Senkaku

Senkaku is cruel, boastful and proud of his record as a killer. He treats the inhabitants of Shingetsu as subjects to be terrorized rather than people he has any obligation to govern, and he uses violence as the foundation of his authority.

He is also confident in his physical abilities. His enormous size makes opponents expect a slow, strength-based fighter, so he takes particular pride in demonstrating that he is much faster than his appearance suggests.

That confidence becomes a weakness against a fighter capable of accurately assessing his limitations. Senkaku is willing to push his own body beyond safe limits rather than admit that an opponent has outclassed him.

Senkaku possesses exceptional strength and surprising speed for a man of his size. He can accelerate rapidly enough to make his massive physique an advantage rather than the obvious handicap it initially appears to be.

He fights using bladed knuckle weapons, combining his momentum and body weight with cutting attacks. Against ordinary opponents, this makes him extremely dangerous at close range.

His speed nevertheless places tremendous strain on his large body. Kenshin recognizes this weakness and exploits it rather than attempting to overpower Senkaku directly.

Senkaku administers Shingetsu Village on behalf of Shishio after the region effectively falls outside government control. His rule becomes so brutal that the village is largely cut off from outside intervention.

The arrival of Kenshin and Saitou brings them into contact with Eiji Mishima, whose family has suffered directly under Senkaku's rule. Senkaku boasts of having killed ninety-nine people before facing Kenshin.

Kenshin defeats Senkaku by forcing him to keep accelerating until the stress placed on his enormous body causes his leg to fail. Eiji then tries to kill the helpless Senkaku in revenge for his family, but Saitou stops him.

In the original manga, Senkaku is taken into police custody so he can be interrogated about Shishio. The 1996 anime changes his outcome: he escapes custody and is subsequently killed by Soujirou for failing Shishio.

Makoto Shishio is Senkaku's superior and the source of the authority he exercises over Shingetsu.

Eiji Mishima hates Senkaku because Senkaku's oppression leads directly to the deaths of Eiji's parents and older brother.

Kenshin Himura challenges Senkaku at Shingetsu and defeats him by exploiting the physical limitations created by his massive body.

Hajime Saitou participates in the investigation of Shingetsu and prevents Eiji from killing the defeated Senkaku.

Soujirou Seta accompanies Shishio at Shingetsu and, in the 1996 anime continuity, later kills Senkaku after his failure.