He recruited the young Kenshin Himura into the Kiheitai before allowing Chōshū leader Katsura Kogorō to make him the Hitokiri Battōsai. While portrayed as a brash and ruthless warrior, he is nonetheless wary of his unsavory actions and tried to dissuade Katsura from "corrupting" Kenshin's soul, to no avail.
Politically active members like Katsura Kogoro and Ito Hirobumi later took active leadership roles in the Meiji Government.