Gintoki Sakata
Gintoki Sakata is the main character of the story. He has naturally permed hair, which he blames for his lacking love-life. He rides a motor scooter and wields a bokuto, which has "Lake Toya" inscribed onto it. His job, as is written on his business card, is a "free-lancer", meaning he'll take any job for nearly any price. He enjoys reading Shōnen Jump comics and he has a sweet tooth and will go into crazed combat if he does not have his sweets (he has glycosuria).
Shinpachi Shimura
Shinpachi works under Gintoki to learn the ways of the samurai. However it seems more like he is just trying to help Gintoki pay the rent than to learn. Shinpachi is the captain of the "Otsu Imperial Guard," a pop-singer's fan club.
Kagura
Kagura is an alien from the "Yato Clan," one of the strongest races in existence. Despite her alien heritage, she looks like a normal human and talks with a Chinese accent. She can stop Gintoki's motor scooter single-handedly and has an umbrella that is bullet-proof and can fire bullets from the tip. Her stomach knows no bounds and she apparently loves to eat sukonbu.
Katsura Kotaru
Katsura is a former comrade of Gintoki and is now the leader of the Joui. His nickname is "Zura", but hates that nickname and keeps correcting people that his name is Katsura. He is always hiding from the Shinsengumi and travels with an unknown space alien named "Elizabeth".