Akiko Wakabayashi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
actress, best known in English-speaking countries for her role as Bond girl
, Aki
in the 1967 James Bond
movie You Only Live Twice
. Before this, she had made many movies in her native Japan, especially Toho
Studio's monster movies such as Dagora, the Space Monster and Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
(both of which were also released under various other titles).
When production of You Only Live Twice began, Wakabayashi was originally slated to play the role of Kissy Suzuki
whilst her co-star Mie Hama
played Suki, one of Tiger Tanaka's top agents. When learning English proved to be a major hurdle to Hama, the women switched roles, with Hama now playing the smaller part of Kissy and Wakabayashi playing the larger part of Suki.
At her suggestion, the character of Suki was renamed Aki. This is probably partly because in 1966, Woody Allen
took the Japanese action film International Secret Police: Key of Keys (in which both Mie Hama and Wakabayashi starred), re-edited, re-dubbed, re-plotted, and renamed it What's Up, Tiger Lily?
. In the film, Wakabayashi's character was "Suki Yaki" whereas her You Only Live Twice co-star Hama played "Teri Yaki".
Wakabayashi made only one more film (and a guest TV appearance) before disappearing from both the big and small screen. In an interview in G-FAN
magazine (No. 76), Wakabayashi said she retired from acting owing to injuries sustained while making a movie.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
actress, best known in English-speaking countries for her role as Bond girl
Bond girl
A Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest, of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as "Pussy Galore", "Plenty O'Toole", "Xenia Onatopp", or "Holly Goodhead"...
, Aki
Aki (James Bond)
Aki, played by Akiko Wakabayashi, is a fictional character in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice.- Creation :Aki does not appear in Ian Fleming's 1964 novel. She was originally named Suki in Roald Dahl's screenplay...
in the 1967 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie You Only Live Twice
You Only Live Twice (film)
You Only Live Twice is the fifth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fifth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name...
. Before this, she had made many movies in her native Japan, especially Toho
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
Studio's monster movies such as Dagora, the Space Monster and Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, released in Japan as and originally released in the US as Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster, is a 1964 science fiction kaiju film, and is the 5th film in Toho's Godzilla series...
(both of which were also released under various other titles).
When production of You Only Live Twice began, Wakabayashi was originally slated to play the role of Kissy Suzuki
Kissy Suzuki
Kissy Suzuki is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's 1964 James Bond novel, You Only Live Twice. Despite Bond's womanizing, Kissy Suzuki remains the only character known to the reader who bears a child by him...
whilst her co-star Mie Hama
Mie Hama
is a Japanese actress, best-known outside Japan for her role as Kissy Suzuki in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice.-Career:...
played Suki, one of Tiger Tanaka's top agents. When learning English proved to be a major hurdle to Hama, the women switched roles, with Hama now playing the smaller part of Kissy and Wakabayashi playing the larger part of Suki.
At her suggestion, the character of Suki was renamed Aki. This is probably partly because in 1966, Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
took the Japanese action film International Secret Police: Key of Keys (in which both Mie Hama and Wakabayashi starred), re-edited, re-dubbed, re-plotted, and renamed it What's Up, Tiger Lily?
What's Up, Tiger Lily?
The soundtrack album to What's Up Tiger Lily? was released in 1966. It contains music by The Lovin' Spoonful. It was re-released on CD along with You're a Big Boy Now, the Spoonful's soundtrack for the 1966 Francis Ford Coppola film. It reached No...
. In the film, Wakabayashi's character was "Suki Yaki" whereas her You Only Live Twice co-star Hama played "Teri Yaki".
Wakabayashi made only one more film (and a guest TV appearance) before disappearing from both the big and small screen. In an interview in G-FAN
G-Fan
G-Fan is a magazine dedicated to the Japanese kaiju film genre. It is published quarterly and long-running . It was created by J. D. Lees. G-Fan serves as the official magazine of the Godzilla Society of North America, but it also has subscribers and retailers in Europe and Asia...
magazine (No. 76), Wakabayashi said she retired from acting owing to injuries sustained while making a movie.
Filmography
- Song for a BrideSong for a Brideis a 1958 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Ishirō Honda.- Cast :* Mitsuko Kusabue* Akemi Negishi* Reiko Dan* Kenji Sahara* Hiroshi Koizumi* Yoshio Tsuchiya* Sachio Sakai* Fumiko Okamura* Daijirō Natsukawa* Toshiko Nakano* Yutaka Nakayama...
(花嫁三重奏 Hanayome sanjuso) (1958) - What's Up, Tiger Lily?What's Up, Tiger Lily?The soundtrack album to What's Up Tiger Lily? was released in 1966. It contains music by The Lovin' Spoonful. It was re-released on CD along with You're a Big Boy Now, the Spoonful's soundtrack for the 1966 Francis Ford Coppola film. It reached No...
(1965) - You Only Live TwiceYou Only Live Twice (film)You Only Live Twice is the fifth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fifth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name...
(1967)