Peacemaker Kurogane

Peacemaker Kurogane (Japanese:PEACE MAKER鐵) is a historical fiction manga and anime series created by manga-ka Nanae Chrono (黒乃奈々絵 Kurono Nanae). It takes place in 19th century Japan before the Meiji Restoration, while the seeds of the revolution are being planted. The story focuses on a boy, Ichimura Tetsunosuke, who joins the Shinsengumi as Hijikata Toshizou's page seeking to become strong enough to avenge the deaths of his parents. The series was animated by GONZO Digimation and ran 24 episodes which aired on TV Asahi in late 2003 and early 2004. The US license for the anime is held by ADV Films.

The original manga series, Shinsengumi Imon Peacemaker (新撰組異聞ピースメーカー Peace Maker), was published by Enix and has not been licensed for the North American market. The follow-up series, Peacemaker Kurogane, was published by another company, Mag Garden, who has licensed that series to ADV Manga in the United States and TOKYOPOP in Germany.

Character Description

Tetsunosuke Ichimura: The main character of PeaceMaker, with his fiery red hair. He wishes to join the Shinsengumi with his older brother Tatsunosuke. The main reason he wants to join is to find the man who killed his parents. He knows for sure that the man is part of the Choshu. Tetsu is easily angered by being called a shrimp or shorty, but is a persistent spirit. He has been more-or-less been adopted as a mascot/little brother figure by the Shinsengumi.

Tatsunosuke Ichimura: Tetsu's older brother. After the death of his parents, Tatsunosuke had to take care of himself and his brother. He worries often about Tetsu and often gets sick when he worries about things too much. He is a Shinsengumi book keeper. He has tried to forget what happened to his parents but convincing his younger brother to do the same is a little more difficult.

Souji Okita and Saizo: The first unit captain of the Shinsengumi, Souji Okita, with his pig, Saizo. Souji is often very happy and is one of the only people who takes Tetsu seriously. Whereas Saizo and Tetsu are on bad terms, but whenever those two fight, Saizo always wins. Souji will often spar with Tetsu and sees himself as well as someone else inside of Tetsu. When in full battle mode, Souji is powerful and frightening, all the more so because of his icy calmness.

Sanosuke Harada: The best spear fighter in the Shinsengumi and the tenth unit captain of the Shisengumi, Sanosuke Harada, 25. Sanosuke is a very comical character especially when around Shinpachi and Todo. Sanosuke also has a scar from attempted seppuku. Most of the time he only has one thing on his mind, food, and when it comes to food he just absolutely love's Ayumu's cooking.

Shinpachi Nagakura: The second unit captain of the Shinsengumi, Shinpachi Nagakura. He may be short, but he packs quite a punch. He's quick on his feet with his sword, but also is quite the joker, especially in combination with Sanosuke and Todo. Though he picks on Tetsu, and jokes around a lot, he has a very laid back personality.

Heisuke Todo: The eighth unit captain of the Shinsengumi, Heisuke Todo. Heisuke has a slight infatuation with small, cute things, so when he sees Tetsu he thinks he's absolutely adorable. He always calls him "Puppy Boy" to Tetsu's dismay. Together with Shinpachi and Sanosuke he rules the comedy floor. He, like Sanosuke, absolutely loves Ayumu's cooking, and will do anything to get some.

Hajime Saito: The third unit captain of the Shinsengumi, Hajime Saito. In Peacemaker Kurogane, he is a soft-spoken, perpetually sleepy-faced man with an unnerving manner and an ability to sense the supernatural.

Keisuke Yamanami: One of the Shinsengumi's two vice-commanders. Yamanami (often called Sannan by Kondo and Hijikata) is a good-natured and thoughtful figure, providing a counterpoint to Hijikata's blunt and Machiavellian tendencies. He is beloved of his fellow Shinsengumi, and, like Hijikata, is firmly opposed to putting a hand in Tetsu's hands. He has a mistress, Akesato, whom he visits frequently.

Toshizo Hijikata: The Shinsengumi's second vice-commander, Hijikata largely runs the show. A taciturn, often cold and calculating character, he hides his compassion behind a dour mask. He counts Yamanami and Okita among his closest friends (it is often implied that his and Okita's friendship is more than platonic), and is a stern master to his page Tetsu. (Okita speculates that he keeps a sword out of Tetsu's hands to keep him from becoming like Okita.)

Isami Kondo: The commander of the Shinsengumi. In Peacemaker Kurogane, Kondo is presented as a grandfatherly, slightly-clueless figure who is still fully aware of his and his organization's goals.

Ayumu Yamazaki: The "den mother" of the Shinsengumi, Ayumu (most often known as "Ayu-nee", or "big sister Ayu") is the cook and housekeeper at the Shinsengumi compound. A mildly-attractive, motherly woman, Ayumu is fully cognizant of what the people around her do for a living, and acts as a sort of big-sister figure to Tetsu. She is Susumu's older sister.

Susumu Yamizaki: Ayumu's younger brother, Susumu is one of the Shinsengumi's spies, reporting directly to Hijikata. A skilled ninja and information-gatherer, his nature emulates that of his direct superior's. He often cross-dresses to gather information.

Japanese Seiyuu

• Ichimura Tetsunosuke voiced by Yumiko Kobayashi
• Ichimura Tatsunosuke voiced by Yuji Ueda
• Okita Souji voiced by Mitsuki Saiga
• Hijikata Toshizou voiced by Jouji Nakata
• Yamanami Keisuke voiced by Norihiro Inoue
• Kondo Isami voiced by Takaya Hashi
• Yamazaki Susumu voiced by Takahiro Sakurai
• Yamazaki Ayumu voiced by Yuko Nagashima
• Saito Hajime voiced by Takashi Matsuyama
• Nagakura Shinpachi voiced by Kappei Yamaguchi
• Harada Sanosuke voiced by Kenji Nomura

• Yoshida Toshimaru voiced by Jun'ichi Suwabe
• Kitamura Suzu voiced by Yuka Imai
• Saizou the Pig and Saya voiced by Mikako Takahashi, (though neither character can actually speak)ja:PEACE MAKER鐵

English Voice Actors

• Ichimura Tetsunosuke voiced by Luci Christian
• Ichimura Tatsunosuke voiced by Vic Mignogna
• Okita Souji voiced by Braden Hunt
• Hijikata Toshizou voiced by Mike McRae
• Yamanami Keisuke voiced by Chris Ayres
• Kondo Isami voiced by John Swasey
• Yamazaki Susumu voiced by Chris Patton
• Yamazaki Ayumu voiced by Christine Auten
• Saito Hajime voiced by Rob Mungle
• Nagakura Shinpachi voiced by Greg Ayres
• Harada Sanosuke voiced by Jason Douglas
• Yoshida Toshimaru voiced by John Gremillion
• Kitamura Suzu voiced by Kevin Corn
• Saizou the Pig and Saya voiced by Monica Rial, (though neither character can actually speak)

The English version of the series is was produced by ADV Films.