Gintama anime is a good choice if you are looking for an anime with humour but balanced with serious plots.
This article will show you the main and minor characters in this anime series.
Ever wonder what life would be like if Earth were invaded by aliens?
Well, Gintama shows you what life is like for humans living with aliens known as Amanto.
Gintama is set in Edo, where the main characters reside.
Alien species have taken over Earth.
The government was overwhelmed by their power and surrendered its power to the Amanto without hesitation.
Gintama isn’t a series with a clear plot, but it has a lot of humour and intrigue that will make you laugh.
Learn more about Gintama and decide if it is an anime that interests you.
Yoshiwara Characters From Gintama
These characters are the main ones in the Yoshiwara Arch.
28. Tsukuyo
Tsukuyo, who is the leader of Hyakka, Yoshiwara’s guardian, is a skilled ninja who studied under Hyakka.
Tsukuyo, a young girl, was often punished for her arrogant attitude towards her superiors.
Hinowa was the only one who was kind to Tsukuyo, and Tsukuyo realized that Hinowa was a strong and positive woman, even during Yoshiwara’s worst times.
She chose Hinowa to be the one she would protect and not Yoshiwara.
Tsukuyo, also known as Hinowa, is known to be the moon of Yoshiwara.
27. Seita
Hinowa’s biological child is Seita. Hinowa left him with his grandfather, but Seita died.
Seita began pickpocketing to survive.
He had an inkling that Hinowa might be his biological mother.
He visits Yoshiwara every day and asks for help saving money to meet with Hinowa.
It’s hard to meet Hinowa because she’s Yoshiwara’s top prostitute.
Seita pickpockets and makes money so he can go see her.
Pickpocketing Gintoki’s wallet is how Seita meets Gintoki, which ironically leads Seita in a safer and better direction.
Seita works in Otose’s snack shop, earning his money there through hard work rather than being a thief.
Seita considers Gintoki and Otose to be his family outside Yoshiwara.
During the Yoshiwara Arc, he reunites with his mother.
26. Hinowa
Hinowa, Yoshiwara’s number one prostitute, is also the most beautiful Yoshiwara woman.
Because she offers hope to women trapped in Yoshiwara’s darkness, Hinowa is also known as the sun of Yoshiwara.
She perseveres no matter what Hinowa faces, including the loss of her son Seita to protect her, and no matter what other obstacles she encounters.
Housen kept her in Yoshiwara because he loved her strength and brightness, while other prostitutes looked dull and drab.
The Yato Clan
The Yato Clan, a warrior clan, is known as the Yato Clan.
The Yato were born fighters and were devoted to fighting.
The fights they take part in and the kills they get are what give them their high.
The Yato Clan is slowly dying due to their destructive nature. You’ll often see the Yato Tribe with umbrellas.
They are also sensitive to sunlight. Some Yato characters are featured in the anime series. They’re listed here.
25. Abuto
Kamui’s second-in-command, Abuto, is calmer and more composed than his captain.
Abuto is also reluctant to fight other Yato, as he isn’t happy with the Yato Clan’s decline.
He would rather preserve the Yato Clan than destroy it.
He is also laid back and views life as a challenge.
He believes life is about choices and decides to save Shinpachi (and Kagura) during the Yoshiwara Arc to test their “naivety” about life.
24. Housen
Housen is a Gintama series member in the Yoshiwara In Flames Arc.
He’s also known as the King Of Night during this arc.
Housen was previously known as the King of the Yato and was once part of the Harusame Pirates.
Housen is the head of Yoshiwara, an underworld district that no government official can control.
Prostitutes are housed in this district.
Housen is a true Yato.
Housen can charm and manipulate people to his side, but he is also unable to learn how to love well because of his destructive Yato mentality.
Housen is intimidating, controlling and fearsome because of this.
Housen was determined to make friends with the sun. Housen felt inferior to the Yatos because they are sensitive to sunlight.
He just wanted to lie under it without worrying.
23. Umibouzu
Umibouzu is Kamui’s father and Kagura’s grandfather. He’s well-known around the world as the best alien hunter. Umibouzu fought Housen, King of the Yato, for three straight days.
Umibouzu was a tireless worker who travelled the world to complete his work.
He often left home and left behind his children and wife.
His son challenged him one day with the challenge of killing him.
Kamui cut Kamui’s arm and Umibouzu allowed his Yato blood to take control. Umibouzu almost killed his son.
Kagura stopped him before Kamui could.
Umibouzu decided to get away from home and distance himself from Kagura, just in case.
Umibouzu was influenced by Kagura’s beliefs and lifestyle when he decided to save others from a devastating attack.
He loves and admires his daughter deeply, but regrets that he never left her home.
After seeing that Kagura can take care of herself and is strong enough to lead a normal life, he lets her live it as she chooses.
22. Kamui
Kamui, Kagura’s older sister and a strong warrior of the Yato Clan, is Kamui.
Kamui lived with his sister and parents when he was younger.
He was also a student of Housen (the leader of the Yato Clan).
Kamui, however, decided to revive a Yato tradition in which the son attempts to kill his father.
Umibouzu was his father, so he attacked him and tried to kill him.
Umibouzu was the only one who suffered severe injuries.
Kamui fled home after that incident to seek out other strong people who could fight for him and help him become more powerful.
Kamui, on the other hand, is the Kagura opposite; he allows his Yato blood to control him and his battles.
Kagura picks her battles with all her heart.
Kagura considers him a stupid brother and vows to fight him.
Kamui, who is considered a strong Yato, even goes against Housen, his former master, and former King of Yato.
Kamui can be seen smiling often during fights.
His smile is a way to make his enemies laugh and send them off to their deaths.
This is how he believes they go to the other side in peace.
Housen observed that Kamui looked like Umibouzu in battle and that Kamui’s eyes were similar to Umibouzu’s.
Kamui is currently a captain with the Harusame Pirates.
This group is the biggest crime group in Gintama.
20. The Kiheitai
Kiheitai is an extremist group that uses severe and extreme methods to endanger the world and the governments that run it.
They were unhappy with the state of the world and formed a group to combat it.
Kiheitai means “Army of Demon Soldiers”.
They are also the main antagonists of Gintama.
21. Yagyuu Kyuubei
Kyubei acts and dresses like a man, but she is actually a woman.
Although she was born as a woman, her family made her believe she was a woman so that she could be strong and lead the Yagyuu clan of prestigious swordsmen.
Otae’s childhood friend, Kyuubei, is also in love with Otae.
Otae doesn’t view Kyuubei that way.
She said she was forced to marry Kyubei during the Yagyuu Arc to compensate for Kyubei’s blindness, which Kyubei suffered when she tried to protect Otae.
Kyuubei is Otae’s closest friend after the Yagyuu Arc.
20. Shimura Tae
Shimura Tae (also known as Otae) is Shinpachi’s older sister.
To help her father’s dojo, she works as a hostess at a club. Her father left a lot of debt to his children.
The loan shark went after Shinpachi and Otae and even forced Otae into a scam club to get the money back.
Gintoki saved Otae’s family from that predicament and assisted Otae.
Otae appears to be a normal, sweet girl, but she can become violent and rageful easily.
Kondou will often stalk Otae and she’ll display her angry, violent side even if she smiles.
She acts more like a bouncer when she is working as a hostess and becomes violent with customers who are too sensitive to her or other hostesses.
She speaks in a vulgar and rough manner.
Otae is a skilled thrower, but she has no cooking skills.
Otae always makes her meals dark.
She has a passion for cooking eggs.
However, it always results in a crispy, flaky, burned matter.
19. Otose’s Workers: Catherine and Tama
Tama and Catherine are Otose’s two employees in the snack shop.
Catherine was a cat burglar who stole money from Edo and other valuables.
Catherine faked her identity, and she worked briefly for Otose before revealing her true identity.
Catherine was fed up with living like that and decided to change her life.
She was released from prison and was made an official employee of Otose’s shop.
Tama is a robot maid Gintoki discovered in a trash can.
She was once owned and created by a professor to make Tama a friend for his daughter.
Tama was eventually able to work at Otose’s shop due to a robot rebellion.
Kagura gave Tama her name.
18. Otose
Otose, who owns the snack shop located below Yorozuya’s office, is Gintoki’s landlord.
Otose constantly harasses Gintoki over unpaid rent and threatens him with throwing him out.
But Gintoki is also Otose’s landlord.
Gintoki was standing outside a cemetery while Otose was visiting her grave.
Gintoki asked Gintoki if she could bring her Manju (dumplings) to offer as an offering for her husband’s tomb.
Gintoki ate the Manju, and Otose promised Gintoki that he would protect her and that he would never forget how she saved her husband’s life.
Otose may not show it very often, but Gintoki is part of her Yorozuya family.
Otose is one of the four Devas in Edo and has a great influence on the city.
She assists her customers in their daily lives and talks to them. Otose is a gentle, kind-hearted, elderly lady with a strong side.
This shows in her actions when protecting those she loves, or in the funny parts of the anime.
17. Sakamoto Tatsuma
Sakamoto is often portrayed as a hopeless, stupid guy.
But he is actually a successful merchant who sells foreign goods to other beings and does business around the world.
Sakamoto is often seen smiling and acting unaware.
Sakamoto was once a samurai and fought in the Joui War alongside Gintoki, Katsura, and Takasugi.
He decided to travel to space after the war was over and changed his life.
Sakamoto visits Gintoki, or “Kintoki”, as Sakamoto prefers to call him, and Sakamoto even participated in a major arc of the series that included Elizabeth, Katsura, and the Yorozuya clan.
16. Hasegawa Taizou
Hasegawa, another gag character in Gintama, is Kagura.
After being fired as a government official, Hasegawa was given this unfortunate nickname.
Hasegawa met Gintoki and his crew and saw a new way of living.
He was no longer doing evil deeds for government officials.
He rebelled against the prince of another planet and ended up unemployed.
He’s now a MADAO (which means “totally hopeless, old man” in English translation).
That is the Japanese term for “MADAO”, which is also an acronym.
Hasegawa lost his government job and is now estranged from his wife.
He continues to live day-to-day, looking for work, but failing miserably in the end.
Sometimes he can be a bit masochistic, as when Otae punches him.
Although he’s a kind, sensible person, he’s also seen as a lonely, pitiful, and miserable man who gets into trouble.
Hasegawa also blames Gintoki and the Yorozuya Group for his current lifestyle.
15. Katsura Kotarou and Elizabeth
Elizabeth’s master-pet duo. Gintoki is Katsura’s friend.
He was a classmate back in the Joui War.
After the war, Katsura and Gintoki parted ways.
Katsura was elected leader of an anti-government faction.
Although he is wanted by the Shinsengumi, he is often pursued by them.
Katsura is a well-known escape artist.
Katsura’s most famous phrase is “Zuraja nai! Katsura da! “, which means “It’s NOT Zura, it’s Katsura!” Gintoki calls Katsura Zura, and that’s Katsura’s response to the nickname he was given.
Katsura is a fool because of his ignorance and decisions.
This is especially true when he couldn’t tell the difference between a fake Elizabeth and the real Elizabeth.
His idiocy is also more evident during times like these.
Katsura is a creative, deep-thinking person who loves to create stories on the spot.
This moved him and others to tears.
Katsura is a natural leader who can inspire anyone to fight for what is right, or at least what is right for him.
Katsura is a proud samurai and lives a simple life.
However, his disciplined lifestyle is not without question as he visits maid cafes and plays with the maids.
14. Okada Nizou
Okada Nizou, also known as Nizou The Butcher, is a blind swordsman/assassin.
He is confident in his swordsmanship and has aspirations of becoming a swordsman, which is the main plot point in the Benizakura Arc.
After being devoured by a demon sword, Nizou dies.
13. Takechi Henpeita
Takechi is the strategist for the Kiheitai group.
He’s often referred to by Kijima as a pervert and a lolicon.
Takechi claims to be a feminist who loves children and Kagura’s appearance.
Takechi doesn’t have any fighting skills.
12. Kijima Matako
Kijima Matako, a Kiheitai member, is skilled with guns.
She is a strong, independent girl who has the same temperament as Kagura.
Kijima has a crush on Takasugi.
She calls him Shinsuke, and she will risk her life to save him.
11. Kawakami Bansai
Kawakami Bansai acts as an assassin and is the second-in-command of the Kiheitai.
He is also a music producer and has produced music for Shinpachi’s favourite singer, Terakado Tsuu.
To hide his identity and keep officials from discovering his true identity, he uses Tsunpo as his pseudonym.
Bansai wears headphones all the time, so he doesn’t usually pay attention to people speaking to him.
Deaf Man is his nickname.
10. Takasugi Shinsuke
Takasugi Shinsuke, the leader of Kiheitai, is also one of the main antagonists of the series.
He was once a comrade and fought alongside Gintoki, Katsura and others during the Joui War.
He was also a student at Yoshida Shouyou.
Takasugi was a fan of his teacher, but he soon became reckless and destructive after a particular incident.
Together with his Kiheitai friends, Takasugi’s goal is to destroy the planet rather than save it.
This is exactly what Katsura Kortarou is doing.
They sparred hundreds of times as children and fought in wars together.
However, their lives took them in different directions after the war ended.
They are still rivals today.
Takasugi is a violent, angry man and a skilled swordsman.
Takasugi is a hateful, grudge-filled person who feels a need to destroy the world.
He wants to destroy the world his teacher left.
Takasugi even treasures the memories with his teacher.
This is demonstrated when Takasugi is seen hiding the book his teacher gave him in his clothes.
Takasugi can be seen as dangerous, but he is a calculated and cautious individual.
Although he doesn’t trust others, he can use tricks and other methods to get them to do his job.
He likes to watch others work, but he prefers to be in the background.
To ensure that he is victorious, he carefully chooses his strategies and allies.
9. Yamazaki Sagaru
Yamazaki Sagaru is a spy for the Shinsengumi and is often seen as a “background” character similar to Shinpachi.
Many of Yamazaki’s appearances are based on gags and comedy skits from Gintama.
Yamazaki’s quirks make him an entertaining “plain” character.
Yamazaki doesn’t like anpan (bread filled with sweet red beans), but he refuses any other food when he is on spy missions.
Hijikata holds a bowl full of ramen for Yamazaki during a mission.
Yamazaki assumes it’s for himself and is excited about the prospect.
But then, he discovers that Hijikata had ordered ramen instead.
A typical Gintama move!
Yamazaki’s other quirk is his love for badminton.
Yamazaki will practice badminton by himself or with his Shinsengumi base teammates.
Yamazaki is also featured as a tennis player in an episode, which is a reference to the manga Prince of Tennis.
Hijikata discovers Yamazaki playing badminton and chases him.
Yamazaki also makes other mistakes, like eating takoyaki meant for Kondou.
Hijikata chases Yamazaki around and teaches him a lesson.
Yamazaki is also a plain character.
He isn’t willing to admit it.
Yamazaki rebels against the Gintama popularity contest and forces the top Gintama characters to fight each other in an episode so that he can be number 1 along with Shinpachi.
8. Okita Sougo
Okita Sougo, another Shinsengumi member, is also a key player.
He is the First Division Captain and one of the most powerful swordsmen in this group.
Because of his ability to manipulate and torture people, he is well-known as a super-sadist.
His sadistic nature is more of amusement in the series.
He shows his sadistic side whenever he can. The series reveals that Sougo is a sadist due to his insecurity.
This was shown in an episode in which he shows his sadistic side while on a mission with Kondou and Matsudaira to disrupt Matsudaira’s daughter’s date.
Sougo transforms into Okita Mitsuba when he is with his sister.
He transforms into a loving, devoted brother.
Although his sister is sadistic, her sadistic side almost disappears when he’s around. It runs in the family, I guess!
Sougo can also be lazy and like to take naps or skip work. He’ll sometimes appear with Kagura in some episodes.
They have little fights and competitions. Kagura suspects Sougo also likes her.
7. Hijikata Toushirou
Hijikata, the Shinsengumi’s vice commander, is Hijikata.
Hijikata is also known as the “Demonic Vice Commandant” due to his fearsome attacks, demeanour, and reputation.
Although Hijikata seems serious, he is just like any other Gintama character.
You can see that Hijikata is a chain smoker, and he suffers greatly when it’s not possible to smoke.
Hijikata takes extreme measures to satisfy his cravings during the episode in which Edo has a smoking ban.
Hijikata is also known for his obsession with mayonnaise.
Hijikata will add at least one bottle to each meal. Perhaps obsession is better.
Hijikata will happily eat a bowl full of delicious ramen if you give it to him.
Hijikata forced the Shinsengumi to consume mayonnaise in one episode of Gintama. You are a mayo-freak!
6. Kondou Isao
Kondou Isao, the Shinsengumi commander, is often caught up in the comedy of Gintama.
He was given the nickname Gorilla.
In fact, he almost married a gorilla princess during the Yagyu Arc!
Kondou is kind-hearted and his men don’t think Kondou is too kind. Kondou’s men are extremely proud of him.
Kondou is known for his oddities.
He is a stalker who shows up unannounced when Shimura Tae (Shinpachi’s sister) is nearby.
How did this stalking behaviour begin?
Kondou was speaking to Otae one day at a hostess club where she worked.
He asked her if she would like a man with thick, butty hair just like him.
Otae replied that she would love him despite his thick butt.
That’s when Kondou believed she was a goddess, and they fell in love.
Otae’s stalking habits began and have made his life very interesting.
He stalks people in Gintama, usually under tables or near Otae.
Kondou, before becoming a policeman, was a member of a dojo that belonged to a man named Kanchou.
That’s where Kondou met Okita and Hijikata, who are two of the main Shinsengumi members.
5. Matsudaira Katakuriko
Shinsengumi’s top cop is Matsudaira.
Matsudaira is portrayed as a smart, smooth-talking official who leads a lavish lifestyle, including partying and attending a hostess club.
He is a simple, loving man who cares deeply for his wife and children.
Matsudaira, also known as the God of Destruction, uses large weapons to eliminate problems.
He used one such weapon to eradicate an alien infestation at an airport terminal.
Gintama’s mangaka Sorachi Hideaki based Matsudaira on Robert De Niro.
The Yorozuya Team Characters From Gintama
Yorozuya (or Odd Jobs) is Sakata Gintoki’s business. The Gintama anime is often centred around the Yorozuya group.
Sakata Gintoki and Shimura Shinpachi are part of the team, along with Kagura and Sadaharu (their super-sized pet dog). These are the four main characters in Gintama.
4. Sadaharu
Kagura meets a large, white dog in the Yorozuya office. It is love at first glance. She adopts him, and she names him Sadaharu. Kagura adopts Sadaharu as her beloved pet.
She is happy to have a pet who can stand up to her strength. Kagura used to have pets, but she accidentally killed them all because her strength was too much.
Sadaharu, also known as the Inugami or Dog God, was once owned and cared for by Ane and Mone, two priestesses.
The sisters abandoned Sadaharu at Yorozuya due to financial constraints. Sadaharu is a large, cute dog. However, he can transform into a demon-like creature, and grow even larger than his current size.
Sadaharu is a very violent creature. He tends to bite people’s heads. Sadaharu attacks Gintoki, Shinpachi and their heads when they first meet him. He leaves them both severely injured and bandaged.
Kagura is strong enough to handle Sadaharu and doesn’t get hurt while playing with him. Sadaharu eventually becomes less violent and joins Yorozuya.
3. Kagura
Kagura, an Amanto of the Yato Clan, is the strongest warrior clan in all of the universe. Kagura, a young girl, is blessed with extraordinary strength due to her Yato genes.
Kagura was left with her mother as her brother Kamui had left home, and Umibozou was away often to finish his work as an alien fighter.
Kagura lost her mother and, after that, she went to Earth to work for a gang member. In exchange for better food than what she was eating at home, Kagura began working for the gang.
Kagura was hired by the gang to protect them from dangerous people. Kagura pretends to be an adult, but her innocence and naivety make her appear more like a child.
Kagura begins to see the world differently after spending time with Gintoki. Kagura can trust Gintoki despite his limited knowledge.
2. Shimura Shinpachi
Shinpachi, also known as “glasses-wearing human” in Gintama, is a typical 16-year-old boy stereotype. Shinpachi is the main character in Gintama.
However, he is often referred to as a background character. His glasses are what make up the majority of his personality and character.
Shinpachi was the original person to join Yorozuya. He meets Gintoki during a dispute at Shinpachi’s restaurant.
Shinpachi was a novice at using a sword, and his bosses often yelled at him. After meeting Gintoki, Shinpachi decided to change his life and join Yorozuya.
Shinpachi has an older sister, Shimura Tae (also known as Otae), who is a hostess. Shinpachi’s sister, Shimura Tae, also known as Otae, is Shinpachi’s sister complex. He is extremely attached to his sister.
1. Sakata Gintoki
Gintoki is a silly character, with his wavy white hair & dead-fish eyes. It is interesting to notice his style, as he wears only half of his white Yukata and has a black shirt-and-pants outfit underneath. Gintoki’s wooden sword is another unique aspect of his character.
Gintoki, a samurai in a world almost entirely without samurai, continues to cherish his samurai ways while wielding a blade despite the ban on swords.
Gintoki is a mystery character from the beginning, especially since we don’t learn much about his past until later in the anime and manga. There are moments in the anime when Gintoki reveals his true self and his beliefs about life.
He gave this speech as an example: “What’s the use of fighting a futile battle?” Are you really willing to lose more friends because of something like this?
That’s not what I want to do. I will live according to my own rules as long as I am alive. I will live my life as beautifully as possible and I will protect the people I love.
Gintoki is a coward in the comedy stories of Gintama and uses a lot of excuses to escape from troublesome situations.
Gintoki is willing to risk his life for what he believes is important during episodes and arcs like the Yoshiwara Ark.
This concludes the Gintama cast overview!
If you are interested in learning more about this series, I recommend you watch it.
You will be amazed at how unique and funny anime is.
