Katakuriko Matsudaira is the police director overseeing the Edo government's Shinsengumi, serving as the immediate superior of Commander Isao Kondou. He personally recruited Kondou and his core group after encountering them years before the series began. His background includes meeting his wife through an arranged marriage meeting, noting she was more beautiful in person than in photographs. They married and had a daughter, Matsudaira Kuriko, whom he later sent abroad for studies. Physically, Matsudaira is an older man with gray hair, often seen wearing sunglasses and a white scarf tucked into a modified Shinsengumi uniform. He stands 168 cm tall and weighs 64 kg. Known as the "God of Destruction," Matsudaira resolves conflicts with excessive force, frequently employing heavy weaponry like bazookas or tanks. He lives by the personal philosophy: "A man only needs to remember number 1 to live." This manifests when he counts down from three before acting but begins firing upon reaching "one," dismissing inquiries about two and three with his maxim. Despite his destructive tendencies, he possesses sharp observational skills, notably seeing through Katsura Kotarou's maid disguise. He harbors significant paranoia towards individuals wearing sunglasses, believing them assassins, despite wearing them himself. He frequents cabaret clubs as a VIP patron and maintains a close relationship with a hostess named Ane, who has blackmailed him. This behavior sometimes draws disapproval from subordinates. Matsudaira displays intense protectiveness over his daughter Kuriko, enlisting top Shinsengumi officers to sabotage her romantic relationships, targeting her initial boyfriend Shichibei and later Hijikata Toushirou (disguised as "Mayora 13"). He also exhibits indulgence towards Kuriko at home. He shares a significant bond with Tokugawa Shige Shige, the Shogun, affectionately calling him "Sho-chan." He frequently accompanies Shige Shige on outings, often to entertainment districts, positioning himself as a father figure. He delegates the Shogun's care to others, such as the Shinsengumi or Yorozuya, during activities like snowboarding or swimming. His friendship places Kondou Isao among the top five most important people in his life, and he actively arranges marriage meetings for him. Matsudaira appears across numerous story arcs. His introduction involves defending Kondou before the Tendoshu following an unauthorized Shinsengumi attack. Key appearances include orchestrating interference in Kuriko's relationship; ordering the destruction of a terminal during an alien attack despite potential casualties; participating in financial losses during a hostess club rivalry; encountering Katsura in disguise during the Yorozuya Barbers Arc, allowing his escape after a rescue; and delegating Shogun-sitting duties during the Vacation Arc. During the Farewell, Shinsengumi Arc, he and Kondou face execution for failing to protect the assassinated Shogun but are rescued by a coalition of the Shinsengumi, Joui rebels, and the Yorozuya. He participates in the conflicts of the Silver Soul Arc. Trivia notes indicate his character draws inspiration from the historical figure Matsudaira Katamori, a Bakumatsu-period military commissioner overseeing units including the Shinsengumi. Creator Hideaki Sorachi cited Robert De Niro as a model. His birthday is listed as September 4th in some sources and September 9th in others.