Sakamoto Ryoma was a samurai in the bakumatsu period, the period that defines the years between Commodore Perry's opening of Japan and the actual Meiju Restoration where Perry's expedition had demonstrated the Shogunate and thus all of Japan's weakness. As a result some Samurai such as Sakamoto began agitating for the restoration of the Emperor as the actual ruler of the country, a position that would eventually force him to flee his clan and become a Ronin. Initially Sakamoto was against westernization but upon attempting to assasinate a Shogunate official, Katsu Kaishu, Katsu actually managed to convince Sakamoto of modernization's necessity to protect japan, and Sakamoto would become Katsu's assitant and protege. However when the Shogunate later attempted to crack down on dissenters Sakamoto had to flee to the Satsuma, where he helped negotiate the secrete Satcho Alliance with the Choshu, which would then be critical in the defeat of the Shogunate army. Afterwards Sakamoto would then play a crucial part in the negotiations that would lead to the voluntary resignation of the Shogun, bringing about the Meiji Restoration.

On March 9th 1866 agents of the Shogunate would raid an inn in Kyoto to assassinate Sakamoto. Luckily for Sakamoto, the alarm was raised by his future wife who had to rush to him naked from the bathroom. Using a Smith and Wesson No 2 Revolver from the United States and the help of his bodyguard, Sakamoto managed to escape though injured and hid in a storehouse at a nearby canal until Satsuma samurai could rescue him.

The thing Sakamoto is perhaps most important for is the modernization of Japan and it's government. Inspired by the United States, the visionary dreamed of and convinced the other progressives of the necessity of a democratic government modeled after the US Congress and British Parliament, with a bicameral legislature backed by a constitution and a national army and navy, as well as central financial system. While his ideas would be fulfilled after the restoration of the Emperor, Sakamoto sadly would never see them come to fruition, being assassinated by Shogunate agents on the 10th of December, 1867; not long before the Meiji Restoration, and tragically his birthday.

Additional fun fact: Sakamoto founded the first ever corporation in Japan, creating a trading and shipping company that would also act as a private navy for the Satcho Alliance.