Yukiko Todoroki

Background

Yukiko Todoroki is still relevant in the Japanese film industry even after her death. Todoroki was born in Shinbori-chou, Azabu-ku, Tokyo, Japan. She attended Kyoto Prefectural Suzaku Senior High School, but in 1931, she left the school to join an all-female musical theater troupe called Takarazuka Revue. She was joined by Shidare Itoi and Tomiko Hattori, and the trio became popular.

By 1937, Todoroki left the troupe and got her debut role as Otsu in “Musashi Miyamoto: Earth Scroll,” a Nikkatsu production. In 1943, Todoroki gained recognition for her role in “Sanshiro Sugata.” Todoroki starred in several films and television productions, including “Bakuon” (1939), “Zoku Shimizu Minato” (1940), “Jiro Monogatari” (1941), and many more. After the war, Todoroki gained weight and, as a result, was only given supporting roles. She played Hideki Takahashi’s mother in the series “Otoko no Monshō” from 1963 to 1966. This became one of her final roles.

Todoroki’s personal life was both public and problematic. She got married to her first husband, a film director, by the name Masahiro Makino, in 1940. She divorced Makino after the war in 1950 and married Koji Shima in 1953. Todoroki then divorced Shima in 1965. Her son, Masahiro Makino, was the offspring of her first marriage. Todoroki was still full of life before her demise. On May 11, 1967, at 49 years, she passed on due to post-hepatic jaundice. Her only survivor is her son, Makino.