HAKUOKI SHINSENGUMI

Chizuru Yukimura heads to Kyoto to search for her father. While there, she witnesses a fight between Rasetsu and members of the Shinsengumi. The Shinsengumi take her into custody and, once learning she is the daughter of the doctor they are searching for, decide to keep her close at hand. Chizuru follows the Shinsengumi in their battles to help the shogunate.

Toshizo Hijikata (土方歳三, Hijikata Toshizo^?)

Voiced by: Miki Shinichiro

Hijikata is the Vice-commander of the Shinsengumi and makes most of the Shinsengumi’s decisions. He is called oni-fukuchou (Demon Vice-commander) and is both feared and respected by his men. He is also often referred to as “Toshi” by Kondou. Hijikata is the one who brought Chizuru back to the Shinsengumi headquarters the night she witnessed a Rasetsu on the loose that began to attack two men chasing her. He is responsible for her welfare, and even though he acts as if this were to his dismay, he does care for Chizuru’s safety, as he is often shown protecting her during battles. He is based on the historical Hijikata Toshizō.

Hijikata drinks the Ochimizu in order to increase his power to defeat Chikage, led by rage after seeing Genzaburo Inoue dead, a fellow Shinsengumi warrior. Even though Inoue had been killed by Satchō warriors (Satsuma-Chōshū alliance), Hijikata takes it out on Chikage, starting a fight, which Chikage encourages.

Souji Okita (沖田総司, Okita Souji^?)

Voiced by: Morikubo Showtaro

Okita is the First Division Captain and a brilliant swordsman. He suffers from tuberculosis, and is later visited by Nagumo Kaoru who gives him a bottle of Ochimizu which he takes so he can “cure” his tuberculosis. Although he is now a Rasetsu, the Shinsengumi discover that he heals from injuries caused by silver weapons at a human speed, thus discovering Rasetsu’s weakness. He is based on the historical Okita Sōji.

Keisuke Yamanami (山南敬助, Yamanami Keisuke^?)

Voiced by: Tobita Nobuo

Usually called “Sannan-san” (based on an alternate reading of his surname), he is Vice-commander of the Shinsengumi, along with Hijikata. Both a scholar and a ruthless tactician, he is kind and caring, albeit a bit reserved. After an injury which resulted in him being unable to use his sword arm, he has become cold and suspicious of others. In the hope of regaining the use of his arm, he drank the Ochimizu, which he had spent time to research and improve on so the side effects wouldn’t kick in; he is the first of the characters introduced to do so. He is based on the historical Yamanami Keisuke.

Shinpachi Nagakura (永倉 新八, Nagakura Shinpachi^?)

Voiced by: Tsuboi Tomohiro

Shinpachi is the Second Division captain of the Shinsengumi. He is usually very cheerful, especially when he is with his comrades. Shinpachi is especially close to Harada and together they often pick on Heisuke. He is very skilled with the sword, but he is also a true alcoholic and womanizer, as he is seen breaking the curfew one night to be out drinking. He is based on the historical Nagakura Shinpachi.

Sanosuke Harada (原田左之助, Harada Sanosuke^?)

Voiced by: Yusa Kōji

Harada is the Tenth Division Captain and prefers the spear to the sword, but he is seen carrying both. He is based on the historical Harada Sanosuke.

Heisuke Todo (藤堂 平助, Toudou Heisuke^?)

Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino

Heisuke is a young member of the Shinsengumi. He is around the same age as Chizuru. He leaves the Shinsengumi, following Itou along with Hajime Saitou, but later returns. He too has taken Ochimizu to recover from injuries. He is based on the historical Tōdō Heisuke.

Hajime Saito (斎藤 一, Saitou Hajime^?)

Voiced by: Toriumi Kōsuke

Saito is the leader of the Third Division and a master of the left hand sword technique. He is silent and a taciturn but also very loyal, polite, and wise. He often analyzes the situation before attacking to figure out which actions are necessary to complete the mission. Saito left the Shinsengumi apparently to join Itou’s group, but later it turns out that he was commanded by Hijikata to infiltrate Itou’s group for information concerning Itou’s plans. He is based on the historical Saitō Hajime.

Kaoru Nagumo (南雲薫, Nagumo Kaoru^?)

Voiced by: Hasumi Itō

First seen as a lovely dressed young woman who is prettier than Chizuru, Kaoru is actually Chizuru’s twin brother who was separated from her during childhood. He’s made to dress as a woman but is seen as a boy near the end of the first season of the anime. He is one of the strongest Oni. He wants to make Chizuru suffer because when they were separated, he was taken in by the Nagumo family who treated him harshly for not being a female. He also hates that Chizuru forgot about him and about her even having a twin brother at all. Because of this, he wants Chizuru to feel the pain he felt.

Later on, though, he admits that he truly loves Chizuru and that everything he had done was to meet Chizuru again. In addition, he asks Chizuru to go with him, because he is the only one who has the power to protect her. Chizuru refuses to go, since she had promised to the Shinsengumi that she would protect Kondou, and Kaoru decides that if things had come to that, his only option would be killing her. Right after they start fighting, though, Chizuru is cornered and saved by Chikage, who kills Kaoru.

Kaoru is the wielder of the long sword that is pair with Chizuru’s short sword, which are the Yukimura clan’s heirloom.

Chikage Kazama (風間千景, Kazama Chikage^?)

Voiced by: Kenjirō Tsuda

Member of the Bakumatsu, enemies of the Shinsengumi. He is the strongest Oni of the West and is after Chizuru, so that they can mate and create stronger Oni. His reasons for this are unknown, but his attempts to take Chizuru have so far been thwarted by the interference of the Shinsengumi. Despite being arrogant and cynical, he is not entirely cold-blooded, as he later saves Chizuru, although this might have been for his own purposes. Kazama is usually followed by his two demon companions Amagiri and Shiranui, and it is implied that he might be of royal blood, like Sen-hime. In his Oni form, he grows white horns and his hair fades to match. His eyes also become yellow.