Saizou

Saizou is professional and ruthless about completing the mission he has accepted. Unlike Zenzou Hattori, he does not develop a personal attachment to Okuni that outweighs the terms of the kidnapping contract.

When Zenzou turns against the other ninjas, Saizou immediately treats him as an enemy. Their confrontation reflects the dangerous world of mercenary shinobi, where abandoning an assignment can mean fighting former comrades.

Saizou is an experienced ninja capable of infiltrating a heavily guarded estate as part of a large kidnapping operation.

He is also a dangerous close-range fighter. His confrontation with Zenzou is serious enough that the apparent outcome initially suggests Zenzou has been killed.

Saizou's skills include the stealth, weapon use and combat discipline expected of a professional shinobi, although the story does not establish an extensive catalogue of named techniques.

Saizou first appears when Zenzou discusses a new job involving the kidnapping of Okuni, a girl whose clairvoyant abilities make her politically valuable.

A force of ninjas later infiltrates Okuni's estate. Zenzou unexpectedly turns against them and protects her, despite calculating that his chances of surviving such a betrayal are effectively zero.

Saizou confronts Zenzou directly. The fight is staged to make it appear that Saizou has killed him, but Zenzou survives because a shoujo manga he intended to give Okuni absorbs the attack, and Saizou is the one defeated.

Zenzou Hattori is Saizou's fellow ninja and eventual opponent after Zenzou abandons the kidnapping mission.

Okuni is the clairvoyant girl Saizou and the other hired ninjas are ordered to abduct.

Sakata Gintoki, Shimura Shinpachi and Kagura are hired to protect Okuni from the kidnappers.