Kaoru Shiba

"Shinken Red~Kaoru Shiba" "Super Shinken Red! Going Forth!"

Kaoru Shiba (志葉 薫, Shiba Kaoru) is the true 18th head of the Shiba House, a position that Takeru was holding in her place. She is referred to by her vassals and servants as Princess (姫, Hime).

Shinkenger
As the 17-year-old head of the Shiba House, Kaoru is the one who possesses the knowledge of sealing the Gedoushu. Due to this, she stayed in hiding while Takeru acted as her kagemusha to keep the Gedoushu away from her. However, refusing to hide, and perfecting the sealing character, Kaoru takes back her title and assumes her birthright.

Even though it could be hinted that her appearance would open up a ridge between Takeru and the other Shinkengers (especially seen as how Takeru's childhood friend Genta appeared to dislike her at first), they stood loyal neither to the Shinken Red figure, nor to the figure of the head of the Shiba house, but to Takeru as a person, which Kaoru understood and accepted, eventually adopting him to make him her legitimate successor as the head of the Shiba clan. (i.e. She became his adoptive mother even though she is younger than him)

Like Takeru, Kaoru has the ability to become Shinken Red and can use the Inromaru to transform into Super Shinken Red.

Kaoru herself is very kind making it relatively easy to work with her, though, like Takeru, she tends to holds her emotions back. Oftentimes her retainer Toshizo Tanba annoys her as he usually sticks to his arrogant views, thus essentially acting as a foil to her. Whenever it happens, she responds by hitting him on the head with a fan to show her displeasure.

After failing to seal Doukoku away with the sealing character, she resigned as the 18th head and adopted Takeru as her son, officially making him the 19th head of the Shiba Clan, and allowed him to take over in her place. At the end of the season she is seen saying goodbye to Takeru. Following this her retainer suggested she get married but she then sternly says, "Too soon".

Gokaiger
Kaoru fought in the Great Legend War, along with the first 34 Super Sentai teams. She, along with everyone else, sacrificed their powers to destroy the Zangyack armada. Kaoru's Ranger Key, along with those of the 9 other Extra Heroes, ended up in the hands of Basco ta Jolokia.

When the Gokaigers appear searching for a samurai, she challenges them to retrieve the Shinkenger Ranger Keys, and Joe Gibken challenges her to allow the other Gokaigers to fight the Zangyack forces. When she realizes that the Gokaigers fight for good, she uses her kuroko to help them when Captain Marvelous is injured in battle.

The copy of Princess Shinken Red appeared when Basco united his nine remaining Extra Hero copies, his Black Knight key having been taking by Gai in his failed attempt to gain the Greater Power of Gingaman, when he was confronted by Gorou Hoshino (OhRed). The Extra Heroes would then fight the Gokaigers again, who wished to take the Ohranger's greater power rather than just be given it. Princess Shinken Red's copy fought Luka (GokaiYellow). The Extra Heroes were taken down by the Olé Bazooka. Princess Shinken Red's Key, along with the rest of the Extra Heroes was claimed by Gai.

Arsenal

 * Transformation Handheld ShodoPhone
 * Secret Disks
 * Super MouGyuu Bazooka
 * Super Shinkenmaru
 * Secret Katana Shinkenmaru
 * Rekka DaiZanTo
 * InrouMaru
 * Super Shinken Red
 * MouGyuu Bazooka

OriGami

 * ShishiOriGami
 * Tora Origami
 * Kyoryu Origami
 * Ushi Origami

Trivia

 * Kaoru is the first known female Red Ranger in the Super Sentai series, but second overall in the Power Rangers/Super Sentai series to Charlie from the A-Squad Rangers in Power Rangers SPD.
 * Kaoru is the first replacement leader of the entire Super Sentai franchise since Takayuki Hiba/Vul Eagle II of Taiyou Sentai Sun Vulcan.
 * Unlike Takayuki, she didn't permanently replace Takeru.
 * Kaoru's character is 17-years-old, but her actress Runa Natsui was 14 at the time.
 * The appearance of Kaoru in Gokaiger instead of Takeru is most likely because she was meant to be Shinken Red in the first place. It could also symbolize her being the first female Red Ranger in Super Sentai.
 * Princess Shinken Red has her own unique Ranger Key in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger despite the fact that, apart from her suit being a standard female member design, her powers in no way differ from Takeru's.