Samurai Sentai Shinkenger is the 33rd program in the Super Sentai series, airing from 2009 to 2010.
There are creatures that suddenly come out of crevices and attack humans, originating from the Sanzu River, called Gedoushu; the critters Shiba clan has been fighting against for 18 generations. When the general of the Gedoushu, Chimatsuri Dokoku, is seemingly near its revival in the present day, the 18th and current head of the clan, Shiba Takeru, has to, unwillingly at first, call for the other four persons from his retainer families as the Shinkengers. Together, they protect the world from Gedoushu with help of a special power called "Mojikara"
. The team is later joined by Umemori Genta, Takeru's childhood friend who had been secretly in self-training all this time.
As for the Super Sentai tradition of themes and motifs, Shinkenger picks up the Japanese Jidai Geki
genre, drops it into a modern setting, and showed just how awesome the concept can work, all the while keeping the theatricality intact. Also one to proudly take the stage is the Japanese culture: the Shinkengers live in the Shiba household, which is a feudal lord's mansion in present day, the monsters of the week are based on different Obake, and the Kanji used for just about anything, just for starters.
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Takeru Shiba / Shinken Red: The Hero. The 18th and current head of the Shiba clan. Looks stern, but actually pretty nice; he'll try to hide it though. Later revealed to be a Body Double for the true 18th head, Kaoru.
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Ryunosuke Ikenami / Shinken Blue: the Number 2.A former kabuki actor. VERY dramatic and a very skilled swordsman. The Yes Man to Takeru, and often played for comedy, despite being the second-in-command... sorta.
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Mako Shiraishi / Shinken Pink: A kindergarten teacher. Mature and levelheaded. Always count on her to comfort whoever's feeling down.
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Chiaki Tani / Shinken Green: The Smary Guy. The rebel to Takeru. Lax, and not a very good fighter, but a quick thinker who relies on unorthodox methods.
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Kotoha Hanaori / Shinken Yellow: The Load/Adorable Fighter dual pack; a shy, quiet and a bit clutzy country girl. Her loyalty to Takeru rivals Ryunosuke's.
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Genta Umemori / Shinken Gold: Childhood friend of Takeru. The all-around sushi-themed New Guy who developed his own Origami and... also happens to be a Sushi chef.
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Kaoru Shiba / Lady Shinken Red: The true 18th head of the Shiba Clan, who appears late in the series. A stoic Cute Bruiser of few words. Eventually steps down and makes Takeru 19th lord by adopting him. Her appearance makes her the first female Red Ranger in Super Sentai history.
The Main Villians are The Gedoushu who are malevolent spirits who arise as the result of sin-tainted souls that enter into the Sanzu River within the land of the dead, dependent on its waters for survival, therefore needing the negative emotions of humans to keep it from drying out. Cursed to be in a state between life and death, a Gedoushu member can only be free of its existence if they are able to let go of the upādāna that damned them in the first place.
The Gedoushu under Doukoku reside on the Rokumon Ship that sails along the Sanzu River. Others spend their time within the River itself until Doukoku or some other powerful being calls them. Using their ability to enter the living world through cracks and narrow gaps, the Gedoushu under Doukoku set up a plan to terrorize humans in anyway possible so that the river overflows to point of flooding into the mortal realm in order for them to invade in full fury. The Gedoushu can also become powerful during the time of Bon Festival
The Members are:
.Chimatsuri Dokoku: The Big Bad Boss. Lives on a Ghost Ship in the Sanzu river. Very irritable, and spends much of his time doing nothing but drinking sake.
.Usukawa Dayu: The Commander. Can be seen playing a Shamisen. Can be considered a Weid Minion also since she is the only regular female Gedoushu.
.Hone no Shitari: Mad Scientist and The Strategist. Looks suspisciously like Cthulhu. Rarely leaves the ship, and instead constantly makes plans to increase Sanzu River's water.
.Fuwa Juzo: An enigmatic Gedoushu swordsman whom the others consider a "stray". Loves fighting, and has a one-sided rivalry towards Takeru. a Complete Monster. He is a remorseless fighting machine to the point that even his fellow Gedoushu didn't trust him; he even only became a Gedoushu in the first place so that he could keep killing in spite of his sickness. Akumaro saw potential in him for his ability to walk the line between humanity and the Gedoushu and sought to use him to open the gates of Heck. However, he throws a sharp wrench into the plan, declaring that he already knew that his sword made by Akumaro was made of his parents, and that he didn't care.
.Sujigarano Akumaro: An unusually polite Enigmatic Minion who surfaces after Dokoku's power boost; an expert schemer with a perpetual grin. Eventually turns On the others after Dokoku's Phlebotinum Breakdown. a Complete Monster. The Gedoushu at large wanted to create enough anguish to cause the Sanzu River to rise high enough to flood the world of the living, thus enabling their incursion thereof. Akumaro, on the other hand, wanted to open a portal to Sanzu River because he wanted to enjoy absolute human suffering — even though said opening would destroy both the human world and the Sanzu River. Also, he made Fuwa Juzo's sword from Juzo's dead parents, whom he destroyed himself. His monstrosity extends to even the Ayakashi who serve under him; they seem specifically made to cause as much suffering as possible in order to further his goal (using said suffering as a wedge into one of six precise points along a line, at the center of which was a portal to Sanzu River).
Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:59 pm
