SHINMON Tatsugorou 新門辰五郎
(Affiliation: Tokugawa)
First appearance: Ep 6
A firefighter and acquaintance of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, but also a commoner. Existed in real life.
Voiced by BANDOU Naoki.
As explained in the anime, Shinmon Tatsugorou heads the "Wo" unit of the Edo Town Firefighters (町火消 machi hikeshi), which was, interestingly, divided into units according to the Iroha alphabet order. His daughter was a concubine of the last Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, which is how he is linked to the Tokugawa negotiator Katsu Kaishuu. I'm not sure if the real Shinmon knew the real Katsu.
When we first see him, Shinmon's helping Katsu polish up his plan to stop Edo being invaded by Saigou Takamori, because as one of the native firefighters from there he obviously doesn't want to see Edo go down in flames, as he mentions at the end of the episode. He seems to think Katsu's going to give up after Sekkakurou itself is burned down at the end of the episode, saying the problem'd be moving Edo's residents out and that he could possibly call in his contacts from the army and among other kyoukaku*... But Katsu says he's not going to let what happened to Sekkakurou, happen to Edo as well.
Later he returns when the old Shogunate troops move to the Kan'ei Temple in Ueno (ep 9 - and just as you'd expect from the real Shinmon); and again to help the troupe out in episodes 11-13.
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Shinmon himself (in the anime in real life) is a rather well-known and influential kyoukaku 侠客, which is a term I don't exactly get myself... But it's generally translated as "chivalrous man", I think. It seems to describe a well-known and well-connected commoner who might be involved in humanitarian activities and had like an organised neighbourhood group under him. The more unsavoury of these are said to be the precursor of the modern yakuza. Try reading this film review of a movie involving a kyoukaku which explains the term in some parts.
Extra details about the Real Shinmon (~1800 - 1875):
-His daughter was called 'Yoshi' (芳).
-He became a firefighter because he felt bad that his father died in a fire when he was young while he survived.
-He was specifically captain of the "Wo" unit of the 10th Asakusa division. Asakusa being a region of Edo (and its modern version, Tokyo as well).
-He also was quite involved in security:
--When, in 1864, Yoshinobu had to go to Kyoto in the capacity of... Governor-General Guard of the Imperial Court (禁裏御守衛総督), Shinmon was called along, and he and his henchmen helped guard Nijou Castle in Kyoto.
--He also followed Yoshinobu when he escaped from Osaka to Edo, and then to Ueno (where he helped guard Kan'ei Temple where Yoshinobu was staying), even to Mito and finally Shizuoka in Suruga Province which is where Yoshinobu retired.
--When the Meiji government took over proper he returned to Edo.
(Affiliation: Tokugawa)
First appearance: Ep 6
A firefighter and acquaintance of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, but also a commoner. Existed in real life.
Voiced by BANDOU Naoki.
As explained in the anime, Shinmon Tatsugorou heads the "Wo" unit of the Edo Town Firefighters (町火消 machi hikeshi), which was, interestingly, divided into units according to the Iroha alphabet order. His daughter was a concubine of the last Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, which is how he is linked to the Tokugawa negotiator Katsu Kaishuu. I'm not sure if the real Shinmon knew the real Katsu.
When we first see him, Shinmon's helping Katsu polish up his plan to stop Edo being invaded by Saigou Takamori, because as one of the native firefighters from there he obviously doesn't want to see Edo go down in flames, as he mentions at the end of the episode. He seems to think Katsu's going to give up after Sekkakurou itself is burned down at the end of the episode, saying the problem'd be moving Edo's residents out and that he could possibly call in his contacts from the army and among other kyoukaku*... But Katsu says he's not going to let what happened to Sekkakurou, happen to Edo as well.
Later he returns when the old Shogunate troops move to the Kan'ei Temple in Ueno (ep 9 - and just as you'd expect from the real Shinmon); and again to help the troupe out in episodes 11-13.
Return to Characters page
---
Shinmon himself (in the anime in real life) is a rather well-known and influential kyoukaku 侠客, which is a term I don't exactly get myself... But it's generally translated as "chivalrous man", I think. It seems to describe a well-known and well-connected commoner who might be involved in humanitarian activities and had like an organised neighbourhood group under him. The more unsavoury of these are said to be the precursor of the modern yakuza. Try reading this film review of a movie involving a kyoukaku which explains the term in some parts.
Extra details about the Real Shinmon (~1800 - 1875):
-His daughter was called 'Yoshi' (芳).
-He became a firefighter because he felt bad that his father died in a fire when he was young while he survived.
-He was specifically captain of the "Wo" unit of the 10th Asakusa division. Asakusa being a region of Edo (and its modern version, Tokyo as well).
-He also was quite involved in security:
--When, in 1864, Yoshinobu had to go to Kyoto in the capacity of... Governor-General Guard of the Imperial Court (禁裏御守衛総督), Shinmon was called along, and he and his henchmen helped guard Nijou Castle in Kyoto.
--He also followed Yoshinobu when he escaped from Osaka to Edo, and then to Ueno (where he helped guard Kan'ei Temple where Yoshinobu was staying), even to Mito and finally Shizuoka in Suruga Province which is where Yoshinobu retired.
--When the Meiji government took over proper he returned to Edo.
