45 year-old Kihei and 37 year-old Gohei are the first antagonists introduced in the Rurouni Kenshin series. Initially they scheme to take over the Kamiya dojo.
After Kaoru‘s father died, Kihei collapsed in front of the dojo and Kaoru took him in; Kihei became a kind of a live-in apprentice and gained Kaoru’s trust.
Gohei, a former samurai who is over 6 feet tall, became a murderer and used the name “Hitokiri Battōsai” while Kihei did housework for Kaoru to gain her trust. They used the Kiheikan , a former dojo in a neighboring town that became a gathering spot for gamblers and rogues, as their base of operations.
When Kaoru begins to unravel the truth, Kihei moves to seize the dojo and reveal himself and his brother as accomplices. When Kaoru refuses their offer, they attempt to kill her but Kenshin saves her life by defeating Gohei and scaring Kihei into unconsciousness.
The brothers later hires street fighter Sanosuke to fight Kenshin and for a price but Kenshin defeats him. when Kihei tries to use his gun to attack Kenshin, he easily dodges the bullet, they attempt to attack Kaoru and Yahiko, but both are defeated by Sanosuke.
Later in the series, they are employed as bodyguards by Fudōsawa, a yakuza in Sanosuke’s hometown, and then by Tani, Fudōsawa’s uncle. Sanosuke defeats them on both occasions.