Anji is a warrior and former monk who fights alongside Shishio to dismantle the Meiji government, which failed to prevent the anti-Buddhist purge that destroyed his temple and killed five orphaned children he cared for. These children came from families that opposed the Meiji restoration and were wiped out during the war. Despite being a "fallen" monk, Anji still upholds many Buddhist beliefs and aims to cleanse the world of evil, driven by the goal of salvation. He is willing to align with evil to achieve this purpose. His title, "The Bright King," is derived from Acala, one of the Five Wisdom Kings, who shatters delusion and protects the faith. Anji believes this to be his mission.
Anji is the third strongest and most merciful member of the Juppongatana. He has an agreement with Shishio that allows him to decide whether someone lives or dies. In combat, he does not use a blade directly but instead employs Futae no Kiwami (Double Layer Limit or "Mastery of Two Layers") to strike the blade into the ground for distance attacks or uses his fists in close combat.
When Anji meets Sagara Sanosuke in a forest, he teaches him his secret technique without realizing that Sanosuke is allied with Kenshin. Anji is ultimately defeated in a duel with Sanosuke, who enhances the power of the Double Layer Limit into a Triple Layer Limit (Sanjuu no Kiwami), striking with his knuckles, then his fist, and finally the tips of his fingers. After being hit with the Sanju no Kiwami, Anji is convinced by Sanosuke that the life he has been living is not what the deceased children would have wanted for him. As he falls defeated, Anji sees the spirits of the children he once cared for. Following Shishio's death, he chooses to serve 25 years in prison in Hokkaido.
