A skilled martial artist trained in
Karate,
Kenjitsu and
Shorinji Kempo Etsuko was a member of
Sonny Chiba's "Japan Action Club" (JAC) and appeared in several film and TV productions with Chiba,
Hiroyuki Sanada, and other members of the JAC, including her big screen debut in
Bodyguard Kiba 2 (1973),
The Street Fighter (1974),
Shorinji Kempo also known misleadingly as
Killing Machine (1975),
The Gorilla Seven TV series (1975),
The Defensive Power of Aikido (1975), ''
Shogun's Samurai (aka The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy
) (1978), The Yagyu Conspiracy TV series (1978), Message from Space (1978),
Shadow Warriors I-V TV series (1980–1985), Shogun's Ninja
(1980), Roaring Fire
(1982), and Legend of the Eight Samurai'' (1983). Etsuko was also the lead in a number of films and TV series, starring in the
Sister Street Fighter trilogy (1974–1975),
The 13 Steps of Maki (1975),
The Magnificent Chase (1975),
Dragon Princess (1976),
Lethal Woman: Fifth Level Fist (1976), the
Yagyu Jubei Abaretabi TV series (1982–1983) where she reprised her role as Akane Yagyū alongside Sonny Chiba as Jūbei Yagyū from ''Shogun's Samurai
(1978) and The Yagyu Conspiracy
(1978), and The Second is a Christian'' (1985) an action comedy about a nun who becomes the successor to the head of a
Yakuza group. Along with her work in numerous contemporary martial arts and period samurai films and TV programs, Etsuko also appeared in
tokusatsu superhero productions like
Kikaider 01 (1973–1974) and
Moonlight Mask (aka
The Moon Mask Rider) (1981), investigative dramas such as
Detective of Tomorrow (1977) and
Detectives of Rumour: Tommy And Matsu (1979), fantasy films like
Black Jack: The Visitor in the Eye (1977) and
Exchange Students (1982), and mysteries like
The Atami Murder Case (1986). Etsuko also had a singing career from 1975 to 1984, although her last solo album,
Three Dimension, was also released on CD in 1985. Two books were released relating to her in the 1970s and 1980s. Etsuko met singer-actor
Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi on the set of the
Otoko wa Tsurai yo film ''
Tora-san's Bluebird Fantasy'' (
1986), when she was around 30 years old. She retired from acting after marrying him the following year, in 1987, when she was 31. Their daughter
Ayane Nagabuchi is also an actress. After her retirement, Etsuko stayed out of the limelight but returned to the public eye in 2011 with the release of her photography book
Flower Arrangement INSPIRE and has been involved in charity work. She has written subsequent books on flower arrangement and made a number of public appearances, with the proceeds also being donated to charities. ==Acting credits==