(河上万斉 Kawakami Bansai), Seiyuu - Takumi Yamazaki

Bansai is described as an assassin and is one of the strongest swordsmen of the Kiheitai; he could also be considered 'right-hand man' to Takasugi. Bansai is always seen wearing a pair of sunglasses and large headphones decorated with a yin-yang pattern. Bansai carries a shamisen and is skilled at playing it; it also doubles as a tool for tying others up or as a weapon similar to a garrote, and he carries his hidden katana inside it. Although Bansai worked with Takasugi during the Benizakura incident, he is more well known as the Kiheitai representative during their manipulation of the Shinsengumi through advisor Itou.

On top of being famous as a skilled swordsman, Bansai is also a talented songwriter. He works as a music producer under the name "Tsunpo", and Otsu's newer songs are written by him. Bansai's background remains unknown; however, it is known that he fights alongside Takasugi in order to destroy the "rotten" world which resulted from the loss against the alien Amanto after the Joui conflict.

Overall, Bansai is shown to have an extremely calm demeanor, although he is capable of violence when necessary and appears to take an interest in potential challenges to his skill. He has a strong sense of duty, and as such accomplishes the orders given to him by Takasugi- however, he is shown to interpret and carry them out based on his own values. He admires strength and spirit in others, and it was on this basis that he spared Yamazaki's life when Itou left him to finish him off.

Bansai is very invested in his musical hobby: he frequently plays his shamisen, and refers to others by 'the sound of their soul'. He refers to Gintoki as 'drunken humming' and Hijikata, when under the curse of his sword and acting as an anime otaku, as a children's anime theme song. When Hijikata was about to fight Itou, Bansai referred to the change as rock 'n roll.

Source: Wikipedia