Kotarō Katsura endured childhood tragedy, orphaned by illness and displaced alongside his grandmother. Homeless, she taught him survival and caution were vital for leadership, as a dead warrior protects nothing. This forged his resolve to become "a samurai both more cowardly and stronger than anyone else." Following her death, his intellect secured a military academy scholarship, where he befriended Takasugi Shinsuke. Both later discovered Yoshida Shouyou's school for disadvantaged youth, joining Sakata Gintoki. Disillusioned by elitist peers, they embraced Shouyou's teachings until the Kansei Purge saw him arrested. The trio fought the Joui War to rescue him, ending tragically when Gintoki executed Shouyou before them. This event shattered the group, sending Katsura into a decade of underground resistance. Leading a moderate Joui faction as a fugitive, Katsura earned the moniker "Runaway Kotarou" for strategic retreats and "The Noble Youth of Madness" for combat skill. Initial tactics involved bombings targeting Amanto embassies and Bakufu properties, causing primarily structural damage and suggesting restraint. His methods evolved from violent insurgency towards subtler resistance. Influenced by Gintoki, the widow Ikumatsu, and attachment to Edo's people, he shifted to intelligence gathering, political infiltration, and mobilizing public sentiment. He built covert networks through seemingly innocent meetings, embedding agents to subvert the system from within, reflecting his goal to reform Japan without unnecessary destruction. Katsura possesses long black hair, hazel eyes, and delicate, often described effeminate features. He typically wears a pale blue haori over a blue kimono with a yellow sash, white socks, and slippers, favoring traditional refinement. As a wanted man, he frequently employs disguises like a pirate eyepatch or Space Captain persona, though their ineffectiveness is a recurring trait. He is perpetually accompanied by Elizabeth, a large, mute, duck-like creature treated as a trusted confidant. His personality blends eccentricity with strategic depth. Often perceived as lacking common sense, he displays idiosyncrasies: dramatizing mundane events, voicing inanimate objects, and maintaining unwavering politeness (frequently using "dono"). He harbors a fascination with housewives, especially widows or unfaithful spouses, rooted in youthful shyness around women. Despite comical tendencies—pedaling through safaris to admire paw pads or donning absurd costumes—he exhibits keen intellect in crises. His leadership inspires fierce loyalty, enabling rapid mobilization, like rallying prison inmates. Thrifty habits include favoring soba and "nmaibo," discouraging extravagance like strawberry parfaits. A master swordsman trained under Yoshida Shouyou, Katsura wields a katana with exceptional skill, emphasizing relentless offense. His physical capabilities include enhanced strength (kicking spears apart, headbutting durable foes), speed (matching elite Harusame warriors), agility (navigating rooftops, evading attacks), and endurance (withstanding brutal injuries). These, combined with tactical ingenuity in explosives and escape artistry, cement his combat reputation, earning Gintoki's acknowledgment as "impossible to kill." Key narrative arcs further defined him. In the Benizakura incident, he faked his death, inadvertently uniting rival Joui factions against his supposed killers. During the prison break, he orchestrated his capture and sentencing to forge an alliance between the Joui and Shinsengumi, sacrificing for unity. The Silver Soul arc highlighted his strategic role defending Earth against the Tendoshu invasion; his faction's bungled stealth operation—star-patterned camouflage in space—led to capture, yet his adaptability proved vital later. Post-conflict, he ascended to Prime Minister, humorously adopting "Donald Zurump" while correcting his catchphrase: "It’s not Zura, it’s Katsura." This quip, from Gintoki's childhood abbreviation, evolved into an identity symbol; he ultimately embraced "Zura" during a pivotal fight with Shoukaku to signify solidarity. In the final confrontations against Utsuro, he fought alongside Gintoki and Takasugi, reconciling their past to protect Edo's future.