Hoshi Yuriko

A bright and energetic star of Toho's golden age, Hoshi Yuriko was recruited by the studio after winning a "Miss Cinderella" beauty contest in 1958.

She rose to national fame as the perennial love interest Sumiko in the long-running Young Guy (Wakadaishô) film series, starring alongside Kayama Yûzô. Her chemistry with Kayama was a key factor in the series' massive popularity during the 1960s.

To international audiences, she is best known for her roles in the Godzilla franchise. She played the intrepid reporter Nakanishi Junko in Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) and Shindô Naoko in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964). Unlike the typical "damsel in distress" roles of the era, Hoshi's characters were often professional, modern women who actively participated in the plot. She returned to the series decades later as a scientist in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000).

She remained active in film and television until her death from lung cancer in 2018. Her memorial service was attended by her longtime friends and co-stars, including Takarada Akira, Kayama Yûzô, and Tsukasa Yôko.