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Japanese actress Yoko Shimada passed away on July 25 at the age of 69.
As per Japanese media, the star battled colorectal cancer and died due to multiple organ failure in a hospital in Tokyo's Shibuya City.
Shimada started her acting career with the 1970 drama Osanazuma and since then had starred in several films and television productions. However, her most iconic role was that of her 1980's drama series, Shogun, where she played the role of an aristocrat's wife.
Yoko Shimada's iconic role in Shogun explored
Yoko Shimada played the role of Mariko or Lady Toda Buntaro in NBC's mini-series Shogun based on James Clavell's 1975 book of the same name.
In the series, which is set at a time before 1600s, Mariko is seen as the daughter of a disgraced catholic Father who assassinates Lord Goroda, an influential daimyo in Japan. Then, she is forced to marry a samurai named Toda Buntaro with whom she shifts to Shonai Province.
The duo have a loveless marriage, and Buntaro is usually seen abusing Mariko. However, after a point, she refuses to live as a submissive wife to him.
Of all the things, Mariko was fluent in English and was assigned as a translator between an English navigator, John Blackthorne, and the Japanese. As they continued to spend time together, the duo's friendship blossomed into love.
Since she was already married at the time, Blackthorne asked Lord Yoshi Toranaga to allow Mariko to divorce his husband and marry him, but to no avail.
In the series, Mariko got killed trying to save Blackthorne when the Osaka's castle is attacked by the enemies. After her cremation, Mariko's will revealed that she had left money for John to build a new ship for himself after his old one burned down.
The role of Mariko garnered Yoko Shimada her one and only Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama in 1981.
In the same year, she also received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special category.
Born on May 17, 1953, Shimada was married to Yoneyama Hitoshi from 1994 to 2019.
She also starred in 1974 film Castle of Sand, which received a Golden Prize nomination at the Moscow International Film Festival.
Some of Yoko Shimada's other credits include Kamen Rider, We Are Youth, I Am a Cat, The Inugami Family, Dead Angle, Little Champion, Ritoru Champion, Hanazono no meikyu, Minamoto Yoshitsune, Crying Freeman, Hero Zheng Chengong, The Deep Red, God in Jail, etc.
Her last film appearance was in Toshirô Saiga's directorial drama, Kanon.
