Imai Nobume
Imai Nobume is a fictional character in Hideaki Sorachi's manga Gintama. Serving as the Vice-Captain of the Mimawarigumi elite police unit, she was formerly a deadly assassin known as Mukuro within the secretive Tenshouin Naraku organization. Emotionless and lethal in combat, she carries out ruthless killings without hesitation, yet she exhibits a comical side through her intense passion for donuts. Operating alongside Sasaki Isaburo, she often crosses paths with Okita Sougo, the Shinsengumi, and the Yorozuya.
Overview
Imai Nobume is a fictional character in Hideaki Sorachi's manga Gintama. Serving as the Vice-Captain of the Mimawarigumi elite police unit, she was formerly a deadly assassin known as Mukuro within the secretive Tenshouin Naraku organization. Emotionless and lethal in combat, she carries out ruthless killings without hesitation, yet she exhibits a comical side through her intense passion for donuts. Operating alongside Sasaki Isaburo, she often crosses paths with Okita Sougo, the Shinsengumi, and the Yorozuya.
Appearance
She is a woman with red eyes devoid of light reflections and long dark hair, which is rendered dark blue in the animated adaptation. Her signature look features the white uniform of the Mimawarigumi paired with hot pants and knee-high socks. She carries a distinctive, oversized scabbard housing both a long sword and a short sword. On the back of her neck lies a yatagarasu tattoo from her assassin past. Following major plot events, subtle highlights appear in her eyes, and she later transitions to traditional Japanese clothing.
Personality
Nobume maintains a calm, expressionless demeanor that hides a deeply sadistic streak, taking an almost lighthearted attitude toward lethal violence. She is known to propose dangerous twists to simple games, such as substituting ordinary tags with deadly sword strikes. Despite her cold exterior, she possesses an uncontrollable passion for donuts that frequently breaks her composure. She holds profound loyalty toward Sasaki Isaburo and often participates in absurd humor without breaking her deadpan style.
Abilities
Renowned for her deadly swordcraft, Nobume enters a ruthless trance during battle, attacking relentlessly until all targets are eliminated. She wields a dual-sword technique using a long and short blade, matching top-tier swordsmen like Okita Sougo in sheer destruction. In addition to her martial prowess, she possesses keen analytical mind, accurately uncovering hidden plots and identities even while captive. She also displays a remarkable talent for voice mimicry, perfectly imitating others.
Background
Raised from early childhood as Mukuro, one of the elite trio in the Tenshouin Naraku, she learned to read and write from Yoshida Shouyou while serving as his guard. Following a tragic incident involving Sasaki Isaburo's family, Sasaki took her in and bestowed upon her the name Nobume, originally intended for his unborn daughter. After serving as Vice-Captain of the Mimawarigumi through major political crises and losing Sasaki in battle, she entrusted his legacy to the Shinsengumi before acting independently. She eventually rises to become the Chief of the Police Bureau.
Relationships
Her relationship with Sasaki Isaburo transcends that of commander and subordinate, forming a bond akin to father and daughter. She shares a bloodthirsty rivalry with Okita Sougo, with whom she frequently clashes in combat. Alongside Kagura and Princess Soyo, she forms a mischievous trio known for tormenting others. She also shares historical ties with Yoshida Shouyou, Oboro, and Sakata Gintoki stemming from her origins in the Naraku organization.
Trivia
Her name is modeled after Imai Noburou, a historical historical figure of the Kyoto Mimawarigumi who was implicated in the attack on Sakamoto Ryouma. Early manga magazine serializations originally depicted her uniform with full pants before being revised to hot pants for the volume releases.
