Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi)
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Datastreem
Actress: Akiko Wakabayashi
Character: Aki
Movie: You Only Live Twice
Date of Birth: 26th August 1941
Place of Birth: Ota, Tokyo, Japan
Trivia: Sometimes credited as "Eiko"
Pleased To Meet You
Aki rendezvous with Bond at a rowdy Sumo wrestling
match. While 007 expects the MI6's stuffy agent in Japan, Henderson,
he receives more than he bargained for when he comes face to face with the gorgeous,
sharp and resourceful Japanese secret agent.
Caught In The Act
After saving Bond's skin and racing him to safety a number of times, Aki lures
him to the headquarters of the Japanese Secret Service - for whom she works.
The agents meet again, socially this time, in Tiger
Tanaka's
luxury spa and estate. 007 enjoys the down-time on this mission, especially the
attention
from Aki and Japanese customs. |
Profile
Bright and resourceful and with a flair for fast driving, Aki is Tiger Tanaka's
top agent in the Japanese secret service. She becomes 007's guardian angel
on many occasions and continually rescues the British agent from sticky situations.
Her pride and joy is the company car, a very swift and graceful Toyota
2000GT with a range of useful accessories. Aki is clever and doesn't give
in easily to Bond's ever-charming patter and really takes him for a ride. Aki
oversees 007's transformation to his humble Japanese fisherman's guise for
his "wedding" to Kissy Suzuki. The agent
ultimately meets a poisonous fate where a SPECTRE assassin
fails to kill 007.
Memorable quotes
"You think we very sexyful."
"You wouldn't touch that horrible woman, would you."
Biography
Born on the 26th of August 1941, Akiko Wakabayashi began her film career in 1958
with "Hanayome Sanjuso" ("Song of the Bride") and quickly
rose to stardom in Japan. Wakabayashi made her break in the film industry
during the Golden Age of Japanese cinema - along with the likes of Kumi Mizuno
and Mie Hama whose stunning looks brought them success in the film business.
In 1962, Wakabayashi played Tamiye in
the sci-fi Tokyo thriller "Kingu Kongu tai Gojira" which
made a small screen release in the USA a year later. The
same year she starred in an Italian comedy directed by
Luigi Filippo D'Amico which was named after her: "Akiko". |
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In 1966, Akiko would team up with her Bond co-star-to-be
Mie Hama to star in the Woody Allen's debut slapstick comedy "What's
Up Tiger Lily?". A year later, the Japanese star picked
up the role in 007's fifth outing, "You Only Live Twice".
"I think I will enjoy very much serving under you." |
Wakabayashi was originally set to play the role
of Kissy, the Ian
Fleming penned character, but when her co-star
Mie Hama struggled to take on a larger role (due to the language
barrier) Akiko stepped in and the writers crafted a new character
for her while Hama took on the smaller role of Kissy. She caught
up in the hysteria in her native Japan that dogged the
filming
of the movie. After the
opening of "You Only Live Twice", Wakabayashi dropped
off the acting map with just a one more film and a handful of
television appearances.