Miki Odagiri
Acting • Born 1930-06-29 – Died 2006-11-28
Biography
Miki Odagiri (小田切美喜) was known primarily for her important and timeless role as the upbeat office girl in Akira Kurosawa's classic Ikiru opposite Takashi Shimura, whose character is dying of cancer, and Miki, as Toyo Odagiri, inspires him to live... just by being herself: bubbly, spontaneous, and optimistic. Her character is also filled with blunt sarcasm that was extremely rare in movies of the early-1950's. Perhaps Miki and Takashi's most memorable scene is when she's telling him the nicknames she created for their fellow workmates... including his! Sadly, beyond Ikiru, finding the handful of other Japanese movies she appeared in, especially on DVD or Blu Ray, is extremely difficult. But she left an impression in what's considered not only one of the legendary Kurosawa's greatest achievements, but one of the best movies ever made, worldwide.
Filmography
30 credits
Ikiru
Movie • 1952
Toyo
Striving to Live
Movie • 1955
Zoku jūdai no seiten
Movie • 1953
Misae Numakura
Shiosai
Movie • 1971
The Wild Geese
Movie • 1953
Oume
When a Woman Loves
Movie • 1960
Ohana
Boku chin hōrō-ki
Movie • 1962
Shinran: Path to Purity
Movie • 1987
Pastoral Symphony
Movie • 1938
Jūdai no seiten
Movie • 1953
A Certain Woman
Movie • 1954
Tsuya
Policeman's Diary
Movie • 1955
Momoyo
The Motherless
Movie • 1955
Miyoko
Stakeout
Movie • 1958
The Moon Has Risen
Movie • 1955
Fumiya
To Your Majesty, The Emperor
Movie • 1963
Pure Emotions of the Sea
Movie • 1956
Yumiko
The Street Without Sun
Movie • 1954
Fusa-chan
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Ikiru'
Movie • 2002
Self
Tower of Lilies
Movie • 1953
Duel at Sundown
Movie • 1955
Okatsu
Burden of Love
Movie • 1955
Teru
Nikoyon monogatari
Movie • 1956
Zoku zoku Jûdai no seiten
Movie • 1953
Policeman's Diary, Part 2
Movie • 1955
Women's House
Movie • 1954
Student Double Suicide
Movie • 1954
Monthly Salary: 13,000 Yen
Movie • 1958
The Valley Between Love and Death
Movie • 1954
お月様には悪いけど
Movie • 1954
芸妓小きん