Makoto Shishio

After the death of Yukishiro Tomoe, Himura Kenshin became a free wielding swordsman to protect members of the Ishin Shishi. Shishio Makoto became his successor as the shadow hitokiri (assassin) and was responsible for the assassination of Izuka, the man who had betrayed the shishi.

The future Meiji government was more secretive about Shishio than Kenshin; many members of the Chōshū and Satsuma clans (the members of the future Meiji government) would have very little information on him. Later, the new Meiji government believed it would be in their best interests to eliminate Shishio before he became too powerful since Shishio was a man who desired power. Thus during the Boshin War, Shishio was rendered unconscious by several gunshots, doused in oil and burned alive by the new government formed by the Ishin Shishi. He survived, sustaining severe damage to his entire body. Afterwards, he…