Saitou Shimaru

Overview

Saitou Shimaru is a character in the manga series Gintama and its adaptations. He serves as the Captain of the 3rd Unit within the Shinsengumi, the Bakufu's special police force. Unlike other units responsible for patrolling and arresting rogue samurai, his squad operates in absolute secrecy to conduct internal investigations and purge traitors. Recognized by his voluminous afro hairstyle and face mask, Shimaru is a master dual-wielding swordsman whose unit is feared as the Silent Squad.

Appearance

Shimaru is a man featuring a massive orange afro and red eyes, with the lower half of his face constantly hidden behind a black mask. He wears the standard Shinsengumi uniform, but unlike other high-ranking officers who wear their jackets open, he keeps his fully buttoned. Bound to his back with belts, he carries two kodachi swords. He is also physically capable of falling fast asleep while remaining completely upright.

Personality

Extremely taciturn and social-anxious, Shimaru experiences severe stomachaches whenever he attempts to speak aloud, leading him to rely entirely on written notes and daily journal entries to communicate. He habitually appends the letter Z to the end of his written sentences. Beneath his intimidating silence, he deeply desires comrades and maintains a personal notebook titled the Z-Book to track potential friends. He also possesses extreme narcoleptic traits, frequently drifting off into sleep while standing or listening to others, producing Z snoring sounds.

Abilities

Shimaru is a highly formidable dual-wielding swordsman who fights using two kodachi fastened to his back. He effectively handles two bamboo practice swords at once during training and can even hurl one of his blades as a projectile during combat. His sword stroke precision and combat prowess are roughly equal to those of Okita Sougo and Katsura Kotarou. Additionally, he exhibits exceptional stealth for conducting covert internal audits.

Background

Shimaru is one of the founding members of the Shinsengumi, having trained alongside Kondo Isao prior to the group's official establishment. Upon the formation of the police force, he was named Captain of the 3rd Unit. In an effort to gain companions, he recorded names in his Z-Book to recruit into his unit; however, those named misinterpreted the roster as an execution list and deserted, forcing Shimaru to execute them for breaching code, leaving him as the sole remaining member of the 3rd Unit. After uncovering a disguised Katsura Kotarou, he earned his rival's respect through battle, later fighting alongside his fellow officers throughout major conflicts such as the Farewell, Shinsengumi Arc and the Silver Soul Arc.

Relationships

Having known Kondo Isao, Hijikata Toushiro, and Okita Sougo since before the Shinsengumi's creation, Shimaru commands great respect from Okita, who affectionately addresses him as Shimaru-niisan. Though initially crossing blades with the insurgent Katsura Kotarou, the two reached a mutual understanding through swordsmanship. He shares a unique dynamic with Elizabeth, alternating between silent petty rivalries over communication tools and seamless teamwork in battle. He has also enlisted the aid of Sakata Gintoki and the Yorozuya to clear his name during internal investigations.

Trivia

The character is modeled after the historical Shinsengumi 3rd Unit Captain, Saitou Hajime. His given name Shimaru was chosen as an opposite concept to Hajime, which signifies beginning. His voluminous hairstyle combined with his silent internal affairs work earned him the nickname Afrowolf. In early tankoubon character charts, his name reading was mistakenly rendered as Shuu before being officially corrected by the author to Shimaru.