Akiko Wakabayashi

Time for a little retro action.

Akiko (born 1939/12/13) started her film career in 1958 and ended it with an appearance on a TV show in 1971. Her retirement came about due to injuries suffered while making a film. Probably best known for playing Aki in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and not, as you may have guessed, for the celluloid classics King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) or Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster (1964), she uttered one of the Bond movies’ famous lines. After giving Bond a massage she invites him to spend the night with her saying “I think I will enjoy very much serving under you”, as Bond carries her off to the boudoir.

Another note on that film, Akiko was originally slated to play the other female role of Kissy Suzuki with Mie Hama (with whom she worked with on KK vs G) playing Aki. Mie’s English was limited and there was concern she couldn’t handle the part, but producers were afraid if they fired her she would consider it having brought shame on her family and might commit suicide. The roles were switched and the rest is history.