Shinsengumi

The Shinsengumi (, Lit. "New Select Brigade"), formerly known as the Miburoshigumi (, Lit. "Mibu Ronin Brigade"), are a special police force organized by the Tokugawa Bakufu in order to preserve their control over Kyoto during the political turmoil of the .
The Shinsengumi are led by its Chief, Kondo Isami, and his Deputy Chief, Hijikata Toshizo. A majority of the main characters in-game are a part of the group.
== Background ==
In 1866, the Shinsengumi was known as the Miburoshigumi, and they were a small group of ronin of little renown employed by the Tokugawa Shogunate to kill suspected rebels. The only members at the time were Chief Kondo, Deputy Chief Hijikata and eight swordsmen: Serizawa Kamo, Hirayama Goro, Hirama Jusuke, Yamanami Keisuke, Todo Heisuke, Inoue Genzaburo, Okita Soji and Nagakura Shinpachi. 
Early in the year, Serizawa was hired by an unknown party (secretly Takechi Hanpeita) to assassinate Yoshida Toyo of the Tosa Loyalist Party. Due to the massive amount of money offered, Serizawa accepted the job, in the hopes the funds would aid the Miboroshigumi's expansion. After successfully killing Yoshida, Serizawa returned to the group's base, only to find Inoue, Okita and Nagakura lying in wait for him. The three men were furious that Commander Kondo intended to promote Serizawa, whom they viewed as less deserving because of his past as a wandering criminal, so they decided to kill him. Despite having the numerical advantage against him, Serizawa proved to be a much tougher opponent than the trio of traitors expected. He managed to kill Inoue and Nagakura before Okita finally disarmed him, only for him to be struck from behind and killed by a newly awakened Hirayama and Hirama.
Moments after the fight was over, Kondo and Hijikata arrived. Serizawa pleaded for the commanders' forgiveness, offering to commit seppuku in atonement for having killed three of the group's own, but Kondo told him not to, since the three traitors were at fault. Nonetheless, Kondo feared the betrayal of three of the group's members would be devastating to the nascent Miburoshigumi's reputation. To prevent this Serizawa, Hirayama and Hirama took on the identities of Inoue, Okita and Nagakura, respectively, while claiming that Serizawa, Hirayama and Hirama were all killed for trying to defect from the group.
In the ensuing year, the Miburoshigumi would use the money secured by Serizawa (now Inoue) to expand their operations. They would gain a reputation for their ruthless methods to eliminate enemies of the Shogunate, which in turn procured more government funding, which allowed for further expansion. They would eventually also take on their more famous name, the "Shinsengumi". As the organization grew in power and size, Chief Kondo became more hands-off in running the organization, delegating day-to-day operations to Deputy Chief Hijikata.
== Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!/Like a Dragon: Ishin! ==
By mid-1867, Sakamoto Ryoma had traveled to Kyoto in pursuit of Yoshida Toyo's killer. Through the The Bathkeeper of Sai, Sakamoto learns that the fighting style used by the assassin was only practiced by the Shinsengumi's leadership and he resolves to join the organization as a means to identify the killer. Using the alias "Saito Hajime", he participates in a recruitment drive, where he heavily impresses Hijikata by holding his own in combat against both Hirama (now Nagakura) and Hirayama (now Okita). Since the Captain of the 3rd Unit, Yamanami, had recently attempted to desert the group, Hijikata allows Sakamoto to try-out for the position of new 3rd Division Captain by dueling Yamanami. Sakamoto defeats his opponent, thus earning him the position of 3rd Unit Captain.
The following day, Sakamoto is inaugurated as the Captain of the 3rd Division, much to the displeasure of Captains Tani Sanjuro, Harada Sanosuke and Matsubara Chuji, who disapprove of a newcomer being made part of the leadership. Military Advisor Ito Kashitaro also complains about Chief Kondo's absence, insisting a new commander should be appointed given that Kondo hasn't shown up to a meeting in months. As his first task as 3rd Division Captain, Sakamoto is tasked with killing a deserter called Akimoto Bunkichi. He is accompanied by 8th Division Captain Todo Heisuke in search of the man, who was spotted in a brothel in the pleasure district of Gion. When Sakamoto confronts the deserter by himself, he tries to persuade him to return to the Shinsengumi and, when he refuses, he instead tries to help him sneak out of the brothel undetected. However, Captain Todo sees him before can sneak out and kills him, telling Sakamoto that the Shinsengumi's policy on executing deserters is absolute.
The next night, word reaches the Shinsengumi headquarters that Okada Izo, a Tosa Loyalist Party assassins wanted by the Shogunate, was hiding out at a gambling hall in town. In response, Captain Inoue offers Sakamoto a chance to help him capture the killer, accompanied by Captains Tani Sanjuro and Suzuki Mikisaburo, who were after the sizeable reward the Shogunate had offered for Okada's head. The Shinsengumi ultimately manage to subdue Okada and deliver him to the Shogunate, but Tani and Suzuki are killed in the process.
== Notable Members ==
==== High-Command ====
* Kondo Isami - Chief
* Hijikata Toshizo - Deputy Chief
* Ito Kashitaro - Military Advisor
==== Unit Captains ====
* Okita Soji - Captain of the 1st Division
* Nagakura Shinpachi - Captain of the 2nd Division
* Saito Hajime - Captain of the 3rd Division
* Matsubara Chuji - Captain of the 4th Division
* Takeda Kanryusai - Captain of the 5th Division
* Inoue Genzaburo - Captain of the 6th Division
* Tani Sanjuro - Captain of the 7th Division
* Todo Heisuke - Captain of the 8th Division
* Suzuki Mikisaburo - Captain of the 9th Division
* Harada Sanosuke - Captain of the 10th Division
* Yamanami Keisuke - Captain of the 3rd Division (Formerly)
==== Other Members ====
* Yamazaki Susumu - Intelligence Officer
*3rd Division:
**Tamura Seizo - Squad Corporal 
**Akimoto Bunkichi - Trooper (Formerly)
**Tom - Trooper
**Aguri Juntaro - Trooper
== Trivia ==
* The Shinsengumi's nickname, the "Mibu Wolves" is a Japanese play on words originating from their previous name, the Miburoshigumi. In Japanese, the name Miburoshigumi was often shortened to Miburo () meaning "Mibu Ronin". Since the kanji meaning "ronin" is pronounced the same as meaning "wolf", people started calling them the Mibu Wolves, in reference to their violent ways.
Category:Organizations
Category:Shinsengumi
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! Organizations
Category:Tokugawa Bakufu