Meiko Kaji

Actress and singer Meiko Kaji was born Masako Ōta on March 24, 1947, in Tokyo, Japan. After high school, she embarked on her film career in 1965 with Nikkatsu studio, quickly making her mark with a supporting role in Retaliation (1968) and Nihon Zankyoden (1969). Her career took a significant turn with starring roles in the Stray Cat Rock series (1970-1971), portraying a rebellious youth. To avoid being typecast in erotic films as Nikkatsu shifted its focus, Meiko Kaji moved to Toei Company, leading to iconic roles in other films. Her most acclaimed role came in 1973 as Yuki in Lady Snowblood, a film that earned international fame and influenced Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series. She continued her success with a sequel in 1974, and further notable performances in Yakuza Graveyard (1976) and Sonezaki Shinjū (1978), the latter earning her multiple Best Actress awards. Despite withdrawing from major roles in the late 1970s due to overwork, Meiko Kaji made occasional film and TV appearances into the 2010s, including Under the Open Sky (2020) and Modern Love Tokyo (2022). Parallel to her acting, Kaji enjoyed a successful singing career, famously performing songs for her films. Her singles include “Jingi Komoriuta” (1970), “Gincho Wataridori” (1972), “Yadokari” (1973), “Jeans Blues” (1974), “Banka” (1979), and “Atsui Sake” (1980). Her series of albums from the 1970s – including Hajiki Shishu (1973), Yadokari (1973), and others – have gained new interest to J-Pop fans over the decades and have been reissued. In 2009, she released a single, and in 2011, she released Aitsu No Suki Sona Burusu, her first new album in 31 years. Despite international offers, she chose to focus on roles in her native language, cementing her status as a cultural icon in Japan.