Shinsengumi

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

As Servants, all of the Shinsengumi's commanding officers have the Noble Phantasm Flag of Sincerity, allowing them to summon the other members temporarily. Those on poor terms with others may result in not all of the members responding.

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.

History

Kondo Isami had formed a group 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 Toshizou. Many of the Rōshigumi members became founding members of the Shinsengumi, such as Okita Souji. Later that year, several Shinsengumi including Okita and Yamanami Keisuke assassinated Commander Serizawa Kamo for his poor leadership. The attack was led by Hijikata. With Serizawa's death, power was consolidated under Kondo.

In 1865 Yamanami Keisuke, General Commander and one of the founding members, deserted the Shinsengumi for reasons still unknown to historians today. He was brought back by Okita and willingly faced the punishment for desertion, seppuku.

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. The Tokugawa forces, including the Shinsengumi, lost in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi^WP. Afterward Kondo Isami was captured by Japan's new government and executed, Okita Souji died of her illness while bedridden, Saitou Hajime stayed behind at Aizu^WP, and the Shinsengumi effectively came to an end. 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. Hijikata died from a gunshot while assaulting the new government army to save regimental soldiers, bringing a final end to the Shinsengumi.

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^?)
2. Leaving the Shinsengumi. (一、局ヲ脱スルコトヲ不許^?)
3. Raising money privately. (一、勝手ニ金策致不可^?)
4. Taking part in litigations. (一、勝手ニ訴訟取扱不可^?)
5. Engaging in private fights. (一、私ノ闘争ノ不許^?)

Members

• Serizawa Kamo - First Commander
• Kondou Isami - Second 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
• Ichimura Tetsunosuke
• Harada Sanosuke
• Hattori Takeo