Etsuko Shihomi
Etsuko Shihomi, now known by her married name Etsuko Nagabuchi, is a Japanese actress who appeared in several Japanese martial arts films and samurai film and TV productions of the 1970s and 1980s.
Life and career
A skilled martial artist trained in Karate, Kenjutsu and Shorinji Kempo Etsuko was a member of Sonny Chiba's "Japan Action Club" and appeared in several film and TV productions with Chiba, Hiroyuki Sanada, and other members of the JAC, including her big screen debut in Bodyguard Kiba 2, The Street Fighter, Shorinji Kempo also known misleadingly as Killing Machine, The Gorilla Seven TV series, The Defensive Power of Aikido, Shogun's Samurai , The Yagyu Conspiracy TV series, Message from Space, Shadow Warriors I-V TV series, Shogun's Ninja, Roaring Fire, and Legend of the Eight Samurai.Etsuko was also the lead in a number of films and TV series, starring in the Sister Street Fighter trilogy, The 13 Steps of Maki, The Magnificent Chase, Dragon Princess, Lethal Woman: Fifth Level Fist, the Yagyu Jubei Abaretabi TV series where she reprised her role as Akane Yagyū alongside Sonny Chiba as Jūbei Yagyū from Shogun's Samurai and The Yagyu Conspiracy, and The Second is a Christian an action comedy about a nun who becomes the successor to the head of a Yakuza group.
Along with her work in numerous contemporary martial arts and period samurai films and TV programs, Etsuko also appeared in tokusatsu superhero productions like Kikaider 01 and Moonlight Mask , investigative dramas such as Detective of Tomorrow and Detectives of Rumour: Tommy And Matsu, fantasy films like Black Jack: The Visitor in the Eye and Exchange Students, and mysteries like The Atami Murder Case.
Etsuko also had a singing career from 1975 to 1984, although her last solo album, Three Dimension, was also released on CD in 1985. Two books were released relating to her in the 1970s and 1980s.
Etsuko met singer-actor Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi on the set of the Otoko wa Tsurai yo film Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy, when she was around 30 years old. She retired from acting after marrying him the following year, in 1987, when she was 31. Their daughter :ja:文音|Ayane Nagabuchi is also an actress.
After her retirement, Etsuko stayed out of the limelight but returned to the public eye in 2011 with the release of her photography book Flower Arrangement INSPIRE'' and has been involved in charity work. She has written subsequent books on flower arrangement and made a number of public appearances, with the proceeds also being donated to charities.
Films
| Release | Title | Role | Billing | Category | Notes |
| 1973.05.24 | Bodyguard Kiba | Double for Yayoi Watanabe * uncredited * | Martial arts | Bodyguard Kiba | |
| 1973.10.13 | Bodyguard Kiba 2 | Maki | Martial arts | Bodyguard Kiba | |
| 1974.02.02 | The Street Fighter | Nachi Shikenbaru | Martial arts | The Street Fighter | |
| 1974.08.31 | Sister Street Fighter | Kōryū Li | Martial arts | Sister Street Fighter | |
| 1974.11.22 | The Street Fighter's Last Revenge | Kahō | Martial arts | The Street Fighter | |
| 1974.12.07 | Kōryū Li | Martial arts | Sister Street Fighter | ||
| 1974.12.28 | The Executioner II: Karate Inferno | Kumiko | Martial arts / Ninja / | ||
| 1975.02.15 | The Killing Machine | Miho Tomoda | Martial arts | ||
| 1975.03.08 | Young Nobility: Maki of the 13 Steps | Maki Hyūga | Martial arts | ||
| 1975.04.26 | The Magnificent Chase | Shinobu Yashiro | Martial arts | ||
| 1975.07.05 | The Bullet Train | Telephone operator | Drama / Action / | ||
| 1975.08.09 | Karate Bullfighter | Geisha * uncredited * | Martial arts | ||
| 1975.08.30 | The Return of the Sister Street Fighter | Kōryū Li | Martial arts | Sister Street Fighter | |
| 1975.11.22 | The Defensive Power of Aikido | Sanae Ozaki | Martial arts | ||
| 1976.01.31 | Dragon Princess | Yumi Higaki | Martial arts | ||
| 1976.04.10 | Karate Warriors | Fisherman * uncredited * | Martial arts | ||
| 1976.05.29 | Sister Street Fighter: Fifth Level Fist | Kiku Nakagawa | Martial arts | Sister Street Fighter | |
| 1976.05.29 | Festival Champ | Kiyoko Ebihara | Drama / Comedy / | ||
| 1977.02.11 | Soul of Chiba | Liho | Martial arts | ||
| 1977.09.15 | Lin Ling | Action / Martial arts / | |||
| 1977.11.26 | Black Jack: The Visitor in the Eye | Kyōko Nanbu | Suspense / Fantasy / | ||
| 1978.01.21 | Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy | Akane Yagyū | Jidaigeki / Ninja / | The Yagyu Conspiracy | |
| 1978.04.29 | Message from Space | Emeralida | Tokusatsu / Sci-Fi / | ||
| 1979 | Hong Kong Connection | Female spy Emeralida Shihomi | Action | Hosei University student film | |
| 1979.07.14 | The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi | Apartment neighbor | Comedy / Mystery / | ||
| 1979.09.08 | Pepper '80 | Detective Shiho Yamaguchi | Comedy / Crime / | Detective of Tomorrow | |
| 1980.11.15 | Shogun's Ninja | Ai-Lian | Jidaigeki / Ninja / | ||
| 1981.03.14 | Moonlight Mask | Ikuko Makimura | Tokusatsu | ||
| 1981.08.08 | Roaring Fire | Chihiro Hinohara | Martial arts | ||
| 1981.11.07 | The Kamikaze Adventurer | Sommelière * uncredited * | Action | ||
| 1982.04.17 | Exchange Students | Mitsuko Ōno | Comedy / Fantasy / | ||
| 1982.10.19 | Fall Guy | Herself | Drama / Comedy / | ||
| 1983.08.06 | Kabamaru the Ninja | Yūko Azuki | Comedy / Ninja / | ||
| 1983.12.10 | Legend of the Eight Samurai | Keno Inusaka | Jidaigeki | ||
| 1984.08.04 | Kotaro to the Rescue | Benibara | Comedy / Action / | ||
| 1984.10.06 | Shanghai Rhapsody | Lin Zhuli | Romance / Musical / | ||
| 1984.11.17 | The Audition | Reiko Nanase | Drama | ||
| 1985.09.14 | The Second is a Christian | Sister Kyōko | Yakuza | ||
| 1986.04.26 | Cabaret | Pub mama | Drama | ||
| 1986.06.07 | The Atami Murder Case | Tomoko Mizuno | Comedy / Mystery / | ||
| 1986.12.20 | Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy | Miho Shimazaki | Comedy / Drama / |
Television
| Airdate | Title | Type | Role | Billing | Category | Notes |
| 1973.09.28 | Suspense Series: Modern Witch Tale Murderous Love | TV anthology series - 1 episode | Old woman Shige's sister | Martial arts / Action / Suspense / / | Debut | |
| 1973.12.08 - 1974.03.30 | Kikaider 01 | TV series - 17 episodes | Mari | Tokusatsu | ||
| 1974.04.04 - 1974.09.26 | The Body-guard | TV series | Jun Niimi | Martial arts / Action / | ||
| 1975.04.04 - 1975.10.03 | The Gorilla Seven | TV series | Michi Nagareya | Martial arts / Action / | ||
| 1975.08.11 | The Young Detective | TV series - 1 episode | Yuka | Detective drama | The Young Detective | |
| 1975.08.19 | Kenka Yasubei | TV series - 1 episode | Omame | Jidaigeki | ||
| 1975.10.10 - 1976.01.16 | Blazing Dragnet | TV series - 14 episodes | Akiko Shiratori | Detective drama | ||
| 1976.01.23 - 1976.03.26 | Emergency Line | TV series | Midori Katsuragi | Detective drama | ||
| 1976.05.20 - 1976.10.07 | Nanairo Tongarashi | TV series | Takeko | Home drama | National Golden Theater | |
| 1976.07.19 | The Young Detective | TV series - 1 episode | Miki Inaba | Detective drama | The Young Detective | |
| 1976.09.22 | Detective at Dawn | TV series - 1 episode | Detective drama | |||
| 1976.10.02 - 1977.09.17 | Edo Dragnet | TV series - 38 episodes | Undercover Agent - Kaze | Jidaigeki / Ninja / | ||
| 1977.04.16 | J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai | TV series - 1 episode | Natsuko Ono | Tokusatsu Super Sentai | ||
| 1977.08.11 - 1977.08.18 | Shin Kawaramachi Higashiiru | TV series - 2 episodes | Natsuko Ōkawara | Drama | ||
| 1977.08.24 | New Detective at Dawn | TV series - 1 episode | Etsuko Shimura | Detective drama | ||
| 1977.10.05 - 1979.10.03 | Detective of Tomorrow | TV series | Detective Shiho Yamaguchi | Detective drama | Detective of Tomorrow | |
| 1977.10.09 - 1977.12.25 | Shingo Tondeke Torimonochō | TV series | Miho Kanzaki | Jidaigeki | ||
| 1977.10.27 | Circus | TV anthology series - 1 episode | Ruriko Adachi | Circus drama | Drama Ningen Moyō | |
| 1977.12.24 | Cases Files of Ningyo Sashichi | TV series - 1 episode | Koyuki | Jidaigeki | ||
| 1978.10.03 - 1979.06.26 | The Yagyu Conspiracy | TV series - 31 episodes | Akane Yagyū | Jidaigeki / Ninja / | The Yagyu Conspiracy | |
| 1978.10.06 - 1979.03.30 | Necchu Jidai | TV series | Momoko Koito | Detective drama | ||
| 1978.10.07 - 1979.03.31 | Sanshiro Sugata | TV series | Sumi Monma | Martial arts | ||
| 1979.04.24 - 1979.09.25 | Yaruki Manman | TV series | Mayumi | Home drama | ||
| 1979.10.02 - 1980.03.25 | Sannan Sanjo Muko Ippiki III | TV series | Tsutae Katsura | Home drama | ||
| 1979.10.17 - 1980.09.03 | Detectives of Rumour: Tommy and Matsu | TV series - 22 episodes | Sachiko Okano | Detective drama | ||
| 1979.12.27 | Tejo o Kakeru | TV series - 1 episode | Akiko Uno | Detective drama | ||
| 1980.03.29 | Kyo Maiko Satsujin Jiken: Kyofu no Uwaki Shuccho | TV movie | Crime Drama | |||
| 1980.04.07 - 1980.10.27 | Roar! Doberman Cop | TV series - 13 episodes | Special Section Detective Kaoru Igarashi | Detective drama | ||
| 1980.05.17 | Juni-sai no Haato ni Suberi Kome | TV anthology series - 1 TV movie | School Drama | Saturday Nanahan School Crisis | ||
| 1980.05.27 | Shadow Warriors | TV series - 1 episode | Kuromoji no Kirara | Jidaigeki / Ninja / | Shadow Warriors | |
| 1980.09.02 - 1981.01.27 | Hitori Goi Futari Goi Minna Goi | TV series | Takako | Drama | ||
| 1980.09.18 | Umi Yo Ai no Kiseki O Yobe Tozasareta Shōnen no Kokoro Wa Yomigaeru Ka? | TV movie | Adventure | |||
| 1981.03.05 | Red Lightning: The Shadow Ninja Warriors Strategy to Save Shogun Yoshimune's Mother! 赤い稲妻 将軍吉宗の母を救え！影の忍者軍団決死の | TV movie | Jidaigeki / Ninja / | |||
| 1981.03.10 | Yagyu Abaretabi | TV series - 1 episode | Oyo Kashiwagi | Jidaigeki / Ninja / | Yagyu Abaretabi series | |
| 1981.03.28 | Hitomi no Naka no Satsui Kekkonshitai Onna | TV movie | Crime Drama | Saturday Wide Theater sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|1|Leadsort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|4|sort|1|Leadsort|4| TheaterDiscographySingles:
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