Keisuke Sannan

Keisuke Sannan (山南 敬助 San'nan Keisuke) is one of the Vice-Commanders in the Shinsengumi. He is a native of Edo. He acts primarily as a consultant to the chief of the Shinsengumi, Isami Kondou. 
Sannan is introduced along with the other Shinsengumi captains when Chizuru is brought for questioning. He is often seen isolated in his room researching and conducting experiments, while other members of the squad consider him aloof and intimidating. As one of the Vice-Commanders and a scientist, Sannan is a smart and educated man, which is why others often listen to his opinion. Sannan also stands out due to being the only one wearing glasses even in combat.
Sannan is loosely based on the historical Yamanami Keisuke. Another way of reading his last name was 'Yamanami', but he signed his name as '三南 (Sannan)' and '三男 (Sannan),' so it was highly likely that his last name was pronounced 'Sannan'.
==Appearance==
Sannan Keisuke is a scholarly-looking man with big round glasses. He has dark brown, shoulder length hair that is slicked-back, leaving one lock of bangs on the left-hand side of his face. Sannan wears a casual dark green kimono shirt with a dark blue vest overtop and black open-end pants. 
His Rasetsu appearance includes typical silver hair and glowing red eyes.
In the second season of the anime Sannan changes into a dark western-style outfit with vinous and yellow stripes on his lapel, cuffs and shoulder pads. He wears a white shirt underneath.
==Personality==
Sannan is a soft-spoken man who is usually polite and amiable but his words are often anything but friendly. He dislikes being pitied and looked down on, and some Shinsengumi members joke about him having a black heart. Despite being rather cynical, he deeply cherishes his friends and comrades trying his best to help in any way he can for the sake of the Shinsengumi. He has great admiration and respect for Hijikata even though they do not always see eye to eye, and Hijikata considers him as close as an older brother.
Sannan is also one of the most intelligent among the Shinsengumi captains and is responsible for tactics and strategy. He is a deputy commander which makes him one of the top leaders of the organization (after Kondou and on the same level as Hijikata).
==Story==
===First Season===
Sannan first appears in Episode 1 of Hakuouki: Shinsengumi Kitan along with all the other captains during Chizuru's interrogation. He apologizes for the trio's loud behavior and invites Chizuru to come inside in a friendly way. After she is taken away by Saitou, Sannan contributes into the discussion about her fate, teasing Hijikata meanwhile. 
The next thing we know, Sannan is injured in a battle and has lost his ability to wield a sword. That makes him cagey and cold towards everyone else. When Chizuru cooks his food differently trying to help him eat with his injured arm, he takes that as pity from her side and scolds her spitefully. However, later he joins everyone for a meal, assumingly having cooled down.
According to Chizuru's narration behind the scenes, Sannan gradually becomes more and more secretive and shady, he does not interact with other Shinsengumi members as much anymore, and low-rank members keep their distance from him.
When Itou joins the Shinsengumi, Sannan's concerns towards the new headquarters get dismissed, and he feels disconnected, as if he has lost his right to speak. To make it worse, Itou makes a sarcastic remark about Sannan's injury which infuriates Hijikata and all the captains. 
Later in the season, Chizuru notices Sannan wandering around and follows him, but he notices her and invites her into his room. He reveals that he has been researching Ochimizu that her father Koudou created and tested on the Shinsengumi turning them into failed Rasetsu. He claims to have improved it and drinks it. Becoming a Rasetsu, Sannan tries to suffocate Chizuru and then make her kill him by stabbing him in his heart. Gladly, others hear the noise and come for rescue. 
Having come back to his senses, Sannan asks Kondou to announce his death. Meanwhile, he create his own Rasetsu Corps of the Shinsengumi. 
When one of his newly created Rasetsu runs away and attacks Chizuru, Sannan admits his fault, but when he touches Chizuru's wound, he loses his mind and almost makes others believe that he has to be taken care of. However, he licks Chizuru's blood from his hand, and it helps him restore his sanity. 
After Heisuke becomes a Rasetsu, Sannan gives him a cruel speech about abandoning his humanity and starting to feed on blood as it is part of who he is now. When Heisuke refuses, Sannan gives him special medicine powder that can subdue the bloodlust. Then he leaves on a night patrol, and it is hinted at later that he might be guilty of Rasetsu killing civillians. 
Sannan is last time seen when he informs Hijikata and others that the Rasetsu Corps tried to fight with Satchō but were exterminated almost completely.
===Second Season===
In the beginning of the season, Sannan starts acting suspiciously going out alone at night making sure nobody (or Heisuke in particular) can follow him. One morning he comes to Chizuru's room, being his usual friendly and smiling self, closes the door behind him and explains that he has a brilliant idea: since Chizuru's demon blood can stop the Rasetsu from losing their mind, he has decided to take her blood to test it out. He takes out a knife and prepares to attack her, but Hijikata enters the room, grabs Sannan's wrist and demands an explanation. After Sannan repeats himself, Hijikata tells him to stop and leave, asking if Sannan wants blood for the Rasetsu or for himself (hinting at the rumors about the Rasetsu killing civilians). Sannan denies that and leaves.
The Shinsengumi keep suspecting Sannan to be part of mass-killings in the city, and Saitou follows him one night. This brings news that using Rasetsu powers shortens the person's lifespan, which brings Hijikata to the decision to terminate all Rasetsu Corps activity which frustrates Sannan massively. 
During the battle alongside the Aizu, Hijikata sends Sannan to Sendai before everyone else to ensure nobody learns about the Rasetsu and also due to Sannan's connections in the city. However, after that Sannan disappears from the radar and is only once seen killing rogue samurai during the night.
Later in the story, Heisuke brings the news that Sannan has joined the Imperial Army and has been secretly meeting with Koudou, and shortly afterwards Chizuru gets kidnapped by her father so Heisuke and Hijikata go after them to Sendai Castle. There Sannan appears calmly before Chizuru explaining his stance with the Rasetsu research that he had to stop on Hijikata's orders yet could continue under Koudou's guidance. When Chizuru yells at him that he has betrayed the Shinsengumi and Hijikata, Heisuke appears in the room after having killed the Rasetsu guarding the doors, and Hijikata walks in right after him pointing his sword at Sannan demanding explanation. Sannan admits that he joined Koudou to create a devil kingdom that will also harbor Rasetsu, and that is why he infiltrated the castle and took control over it. All the doors suddenly open, and a large number of Rasetsu comes running in. Sannan explains that all the Rasetsu that exist in Japan have now been gathered in the castle to use as a weapon against the Imperial Army. He offers Hijikata to lead them and after the refusal he takes out his sword claiming that he has no other choice left. 
However, much to everyone's astonishment, Sannan slays a Rasetsu next to him claiming that the only reason for their existence is fighting, so if there is no place for them on the battlefield, then they might as well be put out of their misery as an act of mercy. When Koudou asks him "Why?", Sannan replies that the Shinsengumi Commander's orders are absolute and joins to stand with Hijikata and Heisuke. The fact that even the commander did not know is explained with the quote: "To fool the enemy, first deceive your allies." While fighting the Rasetsu, Sannan adds to his speech that he was planning to give the Rasetsu to the Shinsengumi all along, and now, since they are not needed, he has to eliminate them because he has no time left. He keeps trying to convince Koudou that this is the right decision because no matter how many times the Ochimizu has been improved, the Rasetsu still use up their lifespan very quickly and their bloodlust does not disappear, therefore there is no future for them. 
Looking at the massacre, Sannan wonders if the Shinsengumi can win future battles after having lost a great deal of its military strength. However, he also adds that the Shinsengumi should have never made Rasetsu in the first place. After that Sannan and Heisuke collapse on the floor, confessing that they feel their life has come to an end, and Sannan decides to apologize to Chizuru for everything he has done wrong and all the times he has hurt her. He also admits being wrong in his interactions with Hijikata and claims that he has always acknowledged him. 
Sannan dies the same way all Rasetsu do: his body turns into ash and burns in blue flame.
===Third Season===
Sannan makes an appearance in Episode 1 of Reimeiroku as he stops the upcoming fight between Souji and Ryuunosuke and informs the latter that Serizawa is out. As Ryuunosuke decides to speak with Kondou, Sannan accompanies him and interferes when the commander offers Ryuunosuke to stay, as the current state of the Rōshigumi cannot afford extra weight. Later at night, Sannan, Kondou, and Hijikata visit Serizawa's room in order to propose a deal using Serizawa's connections and the Shieikan's strength and swordsmanship abilities.
Sannan accompanies Kondou and Hijikata on multiple occasions when they head to Serizawa's room for a conversation. Despite staying silent in most of the situations and letting others talk, Sannan has his own opinion on Serizawa. As Saitou and Shinpachi return to the headquarters covered in blood one day, they mention that locals do not trust them, which prompts Sannan to notice how the Rōshigumi lacks any reputation. Additionally, Sannan mentions that they are going to send an official petition to the Aizu for permission to remain in Kyoto and states that they are all dependent on Serizawa's money and connections, advising Hijikata to think of this situation as using Serizawa rather than needing his help.
The situation with Serizawa and Kosuzu in Shimabara prompts Hijikata to create a set of rules for the squad that would stop Serizawa from acting recklessly. He discusses it with Sannan and catches Ryuunosuke eavesdropping. Sannan offers him an official position in the Rōshigumi but Ryuunosuke hesitates, and Hijikata instantly withdraws the offer claiming that they do not need such people in the ranks, revealing after the boy leaves than Sannan only wanted to use him to spy on Serizawa. After the Rules of Conduct are ready, they are shown to Serizawa who does not oppose. The new official document makes the ranks clear, and Sannan, along with Hijikata, becomes the Vice-Commander of the Rōshigumi.
Later on, after the Rōshigumi have been granted an audience with the Lieutenant General of Aizu, Kondou organizes a few matches to showcase the Shieikan members' swordsmanship. Sannan fights against Okita and loses. 
Witnessing the creation of the first Rasetsu, Sannan realizes that, regardless of how horrible it is, the Rōshigumi do not have a choice but to obey the order that came from Bakufu. However, after Serizawa insults Hijikata, Sannan takes the lead in the conversation and suggests that Niimi (who always backs up Serizawa) stepped down from the commander position in order to focus on the further research of Ochimizu.
A few days later, Hijikata and Sannan stir trouble in the city by fighting thugs who used the Rōshigumi name to forcibly borrow money. They return to the headquarters covered in blood and explain the situation, eventually coming to the conclusion that the Rōshigumi's reputation has dropped very low which can put a stain on the Aizu's reputation as well, and so it has to be stopped.
When one of the Rōshigumi members is sentenced to death and offered Ochimizu as an alternative, he turns into a Rasetsu and runs away. Everyone searches for him, and eventually Okita finds and kills him. As he returns to the headquarters, he asks Sannan whether he sent him to the most dangerous location on purpose, and Sannan answers affirmatively calling Souji the Sword of the Rōshigumi.
After Serizawa burns a building, Sannan runs an investigation and reports that the Yamato Shop that was burnt down the day before had earned the ire of imperial nationalists due to making large profits by trading with foreigners. Despite some truth in Serizawa's words, the captains eventually come to the conclusion that Serizawa's actions go against the group's wishes and goals.
As Koudou's clinic burns down but his body is not found, it is assumed that he has escaped, and Sannan makes it a priority to figure out whether or not people have learnt the secret of Ochimizu, as there is a guess that imperial nationalists might have attacked Koudou for his connection with the Shinsengumi. When Hijikata asks Kondou how to deal with Serizawa per Aizu's order, Sannan proposes his removal from the commander's position.
Kondou eventually green-lights the operation to assassinate Serizawa, and Hijikata and others invite Serizawa to Shimabara. After a few hours of relaxation, Serizawa decides to leave, and Hijikata, Sannan and Okita follow him. Assuming that Serizawa is asleep, they enter Serizawa's room and see him holding a sword covered in blood (after he killed Oume) and waiting for their arrival. As Serizawa drinks the serum, he becomes stronger than the others, so he easily defeats them. Sannan attempts to attack him but his sword gets broken by Serizawa's hand fan. However, this distraction is enough for Okita to immobilize Serizawa and for Hijikata to take him down.
After everything is dealt with, Sannan kindly says that Hijikata is yet to become a true demon in his heart. Sannan himself decides to take over Niimi's research on Rasetsu, and Kondou asks him to help the men who were turned into monsters earlier.
===Movies===
Sannan's involvement in the story in movies is largely the same as in the anime series, however, his personality is less mysterious and there are a few adjustments. 
At the beginning of the story, by the time Chizuru gets to the Shinsengumi, Sannan has already been wounded in the movie while in the anime it happened a few days later. Shortly after Itou insults Sannan, Chizuru offers him help, and he takes her to see Rasetsu in cages with her own eyes while he feeds them. It it shown that Sannan's arm is healed after he drinks Ochimizu and he suffocates Chizuru with it. He also claims that he can never forgive her father for bringing this medicine to the Shinsengumi. As he tries to kill her instead of asking for his own death, she uses her demon powers to throw him away. As Itou decides to part ways with the Shinsengumi, Sannan's existence plays no part in it as Itou never discovers that Sannan is alive. At the end of the first movie, Sannan gives the last 4 Ochimizu bottles to other captains just in case. Saitou, Sano, Inoue and Hijikata take them.
During the scene that first reveals shortening Rasetsu's lifespan, Sannan witnesses for himself what happens and then asks Amagiri for clarification. 
Sannan is seen with Koudou in the second movie, the same way as he was in the anime series, however, the action takes place in a castle, and now Sannan is also acquainted with Kaoru who openly participates in Koudou's plans. After Chizuru is kidnapped, there is a conversation between Sannan and Koudou about the differences between demons and Rasetsu. Kaoru calls Sannan a traitor and claims that the Shinsengumi have no future but Koudou defends Sannan calling him a wise man. Chizuru and Heisuke run into the room, and Heisuke starts a fight but Sannan convinces Koudou to let him handle it. However, instead of killing Heisuke Sannan kills all the Rasetsu in the room, revealing his true loyalty to his friends, and Koudou shoots him dead. Eventually, his death in the movie is only witnessed by Chizuru and Heisuke.
===Sweet School Life===
In the short OVA Sannan is a doctor at Hakuou Academy. His only solution to all problems is a secret remedy that heals any wounds or illnesses, which is exactly what he offers Shinpachi as he comes for help after getting punched by Hijikata. Yamazaki, who assists Sannan in medbay, knows about the possible effects of the serum and tries to stop Shinpachi but fails. The red liquid in a vial works the same way as in the main story: Shinpachi's injury is healed and his hair goes white.
==Trivia==
*Sannan is never seen without his glasses.
*In Heisuke's route in the game, Sannan turns completely evil in his lust for power via the Ochimizu, In the anime, he only pretended to be evil in order to deceive the enemy.
*When Sannan takes the Ochimizu, that is technically when he would have "died" in real life.
*Since both "Yamanami" and "Sannan" are spelled the same way, there is no "wrong" way to say Keisuke's family name. In Hakuouki, they simply refer to him as the latter.
*Sannan has a theme track in the anime, however it is mostly used for the Oni.
Category:Characters
Category:Shinsengumi
Category:Rasetsu
Category:Support