Top 10 Facts about Masako Natsume

A photo of a Video camera  by Fabrizio Verrecchia – Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Facts About Masako Natsume

Masako Natsume was born in Shibuya, Tokyo as Masako Odate. She was born on 17 December 1957. She was the only daughter of Sue and Kazu Odate. She was raised in Naka-ku, Yokohama where she attended her studies up to junior college in 1976.

She was a Japanese actress from Tokyo. She is popular in Japan. She gained worldwide recognition for her portrayal of Tripitaka in the tv series monkey. The tv series is now considered a cult classic. in the article are the top ten facts about Masako Natsume.

1. She was the only girl child in her 3-kids family

Masako had two brothers, kazuo and Toshiaki odate. The two brothers were professional golfers. Toshiaki Odate was born on 8 January 1968. He played on the Japan Golf Tour and won twice.

In the family of three children, Masako was the only one interested in the entertainment industry, especially acting. This is an exception to her sister-in-law Yoshiko Odate who also was also an actress and a former popular 1970s pop group Candies. She dies in 2011  of breast cancer.

2. Masako Natsume quit school to pursue acting

A photo of a Film camera symbol by Emoji One Contributors – Wikimedia commons

Masako was a straightforward person who was always serious with her life choices. She considered passion and talent over the formal education offered in school. In 1976 she dropped out of junior college after she was chosen to feature a lead role in Ai ga miemasu ka.

The TV drama literally means ” can you see love?” Masako was among the topped of the 4,000 applicants to Nihon TV’s drama. Her parents though initially objected to her choice of becoming an actress.

3. Masako did not change her name at will

After she won the role in Nihon TV’s drama, Masako played her role under her original name Masako Odate. Her mother did not encourage the light of acting in her daughter despite the fact that success was already knocking on her door.

So, her mother requested her not to use the family name Odate in her career if she wanted to continue her career. Of course, this is a clear reason that her mother never wanted anything to do with acting. She changed her name to Natsume instead of Odate in 1977and she was good to go.

4. She was chosen to represent Kanebo cosmetics

A photo of Kanebo Cosmetics by Tianmu pert –Wikimedia commons

Leading Japanese producer of high-quality skincare, makeup, and hair care cosmetics. In 1977, shortly after she had changed her surname to Natsume, luck started pouring into Masako’s career. Masako achieved great popularity after appearing topless as the “Kooky Face” girl in an ad for sunscreen.

5. Masako was opportunistic

Earlier I said that Masako was someone serious in her life keeping her passion for her wants constant. Of course, she loved being an actress. She used the popularity gained from her ad for Kanebo Cosmetics vehemently. 

Masako used her then positive social status to record the song “Oh! Cookie Face.” later that year. Remember her occupation as only an actress but this year she did a song. 1977 must be worth talking about for those who knew her.

Even though she was given leads in a few movies and many bits in other movies, Masako continued in television shows. Her dream was to be a television actress prowess.

6. She played a male role in the TV series Monkey

A photo of a Mic on Boom Pole by Lionel Allorge-Wikimedia commons

In 1978-79, Masako was given the male role of Tripitaka in the Japanese TV program Saiyuki. The program became popular in many English-speaking countries in1890s when dubbed by the BBC. It was titled Monkey. 

Masako won the part because she matched contemporary descriptions of the Sanzo-Hoshi ( Japanese translation of Sanzang-fashi). It is claimed that her appearance was more closely to the descriptions than those of the male actors that auditioned for the program.

7. Masako received criticism in a part of her career life

The public and media claimed that she was a poor actress and that she should quit the field. It is because she specialized in well-bred but shy heroin in all her movies. However, in 1982, the negative views from the media and the public changed.

This was when she appeared as an ambitious and immoral woman in the TV drama Shousha and as the daughter of a Yakuza leader in the movie Onimasa. Some of the lines from the movie like “if you look down upon me it will be regrettable” and ” Don’t you look down on me!” became very popular catchphrases in Japan.

8.  She was the 8th winner of the Hochi Film Award

A photo of a camcorder with a mount and a shoulder rig by Troy Sankey – Wikimedia commons

The Hochi Film Award are film-specific prizes awarded by the Hochi Shimbun. Some of the categories awarded this award are Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Picture, Best Director, Best New Artist, Special award, and Best Supporting Actor. Masako was awarded for The Catch and Time and Tide.

9. Masako died at the age of 27 years

It was in 1985 when Masako died from acute leukemia at 27. She died one after she was married to Tadaki Nishiyama, a Japanese author in 1984. She was buried in Hofu, Yamaguchi under the name Masako Nishiyama.

10. Masako left a legacy worth being remembered

In 1977, Canon produced a television commercial for a copy machine featuring her photocopied image. It offered 100 free compilations of the images in a book and applications received 230, 000. Masako Natsume picture books and calendars are still popular in Japan Today. In 2007, TBS broadcast a documentary on Masako’s life entitled Himawari.

Apart from the fact that Masako is remembered in picture books, calendars, and documentaries, she also is remembered for the movies that she is featured in. In filmography, she managed to feature in 6 films, and in television, she appeared in nine television shows. She would have featured in many shows and movies if her life was prolonged. She is truly an icon to talk bost about.