Anime
Gallery
Game
Genzaburō Inoue (井上 源三郎 Inoue Genzaburou) is the Captain of the Shinsengumi's 6th Division. A native of Edo, he studied swordplay with Kondou, Hijikata, and Okita. He is sometimes referred to as "Gen-san" by the captains who are close with him.
Inoue is a kind middle-aged man that first appears to Chizuru Yukimura when she wakes up in the Shinsengumi headquarters.
He is based on the historical Inoue Genzaburō.
Story
First Season
Inoue is the team leader of the Shinsengumi sixth division who comes from the same village as Toshizou Hijikata and Isami Kondou where he maintains a great trust and close connection with them.
He often accompanies the main Shinsengumi members during their missions, and seems to be a competent fighter. He is the first one Chizuru meets when she wakes up tied up. He is also the one to deliver a lot of important news to the Shinsengumi members and cheer up Chizuru when she starts worrying too much. He is very loyal towards the Shinsengumi and believes in them with all his heart.
At the end of the first season he accompanies Chizuru to request reinforcements but upon realizing that the Bakufu have been betrayed, he does not lose his cool and runs away to the forest tagging Chizuru along. There he meets a few more former Bakufu loyalists who have switched sides and who kill him while he keeps asking Chizuru to run. His death causes Chizuru to actually draw her sword for the first time, crying at the injustice of seeing a kind-hearted person killed in a merciless way.
Third Season
Inoue is the one who looks after Ryuunosuke tending to his bruises and bringing him food. He is always present on squad gatherings in the common room but does not participate much in discussions. However, when Hijikata needs consolidation, Inoue is there to hear him out and assure him that he does not have to carry all the burden alone. At the end of the season, Inoue is involved in the plot to assassinate Serizawa and left in the headquarters along with Sano to keep watch. He sees Ryuunosuke just in time and catches him to prevent the boy from entering the battle scene.
Movies
Inoue's involvement is generally quite small, and in the movies his storyline is identical to the anime series, however, he looks slightly younger and less amiable, he is not the first to greet Chizuru and apologize for tying her up (as she wakes up in the common room with everyone already present) and his death scene is less dramatic. Even though Hijikata comes to save Chizuru and apologizes for not saving Inoue in time, there is no scene with burying Inoue's body.
Etymology
- The name Genzaburou means "source, origin" (源) (gen), "three" (三) (sabu/zabu) and "son" (郎) (rou).
- Genzaburou's surname Inoue means "well, mine shaft, pit" (井) (i) and "above, top, upper" (上) (ue).