Kawakami, Bansai

河上万斉

He is characterized as an assassin and ranks among the strongest swordsmen of the Kiheitai, serving under Takasugi's leadership. He belongs to the Kiheitai, an extremist Joui faction dedicated to causing world destruction.
Bansai is consistently depicted wearing sunglasses and large headphones adorned with a yin-yang pattern. He keeps both his headphones and sunglasses on at all times, even when others are speaking to him. He carries a shamisen, an instrument he plays skillfully, which also functions as a tool for binding others or as a weapon akin to a garrote.
In addition to his reputation as a skilled swordsman, Bansai is a talented songwriter. He works as a music producer under the name "Tsunpo," and Otsu's newer songs are
It is unclear how much Bansai actually absorbs from conversations with others, given that he is always wearing headphones; this habit is also the reason he earned the nickname Deaf Man.
Bansai displays an extremely calm demeanor, which masks his vicious, almost cruel personality that actively seeks out conflict.
Bansai is deeply invested in his musical hobby, frequently playing his shamisen and often comparing other characters to musical genres. He refers to Gintoki as drunken humming and Hijikata as a children's anime theme song.
As a refined speaker, he uses the Japanese humble manner by ending sentences with "de gozaru" and referring to himself as "sessha," a notably antiquated style of speech.
Bansai's name is roughly based on that of a Bakumatsu-era hitokiri, Kawakami Gensai, while his stage name is derived from the musician Tsunku.