This article is about a villain in Samurai Sentai Shinkenger. |
Dayu Usukawa (薄皮 太夫 Usukawa Dayū, lit. "Thin-skinned Courtesan") is the right hand of Dokoku Chimatsuri and the only one he is kind to, provided she knows her place as his obedient and unquestioning servant. Her character is the basis for the Futakuchi-onna of Japanese myth.
Background
In life, she was Usuyuki (薄雪, Usuyuki lit. Light Snowfall), a woman who obsessed over Shinza, a man who never loved her. However, when scorned that he loved another woman instead of her, Usuyuki incinerated him and those at an engagement party in a suicidal crime of passion. But once witnessing that Shinza would still love another, Usuyuki's emotions corrupted her soul and turned her into Dayu, bonding Shinza's soul into a shamisen that she carries with her, creating eerie and unsettling songs that become a means to soothe Dokoku's rage. However, she has trouble getting along with the Ayakashi because of her life as a human, which she makes attempts to reclaim.
One failed attempt results with her being saved by Juzo, developing feelings for the Gedou as she begins to defy Dokoku's orders as well. Though she claimed her feelings for Shinza had long died, after becoming a rogue, Dayu refuses to give him up as it would end her existence and she doesn't want Shinza's soul to be reunited with his love. Dokoku angry that she did not killed Juzo as he ordered her to, he burned her shamisen, making Shinza moan. She then aided Akumaro in several of his schemes when he promised to repair her shamisen, but turned against him when she found out he had no intention of keeping his word and only wanted to use the pent up misery of Shinza for his plan. After failing to reclaim her shamisen and getting soundly beaten by Akumaro, she is saved by Dokoku, who drove Akumaro off then repaired the shamisen with part of his own body. She told Juzo her feelings for Shinza had disappeared but Juzo did not believe this true. Soon after Akumaro's demise, Dayu returns to the Rokumon Junk to assist in Dokoku's reawakening.
Dayu deliberately baits Shinken Pink into destroying her shamisen, mortally wounding her in the process, while reviving Dokoku with all of Shinza's pent-up suffering. She later uses the last of her power to restore Dokoku's body, making him immune to the sealing character. With only her kimono remaining, which Dokoku later throws into the Sanzu River.
Super Hero Taisen Z
Dayu was part of an army of resurrected (mostly Super Sentai) monsters led by Space Raider after the revival of Madou Demon King Psycho. They proceeded to attack the gathering of Kamen Riders and Super Sentai, giving them a hard time. The heroes of recent years were in a pinch until the arrival of a force of Sentai and Rider reinforcements led by Akarenger and Kamen Rider Ichigo. The combined forces of superheroes were able to turn the tide against the Madou army. They lined up and used their various finisher attacks to destroy the revived monsters. TV STORY-Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z
Super Hero Taisen Otsu
to be added TV STORY-Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Otsu: Heroo! Answers
Arsenal
In battle, Dayu uses a shortsword hidden in her shamisen, with the headstock acting as the hilt. After her instrument was damaged, Akumaro gave her the Sange Hankontō (散華斑痕刀?, Glorious Death Spotted-Scars Sword) dagger to use while he took the shamisen.
Behind the scenes
Portrayal
Dayu is voiced by Romi Park (朴 璐美 Paku Romi), who also portrayed Usuyuki in her lone appearance on-screen. As Dayu, her suit actor was Yūichi Hachisuka (蜂須賀 祐一 Hachisuka Yūichi), her sub was Sanae Hitomi (人見 早苗 Hitomi Sanae).
In Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z, she was voiced by Hiromi Takeuchi (竹内 裕美 Takeuchi Hiromi)[1] and portrayed by an unidentified suit actor.
Notes
- Dayu's name can be translated as "Thin-skinned courtisan''.
- Height: 184 cm
- Weight: 80 kg
- While Dayu's appearance is based on Futakuchi-onna, her backstory somewhat resembles that of Kiyohime, since both are originally women that gave up their humanity due to unrequited love.
- Dayu is modeled after Benzaiten (弁財天?), a sea slug, and various mollusks and has elements of the futakuchi-onna (二口女?).
- Her name Dayu was shared with her Power Rangers counterpart.
- Like several other female villains in super sentai, she was the main opponent of the pink sentai.
Appearances
- File:Icon-samurai.png Samurai Sentai Shinkenger
- Act 1: The Gallant Appearance of the Five Samurai
- Act 2: The Stylish Combination
- Act 3: An Extermination Skill Contest
- Act 4: Nightly Tears of Sympathy
- Act 5: The Kabuto Origami
- Act 6: The Abusive King
- Act 7: Marlin Fishing
- Act 8: The Brides are Spirited Away
- Act 9: The Tiger's Rebellion
- Act 10: The Great Sky Combination
- Act 11: A Threefold Strife
- Act 12: The Very First Super Samurai Combination
- Act 13: The Heavy Cries
- Act 14: The Foreign Samurai
- Act 15: The Imposter and Real Deal's Arrest
- Act 16: The Power of Kuroko
- Act 18: Samurai Promotion
- Act 19: Learning the Samurai Disposition
- Act 20: The Ebi Origami's Transformation
- Act 22: Lord Butler
- Act 23: The Rampaging Gedoushu
- Act 24: The True Samurai Combination
- Samurai Sentai Shinkenger the Movie: The Fateful War
- Act 25: The Dream World
- Act 26: Decisive Match Number One
- Act 27: Switched Lives
- Act 32: The Ushi Origami
- Act 33: The Great Bull King
- Act 34: Fatherly Love, Girlish Innocence
- Act 35: Eleven Origami All Combination
- File:Icon-rpm.png Samurai Sentai Shinkenger vs. Go-Onger: GinmakuBang!!
- Act 39: The Very Urgent First Aid Emergency
- Act 40: The Honorable Leader Heads to the Front Lines
- Act 42: Two Centuries' Ambition
- Act 43: One Last Sword
- Act 44: The Eighteenth Head of the Shiba House
- Act 45: The Impersonator
- Act 46: The Showdown Clash
- Act 47: Bonds
- Act 48: The Final Great Decisive Battle
- Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z
See Also
- Dayu - Power Rangers counterpart in Samurai. See comparison page. & Super Samurai