Tatsumi is a massive man who leads the ninja clan Kenshin encounters while searching for Tomoe. He's deeply committed to Tokugawa values, which drive much of his character.
In the OVA, he's portrayed as a surprisingly fit older man in ninja attire who gives Kensumi one of his toughest fights before being killed. Notably, he's the only member of his clan shown actually speaking—the rest remain silent throughout.
The manga version is considerably more brutal. Tatsumi towers over Kenshin to an even greater degree and wears something closer to a judo gi than traditional ninja clothing. His eyes lack pupils, giving him an unsettling appearance. He serves as the master of Inui Banjin, and his death becomes Banjin's motivation for joining Enishi's Jinchu campaign. This version doesn't pull punches either—Tatsumi explicitly threatens to kill Tomoe after defeating Kenshin.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
