Gekidan Shachi is a Taishu Engeki theatre group founded by Asahi Seiji born in the Kanagawa Region, south of Tokyo. Asahi Seiji (pictured right) is a performer who built his reputation through strong, masculine storytelling such as matatabi Outlaw stories and sword-fighting dramas. In 2016, Asahi’s eldest son, Kabuto Shishimaru (pictured left) was officially granted the title of Young Leader, marking the important point of a Taishu Engeki group’s timeline where veteran actors begin to more heavily collaborate with young, rising actors in attempt to “pass the torch” to the next generation of performers.

Gekidan Shachi emphasizes strong, action-driven Taishu Engeki themes and is known for blending traditional outlaw and/or crime drama with its modern and youthful charisma. Gekidan Shachi also has 2 young child actors not pictured below, (1) Baby Ayano, young female, and (2) Onigiri Aomaru, ayoung male, who occasionally enter the stage as they build their skills from a very young age.