Act 44: The Eighteenth Head of the Shiba House

The Eighteenth Head of the Shiba House is the forty-fourth episode of Samurai Sentai Shinkenger.

Plot
At the Shiba House, everyone gathers for a New Years party, the first lively one in years. But while Jii provides calligraphy pens as his Otoshidama, he sees a strange Kuroko with a letter bearing the Shiba House crest. As the others practice, Takeru reads the letter and tells Jii that they will continue as planned and that he will handle it when the time comes. Meanwhile, at the deserted Rokumon Junk, Shitari is glad to see Dayu returning as he confirms to her that Doukoku sank into the Sanzu River and that he shall return once he finally fills up in the water. Until then, Shitari summons the Ayakashi Yomotsugari to kill off the eigheenth head of the Shiba House, giving her the Onibidama bullets to fight Shinken Red's Fire Modikara. When she attacks with a group of Nanashi to bring the Shinkengers into the open, Shinken Red is protected by the others against his wishes. Having had enough of his vassals getting in his way, Shinken Red uses the Inromaru to finish the fight, barely surviving as he slays the Ayakashi with the Mougyu Bazooka. Shitari is perplexed as to how Takeru has endured the Onibidama attacks as Shinken Red gives Shinken Blue the Inromaru to battle the revived Yomotsugari. The Shinkengers form Daikai-Shinkenoh to fight until Yomotsugari manages to disrupt the combination. The Sisi Origami suddenly attacks the Ayakashi on its own as the others realize that Takeru is not the one piloting it. After Yomotsugari is destroyed, the vassals help Takeru before seeing another Shinken Red, whose retainer Toshizo Tanba appears as well. That Shinken Red ends the transformation and is introduced by Tanba as the eighteenth head of the Shiba House: Kaoru Shiba.