Imperial Japanese Army

Lore & Background

The Imperial Japanese Army in Golden Kamuy is defined by the Russo-Japanese War, which left its soldiers physically and psychologically scarred. The 7th Division, under Tsurumi, operates as a rogue unit in Hokkaido, seeking the Ainu gold to fund a coup. Tsurumi himself suffered severe brain damage from artillery fire, causing mood swings and violent outbursts. His men include Hajime Tsukishima, a sergeant who killed his abusive father and was manipulated into joining the division, and Otonoshin Koito, a second lieutenant from Satsuma who became fiercely loyal to Tsurumi after being rescued from Russian agents. The division also contains figures like Genjirō Tanigaki, a Matagi and private first class who joins Sugimoto's group to fulfill a promise, and Kōhei Nikaidō, a private first class obsessed with avenging his older brother. The army's internal conflicts mirror the larger struggle for the gold, with loyalty, betrayal, and trauma shaping every action.

Reader's Guide

The Imperial Japanese Army in Golden Kamuy is not a single entity but a collection of factions and individuals with conflicting goals. The 7th Division, led by Tsurumi, is the primary military force, but its members often act independently. Key figures include: - Tokushirō Tsurumi: A first lieutenant and intelligence officer, he seeks the gold to fund a coup. His brain damage causes erratic behavior, but his charisma and cunning make him a dangerous leader. - Hyakunosuke Ogata: A superior private and sniper, he deserts the army after killing his half-brother Yuusaku Hanazawa during the Battle of Hill 203. He later joins Hijikata's group and then Sugimoto's, but his loyalties remain ambiguous. - Genjirō Tanigaki: A private first class and Matagi, he joins Sugimoto's group to protect Asirpa, fulfilling a promise to her grandmother. - Hajime Tsukishima: A sergeant manipulated by Tsurumi after killing his father, he becomes a loyal Russian interpreter and bodyguard. - Otonoshin Koito: A second lieutenant from Satsuma, he is an excellent swordsman trained in Jigen-ryū and fiercely loyal to Tsurumi. The army's pursuit of the gold creates high-stakes conflicts, forcing alliances and betrayals that drive the narrative.

Did You Know?

• First Lieutenant Tokushirō Tsurumi's forehead is covered by a ceramic plate due to a head injury from artillery bombardment during the Russo-Japanese War, causing mood swings and sudden outbursts of violence.
• Tokishige Usami had two moles on his face turned into stick figure tattoos by Tsurumi using a fountain pen, and he had them made into permanent tattoos.

The Immortal Veteran's Quest

Saichi Sugimoto stands as the central figure representing the harsh reality faced by Imperial Japanese Army veterans following the Russo-Japanese War. Once a private first class in the elite 1st Division, he earned the terrifying moniker "Immortal Sugimoto" for his savage combat prowess and unyielding toughness during the brutal Battle of 203 Hill. Now demobilized, he finds himself stripped of purpose until he discovers that the gold hidden in Hokkaido is the only means to support Umeko, the blind widow of his fallen comrade Toraji. His journey transforms from a military campaign into a desperate humanitarian mission. Sugimoto's character embodies the physical and psychological scars of war, contrasting his lethal battlefield efficiency with a deep-seated desire for peace and redemption. He navigates the dangerous wilderness not as a soldier obeying orders, but as a man driven by loyalty to a promise made to a friend who no longer exists.

The Shadow of the Shinsengumi

Toshizō Hijikata represents a fictionalized continuation of the legendary Shinsengumi commander, presumed dead for decades before resurfacing as a political prisoner. Alongside his loyal subordinate Shinpachi Nagakura, who was secretly working as a swordsmanship instructor at Kabato Prison, Hijikata orchestrates a complex plan to seize Ainu gold. His ultimate ambition is not personal wealth but the secession of Hokkaido to establish a second Republic of Ezo, challenging the Meiji government's authority. This group expands beyond historical figures to include diverse allies like Tatsuuma Ushiyama, a judoka with no political agenda, and Kirawus, an Ainu hunter. Hijikata's faction serves as a mirror to Sugimoto's journey, highlighting how war veterans and outcasts alike are driven by deep-seated grievances against the state. Their pursuit of gold is fundamentally ideological, aiming to rewrite history through armed rebellion rather than simple survival.

The Fractured Seventh Division

The Hokkaido 7th Division operates as a rogue military unit led by First Lieutenant Tokushirō Tsurumi, whose psyche was shattered by artillery fire during the Russo-Japanese War. Suffering from severe brain damage and erratic mood swings, Tsurumi harbors a bitter grudge against the Japanese government for failing to secure proper remuneration for veterans. He seeks to use the gold to stage a coup d'état and create an independent Hokkaido. His unit includes Hyakunosuke Ogata, a skilled sniper and illegitimate son of the division's former commander, who eventually deserts due to moral conflicts. Also within this fractured group is Hajime Tsukishima, a sergeant manipulated by Tsurumi after killing his abusive father, whose tragic backstory involving a lost love fuels his blind loyalty. The 7th Division illustrates the institutional decay and personal trauma festering within the military establishment, turning soldiers into dangerous agents of chaos.

Survival in the Hokkaido Wilderness

The narrative heavily features characters who exist on the fringes of society, united by the harsh environment of Hokkaido. Asirpa, a young Ainu hunter, joins forces with Sugimoto after saving him from a bear, seeking to avenge her father's murder by gold hunters. Her partnership highlights the cultural clash and eventual cooperation between Japanese veterans and indigenous people. Similarly, Genjirō Tanigaki, a private first class in the 7th Division, leaves his post to fulfill a promise to Asirpa's grandmother after recovering from an injury in an Ainu village. Even convicts like Yoshitake Shiraishi, a master escape artist based on a real figure, find themselves bound by necessity to these groups after surviving a freezing river. These alliances demonstrate that in the unforgiving north, survival often depends on bridging deep societal divides and forming unlikely bonds between soldiers, hunters, and outcasts.