Yasuko Sawaguchi

Yasuko Sawaguchi
Born	(1965-06-11) June 11, 1965 (age 59) Sakai, Osaka, Japan
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1984–present

Yasuko Sawaguchi (沢口 靖子, Sawaguchi Yasuko, born June 11, 1965) is a Japanese actress.

Biography

She was born in Osaka. In early 1984, the Japanese movie studio Toho Company Ltd. held their first "Toho Cinderella Audition", and Yasuko, almost 19 at the time, was chosen as the first Toho Cinderella, beating out the other 30,000 contestants.

Shortly after, she made her film debut in the film Karate Cop III: Song of the Sea, before co-starring as the heroine Naoko Okumura in The Return of Godzilla, which was the grand comeback film for the famous movie monster Godzilla. She appeared in the next Godzilla film 5 years later, 1989's Godzilla vs. Biollante, but as another character (Erika Shiragami, who later becomes Godzilla's titular adversary). At the Toho Cinderella beauty contest that same year, she took place with the 2nd Toho Cinderella, 1987 winner Megumi Odaka (who was also in Biollante, starting her Miki Saegusa character).

She has since appeared in numerous movies and television (her TV show debut was Miotsukushi ^[jp] in 1985), and is considered one of Japan's most beautiful and talented actresses.^{[citation needed]} She has played scientific criminal investigator Mariko Sakaki, the lead role in the television show Kasōken no Onna (and its successor Shin Kasōken no Onna), which have aired on TV Asahi since 1999. In NHK Taiga dramas she has portrayed Iroha-hime in the Dokuganryū Masamune (1987), Akahashi Tōko in Taiheiki (1991), and Nene in Hideyoshi (1996). She starred as Rui in the jidaigeki Shin On'yado Kawasemi (TV Asahi, 1997). She has also played the villain in one episode of Furuhata Ninzaburo in 1996.

She also voiced Chihiro's mother in the original Japanese version of Spirited Away. This involved her sounding as though she was talking with her mouth full, so she initially tried biting her finger while acting. When this didn't create the desired effect, some KFC chicken was ordered into the recording studio.

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
1985	Miotsukushi	Kaoru	Lead role; Asadora	[1]
1987	Dokuganryū Masamune	Irohahime	Taiga drama	[2]
1989	Sayonara Ri Kōran	Ri Kōran (Yoshiko Yamaguchi)	Lead role; miniseries	[3]
1991	Taiheiki	Akahashi Tōko (Tōshi)	Taiga drama	[4]
1996	Hideyoshi	One	Taiga drama	[5]
	Furuhata Ninzaburō	Yorie Usami	Episode 15	[6]
1999–2024	The Woman of S.R.I.	Mariko Sakaki	Lead role; 24 seasons	[7]
2004	Shinsengumi!	Okita Mitsu	Taiga drama	[8]
2019	Crayon Shin-chan	Mariko Sakaki (voice)	Episode 1009	[9]

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
1984	Karate Cop 3: Song of the Sea	Umiko Matsumura		[10]
	The Return of Godzilla	Naoko Okumura		[11]
1985	Four Sisters	Anne Kitazawa	Lead role	[12]
1987	Film Actress	Seiko Kawashima		[13]
	Princess from the Moon	Kaya	Lead role	[14]
1989	Godzilla vs. Biollante	Erika Shiragami		[15]
2001	Spirited Away	Yūko Ogino (voice)		[16]
2021	The Woman of S.R.I. the Movie	Mariko Sakaki	Lead role	[17]

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Work(s)	Result	Ref.
1986	10th Elan d'or Awards	Newcomer of the Year	Herself	Won	[18]
	9th Japan Academy Film Prize	Newcomer of the Year	The Return of Godzilla	Won	[19]

References

1. "連続テレビ小説『澪つくし』". NHK. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
2. "独眼竜政宗". Haiyaku Jiten (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
3. "さよなら李香蘭". Haiyaku Jiten (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
4. "太平記". Haiyaku Jiten (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
5. "秀吉の出演者・キャスト一覧". The Television. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
6. "古畑任三郎:沢口靖子が規律に厳格な全寮制女子高の教師に 6月5日に第2シリーズ第2話を放送". Mantan-web (in Japanese). 4 June 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
7. "科捜研の女:season24が7月3日スタート 25周年の節目に「原点回帰」 沢口靖子「科学をより分かりやすく」". Mantan-web. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
8. "新選組!". Haiyaku Jiten (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 December 2024.
9. "「科捜研の女」マリコと「クレヨンしんちゃん」共演！沢口靖子がコラボアニメ参加". Cinematoday. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
10. "刑事物語3 潮騒の詩". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
11. "ゴジラ". eiga.com. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
12. "姉妹坂". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 December 2024.
13. "映画女優(1987)". Movie Walker Press. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
14. "竹取物語(1987)". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 December 2024.
15. "ゴジラVSビオランテ". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
16. "千と千尋の神隠し". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
17. "『科捜研の女』シリーズ21年目で初の映画化 沢口靖子も驚き「本当に夢のようです」". Oricon. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
18. "エランドール賞歴代受賞者一覧". All Nippon Producers Association. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
19. "第9回 日本アカデミー賞特集 (1986)". eiga.com. Retrieved May 28, 2024.

External links

• Yasuko Sawaguchi at Toho Entertainment
• Yasuko Sawaguchi at IMDb
• Yasuko Sawaguchi at the Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese)