Shinsengumi

The Shin-sen-gumi (新選組 or 新撰組^?, 'newly selected corps'^[1]) were a special police force of the late shogunate period. They have been extensively portrayed in popular culture such as TV and film. At its peak, the Shinsengumi had about 300 members. They were the first samurai group of the Tokugawa era to allow those from non-samurai classes like farmers and merchants to join. However, it is a misconception that most of the Shinsengumi members were from non-samurai classes.