She has various nicknames, one being "Akko". Due to her above-average height (174 cm or 5'8.5"), she is also nicknamed "jotei" (女帝), meaning "empress".
Akiko wada doshaburi no ame no naka de 1969 avi
Biography
Akiko Wada is Japanese with Korean ethnicity. She was born Kim Bok-Ja (Korean: 김 복자, Hanja: 金 福子, Kim is the family name). Like many Zainichi Koreans, she also had a Japanese-style name for everyday use, Fukuko Kaneumi(金海福子,Kaneumi Fukuko). When she took Japanese citizenship, her name became Akiko Wada(和田 現子,Wada Akiko), which upon marriage became Akiko Iizuka(飯塚 現子,Iizuka Akiko).
She is signed to the Horipro entertainment agency.
Career
At age 17, she dropped out of school and performed in clubs. She was signed to the Horipro entertainment agency and released her debut single, "Hoshizora no Kodoku" in 1968 and had her first hit the next year with "Doshaburi no Ame no Naka de". She performed on Kōhaku Uta Gassen, a music show broadcast live every New Year's Eve, in 1970 and has performed over 30 times on the show since then. She received the award for Best Song at the 1972 Japan Record Awards for "Ano Kane wo Narasu no wa Anata".
She played the voice of as Bowser in Super Mario Bros.: Peach-Hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!. She has also voiced Marge Simpson in the Japanese version of The Simpsons Movie.
She also performed with the music group M-Flo on the song "Hey!" on their 2005 album Beat Space Nine.
Wada performed at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York in September 2008 as part of her 40th debut anniversary tour.
Filmography
Actress
2017
Little Giants (TV Mini Series)
- Episode #1.10 (2017)
- Episode #1.9 (2017)
- Episode #1.8 (2017)
- Episode #1.7 (2017)
- Episode #1.6 (2017)
- Episode #1.5 (2017)
- Episode #1.4 (2017)
- Episode #1.3 (2017)
- Episode #1.2 (2017)
2007
Wada Akiko satsujin jiken (TV Movie)
1993
Eenyobo (TV Series) as
Hatsuko Iwai
1984
School Wars (TV Series)
- Episode #2.1 (1990)
- Episode #1.1 (1984)
1987
Yakuza Ladies 2
1986
Super Mario Brothers: Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach as
King Koopa (Bowser) (voice)
1978
Monkey (TV Series) as
Kishibojin
- Isetsu Kishibojin yurai ki (1980)
- The Minx and the Slug (1978) - Kishibojin
1978
Tobe! Hissatsu ura goroshi (TV Series) as
Waka
- Ikiteru musume ga shinda jibun wo mita! (1978) - Waka
- Totsuzen hada ni haha no kao ga ukabideta (1978) - Waka
- Totsujo okugata to geisha no jinkaku ga irekawatta (1978) - Waka
1976
Kinkin no lumpen taisho as
Job agency
1971
Kigeki: Hanayome sensô as
Akiko Hase
1970
Stray Cat Rock: Wild Jumbo as
Singer
1970
Stray Cat Rock: Delinquent Girl Boss as
Ako
1970
Furyô banchô: Ikkaku senkin
Soundtrack
2011
Bitter Sweet Home (TV Series) (performer: "Time Left")
2006
Kiraware Matsuko no isshô (performer: "Furui Nikki")
1978
Tobe! Hissatsu ura goroshi (TV Series) (performer: "Aishite")
1971
Kigeki: Hanayome sensô (performer: "Namida no chikai", "Waratte yurishite")
1970
Stray Cat Rock: Delinquent Girl Boss (performer: "Sasurai No Blues", "Male And Female Rock" (uncredited))
Self
2014
Tetsuko no heya (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 3 April 2020 (2020) - Self
- Episode dated 16 May 2019 (2019) - Self
- Episode dated 15 May 2019 (2019) - Self
- Episode dated 21 December 2018 (2018) - Self
- Episode dated 5 July 2017 (2017) - Self
- Episode dated 13 May 2015 (2015) - Self
- Episode dated 26 May 2014 (2014) - Self
2016
Geinôjin kakuzuke check! Special (TV Series) as
Self
- 4 Hour Special (2016) - Self
2015
The 66th Annual NHK kôhaku uta gassen (TV Special) as
Self
2015
FNS Music Festival: Part 2 (TV Special) as
Self
2015
FNS Music Festival: Part 1 (TV Special) as
Self
2015
FNS 27 HRS Television 29 (TV Special) as
Self
2015
Hayashi-sensei ga Odoroku Hatsumimi Gaku (TV Series) as
