The Jouishishi or The Anti-Foreigner Faction are a loose confederacy of swordsmen whose goals are to overthrow the government and/or the expulsion of the Amanto. They were both the recurring antagonists and protagonists in the Gintama setting.
Operations
The Joui rebels, born from the widespread resistance to Bakufu-Amanto rule following the Kansei Purge, operate as an underground movement. Their tactics include sabotage, information warfare, and targeted strikes against government and Amanto power centers.
While some factions differ in methods - ranging from moderate to extremist - most operate with the goal of overthrowing the Bakufu and freeing Japan from Amanto rule. Their support comes from a wide swath of sympathetic civilians, samurai, merchants, and even disillusioned insiders.
History
After the loss of the Joui War ten years prior to the series, the surviving rebels were driven underground after the sword ban. In the face of continued Bakufu repression, surveillance, and collaboration with Amanto powers, resistance cells reformed in secret across Japan. This included people sneaking into government systems to sabotage them, sharing revolutionary ideas through underground messages, and forming secret fighting groups to prepare for future resistance. In response, the Bakufu created the Shinsengumi as an elite police unit to suppress further rebellion, particularly in Edo, the heart of Bakufu power.
Members
It should be noted that the Jouishishi are a loose organization of swordsmen and as such may not always see eye to eye in their goals. Due to having no hierarchical structure, there are many groups within that try to destroy another to become stronger or for a purge. Not all human terrorist groups are Jouishishi.
Moderate Factions
Katsura Faction
This faction is the only recurring protagonist Joui group in 'Gintama'. They are led by one of the famous Old Jouishishi named Katsura Kotarou, sometime after Katsura left the Joui Wars. They were originally an "extremist" faction until its leader met another famous Old Joui, Sakata Gintoki, who like some of the other Joui veterans, had moved on from the war. Influenced by Gintoki, Katsura and his group then becomes more moderate, wishing to change the government in a more peaceful way and to protect Edo from further threats.
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Katsura Kotarou
桂 小太郎
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Elizabeth
エリザベス
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Dragon Leader
ドラゴン隊長
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Debugon
デブゴン
Extremist Factions
Kiheitai
This faction is the only recurring antagonistic Joui group in Gintama. Like Katsura's Faction, they were formed by another famous Old Joui named Takasugi Shinsuke. He reformed the group after the original Kiheitai was mostly wiped out during the Joui Wars. Their only goal is the destruction of Japan by any means due to the belief that the country has become corrupted thanks to both the Amanto's influence and the country's own inner failings.
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Takasugi Shinsuke
高杉 晋助
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Kawakami Bansai
河上 万斉
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Kijima Matako
来島 また子
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Takechi Henpeita
武市 变平太
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Okada Nizou
岡田 似蔵
Kaitendou
They were introduced wishing to assassinate an Amanto Official who was revealed to have ties to the Harusame. They were defeated by the Shinsengumi.
Mamush
The leader, Banzou, owned a toy factory that takes in former Joui. In reality, they were building bombs in the form of Justaways. The Shinsengumi and the Yorozuya Gin-Chan stop them and destroyed the factory. A remnant Mamushi decide to use the remaining bombs to destroy the Terminal, but they are accidentally thwarted by Gintoki and Hattori Zenzou.
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Banzou
蛮蔵
Tengudou
They held Terakado Tsuu and other women hostage, demanding the Shinsengumi release their comrades along with said forces' disbandment. Once again the Yorozuya and Shinsengumi put an end to their activity.
Soukaitou
The original leader was Tendou Koda until he was killed by the Shinsengumi in the Rokkaku Inn incident. They originally planned to set fires around Edo as a distraction so they can assassinate the Shogun. The first division led by Okita Sougo charged in Rokkaku Inn, there was 36 catastrophic death between the Soukai and Shinsengumi which only Tendou Soutatsu, Okita Sougo and Kamiyama survived. Soutatsu would become the next leader and plans to kill Sougo for revenge by using Rokkaku Kirie, whose father was one of the deaths.
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Tendou Soutatsu
天堂 蒼達
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Tendou Koda
天堂 紅達|
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Rokkaku Muneharu
六角 宗春
Akatsuki
Tanaka Kohei, also known as Kohei the Manslayer, is the leader of the Akatsuki faction. He was surrounded by 40 Bafuku Officials and was able to kill 7 before being captured.
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Tanaka Kohei
Blues Crew
They tried to take over Great Edo Hills building along with Matsudaira Kuriko and others as hostages. Matsudaira Katakuriko and Katsura (in disguise as Ezurako) worked together to take them down.
Chech It Out
They used to be a thug gang that dissed the Bafuku with their rap but after continued strife and expansion, they transformed into a group of radical rebels. The Shinsengumi and their rival force the Mimawarigumi, with the help of Gintoki, bring them into custody.
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Check it Out Gang Leader
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Sasaki Tetsunosuke
Hyadaruko
They disguised themselves as police to kidnap Tokugawa Soyo but failed due to the interference of the Yorozuya.
Others
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Narasaki Donbei
楢崎 鈍兵衛
Trivia
- They are based on the Shishi, a group of mainly anti-Bafuku activists during the late Tokugawa Shogunate period.
