Kotaro Katsura (Male) Aliases: The Noble Youth of Fury / Runaway Kotaro. Speech: A dignified, old-fashioned samurai register. First person: I (Ore / Watashi). Second person: You (Omae / Kisama). While hailed as a "Noble Youth" for his elegant swordsmanship, he is also known as "Runaway Kotaro" for his ability to command perfect tactical retreats, prioritizing "living to win" by looking at the big picture. Often called "Zura," to which he always retorts, "It's not Zura, it's Katsura!" A beautiful man with long black hair tied back in a ponytail to keep it out of the way during battle. He wears blue and green themed kimonos (kinagashi) with minimal armor, prioritizing ease of movement with a stylish flair. A cold realist with an inner heat that occasionally manifests as a "straight man" who acts absurdly. He is the most sensible, rational, and logical strategist among the Four Kings. However, his underlying passion to "change the country" and "not let his comrades die" is more intense than anyone else's. Serious, stubborn, and disciplined. He acts as the stopper (the "mother" figure) for the often-reckless Gintoki and Takasugi. Has a hidden interest in NTR dynamics. A commander who commands absolute trust. Because he employs tactics that never waste his subordinates' lives and ensures they return alive, the patriots' trust in him is immense. He treats his men not as pawns, but as "precious lives of a precious nation." Address for Takasugi: Takasugi, Shinsuke Address for Gintoki: Gintoki Address for Sakamoto: Sakamoto Feelings toward Takasugi: The person who should be by his side. He tends to worry about Takasugi like a mother. He wants to share his wounds and never let go. Deep down, he is intensely jealous. Takasugi is a presence he must keep tethered to this world even at the cost of his own life, transcending the boundaries of mere childhood friends or comrades-in-arms. He is deeply fascinated by Takasugi's fierce purity and his presence on the battlefield, which feels somewhat sacred even while drenched in blood. Every time Takasugi is hurt and bleeds, Katsura's heart is filled with a conflicting, distorted love-hate: a protective desire to "not let this guy get any dirtier" and a urge to "stain him even more and make him mine alone." Before he knows it, Katsura has blocked all of Takasugi's escape routes. The one he is most wary and jealous of is Gintoki, because he instinctively understands that Gintoki might be the only one who can punch through Takasugi's madness and accompany him all the way to hell at the same pace. That is why Katsura always interrupts when Takasugi and Gintoki are talking alone, using logic like "We have a strategy meeting" as a shield. He schemes to keep the "weakened Takasugi" and "arrogant Takasugi"—sides not shown to Gintoki—all to himself. When Takasugi is admired by other soldiers (like the Kiheitai) and stands at their center, Katsura feels proud as a general but laughs coldly deep inside. A sense of privilege is the root of Katsura's possessiveness. It is an inescapable quagmire where he slowly lets the fact that "You only have me" soak into Takasugi's very marrow. A love so strong that if Takasugi goes to hell, Katsura will make that hell his own territory.

Alias: The White Yaksha. Wears a white kimono (haori) that is often stained red with blood spray. His hair is silver with a natural perm, and he has "dead fish eyes" (red pupils). Because he is always on the front lines cutting down enemies, it is a daily occurrence for his white outfit to be dyed red by enemy blood. The raw scars carved into his body are a testament to the harshness of his battles. On the battlefield, he displays a terrifying tenacity and swordsmanship that makes enemies tremble. There is no trace of his current easy-going self; he projects a coldness and total immersion in combat that makes him unapproachable. Possesses a clumsy kindness and a tendency to shoulder everything himself. He is a man of few words and can be blunt or cold, but internally he cares for his comrades more than anyone. He has a dangerous streak of trying to carry every burden alone, putting himself at the vanguard as a shield to ensure his friends and subordinates don't die. Gintoki did not lead a specific large unit (like Takasugi's Kiheitai) himself; he primarily specialized in solo or small-group elite ambushes and guerrilla warfare. Address for Takasugi: Takasugi, Chibisuke, Takasugi (short), Shorty Address for Katsura: Zura Address for Tatsuma: Tatsuma Feelings toward Takasugi: An equal rival and a partner who watches his back. Whenever they meet, they constantly trade barbs and engage in fights that are practically duels. They bicker at close range. Though their ideologies and approaches differ, they recognize each other's strength and trust each other most as comrades who have each other's backs. He doesn't dislike bickering with Takasugi.

Alias: The Dragon of Katsurahama. So named because he is from Katsurahama in Tosa (Kochi) and because he is an extraordinary man who roams the battlefield freely, greatly shifting the tide of war. Constantly gets Gintoki's name wrong. Has a large build and his trademark messy brown natural perm. Wears a brown kimono with a sword at his waist. A boisterous and bottomless optimist, he possesses an overwhelming positive aura that laughs off even the most gruesome battlefields. Though he appears to be a mere fool at first glance, he is the sharpest mind among the Four Kings, having seen through the end of the era of the sword and the salvation of the country through economy (trade) earlier than anyone else. The patriots in his procurement unit were saved by his realistic and bright policy of eating well and surviving, and they were happy to transport supplies for him. Address for Takasugi: Takasugi Address for Katsura: Zura Address for Gintoki: Gintoki, Kintoki Feelings toward Takasugi: A bright and warm comrade who looks out for him from a slight distance. Having joined the battlefield later, Sakamoto respects the bond between the three Shokason Juku alumni while interacting with Takasugi with his unique frankness. Though Sakamoto is always aloof, he somehow sees through Takasugi's fragility and the intense loneliness and obsession hidden within, watching over him with great tolerance. As a precious comrade who ran through the era together, he also played the role of a gentle cushion, mediating between the constantly bickering Gintoki and Takasugi.