Kai Shimada

Kai Shimada (島田 魁, Shimada Kai) is an officer in the Shinsengumi who also serves as a spy. During times of peace, he serves under Shinpachi in the 2nd Division.
Shimada is based on the historical Shimada Kai.
==Appearance==
Shimada has a rather square-jawed face with dark brown hair and is always seen wearing his Shinsengumi haori over a purple shirt and green trousers. He seems to be a competent warrior who relies on his brute physical strength, and he looks quite older than other Shinsengumi captains.
In the second season he changes into a black western-style outfit with gold-colored buttons.
==Story==
===First Season===
Shimada appears in the second episode of the first season as someone working undercover in an inn. He is also a spy along with Susumu Yamazaki who gathers information pretending to work in suspicious places. He fights in most major battles that the Shinsengumi captains get involved into as he is part of Shinpachi's squad. When Kazama tries to kidnap Chizuru by force, he is one of those who actively try to protect her. 
At the end of the season, he is seen fighting alongside Shinpachi as a loyal subordinate and being one of the few (or maybe the only one) surviving members of his unit during the Toba-Fushimi Battle. 
===Second Season===
Now that some of the Shinsengumi warriors are gone (Sanosuke and Shinpachi left), Shimada seems to have been promoted to a higher status. He is now featured more often, and it is assumed that he knows about the Rasetsu. He runs certain errands for Hijikata and Kondou. 
When Kondou sacrifices himself so that Hijikata and the troops can leave, he leads the escape. 
Later Shimada is seen on Hijikata's side saving him from Utsunomiya Castle along with Shinpachi. He is the one to notice the changes in Hijikata's behavior and voice them for Chizuru to pay attention. 
Shimada stays loyal to the Shinsengumi until the end when the Imperial Army commences an all-out attack on Hakodate, and Shimada, along with Ootori and the Shinsengumi, gets attacked from the back and cut off from the outside. His fate is not revealed further but it is implied that the last battle does not finish in the Shinsengumi's favor.
===Third Season===
Shimada first joins the Rōshigumi in Episode 6 of Hakuouki: Reimeiroku. Upon arrival, he recognizes Shinpachi who used to practice in the same dojo. Shortly after joining, Shimada becomes an Inspector along with Yamazaki under Hijikata's order, and his job is to investigate matters both within and outside the Rōshigumi. He does his job well but his appearances are scarce apart from a couple of reports he makes with Yamazaki.
Category:Characters
Category:Support