Yuriko Hishimi is a Japanese actress. Her real name is Sakai Yashiko . She is known for her role as Anne Yuri in Ultraseven.
Career[]
Hishimi was born in the Sagimiya 1-chome district of Nakano, Tokyo. Her father established a manual printing press company called Sumira Kogeisha after World War II, but the business eventually failed, leading him to relinquish the family's house in Nakano to manage debts. In August 1954, Hishimi's family moved to the Mukai area of Mitaka City (now Inokashira 4-chome).
At the end of her second year of high school, Hishimi was selected as a semi-finalist in Toho's "Miss Tokyo" contest and was later chosen by Toho as one of the sixth batch of Toho newcomers, officially joining the company as a new actress. She began her career with a role in the film Panchi Yaro in 1966 after completing her training at the Toho acting school.[1]
In 1967, Hishimi gained fame for her role as Anne Yuri in Ultraseven.[2] She was cast in this role as a replacement for the original choice, Yoshiko Toyoura, who withdrew from the project due to her decision to take on a film role, resulting in a hurried casting decision for Hishimi.[3][4][5][6]
In 1972, after becoming a freelance actress, she adopted her current stage name. She appeared in various types of films and television dramas, including period and historical dramas.[7][8]Since the 1990s, Hishimi has been actively involved in fan events and special activities, frequently participating in interviews related to Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman series. This includes her portrayal of the Ultraseven filming process in the 1993 dramatization My Beloved Ultraseven. In 1997, she published her autobiography, "Seven, Seven, Seven – My Beloved Ultraseven", reflecting on her time working on Ultraseven. She has since written several other books related to the series.
In 2018, Hishimi announced her retirement from the entertainment industry in mid-September but soon returned to participate in Ultraseven-related activities.[9][10][11] In the 2020s, she retired from acting and became actively engaged online.[12]
Personal Life[]
In April 2025, Hishimi announced her remarriage to Toru Okazaki, a former actor who portrayed Amazon (Daisuke Yamamoto) in Kamen Rider Amazon.[13][14][15]
Roles[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Ultraseven | Anne Yuri | |
| 1972 | Mirrorman | Sayoko Naruse | Episode 7 "Obliterate! Operation: Human Body Invasion" |
| 1974 | Ultraman Leo | Anne Yuri lookalike | Episode 29 "Japan Masterpiece Folklore Series - Reunion of Fate! Dan and Anne" |
| 1993 | My Beloved Ultraseven | Woman Selling Poetry Books | |
| 1994 | Ultraseven - Operation: Solar Energy | Anne Kusuhara (née Yuri) | |
| 1997 | Ultraman Zearth 2: Superhuman Big Battle - Light and Shadow | Housewife | |
| 2007 | Ultraseven X | Anne Yuri | Episode 12 "NEW WORLD" |
| 2008 | Superior 8 Ultra Brothers | Anne Moroboshi (née Yuri) | |
| 2017 | The Kaiju Club 〜A Special Effects Fantasy Story of Youth〜 | Yuriko's Mother | |
| 2023 | Ultraseven IF Story “The Future 55 Years Ago” | Anne Yuri | Younger appearance superimposed on body double[16][17] |
Other Roles[]
- Godzilla vs. Gigan - Tomoko Tomoe
Discography[]
- Ultraman Mebius
- Ultraman Mebius (Opening) (with Project DMM, as member of Ultra Defense Force)
Gallery[]
Miscellaneous[]
![[18][19]](/wiki/File:Yuriko_Hishimi_1967_01.jpg "Yuriko Hishimi 1967 01.jpg (1.9 MB)")
![A group photo of the Ultraseven cast, taken in 1987[20]](/wiki/File:UG_20th.jpg "UG 20th.jpg (243 KB)")
![A group photo of the Ultraseven cast, taken in 2011[21]](/wiki/File:UG_44th.jpg "UG 44th.jpg (116 KB)")
![Yuriko Hishimi and other Ultraseven actors participate in Ultraseven 55th: Grand Finale at TSUBURAYA CONVENTION 2023.[22]](/wiki/File:UG_2023.jpg "UG 2023.jpg (1.49 MB)")
Trivia[]
- Due to the unique role of Hishimi's character Anne in the series, various media have focused on Hishimi since the series aired, releasing related merchandise, photo books, and publications. The most notable adaptation is the 1993 special program My Beloved Ultraseven, which dramatized Hishimi's life and presented a fictionalized account of her experience playing the role of Anne.
- Hishimi was the main interviewee in the 2004 direct-to-video special Ultra Heroine Legend: From Anne to Seven. The documentary centered on her experiences during the filming of Ultraseven, and Hishimi also served as the host, engaging with other guests to discuss their memories of the series.
Spell Cake made for the 50th anniversary of the 12th episode
- Although not appearing in the film itself, Hishimi appears in footage of an Ultraman Series 40th anniversary party shown in the ending credits of Ultraman Mebius & the Ultra Brothers.
- Hishimi believes the banned twelfth episode of Ultraseven should be unbanned,[23] even celebrating the episode's 50th anniversary in 2017 with a cake with Anne and Alien Spell on it.[24]
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ https://plus.tver.jp/news/expost_72673/detail/
- ↑ https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/24398058/
- ↑ https://www.cinematoday.jp/news/N0047934
- ↑ https://animageplus.jp/articles/detail/47155
- ↑ https://hochi.news/articles/20221207-OHT1T51192.html?page=1
- ↑ https://www.daily.co.jp/newsflash/gossip/2015/04/11/0007909708.shtml
- ↑ https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/260777
- ↑ https://post.tv-asahi.co.jp/post-107587/
- ↑ https://blog.goo.ne.jp/anneinfi/e/5d929832e09caf85c2fab69eff3b5b47
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-4826
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-6941
- ↑ https://blog.goo.ne.jp/anneinfi/e/f9c7464651a2ee45c7548956a96a2cc9
- ↑ https://x.com/ANNEinfinity/status/1915636222485303561
- ↑ https://hochi.news/articles/20250425-OHT1T51098.html
- ↑ https://www.sanspo.com/article/20250425-P4DFUUOPPRH3ZE5B6DLCEXSJFI/
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-6729
- ↑ http://tsuburaya-prod.com/news/6096
- ↑ https://x.com/fukkan_editors/status/1907723541992391167
- ↑ https://www.fukkan.com/fk/CartSearchDetail?i_no=68334436
- ↑ https://x.com/ichikawakon/status/1591039316486422531
- ↑ https://hochi.news/articles/20221207-OHT1T51167.html?page=1
- ↑ https://x.com/tsuburayaprod/status/1728705190575092040
- ↑ https://www.huffingtonpost.jp/entry/ultra-seven_jp_5c5aa716e4b0cd19aa941045
- ↑ https://blog.goo.ne.jp/anneinfi/e/af8d8b74a3e21d7c0e75e53c6ee61a3b