The ties that Gintoki has to his former life as Shiroyasha live on mainly through his connections with his three former Joui War veteran comrades: Takasugi Shinsuke, Katsura Kotarou, and Sakamoto Tatsuma. The four of them together were members of the old Jouishishi, a faction of samurai rebels who were fighting to expel the foreign Amanto aliens. Though the war began about 20 years prior to Gintama, the Joui 4 were mostly involved in the later part of the resistance. Gintoki, Takasugi and Katsura have all known each other since their youth--as young boys they trained under the tutelage of Yoshida...
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