Why not run a Google search on the people?

I'm sure that, in each other's eyes, the other group was the "bad guy". I think watching "The Last Samurai" and "Mobile Shinsengumi" helped me out a bit too... because, though I'm no proffesional at the era's names, I do know that while the Shinsengumi were around there were changing tides in the politics.

Basically, Japan was becoming more Westernized thanks to an ambitious emporer.. and the Imperialist people wanted to help the emporer accomplish his ways.. while the traditionalist people (shinsengumi) wanted to keep Japan true to itself, without influence from other cultures.. and because it's all nice and political, the shinsengumi gained enemies, some who were Imperialists, some who just didn't like the tyrranical, diabolical methods of Hijikata, and well.. uhm.. yeah.

But, in the end, modernization won out.

And that's the end for JessiA's screwed up, anime based, history lesson. Stay tuned for her next lesson, Naruto physics!


But anyway... PMK may only be loosely related to real events... cuz im no pro at japanese history