Shinji Shimada
Actor: Vic Chao
Name: Dr Shinji Shimada*Nationality:* Japanese*Affiliation:* Empire of the Rising Sun*Organisation:* Shiro Psychic Research*Role:* Scientist, director of the Omega programme*Specialism:* Psionic research*Key subjects:* Yuriko Omega and Izumi*Associate:* Gregor Zelinsky*Location:* Shiro Sanatorium, Tokyo*Appearance:* Red Alert 3: Uprising
Status: Deceased, killed by Yuriko Omega.Shinji Shimada is a Japanese scientist specialising in the study of psionic abilities and the head of the Omega Programme. Based at the Shiro Sanatorium in Tokyo, he oversees the experiments that lead, in particular, to Yuriko’s transformation into Yuriko Omega, one of the Empire of the Rising Sun’s most powerful human weapons.
The Omega Programme
Shimada advocates a controversial theory that latent psionic abilities could represent the next stage in human evolution. His research led to the development of the Omega Programme, designed to provide the Empire with an alternative to its growing dependence on conventional military technologies.
The programme is based at the Shiro Sanatorium, a vast psychic research centre located in Tokyo.
Among the most important test subjects are Yuriko and Izumi, two young women possessing exceptional psionic abilities. Under Shimada’s supervision, they are subjected to dehumanising training and traumatic experiments designed to develop their powers.
The Creation of Yuriko Omega
Yuriko quickly becomes the programme’s most promising subject.
Shimada exploits her natural abilities and seeks to amplify them to the point of turning her into a veritable living weapon. The scientists also attempt to control her powers and behaviour.
Before the Third World War, Yuriko makes her first attempt to escape from the sanatorium. She gradually regains the powers that the Seekers had sought to suppress and wreaks havoc across much of the complex before being neutralised by the Rocket Angels.
Paradoxically, this disaster represents a success for Shimada: Yuriko has just demonstrated the military effectiveness of the Omega programme.
The experiments continued and led, in particular, to the creation of numerous clones of Yuriko, as well as the development of technologies such as the Psionic Decimator and psionic inhibitors.
Yuriko and Izumi
During the Third World War, Shimada continues to monitor the psionic abilities of Yuriko and Izumi from the Shiro sanatorium.
His relationship with Yuriko, however, is that of an experimenter with his test subject rather than that of a true mentor.
For Yuriko, Shimada gradually becomes the main source of her suffering: he has locked her away, subjected her to traumatic experiments and turned her into a weapon in the service of the Empire.
After the war, this hatred eventually leads Yuriko straight to him.
Yuriko’s Return
Following the Empire’s defeat, Yuriko is captured by the Allies. She manages, however, to escape and returns to Japan with a very specific aim:to find Shimada and take her revenge.
The scientist knows she is coming.
The Shiro sanatorium, rebuilt after her first escape, is now much better defended. In particular, psionic inhibitors have been installed to neutralise Yuriko’s abilities.
Shimada takes refuge in his private laboratory located in the lower levels of the complex, close to where Izumi is being held.
He also attempts to destroy the lifts to prevent Yuriko from reaching him. But he cannot destroy the last one without condemning himself to remain trapped in the depths of the sanatorium.
Shimada’s Death
Yuriko finally breaks through all the complex’s defences and reaches the laboratory.
In a last-ditch attempt to survive, Shimada tries to reason with her. In particular, he claims to be the only one capable of protecting her and tries to exploit her desire for power.
Yuriko refuses to listen to him.
She destroys the last remaining forces tasked with protecting the scientist, then kills Shinji Shimada.
His death also leads to Izumi’s release, who almost immediately reveals that she had been manipulating Yuriko before turning against her. The fight between the two women ultimately results in the destruction of the Shiro sanatorium, presumably bringing the Omega programme to a definitive end.
Gregor Zelinsky
Shimada was also acquainted with the Soviet scientist Gregor Zelinsky, who was in charge of the time machine project that had enabled Cherdenko to alter history.
Data recovered at the sanatorium indicates that the two scientists had been in contact. In particular, Yuriko discovers information concerning Zelinsky in Shimada’s archives.
However, the precise nature of their collaboration is not sufficiently detailed to establish that Zelinsky was involved in the Omega Programme.
Legacy
Even after his death, Shimada’s work had a profound impact on the Empire’s arsenal.
In particular, the Omega programme produced or contributed to the development of:
- Yuriko Omega, who became the Empire’s psionic Commando;
- Yuriko’s clones, replicating her abilities at a reduced power level;
- the Psionic Decimator, an Imperial super-weapon;
- psionic inhibitors, capable of reducing psychic abilities;
- various medical or experimental applications utilising psionic energy.
Shimada thus succeeded scientifically in demonstrating that psionic powers could be transformed into military technology. However, the programme ultimately spiralled completely out of his control when his greatest creation returned to destroy his laboratory and kill him.