Shimada Kai

Shimada Kai (島田魁) was the corporal in the second unit of Shinsengumi (a group who guarded Kyoto during the end of Tokugawa Bakufu). He was also the commander of Shuei Shinsengumi (the Shinsengumi unit to guard Hijikata Toshizō during the Battle of Hakodate). His surname "Shimada" can be written as "島田" and as "嶋田". Later, he changed the pronunciation of his first name to "Sakigake" (さきがけ).
As shown in the Hakuōki franchise, Shimada was a big bulky guy who often relied on brute force. He was a good friend of Nagakura Shinpachi.
==Background==
 was born in the 11th year of the Bunsei era (1828) as the second son of Kondō Iemon, a village headman in Ogoso Village, Katagata-gun, Mino Province (present-day Nagara-ogoso, Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture). At a young age, he became the adopted son of Nagahimo Hansaemon in Ishida Village, Haguri-gun (present-day Ishida, Kakamigahara City, Gifu Prefecture). Nagahimo Hansaemon's wife, who became Kai's foster mother, was the sister of his birth mother. 
After the death of Nagahimo Hansaemon, Kai was entrusted to his maternal grandfather, Kawashima Kaemon, in Hino Village, Atsumi-gun (present-day Hino, Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture). It was around this time that he developed an interest in swordsmanship. He won a tournament held at Nagoya Castle and caught the attention of Shimada Sai, a retainer of the Ogaki Domain, who adopted Kai as his heir and successor. Kai then traveled to Edo and trained at the Shinkata-to Ryu Tsubouchi Shuma Dojo, where he met and became close to Nagakura Shinpachi, who served as an instructor there.
==Shinsengumi==
The exact timing of Shimada's reunion with Nagakura in Kyoto is unclear, but he followed after him and joined the Mibu Rōshigumi around May of the third year of Bunkyu (1863). Shortly after, he took on a new name and became a member of the newly-formed Shinsengumi, serving as the assistant supervisor and inspector of the group. He also took on the role of the "dirty work" under Hijikata Toshizō, the vice-commander, diligently enforcing the strict regulations and carrying out the purging of members when necessary. In the first year of Genji (1864), in June, Shimada fully demonstrated his abilities as an inspector and made significant contributions to the apprehension of Kotaka Toshimaro, which triggered the Ikedaya Incident. He also held the position of a sergeant during the subsequent reorganization of the group.
During the Yodo Senryo-matsu Incident (where Inoue Genzaburō died) in November of the third year of Keio (1867), Shimada engaged in combat with Hattori Buhachi. On December 18 of the same year, during the attack on Kondō Isami by remnants of the Goryo-eji (Guardians of the Imperial Tomb), Shimada accompanied Kondō as his escort. It was Shimada who saved Kondō's life by riding ahead and diverting the attention of the attackers.
==Boshin War==
In the fourth year of Keio (1868), during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi on January 3, Nagakura and others formed a keishitai (death squad) and attacked the enemy camp, but the enemy's gunfire caused them to withdraw. At that time, when Shimada saw that Nagakura, who was heavily armed, could not climb over the earthen wall, he held out his gun and instructed him to "grab this", and pulled him up onto the earthen wall with his own superhuman strength. After that, he fought the Boshin War all the way to Hakodate.
In May of the second year of Meiji (1869), Shimada surrendered and lived in seclusion until November. Afterward, he was entrusted to the Nagoya Domain, and upon the lifting of his seclusion, he opened a kenjutsu dojo in Kyoto.
==Death==
On March 20th of the 33rd year of Meiji (1900), he collapsed and passed away at his workplace, Nishi-Honganji Temple, at the age of 73. His funeral was attended by Nagakura as well.
His grave was originally located in Higashi-Otani Cemetery, but it is no longer there. His remains are enshrined in the Otani Mausoleum (Higashi Otani).
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Category:Historical counterparts