Kotarou Katsura

Katsura is Gintoki’s former comrade during the Joi war. Even after the Amanto take-over of Japan, Katsura continues to resist the Amanto, and has amassed a band of followers. His weapon of choice is a metallic grenade. He is a wanted man due to his involvement in terrorist activities against the Bakufu, and is constantly on the run from the Shinsengumi. Although his initial methods were originally more violent in nature (for instance, sending a bomb to an Amanto embassy), Katsura has gradually grown to believe that there are people important to him in Edo, and decides that he no longer wants to destroy the country, but believes there should be a way to change it without causing sacrifices.

In the Japanese version, Gintoki often calls him “Zura.” In the first English volume, Gintoki calls him “Casserole,” or “Cough syrup.” Eventually, the English version changed to Gintoki calling Katsura “Zura.” In the Japanese version, Katsura indignantly replies “Not ‘Zura’! It’s Katsura!” (and will do so anytime he is called something other than his name). In the English version he replies “Not Casserole! It’s Katsura!” The Japanese version joke is a pun, since “Katsura” can mean wig in Japanese and “Zura” is slang for the same thing. The English version is also a wordplay since “Katsura” and “Casserole” sound somewhat similar in pronunciation. He has the uncanny ability to know when someone has called him something other than Katsura, even in their head. An example being in Episode 25 as a guest to Gintoki’s hotpot dinner.

His name is based on the historical Katsura Kogoro.