Anji

 

Yūkyūzan Anjiin the past was a buddhist monk who resided over a temple, here he looked after many war orphans. he became disenfranchised with the meji government  who did nothing to stop the anti- Buddhist purges which resulted in the destruction of his home and the deaths of the five orphaned children he cared for in his temple, who came from families who opposed the Meiji restoration and were wiped away during the war. 
 
Though he is a “fallen” monk he still maintains many of the Buddhist beliefs and now wishes to cleanse the world of those who are evil, driven by the goal of salvation, and is willing to side with evil to achieve this. Anji’s title, “The Bright King” comes from Acala, one of the Five Wisdom Kings, who shatters delusion and is a protector of the faith; Anji believes this to be his purpose.

Anji is ranked the 3rd strongest and most merciful of the Ten Swords/Juppongatana and has made an agreement with Shishio that he shall decide whether someone lives or dies. Despite being ranked as third most powerful, Usui seems to fear him to some extent, having declined from Anji’s challenge after the fallen monk protected Misao from him.

Upon meeting Sanosuke in a forest,  Anji asks Sanosuke about his opinion on the Meiji government, to which Sanosuke answers that he hates the Meiji government. Seeing a kindred spirit in him he teaches him his secret technique, without realizing Sanosuke is allied with Kenshin.
 
 In Shishio’s lair, Sanosuke battles Anji to a standstill, and then gains the advantage by upgrading the power of the Double Layer Limit into a Triple Layer Limit (Sanjū no Kiwami), striking with his knuckles, then his fist, then the tips of the fingers. But after hitting Anji with the Sanjū no Kiwami, Sanosuke convinces him that the life he has been living is not not the one that the deceased children want for him like he believed. Anji stops in mid attack and sees the spirits of children he used to take care of, sinking to his knees instead. After Shishio’s death, he helps save Hoji and convinces him to turn himself over to the authorities, he does the same and chooses to serve 25 years in prison in Hokkaidō as penance for his crimes
 

Skills and abilities

 

He does not use a blade directly in combat, instead utilizing Futae no Kiwami (Double Layer Limit or “Mastery of Two Layers”) to strike the blade into the ground to attack from a distance, or more usually directly with his fists.