Act 30: The Manipulated Academy

This article is about an episode in Samurai Sentai Shinkenger.

Act 30: The Manipulated Academy
Samurai Sentai Shinkenger, Episode 30
Air Date(s)	September 20, 2009
Production Information
Written by	Daisuke Ishibashi
Directed by	Hiroyuki Kato
Episode Guide
Previous	Act 29: The Runaway Lantern
Next	Act 31: The Kyoryu Origami

The Manipulated Academy (操学園(あやつり がくえん), Ayatsuri Gakuen) is the thirtieth episode of Samurai Sentai Shinkenger. It features the first appearance of Shinken DaiGoyou.

Synopsis

Kotoha and Ryunosuke go undercover at an academy where the students are slowly being turned into puppets of an unseen Ayakashi master.

Plot

While fighting the Nanashi, the Shinkengers are astonished to find high school students interfering with the battle. Afterwards, Takeru notices that all the students attend the private Takashiro Academy, so he sends Ryunosuke and Kotoha, posing as a teacher and student respectively, and DaiGoyou to the school to investigate possible Gedoushu activity. The next day, Ryunosuke, drawing from previous experience, suspects that a couple of teachers are Gedoushu in disguise, but is proven wrong when he finds them in a trance just like the students from before. Ryunosuke soon suspects that Kotoha's new friend, Eri Takahashi, is the Gedoushu until she, too, becomes entranced. As Kotoha feels guilty about not being able to keep Eri safe, she suddenly notices that Eri has a thin white band around her wrist that was not previously there. Kotoha and Ryunosuke soon discover that all the affected students and teachers have the white bands on their wrists. DaiGoyou's light shows that all the bands are connected to a network of strings. When Ryunosuke tries to cut the strings, the Ayakashi Kugutsukai reveals himself. Shinken Blue and Shinken Yellow engage him as their teammates arrive to assist. Kugutsukai, however, summons the entranced students and teachers to serve in holding the Shinkengers off. Shinken Yellow uses her Mojikara to help Super Shinken Blue take out Kugutsukai and free everyone from the trance. Shinken DaiGoyou and Ika-Daikaioh double team Kugutsukai before DaiGoyou destroys him. With the school saved, Ryunosuke and Kotoha say goodbye to everyone in Takashiro Academy.

Cast

• Takeru Shiba (志葉 丈瑠, Shiba Takeru): Tori Matsuzaka (松坂 桃李, Matsuzaka Tōri)
• Ryunosuke Ikenami (池波 流ノ介, Ikenami Ryūnosuke): Hiroki Aiba (相葉 裕樹, Aiba Hiroki)
• Mako Shiraishi (白石 茉子, Shiraishi Mako): Rin Takanashi (高梨 臨, Takanashi Rin)
• Chiaki Tani (谷 千明, Tani Chiaki): Shogo Suzuki (鈴木 勝吾, Suzuki Shōgo)
• Kotoha Hanaori (花織 ことは, Hanaori Kotoha): Suzuka Morita (森田 涼花, Morita Suzuka)
• Genta Umemori (梅盛 源太, Umemori Genta): Keisuke Sohma (相馬 圭祐, Sōma Keisuke)
• Hikoma Kusakabe (日下部 彦馬, Kusakabe Hikoma): Gorou Ibuki (伊吹 吾郎, Ibuki Gorō)
• Secret Lantern DaiGoyou (秘伝提灯ダイゴヨウ, Hiden Chōchin Daigoyō, Voice): Kōichi Tōchika (遠近 孝一, Tōchika Kōichi)
• Doukoku Chimatsuri (血祭 ドウコク, Chimatsuri Dōkoku, Voice): Rintarō Nishi (西 凛太朗, Nishi Rintarō)
• Shitari of the Bones (骨のシタリ, Hone no Shitari, Voice): Cho (チョー, Cho)
• Akumaro Sujigarano (筋殻 アクマロ, Sujigarano Akumaro, Voice): Ryō Horikawa (堀川 りょう, Horikawa Ryō)

Guest Cast

• Kugutsukai (クグツカイ, Kugutsukai Voice): Taketora (武虎, Taketora)
• Eri Takahashi (高橋恵里, Takahashi Eri): Yasuka Matsuo (松尾寧夏, Matsuo Yasuka)
• Totsuka: Masataka Matsubara (松原正隆, Matsubara Masataka)
• Okamura: Hiyori Iizuka (飯塚ひより, Iizuka Hiyori)
• Student: Genki Takei (武井弦紀, Takei Genki), Naoki Fujimura (藤村直樹, Fujimura Naoki), Saya Takahashi (高橋沙也, Takahashi Saya)

Secret Disks

• Shinken Red - Hidden Shield
• Shinken Blue - Super, Ryuu (InrouMaru - Shin Suiryuu no Mai)
• Shinken Pink - Hidden Shield
• Shinken Green - Hidden Shield
• Shinken Yellow - Hidden Shield
• Shinken Gold - Sushi (Sushi Changer), Ika (Ika Origami), Ebi (Ebi Origami)

Notes

• As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside Kamen Rider W episode 3, Don't Touch the M/How to Get to Heaven.
• Viewership: 6.3%
• Key Title Kanji: 操 (Manipulate; the ability of the puppetmaster Ayakashi)
• When the Shinkengers are discussing how the Gedoushu could be manipulating the students, flashbacks from episodes 15 and Act 22: Lord Butler are shown.

Home video releases

• The second volume of the Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Blu-Ray Box Set comes with episodes 17-33, including the Kamen Rider Decade crossover, and was released on April 11th 2014 at a cost of 20,790 yen.

Shinkenger on Blu-ray.

Shinkenger Volume 2, Blu-ray cover

Shinkenger Volume 8, DVD cover

Samurai Sentai Shinkenger DVD Volume 8 features episodes 29-32: Act 29: The Runaway Lantern, Act 30: The Manipulated Academy, Act 31: The Kyoryu Origami and Act 32: The Ushi Origami.

See Also

• Shell Game - Power Rangers counterpart in Super Samurai. See comparison page. (Kevin's morph and finishing move footage)
• Trust Me (Super Samurai) - Power Rangers counterpart in Super Samurai. See comparison page. (Samurai LightZord's debut)