Keisuke Yamanami serves as one of the Shinsengumi's two vice-commanders and is a skilled practitioner of Hokushin-itto-ryuu swordsmanship. Most members call him "Sannan"—an alternate reading of his name—and he's generally well-liked across the organization, though he frequently butts heads with Hijikata over leadership philosophy. Where Hijikata tends toward ruthlessness, Yamanami is more measured and compassionate.
He's known for constantly carrying an abacus, which he's said helps calm him down when anger threatens to take over. It's become something of a trademark habit.
Yamanami has a genuine fondness for kids, particularly Tetsunosuke, who clearly returns the affection and openly states he'd rather serve under Yamanami or Kondou than Hijikata. Both men share concerns about Tetsu handling weapons—a position likely rooted in Yamanami's trauma from his involvement in assassinating the previous commander, Serizawa Kamo. That event left its mark on him. He later confessed to Tetsunosuke's brother that ever since Serizawa's death, bloodshed had lost its meaning for him, and he'd grown reluctant to draw his own sword.
Off-duty, Yamanami maintains a relationship with Akesato, a courtesan at Shimabara, whom he visits regularly as a client. According to Todo Heisuke, she reserves herself exclusively for him.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
