kondou isao

Age: 28
Birthday: September 4 (Virgo)
Hair: Dark brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 184 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Blood type: A
Kondou Isao is the Commander of the Shinsengumi. In his free time, he is known for stalking Shimura Tae, earning him the nickname Gorilla-stalker.
His superior is Matsudaira Katakuriko, a high-ranking government officer under direct control of the Bakufu. Despite the loyalty of the Shinsengumi to Kondou, he often relies on Vice-Commander Hijikata Toushirou to settle them down with harsh words or violence before giving speeches.
Kondou has a close friendship with Hijikata Toushirou and Okita Sougo. He once told Sougo that if one of them ever strayed, the other two would punch him back on track. Sougo also notes that Kondou's nice-guy attitude can be a weakness as he tends to overlook negative traits in others.
During the Mutiny arc, Itou Kamotarou described Kondou as honest, pure, and unsullied. Hijikata Toushirou referred to him as the soul of the Shinsengumi, with the rest being the sword that protects him. Hijikata also mentioned that everyone joined the Shinsengumi to be with Kondou and believed that as long as he was there, the Shinsengumi would endure.
Once, when Kondou asked Shimura Tae if she would still love her boyfriend if he had a hairy butt, she replied affirmatively, which made her the target of his stalking. As a result, Tae frequently beats him up or threatens him because she disapproves of his behavior.
In the Yagyuu arc, Kondou aimed to become Shimura Shinpachi's brother-in-law, even going so far as to say Shinpachi was the only one he could entrust the Shinsengumi to, much to Shinpachi's annoyance.
In his childhood, Kondou Isao was part of a dojo in Bushuu where he met Okita Sougo and Hijikata Toushirou. He recruited them into his dojo and later moved from Bushuu to Edo with all members, eventually forming what became the Shinsengumi.
Characters often call him "gorilla" due to his hirsute nature. Although this nickname angers him, he sometimes uses it himself.
Kondou is loosely based on the historical figure Kondou Isami, known for his role as commander of the Shinsengumi during the Bakumatsu period.