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Kazuko Shirakawa

Kazuko Shirakawa

Actor · Born September 30, 1947 (79) · Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan

Kazuko Shirakawa (born September 30, 1947) is a Japanese actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's Roman Porno films during the 1970s. She appeared in Nikkatsu's first film in the Roman Porno series, Apartment Wife (1971), and is considered the first of the three "Nikkatsu Queens" of the 1970s. After 1976 she embarked on a successful career in mainstream film.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 30, 1947 (79)
From
Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan
Works as
Actor
Titles
9 on MovieCove · 115 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 23% in 30 days

What are Kazuko Shirakawa's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
41%
Society
18%
Bonds
16%
Survival
9%
Morality
9%
Ideas
5%
Power
3%
Purpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 2 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
5
Melancholic
4
Tense
2
Dread
2
Warm
1
Other
1

How their films linger

Thought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Kazuko Shirakawa's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kazuko Shirakawa's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

115 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Tenten Will I Be Single Forever? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Mr. Shota's Last Business Trip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Kaneko Fumiko (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Sunset Sunrise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Murayama Shigeko

  • The Old One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • House of Ninjas(2024)

    Show 4 episodes · as Old Woman Fuma

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Corpo a Corpo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Actor

  • Six Singing Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Sugita

  • Picture of Spring(2023)

    as Kinuyo Hongo

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Logically Impossible! Detective Ryoko Kamizuru Is on the Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Mitsue Mitsutani

  • ヌーのコインロッカーは使用禁止 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Actor

  • War of Traps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Thorns of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Actor

  • Onpaku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Struggling Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • The Nikaidos' Fall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Haru Nikaido

  • Vision (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • I Will Never Forgive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Roupeiro's Melancholy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Radiance(2017)

    as Yasuko Ozaki

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Dawn of the Felines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Madam of SM Club

  • Cold Case: Door of Truth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Yoko

  • Night's Tightrope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Masayo Mizumori

  • The Devil's Path(2013)

    as Yurie Ushiba

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Before the Vigil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • Dendera (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Hono Ishizuka

  • 2 Channel no Noroi - VOL. 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Cannonball Wedlock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Housewife's Afternoon Delight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as President of water purifier company

  • Osaka Hamlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Yae

  • The Lawyer of Shimane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Kawada Kimie

  • Fujin Volleyball: Mamas Attack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Blessing Bell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Bar Owner

  • AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lily Festival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Renako Yokota

  • Love and Life in the White (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 10 episodes · as 岩崎ミツ

  • The Password is Courage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 11 episodes · Actor

  • In Search of a Lost Writer: Wandering in the World of the Seventh Sense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Kaoru Hayakawa

  • After Life(1998)

    as Nobuko Amano

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Rookie Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 11 episodes · Actor

  • ストーカー 逃げきれぬ愛 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 10 episodes · as Umi and Sora's Mother

  • Teito Monogatari Gaiden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Actor

  • Rei Tin: Ko Ladies!! Socho saigo no hi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Actor

  • The Files of the Young Kindaichi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Mitsuko Fuyuki

  • Western-style Village Murder Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Mitsuko Fuyuki

  • The Stairway to the Distant Past (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Sachiko Shibata

  • Yoru ni Dakarete (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 8 episodes · as 川濑芙美

  • Natsuko no Sake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 11 episodes · Actor

  • Sosuke Loses His Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Tamae

  • Execution In Daytime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Actor

  • Swimming Upstream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Babah, Kaoru's Grandmother

  • Don't Mind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Actor

  • Black Rain(1989)

    as Old Woman with White Flag

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • That's Roman Porno: Smile of Goddesses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Actor

  • Luminous Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

  • Apartment Wife: Serial Murders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • Spring Bell(1985)

    as Toyoko

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Someday, Someone Will Be Killed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • Genshu Hanayagi: Prison Diary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • Serial Killer: Coldblooded (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • Mitsugetsu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Wife of Brokerage Firm President

  • Tokimeki Kaigan Monogatari (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • Meitantei Kindaichi Kōsuke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

  • Women’s Secrets Behind Bars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • Kawasaki Vice Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • The Family Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Mieko's Mother

  • Akujo kamakiri(1983)

    as Mrs. Matsumiya

  • Furuya Ikkou's Great Detective Kindaichi Kousuke Series (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Sakie Nirei

  • Farewell to the Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Prayer

  • The Wild Daisy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Sei Tomura

  • Eijanaika (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Yamikumo-dayu

  • The Nineteen-Year-Old's Map (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Actor

  • Vengeance Is Mine(1979)

    as Sachiko

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Young Animals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • The Story of a Geisha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Actor

  • The Youth Killer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Keiko's Mother

  • Nihon porno-shi: Nureba katsudô daishashin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Actor

  • Naked Resume: True Story of Kazuko Shirakawa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Kazuko Shirakawa

  • Did the Red Bird Escape? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Actor

  • Overly-Ripe Breasts: Married Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Haruko Maruoka

  • The Hotspring Resort Masseuse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Aiko

  • Apartment Wife: Night of the Rape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Teruko Tokura

  • Afternoon Affair: Rear Window (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Ayuko Fukuzawa

  • Ichijo's Wet Lust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Mari

  • The Sloe-eyed Siren (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Natsuko Maki(萬木夏子)

  • The Superhuman Stud (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Kayoko

  • Manatsu no Yoru no Jôji (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Misa

  • The Shadow on the Wall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Kyôko Munakata

  • The Love Sorceress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Yasuko Makimura

  • Apartment Wife: Secret Rendezvous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Nobuko Kosaka

  • Night and Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Shodai Ôhori

  • Silent Tears (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Harue(春江)

  • Drifter's Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Hiroko(弘子)

  • Dewdrops on the Petals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Akiko

  • Affair at Twilight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Reiko(秋津令子)

  • Nihon porno Olympic: Chikubi-yama no seien (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Actor

  • Thirsty for Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Kanako Yajima(矢島哲次)

  • Apartment Wife: Affair in the Afternoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Ritsuko Kasai

  • Body Wash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Yukari

  • Secrets of Sex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Actor

  • Kôshoku fûfu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Actor

  • History of Japanese Night Crawling Customs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Performer

  • Iro manbiki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Onna-yu, onna-yu, onna-yu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Actor

  • Oiroke tenshi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Lewd Priest: Forty-Eight Positions Cutting (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Writhing Hill Secret Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • History of Japanese Sexual Crimes: Assault Demons in Broad Daylight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • Sex Drive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as High school coed, Mari

  • The Thirst of the Female Body (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • All the Tricks in Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • Chibusa no mitsuryô (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Actor

  • A Pit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • Impotent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as High school girl

  • Girls' Dormitory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Ayumi

Career shape

Star power in the 86th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 115 titles from 1967 to 2026; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

The Devil's Path (2013)

$1.4M worldwide

Highest rated

Black Rain (1989)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Radiance (2017)

Film career

19672026

Peak 2018 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting115 of 115: 115 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score61st

By decade

1960s11 · acting1970s33 · acting1980s19 · acting1990s15 · acting2000s8 · acting2010s14 · acting2020s15 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Kazuko Shirakawa's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of the 7 of 8 with a score; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 8 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

3 of their 8 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

The Devil's Path (2013)

53rd percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Black Rain (1989)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 37. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Kazuko Shirakawa work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kazuko Shirakawa's MovieCove titles; Eiji Okada shares the most, 2.