Gedoshu

The Gedoushu (外道衆, Gedōshū) whose name roughly translates as "Heretic Party" are fictional characters, who are the antagonists from the 33rd Super Sentai Series Samurai Sentai Shinkenger.

The Gedoushu are malevolent spirits who arise as the result of sin-tainted souls that enter into the Sanzu River (三途の川, Sanzu-no-kawa) within the land of the dead, dependent on its waters for survival, as well as cursed to be in a state between life and death until they are able to let go of the attachment that damned them in the first place. The Gedoushu under Doukoku reside in Rokumon Junk (六門船, Rokumonsen?) that sails along the Sanzu River: others spend their time within the River itself until Doukoku or some other powerful being calls them. Able to enter the living world through cracks and narrow gaps, the Gedoushu, particularly those serving 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. Though defeated and sealed by the previous generation's Shinkengers, the Gedoushu reawaken in present time to resume their havoc, only to face the Shinkengers. In the world of Shinkenger, the Gedoushu are the inspiration of all the yōkai in Japanese mythology.

Doukoku Chimatusri
Doukoku Chimatsuri (血祭 ドウコク, Chimatsuri Dōkoku) is the leader of the Gedoushu and is armed with a broadsword and possessing the power to seal his fellow Gedoushu. He battled the Shiba House's previous Shinkengers, and had been sealed by a former holder of the title ShinkenRed before he died. Because the seal was incomplete, Doukoku eventually revives and begins leading his forces in conquering the mortal realm by terrorizing 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. He is in a constant state of rage that only sake and Dayu's music can control. Learning of the seal placed on him, Doukoku briefly changes his plans to target Takeru Shiba as the death of the Shiba House would ensure that he would never be sealed again. But when that plan failed, Doukoku has his force carry on the original plan without giving wind of this knowledge to any Ayakashi with his own agenda. During the summer while in a comatose state that leaves him open to his enemies, Doukoku manages to suppress his magnified power. His surname is translated as blood feast (血祭, chimatsuri).

Dayu Usukawa
Dayu Usukawa (薄皮 太夫, Usukawa Dayū) is Doukoku's right hand and the only one he is kind to, provided she knows her place as his obedient, unquestioning servant. In life, she was Usuyuki (薄雪) a woman who obsessed over Shinza, a man who never loved her. However, scorned that he loved another woman instead of her, Usuyuki incinerated them all in a suicidal crime of passion. But once seeing that her love will remain unrequited even in death, Usuyuki's emotions corrupt her soul and turn 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 Doukoku's rage. The shamisen's headstock also doubles as the hilt of shortsword Dayu uses in battle. Of all the Gedoshu, Dayu has the most 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 Gedounin as she begins to defy Doukoku's orders as well with her shamisen damaged as a result. Though as her feelings for Shinza had long died, after becoming a rogue, Dayu refuses to give him up as it would end her existence. Leaving Doukoku, Dayu wanders aimlessly until she is found by Akumaro who recruits her to his group in return for her instrument's restoration. Until it is completed, she has to rely on a dagger in her fights. Her name is translated as thin-skinned courtesan (薄皮太夫, usukawa tayū) and she is the basis for the futakuchi-onna (二口女) of Japanese myth.

Shitari Honeno
Shitari Honeno (骨のシタリ, Honeno Shitari) is the Gedoushu's strategist, a squid-headed demon who awaited for Doukoku's revival. Shitari sees humans as mere specimens for his research, uncovering means to overflow the Sanzu River. He also possessed texts from the Shiba House which he used to learn about the seal placed on Doukoku. Though he warns Doukoku not to trouble himself with the Shiba House's sealing character so not to attract attention from certain Ayakashi, Shitari recruits Isagitsune in an attempt to slake his curiosity on what the sealing character is. He later recruits Oinogare in an attempt to re-open a well the Gedoushu used in the past as their base of operations by sacrificing nine maidens, formally introducing himself to the Shinkengers as a result. During the events of Kamen Rider Decade episodes 24 and 25, Shitari witnesses Daiki Kaito stealing the IkaOriGami and sends the Ayakashi Chinomanako to investigate the otherworldly Kamen Rider Diend, causing the chain of events that would doom their world. While Doukoku is in a vulnerable state struggling with his surging power, the rogue ayakashi Gozunagumo bullies Shitari into extorting the sealing character from ShinkenRed. Despite poisoning Takeru, Shitari fails to get him to reveal the sealing character due to the combined interference of ShinkenGold and Juzo. When Doukoku revives and punishes Gozunagumo, Shitari freely confesses that the one thing he values above Doukoku is his own life. Doukoku, amused by Shitari's honesty, forgives his underling's treachery. When Akumaro arrives, Shitari expresses a great deal of distrust over the mysterious Gedoushu. His name can also be read as Shitari of the Bones (骨のシタリ, Hone no Shitari)

Juzo Fuwa
Main Article: Juzo Fuwa

Akumaro Sujigarano
Akumaro Sujigarano (筋殻 アクマロ, Sujigarano Akumaro, 27-) is a Gedoushu general with six slitted eyes and rictus grin, having battled the original Shinkengers in the past, leaving him immobilized at the bottom of the Sanzu River. When Doukoku's power burst revives him, he offers his services to Doukoku as gratitude, though Doukoku strikes him near his left shoulder, ultimately creating a vulnerable spot. Akumaro's modus operandi is to set up far-reaching plots with dangerous consequences. One of such plans involve obtaining the UshiOrigami for his own use, during which he recruits Juzo and Dayu into his service. Doukoku learned of this and, after worming his way back into his graces, Akumaro receives a warning for it by being stabbed in the foot. A master of the black arts, Akumaro can create monsters called Kirigami by performing kirigami. He also uses his iron claw hands, shaku, and kemari as weapons.

Manpuku Aburame
Manpuku Aburame (脂目 マンプク, Aburame Manpuku) is the main antagonist in Samurai Sentai Shinkenger The Movie: The Fateful War, the leader of the Kusare Gedoushu (クサレ外道衆, Kusare Gedōshū, "Rotten Heretic Party") a group of powerful Gedoushu that exude a corpse-like stench that were sealed away three centuries ago by Retsudou Shiba. However, he is revived by Doukoku along with his followers during the summer-time. He is destroyed by Kyoryu ShinkenOh.

Nanashi
The Nanashi Company (ナナシ連中, Nanashi Renjū) are the Gedoushu's foot soldiers, armed with various weapons, they can freely enter the mortal realm at whim. There are another group of Nanashi known as the Ōnanashi Company (大ナナシ連中, Ōnanashi Renjū), who are naturally born giant with a flying variation called the Ōzora Nanashi Company (大空ナナシ連中, Ōzora Nanashi Renjū). Their name can be translated as "Nameless" (名無し, nanashi). Appearing in the Shinkenger movie are the Kusare Nanashi Company (クサレナナシ連中, Kusare Nanashi Renjū), and the Kusare Ōnanashi Company (クサレ大ナナシ連中, Kusare Ōnanashi Renjū), who resemble normal Nanashi and Ōnanashi but in red garbed attire.

Sakamata
The Sakamata (サカマタ, Sakamata) are monsters within the Sanzu River that are more powerful than the Nanashi Company. The Sakamata resemble tremendous, skull-like, eyeless, crocodilian heads on two legs, and can breath fireballs quite readily. There are also some Sakamata known as the Ōnosakamata (大ノサカマタ, Ōnosakamata), which are naturally born giant. Appearing in the Shinkenger movie are the blue-skinned Kusareno Sakamata (クサレノサカマタ, Kusareno Sakamata) and Kusare Ōnosakamata (クサレ大ノサカマタ, Kusare Ōnosakamata).

Susukodama
The Susukodama (ススコダマ, Susukodama, "Soot Kodama") are a furred ball-like soot settling in roof of the Rokumon Junk's interior, appearing whenver Doukoku's infuriated enough for them to descend, annoyingly repeating people's words while giggling. One accompanies Dayu in her wandering after it is tossed out of the Rokumon Junk and into the mortal realm, singing in imitation of her shamisen.

Kirigami
Kirigami (切神, Kirigami, 27,34) are monsters created by Akumaro from real kirigami he makes by using his claws to cut paper in the shape of a monster. Both kirigami he created were giant-sized and so far it's not known if he can create human-sized kirigami or only giant-sized. The Kirigami are armed with scissor-shaped swords. The first was destroyed by Secret Lantern Daigoyou and the second by a combination of ShinkenOh, DaiKaiOh Minami and MouGyuuDaiOh.