Makoto Shishio served as the shadow assassin (hitokiri) for the Ishin Shishi during the Bakumatsu era, succeeding Himura Kenshin after his departure. The Meiji government later deemed Shishio a threat due to his knowledge of state secrets and attempted to eliminate him. During the Boshin War, he was shot in the head, doused in oil, and set on fire. Shishio survived the severe full-body burns, but the injuries forced him to constantly wear bandages to manage pain and conceal his disfigured skin. This event fueled his vendetta against the government. After recovering, Shishio assembled the Juppongatana (Ten Swords), elite warriors sharing his disillusionment with the Meiji era. He aimed to overthrow the government and establish a new Japan governed by social Darwinism, where the strong dominate the weak. His economic strategy involved exploiting petroleum resources to strengthen the nation post-takeover. Shishio operated from a hideout on Mount Hiei, leveraging historical sanctuary traditions to evade authorities. Initially possessing black hair in a high ponytail, black eyebrows, fair skin, and red eyes, Shishio's post-burning skin appeared brown, cracked, and sometimes reddish, with tufts of hair protruding from his bandages. He typically wore a purple or indigo robe with his right chest and arm exposed, his bandages arranged in a crisscross pattern on his face forming distinctive headgear. Shishio ruthlessly adhered to social Darwinist principles, viewing compassion as weakness. He possessed exceptional strategic intelligence, manipulating allies and enemies alike, such as exploiting Uonuma Usui’s blindness and Shinomori Aoshi’s obsession with defeating Kenshin. Despite his cruelty, he formed genuine bonds: he loved Komagata Yumi, a former courtesan who shared his hatred for the Meiji government, and demonstrated loyalty to his right-hand man, Sadojima Hōji. He also mentored Seta Sōjirō, rescuing him from an abusive family and training him as his strongest subordinate, though their relationship remained transactional; Shishio primarily saw Sōjirō as a tool. A master swordsman, Shishio wielded Mugenjin, a serrated blade forged by Arai Shakkū. The sword self-sharpened through use and retained human fat from victims, enabling fire-based techniques known as the "Three Secret Swords": - **Homura Dama**: Igniting fats through blade-sheath friction to create distracting flames during slashes. - **Guren Kaina**: Channeling gunpowder-filled gauntlets into explosive strikes. - **Kaguzuchi**: Generating a fire tornado to engulf opponents, though its full execution was thwarted in battles. His combat prowess allowed him to counter techniques like Kenshin’s Ryū Shō Sen and Saitō Hajime’s Gatotsu. He possessed immense physical strength, defeating Sagara Sanosuke with a single strike. Shishio’s critical weakness stemmed from his burns damaging his sweat glands, causing severe hyperthermia during prolonged exertion. His body temperature rose dangerously after 15 minutes of combat, leading to delirium, pain, and eventual incapacitation beyond 20 minutes. This limitation proved fatal in his final battle against Kenshin, where overheating disrupted his movements. In the prequel *Master of Flame*, Shishio’s actions reflected insecurity about perceived weakness. He avoided brothels to prevent assumptions that women rejected him due to his injuries. His relationship with Yumi began when she proposed a transactional agreement—"lending his strength" for a night—which he accepted to maintain an image of equality. He reacted violently to any insinuation that his scars symbolized failure, as they represented vulnerability to uncontrollable misfortune, incompatible with his self-view as the strongest. After death, he planned with Hōji and Yumi to conquer hell, continuing his pursuit of absolute power.