Bansai Kawakami

About Kawakami, Bansai

Zodiac: Taurus Hair: Teal green Eyes: Light brown Bansai is best known as one of the Kiheitai's most dangerous swordsmen—a skilled assassin working under Takasugi to tear down what they see as a corrupt world. The extremist Joui faction he belongs to has world destruction as its stated goal, born from their bitterness over Japan's loss to the alien Amanto. You'd recognize him instantly: perpetual sunglasses and oversized headphones decorated with a yin-yang pattern are basically part of his face at this point. He rarely takes either off, even when people are trying to have a conversation with him. This habit earned him the nickname "Deaf Man," though it's unclear how much he actually absorbs from those interactions anyway. Beyond swordplay, Bansai is a genuinely talented musician and songwriter. Under the stage name Tsunpo, he works as a music producer and writes songs for Otsu. He carries a shamisen that he plays regularly, though it's worth noting the instrument does double duty—it can be used to restrain or strangle opponents, kind of like a garrote. His actual background is murky, but his motivations are clear: fighting alongside Takasugi against a world he considers irredeemably broken. Personality-wise, Bansai maintains an almost unnaturally calm exterior that masks something far darker underneath. He's got a cruel streak and actively gravitates toward conflict. He also has a habit of comparing people to musical genres—Gintoki is "drunken humming" to him, while Hijikata is basically a "children's anime theme song." He speaks in a notably formal, old-fashioned way, using "de gozaru" to end sentences and referring to himself as "sessha."

Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.