The Anselmi were a species of humanoids distinguished by their blue skin. On the ocean planet Glee Anselm, which they regarded as their home, they coexisted with another sentient species. In the era preceding the Clone Wars, the Anselmi held a position of dominance on Glee Anselm, having established a sprawling empire above the ocean's surface. Dams were constructed to hold back the water and expand their territory. Ultimately, their empire met its demise, leading to a decline in the Anselmi population. Subsequently, they lost the ability to breathe underwater. Some Anselmi, especially those with extremist views, harbored resentment towards their aquatic counterparts, the Nautolans, whom they derisively called "gill heads." Faced with limited land resources on Glee Anselm, the Anselmi struggled for survival.
The blue-skinned Anselmi of Glee Anselm were a sentient species of humanoids. Their appearance bore resemblance to the Nautolans, with whom they shared their planet's evolutionary history. However, there were notable differences between the two species. The Anselmi possessed a stockier build compared to their cousins, had only four fingers on each hand and three toes on each foot, and lacked the Nautolans' distinctive head tentacles. Furthermore, the Anselmi had slender tails and two antenna-like protrusions extending from the top of their heads. Crucially, the Anselmi were unable to breathe underwater, whereas the Nautolans were amphibious.
The Anselmi's culture was characterized by greed and manipulation. During their period of significant population, they sought to control both the land and the ocean, aiming to dominate the Nautolans. They erected a substantial empire on a large island, situated outside the ocean, and constructed dams to encircle the area.
Considering that Glee Anselm was primarily an oceanic planet with limited landmasses, and given the Anselmi's inability to survive underwater by the time of the Clone Wars, they faced a disadvantage compared to the Nautolans. This disparity fueled resentment towards their aquatic relatives, leading some Anselmi to label Nautolans as "gill heads" or "water-breathers," expressing a desire to subjugate their cousin species.
The Anselmi were regarded as primitive and superstitious. The Nautolan Jedi Master Kit Fisto described them as "little more than savages." Their hunting methods involved rudimentary bows and arrows, along with bladed polearms and blowpipes that discharged paralyzing thorns. Ancestor worship was practiced, with the belief that the spirits of their predecessors would grant them victory over the "gill heads" in exchange for sacrifices.
The Anselmi originated on Glee Anselm, an oceanic planet situated within the Jalor system in the Mid Rim region of the galaxy.
According to their legends, a vast and vibrant continent once existed on the planet, only to be submerged thousands of years prior to the fall of the Galactic Republic. For millennia, the two species of Glee Anselm coexisted peacefully until the Anselmi developed a sense of superiority and greed, leading them to believe they were more important than the Nautolans. The Anselmi established an extensive empire on a large island above the ocean, constructing dams to reclaim land from the ocean floor for their use. However, the ocean spirit of Glee Anselm, angered by this imbalance of power, unleashed tidal waves and storms that destroyed the Anselmi empire. This resulted in the empire's collapse and a decline in the Anselmi population. By the end of the Republic, the Anselmi remained a numerical minority, maintaining a long-standing hostile attitude towards the Nautolans.
During the childhood of the Nautolan Nakano Lash, extremist Anselmi became increasingly bold in their attacks on Nautolans, prompting travel warnings among the aquatic species. When Nakano Lash's family ventured to an island, Lash encountered a spear-wielding Anselmi who expressed hatred for her species and demanded her departure. Nakano Lash's mother, pregnant with twins, confronted the Anselmi to protect her daughter, urging her to flee. Lash escaped as her mother and other parent engaged the extremist. Ultimately, Lash was the sole survivor of her family. A war erupted between the Nautolans and Anselmi during the tenure of Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum.
The Anselmi were brought back into Star Wars canon through Choose Your Destiny: An Obi-Wan & Anakin Adventure, a 2019 adventure book authored by Cavan Scott and illustrated by Elsa Charretier. However, their appearance is limited to one of the book's optional paths, leaving the full canonicity of their scenes uncertain. In the book, the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker journeyed to Glee Anselm in search of Grand Master Yoda, who had been abducted and taken there by mysterious battle droids. While investigating a densely forest-covered island, the Jedi fell into a pit trap set by a group of Anselmi hunters. The natives intended to sacrifice the Jedi to appease their ancestors, but Skywalker capitalized on their superstitious beliefs. By using the Force, the Padawan levitated out of the pit, causing the Anselmi to kneel in fear. Although the natives did not immediately obey the Padawan's order to flee, they eventually scattered after Skywalker caused nearby trees to shake.
The Anselmi's design draws inspiration from the original concept for Darsana, an Anselmi senator who was removed from Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.