Shinsengumi

The Shinsengumi^WP (新選組^WP, lit. "The New Squad"^?) was a special police force in Kyoto that was active during the Bakumatsu^WP period of Japan.

As Servants, all members possess the Noble Phantasm Coat of Oaths, which can enhance their abilities. Shinsengumi commanding officers have the Noble Phantasm Flag of Sincerity, which allows them to summon other members temporarily. Those on poor terms with the user of Flag of Sincerity may refuse the summons.^[1]

Though they only lasted for a few short years, the Shinsengumi's blue haori uniform is so famous that any who are summoned as Servants would immediately be recognized as a Shinsengumi just by wearing it.^[2]

History

Kiyokawa Hachirō^WP recruited Kondo Isami and several of his friends, such as Hijikata Toshizou and Okita Souji, into the group he created, known as the Rōshigumi (浪士組, The Ronin Squad^?) in 1862 to be bodyguards for the shogun, but in 1863 the group was reformed into Shinsengumi police force by Kondo and Hijikata. Many of the Rōshigumi members became founding members of the Shinsengumi, such as Okita, Nagakura Shinpachi, Saitou Hajime, Yamanami Keisuke, Toudou Heisuke and Harada Sanosuke.^{[1][3][4][5][6][7]} Later that year, Okita, Saitou, Harada and Yamanami assassinated Kondo's Co-Commander Serizawa Kamo for his poor leadership.^[7][8][9] The attack was led by Hijikata.^[10] With Serizawa's death, power was consolidated under Kondo and Yamanami’s position changed from Vice Commander to General Commander.^[5]

In February of 1865, Yamanami deserted the Shinsengumi for reasons still unknown to historians today. He was brought back by Okita and willingly faced the punishment for desertion: seppuku.^[5][11]

In 1868, when the Boshin War^WP broke out, the Shinsengumi were reorganized into the Kōyō Chinbutai (甲陽鎮撫隊, Pacification Corps^?) to fight.^[9] The Tokugawa forces, including the Shinsengumi, lost in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi^WP. Later, in March of the same year, Nagakura Shinpachi chose to leave since he can’t hold to Kondou Isami’s treatment as a retainer anymore and he believed that the Shinsengumi no longer existed, Harada Sanosuke originally wanted to persuade him but was asked by Hijikata Toshizou to leave with the other members who were also dissatisfied.^[12]

On April 3rd of 1868, Kondou Isami surrendered himself and was arrested by Japan's new government. He was sentenced to execution.^[12]

Afterward, Okita Souji died of her illness while bedridden. Saitou Hajime stayed behind at Aizu^WP since he believed that Shinsengumi no longer existed. The companions that met in the dojo of the Tennen-Rishin-ryu were gone,^[13] and the Shinsengumi effectively came to an end.^[10] Only Vice Commander Hijikata Toshizou kept going, continuing north while bearing the banner of the Shinsengumi and fighting the new government's armies until he arrived in Hakodate^WP in 1869.

Laws of the Shinsengumi

The Laws of the Shinsengumi (局中法度, Kyokuchu Hatto^?) prohibit:

1. Deviating from Bushido. (一、士道ニ背キ間敷事^?)^[14]
2. Leaving the Shinsengumi. (一、局ヲ脱スルコトヲ不許^?)^[14]
3. Raising money privately. (一、勝手ニ金策致不可^?)^[14]
4. Taking part in litigations. (一、勝手ニ訴訟取扱不可^?)^[14]
5. Engaging in private fights. (一、私ノ闘争ノ不許^?)^[14]

Members

• Kondou Isami - Commander
• Serizawa Kamo - Co-commander
• Yamanami Keisuke - General Commander
• Hijikata Toshizou - Vice-commander
• Itou Kashitarou - Military Advisor
• Okita Souji - Captain of the First Unit
• Nagakura Shinpachi - Captain of the Second Unit
• Saitou Hajime - Captain of the Third Unit
• Matsubara Tadashi^WP[15] - Captain of the Fourth Unit
• Takeda Kanryūsai^WP[16] - Captain of the Fifth Unit
• Inoue Genzaburō^WP[17] - Captain of the Sixth Unit
• Tani Sanjuro - Captain of the Seventh Unit
• Toudou Heisuke - Captain of the Eighth Unit
• Suzuki Mikisaburō - Captain of the Ninth Unit
• Harada Sanosuke - Captain of the Tenth unit
• Ichimura Tetsunosuke
• Hattori Takeo
• Oishi Kuwajiro^WP[18]
• Shimada Kai^WP[12]

References