Act 1: The Gallant Appearance of the Five Samurai

This article is about an episode in Samurai Sentai Shinkenger.

Act 1: The Gallant Appearance of the Five Samurai
Samurai Sentai Shinkenger, Episode 1
Air Date(s)	February 15, 2009
Production Information
Written by	Yasuko Kobayashi
Directed by	Shojiro Nakazawa
Episode Guide
Previous	GP Final: Road of Justice
Next	Act 2: The Stylish Combination

The Gallant Appearance of the Five Samurai (伊達姿五侍, Date Sugata Go Samurai) is the first episode of Samurai Sentai Shinkenger.

Synopsis

Takeru Shiba, the 18th head of the Shiba Clan, must gather together his four retainers to become Shinkenger to face against the return of the Gedoushu and their leader, Dokoku Chimatsuri.

Plot

When the Gedoshu are revived and begin to attack the mortal realm, Takeru Shiba of the Shiba House takes arms to fight them as Shinken Red. After defeating a company of Nanashi, Takeru becomes annoyed when his retainer, Hikoma Kusakabe, affectionately called "Jii", implores him to find his four vassals to fight alongside him, instead of fighting on his own.

Meanwhile, on the Sanzu River, Dokoku finally awakens, and upon learning that the Shinkengers still exist, becomes enraged and sends the Akayashi Kagekamuro to attack the humans with an army of Nanashi. Against Takeru's wishes, Jii summons the vassals: kabuki actor Ryunosuke Ikenami, kindergarten teacher Mako Shiraishi, carefree Chiaki Tani, and pure-hearted Kotoha Hanaori. Upon meeting the four, Takeru gives each one a chance to back out of his service, and when all four of them decline, he gives each one a ShodoPhone. Takeru, Ryunosuke, Chiaki, Mako, and Kotoha then take on Kagekamuro and his numerous Nanashi. Shinken Red slays Kagekamuro, but in spite of that, he tells his vassals to remain on their guard. Sure enough, the Ayakashi is reborn as a giant, so the Shinkengers enlarge their Origami to confront and destroy him. After the battle, Jii arrives to bring everyone to the Shiba House.

Secret Disks

• Shinken Red - Shishi (Shinkenmaru), Kyoutsuu (Rekka Daizantou), Shishi (Rekka Daizantou), Hidden Shield (Shishi Origami)
• Shinken Blue - Kyoutsuu (Water Arrow), Ryuu (Water Arrow), Hidden Shield (Ryuu Origami)
• Shinken Pink - Kyoutsuu (Heaven Fan), Kame (Heaven Fan), Hidden Shield (Kame Origami)
• Shinken Green - Kyoutsuu (Wood Spear), Kuma (Wood Spear), Hidden Shield (Kuma Origami)
• Shinken Yellow - Kyoutsuu (Land Slicer), Saru (Land Slicer), Hidden Shield (Saru Origami)

Notes

• As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside Kamen Rider Decade episode 4, Second Movement ♬ Prince Kiva
• Key Title Kanji: 侍 (Samurai)
• Ryunosuke's misassumption that the head of the Shiba Clan was female when first attempting to meet Takeru (in actuality Mako) might be foreshadowing a certain person.
• On August 6, 2010, TV Asahi aired special editions of episodes 1 and 2 of Shinkenger with some previously unseen footage cut from the original airing of the two episodes, referring to these two episodes as "Special Versions" (特別版, Tokubetsuban).
  • Similarly, "Special Versions" of the last two episodes of Kamen Rider Decade previously aired on May 2nd and May 9th.
• A catch-up of the first twelve episodes of Samurai Sentai Shinkenger was aired as part of the Super Hero Max 2012 special event on TV Asahi.

Home video releases

Shinkenger on Blu-ray.

• The first volume of the Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Blu-Ray Box Set comes with the show's first 16 episodes, as well as the director's cut of the first two episodes, and was released on February 7th 2014 at a cost of 20,790 yen.

See Also

• Origins - Power Rangers counterpart in Power Rangers Samurai. See comparison page.