the Shinsengumi and the most defenseless.

Shimada Kai

A wandering ronin from the Ogaki Domain, and a former pupil of Nagakura Shinpachi during her time as a teacher. After getting a mastery in the Shingyōtō-ryū, she left her home for Kyoto following her father's death, hoping to get strong enough to gather experience in martial arts and collect money in tournaments for her family. Gaining sympathy from Isami, she was eventually recruited into the Mibu Roshigumi, with Sanosuke teaching her spearsmanship.

Big Damn Heroes: She intervenes in time to save Ken and Shinpachi from death during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi.
The Big Guy: Downplayed. She's not the tallest of the Shinsengumi, but is the strongest in physical prowess with a knack in sumo wrestling, being able to carry two people on her shoulders.
The Ditz: She's not the brightest bulb around, usually believing whatever she hears.
Dumb Muscle: One of the strongest arms of the Shinsengumi, but certainly not the brightest. However, her time in the Shinsengumi makes her grow as a person and a warrior.
Gentle Giant: Even amongst the members of the Shinsengumi, she and Ogata stand as the nicest members of the group and the few who aren't involved in any intrigues.

Kawai Kisaburou

The daughter of a wealthy merchant family who was asked to join the Shinsengumi at the behest of her sister. Lacking skills with the sword, she instead has a good grasp of mathematics and finance, prompting her to be recruited as a the group's treasurer.

Faking The Death: Her execution for embezzlement turns out to be a fake, as Hijikata couldn't bring herself to kill her, instead expelling her from the Shinsengumi.
Hesitant Sacrifice: When asked to do her seppuku, she breaks down and attacks Ken in a panic. However, he and Hijikata already knew she would refuse to die, and she's given the choice to quit the Shinsengumi.
Old Money: She has neither fighting skills nor vast knowledge, but was recruited as a treasurer due to her links with a rich merchant family.

Arakida Samanosuke, Kusunoki Kojuurou and Mikura Isetake

Three new recruits of the Shinsengumi, who are actually spies for Choshu, replacing the previous two who were killed in August 1863.

Cruel and Unusual Death: All of them met their demise at the hands of a enraged Ken. Mikura ends up decapitated, Arakida is stabbed in the neck, and Kusunoki is slashed in the back, then stabbed through the heart.
In the Back: How Mikura and Arakida ultimately die.
Misplaced Retribution: Ken kills them on the basis of being the ones responsible for Serizawa's death, without realizing the truth behind her assassination.
Off with His Head!: Mikura loses his head during Ken's rampage, dying without having much time to react.
We Hardly Knew Ye: All three of the spies don't get as much screentime as the first two spies, only to die in a horrible fashion by a berserk Ken.

Yamazaki Susumu

A ronin from Osaka who joined the Shinsengumi in late 1863. A woman of few words, she prefers acting swiftly rather than talking, and her talent lies within her ability to conceal her presence and spy on others, making her a powerful asset to gather intel for the Shinsengumi.

Boring, but Practical: She rarely use the sword, instead acting for the Shinsengumi as a spy to collect info on enemy factions.
Hidden in Plain Sight: Has a natural talent for blending in the environment, without anyone realizing it.
Ninja: While she doesn't have the typical ninja outfit and weaponry, she has a similar role to gather informations for the group.
The Quiet One: She usually doesn't talk much, preferring to act instead of talking.
Stealth Hi/Bye: Her silent presence frightens her companions whenever she appears, as she doesn't go with usual greetings nor goodbyes.

Oishi Kuwajirou

A wandering ronin from Tama who was discovered during a campaign of mass recruitment in Edo. Somewhat of an enigma, she displays a good skill with the sword, but she also displays a strong love for battles and blood, having joined the Shinsengumi for that sole reason. Also has a bit of a crush on Ken.

Blood Knight: She admits joining the Shinsengumi solely for the thrill of battle.
Finger-Lickin' Evil: After killing her enemies, she has a tendency to lick their blood.
Murder Is the Best Solution: She tends to favor the most violent approach during conflicts, as seen during the affair of the four Goryo-eji ronins.
In Love with Your Carnage: Finds an attraction to Ken, feeling a hidden bloodlust within him.
Psychotic Smirk: She likes to sport these, usually when she gains Ken's approval over the other girls.
Verbal Tic: Ends almost of her sentences with おじゃが, reflecting her humble origins.

Sakai Hyougo

A young thief who was saved by Isami in early 1864, before being recruited in the Shinsengumi in order to prevent her from living on the streets. However, having next to no skill in anything, she was assigned to the job of janitor, cleaning rooms and seppuku corpses.

Cleanup Crew: Due to her lack of useful skills, she was given the tedious task of cleaning places after seppuku.
Heroic Sacrifice: In Isami's route, she chooses to take her place to save her from her historical death.
I Owe You My Life: She feels gratitude to Ken and Isami for sparing her life, despite her faults. It later becomes the main reason she decides to replace Isami's life when the Shinsengumi is cornered in Nagareyama.
Identical Stranger: During her first meeting with the group, several members note how she looks like a smaller Isami.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Disguted with the violence of the Shinsengumi as the Cleanup Crew, she decides to flee for her life and quit the group altogether. However, she's quickly caught by a team led by Ken in Osaka, who ultimately let her go on the condition of helping the Shinsengumi in times of need.

Hattori Takeo

A member of the Shinsengumi who is part of Ogata's unit, but her true allegiance lies with Itou Kashitarou, who has a strong pro-Sonnō jōi sentiment.

Dual Wielding: She wields two swords during fights.
Everyone Has Standards: Despite being a cold and merciless warrior who didn't hesitate to kill a civilian to futher the cause of her master, even she is shocked by the prospective of Hijikata forcing Kawai to commit seppuku over suspicion of embezzlement (which turned out to be Faking the Dead, in order to intimidate Takeo).
Jerkass: Usually makes a point of insulting her opponents or taunting them when doing her job.
Yes-Man: She dutifully follows every order of Itou and would be ready to die for her ideals, to the point of fighting to her last breath after learning of her assassination by the Shinsengumi.

Kano Michinosuke

A student of Itou Kashitarou who joined the Shinsengumi alongside her teacher in 1864, who's strongly sympathetic to her ideals.

Bit Character: She gets no more than a couple scenes in the entire story, but her actions paved the way for Isami's downfall.
Karma Houdini: Despite having shot Isami's in the shoulder before the start of the Boshin War, she eventually survives the whole deal and narrowly escapes punishment.
Remember the New Guy?: She was already part of the Shinsengumi for some time, but she makes her first appearance late in the story.
Small Role, Big Impact: Kano doesn't play a major role in the overall story after the fall of the Goryo-eji, seemingly disappearing up until her assasination attempt on Isami before the Boshin War in 1868.
Sole Survivor: While not the only member of the Goryo-eji who survived the group's purge by the Shinsengumi, she's the sole named member who plays a minor role.

Tokugawa Shogunate

Government

Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi

The 14th Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, who held office from 1858 to 1866. His young age and weak constitution prevents him for actually govern the country, instead delegating it to various members of the shogunate, further weakening the Tokugawa's influence.

Dropped a Bridge on Him: He dies at the young age of 20, presumably due to beriberi.
The Ghost: Aside from a few mentions, he doesn't appear at all in the story.
Greater-Scope Paragon: As the 14th Tokugawa shogun, he represents the highest autority for the Shinsengumi.
Invisible President: Despite being the shogun, he doesn't have any appearance at all.
Puppet King: Due to his young age and weak constitution, he cannot wield his power and has to delegate them to his ministers, such as Ii Naosuke.

Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu / Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu

The Shogun's Guardian and head of the Kuwana Domain, while also being the next in line for the Shogunate's office. Born with high expectations due to her Tokugawa heritage, she was taught politics since childhood, and upon reaching her twenties, became one of the most powerful politicians of the Shogunate by the time of the Bakumatsu. Unlike many of the shogun's officials, she's one of the few who actively works to reform the aging shogunate thanks to her good insight and political savviness. However, due to her cloistered education and lack of experience in battles, she's prone to be overly cautious in times of crisis.

0% Approval Rating: Downplayed. Due to the all-time low reputation of the Tokugawa Shogunate, she's hated as the 15th Tokugawa Shogun by many but her most loyal followers and fellow reformists, despite her best attempts to fix the government.
Badass Bureaucrat: Involved in court politics for a long time, she's one of the most savvy politicians of the country, able to play her cards right and put up a fight in political intrigues even as her power is snatched by the Satcho.
General Failure: Having next to no military experience, she quickly panicks once she's thrown in the battlefield and tends to make mistakes.
Greater-Scope Paragon: As the 15th Tokugawa shogun following the sudden death of Iemochi, she becomes this to the Shinsengumi and her friend Katamori.
Gracefully Demoted: She accepts to resign as shogun following the threats of Satsuma, fully knowing of a few ways to get around them. However, by that time she couldn't prevent civil due to Saigo's men wrecking havoc in Edo.
Reasonable Authority Figure: As far as shoguns go, the gradual loss of her powers and her politcal savviness made her a humble person who's open to criticism.
Reluctant Ruler: She didn't want to immediately become the next shogun after Iemochi's death, but circumstances forced her to take on the role.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Upon seeing the red brocade banner during the battle of Toba-Fushimi, she quickly fled the battlefield, afraid of being perceived as a traitor to the court. Katsu later calls her out on it, saying that she simply gave in to fear instead of using said flags against the enemy.
Unfit for Greatness: Yoshinobu is considered by many to be a strong and wise ruler. However, the circumstances of her ascension as shogun and cautiousness in times of war caused her to make bad decisions who ultimately left her with nothing.
Well-Trained, but Inexperienced: While she has plenty of experience in political and administrative matters, she isn't trained for war and her undecisiveness in battle resulted in the loss of her power.

Matsudaira Shungaku

The Chief of Political Affairs and head of the Fukui Domain. Alongside Yoshinobu, he was tasked to deal with the ongoing crisis during the Bakumatsu. In order the quell the unrest in Kyoto, he comes up with the idea of creating a third position, dedicated to the protection of the city: The Military Commissioner of Kyoto.

An Offer You Can't Refuse: In order to coerce Katamori into becoming Military Commissioner, he invokes an old decree from her domain of Aizu, in which daimyos are to protect their master (as in, the shogun) in times of crisis.
Out of Focus: After he left Kyoto to his original domain, he's never seen again except for a couple of scenes before the Boshin War, in which he attempts to prevent the Satcho from removing Yoshinobu from office.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: As the situation in Kyoto is threatened by Choshu before their coup attempt of August 1863, he decides to left Yoshinobu alone in solving the incident.
Small Role, Big Impact: He plays a minor role in the story, but his decision to create a third power ultimately caused the creation of the Shinsengumi.

Sasaki Tadasaburou

A vassal of the Shogunate who acts as their main representative in political affairs and assassinations. She's also an acquaintance of Kondou Isami, having dueled with her during her short time in the Kobusho military academy, and as result have gained a certain respect for her desire to become a samurai. Upon the creation of the Roshigumi by Kiyokawa Hachiro, she personally recommanded Kondou and her students to the group, thus giving them an opportunity to climb the ranks.

After the Roshigumi's disbanding, she ultimately assassinated Kiyokawa due to his strong affiliation with the Sonnō jōi movement, and was later given her own police force in 1864, as the leader of the Mimawarigumi.

Combat Pragmatist: As seen with Kiyokawa Hachiro, she's not above fighting dirty when it comes to assassinating someone.
Dropped a Bridge on Her: She dies during the Siege of Osaka, in the midst of the Boshin War.
Killed Offscreen: Her death is mentioned by Hijikata, as one of the few people who stayed in the Osaka castle to defend it to the death.
It's Personal: Due to Sakamoto Ryouma's role in removing the shogun from power, she made it her goal to assassinate her.
My Master, Right or Wrong: Regardless of the circumstances, she intended to kill Ryouma for indirectly ending the Tokugawa Shogunate through political intrigue.
Not Me This Time: Despite her intentions, she reveals to Isami that she wasn't the assassin of Ryouma, instead confirming it to be Nakamura Hanjirou of Satsuma.

Katsu Kaishuu

A long-time retainer of the Shogunate, and one of the few politicians with a good knowledge of western culture and technology. In 1860, he was part of the first Japanese delegation to the United States, and realized how far behing Japan was in terms of military and their lack of industry. Ever since then, he held a number of high-ranking positions within the Japanese navy, spearheading a series of military reforms aimed at modernising the Shogunate's fleet, in order to defend the country from further foreign invasions.

Although sympathetic to the anti-Tokugawa cause, Katsu remains a loyal retainer of the Shogunate despite their many flaws and mistakes, wholly believing in reforming the existing government rather than overthrowing it through violence. By 1863, his main goal is to build a new naval military academy in order to create a modern navy, helped by his protégé, Sakamoto Ryouma.

Badass Bureaucrat: Being a close retainer of the shogunate allows him to wield significant influence on feudal politics, allowing him to spearhead several reforms to preserve the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Guile Hero: Thanks to his experience in both japanese and world politics, he's able to make his way through the entire Bakumatsu by acting as a mediator between the most conservative and radical elements of the government.
Non-Action Guy: He does have experience with the sword, but he rarely used it at all, because of his involvement with political intrigues and diplomatic missions.
Pragmatic Hero: Katsu is on the side of the Tokugawa Shogunate, but he isn't above manipulating his own allies for the greater good. The most notable exemple happens during the Boshin War, where he sends the Shinsengumi in a hopeless battle to Kofu in order to surrender Edo to the Satcho Alliance, in order to avoid an all-out battle in the city.
Sarcastic Devotee: Upon becoming an advisor of Yoshinobu, he quickly goes on to belittle her and mocks her lack of decisiveness in battles. However, he does respect her for her politcal skills and ability to acknowledge her wrongs.
Shoot the Dog: By sacrificing the Shinsengumi to a larger imperial force during the Boshin War, he made a room for negociating with the Satcho, with the goal of peacefully surrendering Edo to the Satcho. Upon learning this, Hijikata and Ken angrily confront him for sending their group to a certain defeat, but understand his choice to alleviate the suffering of the citizens of Edo, and Katsu himself is remorseful for it.
Undying Loyalty: To the Tokugawa Shogunate, or more particularly the Tokugawa clan itself, as most of his actions are driven to protect the clan he worked for since many years.

Aizu Domain

Matsudaira Katamori

The Daimyo of the Aizu Domain, who left her estate to become the Military Commissioner of Kyoto at the demand of Matsudaira Shungaku in 1863. Driven by a strong sense of duty and justice, she accepted her role despite the protest of her vassals and Aizu's precarious finances, in order to bring peace to Kyoto, being trusted by Emperor Komei herself. One of her first major steps towards this goal was to recruits the Kyoto remnants of the then disbanded Roshigumi, who became the Mibu Roshigumi: As such, she holds the highest autority over the Imperial Capital aside from the Emperor.

Among her peers, she's known as the ideal image of a samurai, due to her unyielding loyalty to her lord, her charisma and composure, while abiding to a honor code. However, many of her political rivals see her as an out of touch and old-fashioned individual who nonetheless strives to enforce peace, while working for the aging Tokugawa Shogunate and driven by self-sacrifice.

Big Good: She's the main leading force of the Shinsengumi, and their most prominent benefactor.
Born in the Wrong Century: Katamori remains one of the few daimyo in the Bakumatsu period attached to the tradional warrior code attributed to samurai, and isn't a great planner or politician like most of the others.
Locked Out of the Loop: Due to her strong morals, her vassals usually make plots and intrigues without consulting her, either to prevent her from interfering or for reducing the blood on her hands.
Soap Opera Disease: She suffers from an illness since her youth, preventing her from doing physical labor.
Reluctant Ruler: At first, she wasn't keen on become the Military Commissioner of Kyoto, up until Shungaku convinced to take the job. Seeing the Shinsengumi grow under her wing also made her determined to stay in Kyoto despite the overwhelming anti-shogunate sentiment.
The Wise Princess: She's notable for being one of the few daimyo who stay true to the perceived image of the honorable warrior attributed to samurai, in a setting where half of them became politicians and abuse their authority. She isn't enthusiastic about her role as the Military Commissioner, but stays very kind and generous to her vassals.

Saigou Tanomo

One of the head vassals of the Aizu Domain, who attempted to dissuade her lord from becoming the Military Commissioner of Kyoto due to the heavy toll it would cause on Aizu. Upon seeing her determination to move to Kyoto and the various circumstances forcing her to, she eventually backed down, staying in Aizu for the time being.

Early-Bird Cameo: She makes a small appearance in Bushi no Kodou, seeking advice to Kuranosuke regarding how to be a good vassal to one's daimyo.
Massive Numbered Siblings: Tanomo has numerous sisters and daughters, as seen when Ken and Hajime visit her home in Aizu.
Parents as People: On top of being the mother of many children, she's also one of the top vassals of Katamori, who holds a large influence on the Aizu Domain.
Statuesque Stunner: Her height exceeds many of the other caracters, and she's a stunning woman.
Undying Loyalty: To the Aizu, especially her daimyo Katamori. She's also the first to propose to surrender to the Satcho before the Siege of Aizu, in order to protect her lord's domain.

Akizuki Teijirou

One of the head vassals of the Aizu Domain, and Katamori's most trusted advisor during her tenure as the Military Commissioner of Kyoto. She usually acts as the main representive of her lord due to her position preventing her to interact too much with her retainers, making her an intermediary for the Mibu Roshigumi whenever they need to communicate something.

Obstructive Code of Conduct: She's usually strict with the Mibu Roshigumi, mainly because she doesn't want them to act out of line.
Number Two: During Katamori's time in Kyoto, she's effectively the second highest ranked individual of the Aizu, acting as both a vassal and an advisor to the daimyo.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Akizuki acts as the mediator between the Mibu Roshigumi and Katamori, thus she's pretty much one of the few allies of the group ever since its creation. When solving disputes, she usually comes with a solution to protect the group or at least making concessions.
Undying Loyalty: The safety of her master holds priority over everything, and she's one of the few vassals who choose to stay with her even as Kyoto begins to turn against the Shogunate.
Utility Party Member: She isn't a warrior, but her role as a middleman and negociator for the Aizu allows her to be involved in local politics for the sake of the domain.

Sagawa Kanbei

One of the best warriors under the command of the Aizu, who leads the Bessengumi, an elite unit of samurai dedicated to the escort of Katamori whenever she needs to travel to other towns. Strongheaded and proud, she's prone to express her honest opinions on the Shogunate, often deriding them as incompetent despite working for them.

A Day in the Limelight: Sagawa only appears near the end of the story as part of the Aizu forces against the Satcho, in which she gets an expanded role as one of the main commanders. She also happens to be part of the Battotai after the Meiji Restoration, fighting alongside Ken and Hajime in the latter's route.
Eye Scream: She loses the use of one eye during the early stages of the Boshin War.
Hard-Drinking Party Girl: She's known among her colleagues for drinking at work, though it doesn't prevent her from battling.
Honest Advisor: Unlike most of Aizu's vassals, she has a bad opinion of the Tokugawa Shogunate, due to its many failings during its last years. However, she stills holds loyalty to Katamori in spite of all.
Stripperiffic: Of all characters of the story, she wears little clothing, even by eroge standards.

The Byakkotai

A group of young samurai trainees who fought for the Aizu Domain during the Boshin War.

Child Soldier: They are all minors who volunteered to be part of the Aizu army.
Driven to Suicide: Upon seeing flames around the Aizu Castle, all of them, believing they have been defeated, chose to end their life on the spot, not knowing that the castle was actually still standing.
Fangirl: All of them have heard the stories of the Shinsengumi, reaching all the way to Aizu.
Kid Samurai: They are young samurai in training who choose to fight to defend their land.

Feudal Domains

Choshu

Kusaka Genzui

The son of a physician from Choshu with large academic knowledge and literacy, touted as a genius by Ken's brother. However, he eventually became part of the Sonnō jōi movement, heavily leaning on the more extremist side due to his multiple assassinations of foreign envoys and destruction of ambassies. By 1863, he managed to gain connections within the Imperial Court through Sanjou Sanetomi, a powerful noble, essentially giving Choshu the power to influence politics to subvert the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Ever since the arrival of Matsudaira Katamori in Kyoto, he sent spies to infiltrate the Mibu Roshigumi in order to prevent Aizu from becoming too powerful, essentially making him one of its most dangerous enemies.

Arc Villain: He's the main threat to the Shogunate in 1863, being responsible for enacting a plot with the Imperial Court, using his connections to stage a coup against the Shogunate and sending spies in the Mibu Roshigumi.
Better to Die than Be Killed: When defeated and trapped within the fire of an official's residence, he ultimately choose death rather than let himself be captured.
Evil Reactionary: As a follower of the Sonnō jōi movement, he's amongst the most traditionalist of them, promoting the return of the Emperor and assassinations against Shogunate officials and foreigners.
My Death Is Just the Beginning: Upon dying, he swears to his enemies that they will eventually be destroyed by his successors. The next years would prove him right.
Pet the Dog: As the last of his troops was trapped in a fire during the Kinmon Incident, he sends Maki Yasuomi away from him, allowing her to live another day.
Politically Incorrect Villain: Being a key proponent of the Sonnō jōi movement, he advocates for the repeal of all foreign influence in Japan, by assassinating officials, foreigners, and attempting to stage a coup against the Shogunate.
Right-Wing Militia Fanatic: He's part of a movement to overthrow the government, and isn't keen on accepting the influence of the west in Japan, usually resorting to assasinations.
Villain Has a Point: His speech about foreign influence has solid grounds, as Japan is surrounded by many Western empires left and right.

Maki Yasuomi

A general from the Kurume Domain who works closely with Kusaka Genzui, and acts as the main commander of the Choshu forces during the Kinmon Incident in 1864.

Face Death with Dignity: After losing the last of the Choshu troops after the Kinmon Incident, she chooses to die alongside her men, despite Suguha's pleas to flee and continue to live.
Frontline General: She leads her troops in the front, instead of the rear like most of samurai commanders.
Last Stand: She eventually loses her life to the Shinsengumi, defending her small wooden castle to her last breath.

Katsura Kogoro

The main heroine of Bushi no Kodou, which depicts her younger days as a runaway Choshu samurai pursued by the Shinsengumi. She's the young head of the Katsura family, a minor samurai clan from Choshu. One of the main figures of the Sonnō jōi movement, she spent most of her time in Kyoto hiding from her enemies, the Shinsengumi, while being aided by the 47 Ronin of Ako.

Despite being considered too weak and overly cautious compared to other samurai from Choshu, she instead focuses her efforts on politics and behind the scenes actions, leading her to ally with Takasugi Shinsaku, the leader of a radical jōi faction who took over Choshu in 1865. Together, they would lead Choshu to rebel against the Tokugawa Shogunate, and ally with their long-time enemy, the Satsuma.

A Lighter Shade of Grey: Among the followers of the Sonnō jōi, she starts as a vehement anti-foreigner advocate, but her meeting with the Ako ronin and Takasugi Shinsaku made her adopt more moderate views regarding the Shogunate and the foreigners. By the end of the Boshin War, she stands out as one of the leading figures of Choshu, who's known to be more concilliant regarding Shogunate officials, unlike Satsuma.
Action Politician: She's often involved in dangerous operations alongside her fellow samurai, usually involving low-level terrorism against the Shogunate. After allying with Shinsaku, she gains prominence as a politician representing Choshu.
Anti-Hero: She has the best intentions for her country, but she's also involved in several incidents threatening the Shogunate, even though she isn't as violent as Kusaka.
The Ghost: In Miburo, she doesn't make any appearance, due to being hidden from the Shinsengumi by the Ako Ronin. She does get a few mentions as one of the leading figures of Choshu.
Hopeless Suitor: She eventually falls in love with Suguha during her time with the Ako Ronin, but he isn't aware of it and Kogoro herself prefers to keep it to herself.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Behind her poisonous tongue and irritable personality, Kogoro also knows gratitude and warms up to her benefactors. After learning the stories of the Ako Ronin, she becomes more determined to overthrow the Shogunate, while distancing herself from the Sonnō jōi.
Little Miss Badass: Despite her small stature, she has good skills with the sword, enough to defeat Chikara with a single blow.
Save This Person, Save the World: Suguha and the Ako Ronin were sent to the Bakumatsu period in order to protect her life, as one of the main figures of the Meiji Restoration.
Spanner in the Works: Despite not being too active in local politics, her mere presence is enough to gather anti-shogunate followers, to the point the Shinsengumi tries to hunt her down in order to prevent Choshu from becoming too powerful.
Took a Level in Kindness: After living several years with the Ako Ronin, she gradually becomes a nicer person and more determined to be involved in politics to save her country, while forgoing her anti-foreigner sentiment.
Troubled Sympathetic Bigot: As a follower of the Sonnō jōi, she's depicted as a prejudiced, yet sympathetic woman who wants the best for her country. Following her experiences with the Ako Ronin and Takasugi Shinsaku, she eventually grows out of it.

Takasugi Shinsaku

One of the most prominent samurai of the Choshu Domain and amongst the few aware of the dangers of Western imperialism, influencing her to be part of the anti-shogunate movement from an early age. She appears as a charismatic and easy-going individual, yet very bold in face of danger, leading her radical faction to victory by taking over Choshu in 1865. Afterwards, she allied with Katsura Kogoro, another samurai from Choshu who convinced her to take a more careful approach in order to better overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Anti-Hero: In Bushi no Kodou, she's one of the main allies of Kogoro, but also the leader of the Choshu radicals known for their violent takeover of the domain. Takasugi justifies her modus operandi as necessary to bring down the Shogunate and quicken the modernization of the country.
The Gunslinger: She quickly adapted to the western customs of war, using instead a rifle in battles instead of the sword.
Humble Hero: Despite being the unofficial leader of the Choshu and leading her domain to victory, she stays modest and insist that she doesn't have any special talent, as she and her followers simply relied on western tactics to defeat their enemies.
Incurable Cough of Death: She suffers from tuberculosis for a few years, and it gets worse by 1865, which eventually kills her shortly after defeating the Shogunate during the Second Choshu Expedition in 1865.

Omura Masujirou

A military strategist from Choshu who gives tactical advice for the Satcho Alliance during the Boshin War.

Beware the Silly Ones: She always speaks with a amused and distracted tone, but she's also one of the best assets of the Satcho, thanks to her out-of-box tactics.
Forehead of Doom: Omura harbors a notably larger forehead than the rest of the cast, emphasizing her intelligence.
Smart People Wear Glasses: She wears glasses and is effectively one of the most dangerous people of her era, being the one who contributed the most to the defeats of the Shogunate, the Northern Alliance and the Republic of Ezo.
The Strategist: Her main function among the Satcho is to give tactical advice to Satsuma.

Satsuma

Okubo Ichizou / Okubo Toshimichi

The main representative of Satsuma for any affairs involving the Shogunate and the Imperial Court. A low-ranking retainer of the Satsuma Domain, she was deeply involved in politics as an administrator familiar with plots and intrigue. First supporting the anti-shogunate movement, she quickly realized the need for Japan to modernize, and supported a close cooperation with the Tokugawa Shogunate following an alliance with Aizu to oust Choshu from the Imperial Court in 1863.

As Aizu gained influence however, she began to make her moves to undermine their power in Kyoto, while modernizing Satsuma thanks to their trade relations with the British Empire, and maybe finding unlikely allies to help Satsuma overthrow the Tokugawa...

Anti-Villain: Okubo is primarily motivated with assuming the modernization of Japan by herself, even if she has to betray her former allies of the Boshin War, especially in regards to the former samurai.
Best Served Cold: As one of the representatives of Satsuma and a close confident of the Shimazu, she knows how long the clan has been waiting for their revenge against the Tokugawa ever since the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, something that left Satsuma with a lingering sentiment of vengeance.
Big Bad: She's the most prominent antagonist of the story, showing her true colors after the deaths of Kusaka Genzui and Itou Kashitarou. Acting in the interests of Satsuma as a whole, she effectively uses the anti-shogunate sentiment to her advantage in order to further her own plans of overthrowing the Tokugawa and becoming the head of state of Japan.
Category Traitor: Being a former samurai turned politician, she chose to throw away every custom and code of her warrior class, all for the goal of turning Japan into a modernized country. As a result, she's deeply resented by many conservatives who felt betrayed once she began to do away for the former hierarchy.
Contrasting Sequel Antagonist: Unlike Kaguya, who swore vengeance on the Ako Ronin and plans to destroy the country, Okubo uses the Sonnō jōi movement to her advantage to stir up anti-shogunate sentiment, for the goal of becoming the new leader of Japan and enacted structural reforms to westernize the country.
Hero Killer: Through not directly, her schemes led to the death of Yamanami Keisuke and Sakamoto Ryouma, whom she considered a danger to her ascension to power.
Karma Houdini Warranty: After more than 10 years as the leader of the anti-shogunate movement, then ruler of Japan, she's eventually assassinated by either conservative ronin, Saitou Hajime or Okada Izou.
Non-Action Big Bad: True to her role as samurai turned politician, she has many skills as a negociator and administrator, but doesn't have any actual battle experience with the sword, leaving her defenseless and having to rely on bodyguards.
Oh, Crap!: She's generally calm and collected, even when confronting her enemies, but losing her bodyguards will quickly send into a state of panic.
Pet the Dog: In Sannan's route, she's shown to retain some guilt regarding Kondou Isami's execution whom she couldn't prevent, and the death of Hijikata during the battle of Hakodate. In turn, she accepts the terms of Sannan to reduce the amount of resources needed from the Shonai for the Meiji government, and while recognizing Sannan (a former member of the Shinsengumi and Satsuma's dreaded enemy) behind her alias, she chooses not to interfere anymore.
Realpolitik: Unlike most of the other caracters, she doesn't follow any ideals, not even the Sonnō jōi whom she merely uses as a mean to overthrow the shogunate. Even her intended objective of avenging the defeat of Sekigahara against the Tokugawa was something she brought up to motivate Satsuma troops. Once she effectively becomes the de facto ruler of Japan after the Meiji restoration, she launches several reforms to westernize the country and remove the samurai's privileges, against the wishes of her conservative supporters. She also shoots down Saigo Takamori's proposal to invade Korea, mainly because she wanted to focus on modernizing first.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Like her historical counterpart, Okubo used a myriad of alliances and general dissatisfaction with the Tokugawa to overthrow the Shogunate, then became part of the Meiji government and slowly established herself as the country's de facto dictator, in order to forcibly westernize it. By betraying most of the groups she worked for, she paved the way for Japan's industrialization but made herself a lot of enemies for her underhanded methods.

Nakamura Hanjirou

A samurai from Satsuma involved in several political assassinations and affiliated with Okubo Ichizou, becoming infamous as one of the four Hitokiri of the Bakumatsu. Driven by the violent, yet straightforward desire to fight strong samurai in battles, she supports the anti-shogunate movement in the hopes of finding her greatest opponent.

Attack! Attack! Attack!: Her actual combat style relies on a more brutal and quicker use of the Jigen-ryu, allowing her to break rocks and bones in a single cut. However, she prefers to use the iaijutsu for swift and silent assassinations.
Blood Knight: Hanjirou's sole motivation for working with Okubo comes from her desire to fight to the death against strong foes, and the Boshin is one of the main battlefields she wants to part of. However, she later becomes disillusioned with the westernization of the Meiji government, in which samurai lose their prileveges and their right to carry a weapon, prompting her to join Saigo Takamori in his rebellion against the government in 1877.
Fiery Red Head: She's redheaded and one of the most ferocious warriors of the story.
Final Boss: In Okita's route, she becomes the main target of Ken after killing her in a duel, and is eventually fought in the midst of the Satsuma Rebellion, by a desperated Ken bent on avenging his lover.
Graceful Loser: She's surprisingly humble on the verge of death, quietly accepting her defeat at the hands of Ken and thanking him for giving her a last duel.
Hero Killer: Aside from her unseen political assassinations, her most notable kill is Sakamoto Ryouma, on Okubo's orders.
Iaijutsu Practitioner: Her main style in swordsfigths is a quick and clean strike, espcially for assassinations.

Tanaka Shinbei

A serial killer and samurai from Satsuma who took part in many assassinations against supporters of the Shogunate, as one of the four Hitokiri of the Bakumatsu. His assassination of Anegakouji Kintomo, a powerful kuge, in 1863, sparked a chain of events that would result in his eventual death at the hands of the Mibu Roshigumi, and a decreased influence of Satsuma in the Imperial Court.

Ambiguous Situation: It is never revealed who was Tanaka's benefactor and true goal despite being from Satsuma, but his actions paved the way for Choshu to influence court politics for several years.
Dark Is Not Evil: Due to his ambiguous motives and the fact that his assassination target was part of the Sonnō jōi movement, his goal is left unclear.
Single-Stroke Battle: After being found out by Ken, Hijikata confronts him in a duel, and manages to beat him by countering his jigen-ryu style, by using her headbead to block his sword.
Small Role, Big Impact: He has a minor role in the overall story, but his single assassination of Anegakouji Kintomo caused a shift of power in Kyoto, to Satsuma from Choshu.
Starter Villain: He's the first legitimate threat of the Mibu Roshigumi, having assassinated a court noble.

Arima Touta

One of Satsuma's commanders, who first appears during the Boshin War.

Anti-Villain: She's part of the Satsuma Domain, responsible for starting the Boshin War. However, she isn't quite as radical as the other members of the Satcho, and merely follows Okubo for the sake of replacing the Shogunate with a modern and centralized government. She has shown mercy to all of the former members of the Shogunate, despite being their dreaded enemy.
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: In Isami's route, she gives a big speech to Kondou Isami, in an attempt to prevent her from assassinating Kuroda Kiyotaka, the main commander of the Battle of Hakodate which caused the death of Hijikata in Ezo. Said speech essentially condemns the entire warrior code of the samurai, seeing it as a obsolete remnant of the feudal past and convinces Isami to let go of her vengeance, for the sake of Hijikata.
Sympathy for the Hero: She expresses admiration for Kondou Isami and Hijikata Toshizou, two warriors she respects despite being their enemy, to the point she unsuccessfully attempts to have Isami spared from execution.
Talking Down the Suicidal: Having noticed that Isami prepared to assassinate Kuroda Kiyotaka in her route, she intervenes to prevent her from doing so, as killing someone would eventually be punished by death.
Villain Respect: She respects Isami for her generous and affable character, despite the terrifying rumors about her, and Hijikata for her ruthless deetermination and strong character following her loss against her in a duel.

Saigo Takamori

Okubo's old friend and main collaborator for overthrowing the Shogunate. A powerful samurai and politician from Satsuma, who would go on to become one of the most influential figures in Japanese history.

Ambiguous Gender: Due to their status as The Ghost, Saigo's gender in the story is never disclosed.
Anti-Villain: According to Okubo, Saigo helped advance the cause of the anti-shogunate factions in order to strengthen the country against foreign incursion.
The Ghost: A rather famous individual in Japan's history, Saigo doesn't make any appearance in the story, instead being mentioned as an accomplice of Okubo.
Minor Major Character: Despite having played a key role in the Meiji Restoration, Saigo doesn't make an appearance at all.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Most of Saigo's actions are driven by the current political climate of the time, fearing that foreign encroachment could threaten Japan. However, Saigo is also opposed to the westernization of the country prompted by Okubo.

Others

Sakamoto Ryouma

A strange and seemingly random ronin from Tosa who appears as an out of touch and ditzy woman, usually as a masquarade for her true intentions: The modernization and reform of Japan, spearheaded by her mentor Katsu. Gifted with an incredible talent with the sword and keen on Japanese and Western politics, she quickly went on to became a key player in the Bakumatsu, and spent most of her time travelling in multiple cities in order to convince many powerful daimyos and politicians across the country to advocate for reform.

She's first encountered by Ken and Hijikata in May 1863 during one of her travels, quickly explaining her vast ambitions for Japan, much to their disbelief. While disagreeing with the Shinsengumi's methods and tendency to violence, she nonetheless has a certain amount of respect for them, espcially Hijikata as they share the same enmity for samurai and the old ruling class, despite their vastly different backgrounds.

Action Politician: Sakamoto is both an active politician and a force to be reckoned with in a duel. She also has a gun to defend herself in case of emergencies.
Ambiguously Brown: She has a darker skin than all of the other characters, but no explanation is given.
Ambiguously Evil: Her first appearance happens during the search for Tanaka Shinbei, and her shady nature as a ronin with no affiliations casts a doubt on her true motives. It is eventually revealed that she is in league with several anti-shogunate movements, but also promotes westernization and a peaceful transition from a feudal government to a democratic one, unlike many others advocating for armed rebellion.
Anti-Hero: Thanks to her numerous connections with groups opposed to the Shinsengumi, she can come off as antagonistic against them, but doesn't condone violence, be it from the government or the other domains she's working for.
Ditzy Genius: She's very intelligent, fitting for a politician of her era, but she also seems to lack common sense when talking with others, not having a care in the world.
The Gadfly: Half of her dialogue is actually laden with provocative words, to test how her opponent would react. She takes a special liking with Hijikata, as one of the few people who talks her back.
Guile Hero: While she's quite powerful with the sword, she prefers to use her wits to further her goal of modernizing Japan.
The Gunslinger: Having taken a liking with western culture, she quickly got a revolver to defend herself in cases of emergency.
Humble Hero: Despite being a key player in the politics of the Bakumatsu and the Meiji restoration, she doesn't consider her own achievements and would rather prefer to have a good time and explore the world to act as a mediator for Japan.
Morality Pet: She's the one person who prevents Izou from becoming a heartless assassin, as she understands her circumstances the most.
Obfuscating Stupidity: Sakamoto usually appears as a dimwitted and careless woman, while actively searching for her opponents' weaknesses and any opportunity to escape.
Reconcile the Bitter Foes: Her main plan for maintaining a dangerous balance in the country is to have Choshu and Satsuma, two long-time enemies ever since the Edo Period. She had in hand in creating the Satcho Alliance, which would in turn successfully overthrow the Tokugawa, but not in the way she had expected.
Ungrateful Bastard: After Ken saves her life from the shogunate's magistrates in 1866, she returns the favor by attempting to flee to the Satsuma's embassy in Kyoto, up until Hijikata prevents her to do so in order to gain information from her. Later downplayed, when she invites Ken and Hijikata the next year to explain her detailed plan for a peaceful transition of power, from the Tokugawa Shogunate to a parliamentary democracy.
What the Hell Is That Accent?: She speaks with a notable Tosa dialect, which aids in making her seeming less dangerous than she lets on.
Wild Card: Her actions and many jugglings between powerful players makes one wonder about her true goal, as she often opposes the Shinsengumi, yet respects them. As it turns out, she's one of the moderate revolutionaries who want a bloodless overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate, in favor of a parliamentary system.

Okada Izou

The travelling companion and bodyguard of Sakamoto Ryouma. Unlike her however, she suffers from a lack of literacy due to her background as a poor samurai from the countryside and her affiliation with terrorist factions, in which she was involved in assassinations, eventually becoming one of the four Hitokiri of the Bakumatsu.

At first seeing Ken with contempt due to his lack of killing intent, she warms up to him after seeing his skill with the sword. However, she also sees the Mibu Roshigumi as a threat due to their strong allegiance with the Shogunate, the main enemy of her idol Takechi Hanpeita.

Because You Were Nice to Me: At first dismissing Ken as a weakling, she comes to respect him as a fellow warrior, and later repays him a favor after he spared her during their duel.
Bodyguarding a Badass: Izou is no slouch herself, but she happens to be the bodyguard of Sakamoto Ryouma, who's quite strong with the sword.
Book Dumb: She's not the brightest tool in the shed, due to her lack of a proper education as a peasant of Tosa.
Fragile Speedster: She's actually the quickest warrior of the story, but she lacks in defense and can be defeated by raw force.
My God, What Have I Done?: In Hajime's route, she realizes that Okubo, whom she works for, had a hand in assassinating her friend Ryouma. In her rage, she accidentally injures Ken but regains her composure afterwards.
Punch-Clock Villain: She works for Takechi Hanpeita, a notable anti-shogunate activist, and later Okubo Ichizou, both being active opponents of the Tokugawa Shogunate. She doesn't have a grief with the Shinsengumi, but her allegiance make them enemies.
What the Hell Is That Accent?: Like Sakamoto Ryouma, she speaks with a thick Tosa dialect.
Wild Card: On one hand, Izou has worked for groups opposed to the Shinsengumi, and on the other, she follows her own code of honor and has a certain respect of Ken for his qualities as a warrior. Ultimately, she proves to be a good person at heart, albeit with misguided goals due to her lack of education

Hirano Kuniomi

A ronin from the Fukuoka Domain and a close ally of Kiyokawa. Like him, she's a part of the Sonnō jōi as one of its most extremists elements, bent on assassinations.

The Artifact: First appearing as a legitimate threat to Ken in the beginning of the story, she becomes a complete joke by the time he trained under Hijikata one year later.
Starter Villain: She's the first big opponent faced by Ken, and a legitimate threat to the Mibu Roshigumi.
Sword Cane: Hirano usually hides her sword in her cane, an easy way of hiding weapons for swift assassinations.
Worf Had the Flu: Her quick defeat against Ken was caused by her lack of training ever since she was stuck in a prison.

Sakai Tadazumi

The Daimyo of the Shonai Domain, one of the most prosperous and stable domains of the Tokugawa Shogunate. A wise and strong leader in her own right, she led her army to victory over several skirmishes against Satsuma during the Boshin War. However, during the fall of Aizu, Sakai eventually choose to capitulate in order to preserve her soldiers and resources for the good of the country.

Big Good: Tadazumi is the main benefactor of Ken and Yamanami during their "escape" from the Shinsengumi, during the latter's route.
Reasonable Authority Figure: She's known as a charismatic leader who wants to do what's best for her country.
Universally Beloved Leader: She's loved by her people, not unlike Katamori, to the point she easily convinces them to surrender to the Imperial government in order to preserve their land.

Mitsuteru Honma

The head of a longtime family of merchants of the Shonai Domain. During Ken and Sannan's desertion from the Shinsengumi, she was saved from ronin in a chance encounter with them, and in turn gave them her support for saving her life. Thanks to her connections with the Sakai clan, she helped the young couple to start a new life together in Shonai.

I Owe You My Life: As thanks for protecting her, Honma helps Ken and Sannan to hide in a remote domain from Kyoto.
Intrepid Merchant: Despite being wealthy, she doesn't rely on bodyguards to protect herself, prefering to explore and find things alone.
Mundane Utility: Her status as a merchant allows her to bypass several security checks and using inns for free.

Other Factions

Imperial Court

Empress Komei

The 121st Emperor of Japan, recognized as the highest (nominal) autority of the entire country. Breaking centuries of imperial tradition ever since the founding of the second Shogunate, she took a more active part in politics by issuing the "Order to expel barbarians" in early 1863. However, the shogunate would not enforce the order, giving an excuse for anti-shogunate sentiment to grow against her wishes.

In spite of everything, she trusts the Tokugawa Shogunate and respects many of its members such as Matsudaira Katamori, whom she personally endorses as the protector of Kyoto. She's also rumored to possess the power to see her enemies' weakness, defeating them with a single blow, making her a target for anti-shogunate factions.

Greater-Scope Paragon: As the highest symbol of authority in Japan, she's considered the driving force behind all of the pro-shogunate forces.
Not Evil, Just Misunderstood: Her "Order to Expel Barbarians" in the form of imperial edicts is suggested to be heavily influenced by court nobles in cahoots with radical samurai of the Joi faction. As such, Komei's more moderate views on the matter cannot be heard by anyone but a few confidents.
The High Queen: She's a symbol of dignity and honesty among everyone in Japan, despite having no real power to wield.

Anegakouji Kintomo

A kuge of the Imperial Court suspected to be part of the Sonnō jōi movement, resulting with her assassination in May 1863.

Sacrificial Lamb: She's introduced as an influential politician whose death has durable consequence in the grand scheme of things.
Small Role, Big Impact: Her role in the plot is fairly minimal, but the consequences of her death is the direct cause of several political movements.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Dies on her very first appearance, with a only a few lines before her assassination.

Sanjou Sanetomi

Another kuge and political rival of Anegakouji. Closely working with Choshu, she helps them reinforce their hold on the Imperial Court in order to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate. After the failure of the August 18th incident, she fled from the Imperial palace.

Big Bad Wannabe: She's set as one of the main instigators of an attempted coup against the Tokugawa Shogunate, but the quick intervention of Aizu put a stop to her plan, forcing her to flee for her life.
Corrupt Politician: In cahoots with Choshu, she uses her connections to influence the Imperial Court into overthtowing the government.
Minor Major Character: Sanjou Sanetomi is known as a high-ranking figure of the early Meiji Restoration, and occupied several important positions in the government. In the story proper, she's only seen as a potential danger to the Shogunate before being forced to escape from Kyoto after her failed coup in 1863.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Realizing the failure of her attempted coup with Choshu, she has no choice but to flee Kyoto to avoid getting arrested.

Iwakura Tomomi

A kuge with strong connections to Satsuma, and the caretaker of the young future Emperor Meiji. Deeply involved in court intrigue, he holds the power to influence many daimyos and nobles thanks to his uniquely powerful position.

Forged Message: Being a kuge with tremendous influence, Iwakura can write several imperial decrees in the Emperor's name for Okubo Ichizou to use against the Shogunate.
The Ghost: Has no appearances outside of several mentions by Okubo.
Minor Major Character: He's responsible for allowing Satsuma to go against the shogunate authority thanks to his connections, but he doesn't directly appear at all.

Northern Alliance / Ezo Republic

Enomoto Takeaki

A admiral of the Tokugawa navy, who's also the captain of Japan's very first steamed ship. Coming from a family working under the direct service of the Tokugawa Shogunate, she took an interest in Rangaku and from 1862 to 1867, was sent to the Netherlands to study Western military techniques and acquiring modern weaponry for the Shogunate. Upon her return, she brought with her the Kaiyou Maru, a giant steam warship bought from the Dutch.

Badass Bureaucrat: She's more of an diplomat than a military commander thanks to having studied abroad, but she shows good skills as a admiral.
Brutal Honesty: Doesn't mince words when talking about Yoshinobu, then shogun at the time.
The Fake Cutie: According to Otori Keisuke, behind her smile and apparent cuteness hides a shrewd politician and skilled negociator.
Politeness Judo: More often than not, she can insult her way through other people by hiding behind nice words and irony.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: She's the calm and cynical Blue to the overconfident Red of Otori Keisuke.

Otori Keisuke

A military commander of the Tokugawa Shogunate familiar with Western culture and tactics. However, her large knowledge is undermined by her overconfidence and predictability, causing her to become somewhat of a burden to the more experienced Hijikata during the Boshin War.

A-Cup Angst: She doesn't take well having her chest compared to Hijikata's.
General Failure: As noted by Hijikata, she has useful military knowledge from the west, but her lack of battle experience makes her predictable
No-Respect Guy: She's usually dismissed as a beginner with no meaningful experience on the battlefield.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: She's the overconfident and inexperience Red to the collected and Enomoto's pragmatic Blue
Suicidal Overconfidence: Boasting knowledge from the West, she quickly attempts to be the commander of the entire Northern Alliance, only to fail in her first battle.

Jules Brunet

The captain of the first French Military mission to Japan, tasked by France's Emperor Napoléon III to help modernize and train the Shogunate troops. At the start of the Boshin War, she chose to stay in Japan by deserting the French army, in order to help the remnants of the Tokugawa, having grown attached to the soldiers under her command. Since then, she works closely with Enomoto and Otori.

Fangirl: Like her historical counterpart, she stayed in Japan out of admiration and attachment to the warriors under her command.
I Choose to Stay: Despite having to flee Japan, as the imperial forces took control of the country, she instead stayed longer to help the shogunate forces.
Just a Stupid Accent: As a french who stayed in Japan for only a year, she can speak japanese but with a very thick foreign accent, shown in text by exclusively using katakana.
A Mother to Her Men: She has a high consideration for her military corps of modern samurai under her command, to the point she would rather stay in the Boshin War rather than flee back to France.
Resign in Protest: Forgoes the order to go back to France when the situation dires, even resigning from the French Army despite the overwhelming odds.
The Tease: When first encountering Ken, the first thing she does is to attempt to recruit him into the French Army, by attempting to seduce him (if not for Hijikata to intervene).
Western Samurai: She likes to compare the concept of samurai to that of knights, being driven by a similar set of moral codes.

Characters / Miburo

Edit Locked

Main Characters

Mita Ken

Roshigumi / Mibu Roshigumi / Shinsengumi

Founder

Commanders

Captains

Others

Sasaki Aijiro and Saeki Matasaburo

Matsubara Chuuji

Ogata Shuntaro

Shimada Kai

Kawai Kisaburou

Arakida Samanosuke, Kusunoki Kojuurou and Mikura Isetake

Yamazaki Susumu

Oishi Kuwajirou

Sakai Hyougo

Hattori Takeo

Kano Michinosuke

Tokugawa Shogunate

Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi

Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu / Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu

Matsudaira Shungaku

Sasaki Tadasaburou

Katsu Kaishuu

Matsudaira Katamori

Saigou Tanomo

Akizuki Teijirou

Sagawa Kanbei

The Byakkotai

Feudal Domains

Kusaka Genzui

Maki Yasuomi

Katsura Kogoro

Takasugi Shinsaku

Omura Masujirou

Okubo Ichizou / Okubo Toshimichi

Nakamura Hanjirou

Tanaka Shinbei

Arima Touta

Saigo Takamori

Sakamoto Ryouma

Okada Izou

Hirano Kuniomi

Sakai Tadazumi

Mitsuteru Honma

Other Factions

Empress Komei

Anegakouji Kintomo

Sanjou Sanetomi

Iwakura Tomomi

Enomoto Takeaki

Otori Keisuke

Jules Brunet

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