Genjirō Tanigaki, a large, muscular man standing 185 cm tall with dark brown eyes, short black hair, a thin beard, and thick eyebrows, originated from Ani village in Akita prefecture's Tohoku region. Trained as a Matagi hunter from childhood, he participated in hunts and befriended Kenkichi Aoyama. After Aoyama married Tanigaki's sister Fumi and subsequently killed her before fleeing, Tanigaki joined the Imperial Japanese Army driven by vengeance. His mother later died from grief, compounding his loss. While stationed at Port Arthur, Tanigaki encountered a wounded soldier who mentioned an Ani native in his platoon, leading Tanigaki to suspect Aoyama. During the Battle of 203 Hill, he witnessed Aoyama sacrifice himself to save comrades by tackling a grenade-wielding Russian soldier. Tanigaki dragged the mortally wounded Aoyama to safety and prepared to kill him, but hesitated when Aoyama expressed profound remorse for Fumi's death and called out her name. Hearing this confession, Tanigaki offered Aoyama a piece of kane mochi, reconciling with him before Aoyama died. This event left Tanigaki questioning his life's purpose and feeling unable to return home due to shame. Serving as a Private First Class in the 7th Division during the Battle of Mukden, Tanigaki witnessed internal conflicts. During a snowstorm, he confided his past and aimlessness to First Lieutenant Tokushirō Tsurumi, who offered him a role and requested kane mochi with walnuts. Tanigaki accepted. Assigned to track Sugimoto and Asirpa, Tanigaki followed Asirpa's trail during the Escape King Arc. He identified her tactic of doubling back on her tracks and located her in a tree. When a tattooed skin fell from the branches, Tanigaki aimed his rifle at Asirpa. Retar, a Hokkaido wolf, attacked him, breaking his leg. Asirpa intervened to save Retar from becoming a "Wen Kamuy" and left Tanigaki, believing his survival skills would suffice. Regaining consciousness, he applied a splint, his Matagi instincts now fixated on hunting the wolf. Recovering in an Ainu village, Tanigaki met legendary bear hunter Tetsuzō Nihei. They allied to hunt the white wolf, with Nihei sharing extensive bear knowledge. Tanigaki noted Nihei's single-shot Murata rifle contrasted with his own five-round Arisaka Type 30. After Nihei killed a bear, he examined its physiology to explain its potential as a man-eater. Both acknowledged their shared goal to hunt the last surviving wolf, a challenge Nihei relished for the battle of wits against an animal that outsmarted human eradication. Tanigaki later left the 7th Division and remained with the Ainu community. Feeling indebted to Huci (Asirpa's grandmother) and Osoma for nursing him, he prioritized repaying their kindness. This obligation evolved into a commitment to protect Asirpa, prompting him to join Sugimoto's group to ensure her safety. Through these experiences, he transitioned from a soldier seeking vengeance to a guardian finding belonging and purpose within the Ainu community. His attire shifted from a standard military uniform to incorporating Ainu garments like a matanpushi headband and an attush robe over his uniform. He gained approximately 15 kg and bore a small scar on his right cheek after a fight with Sugimoto.