Riiko

Also known as リイコ (Riiko)

Hello, My Name (in English) is…

Although Riiko has no known special meaning, it’s a very nice name for a very cute girl.

Distinguishing Features

Riiko is easily spotted by the large curled hair bun over her forehead.

Status: Primary Star (★★★)

Riiko is Osamu Tezuka’s go-to for the “cute girl” roles. Although Mitchy originally started out being cast in the “young girl” roles, her skill and character meant she soon found herself taking on more dramatic and mature roles.  This left a vacuum that needed to be filled, and Tezuka looked to Riiko to fill the void.  With her light-hearted exuberance, Riiko retains her child-like innocence, no matter what events are swirling around here.

Notable Roles

Although she made her debut in Ghost Detective Dan (1948), she is probably better remembered for her role as as “Anna” in Angel Gunfighter (1949).  Although she (rather than Mitchy) was cast opposite the handsome young Indian brave, “Monster“, her innocent-appearance may have been the reason that their controversial kissing scene (said to be the first such scene to appear in children’s manga) resulted in Tezuka being hit with sharp criticism and even threats.

By the 1960s, she had no more appearances and was considered “retired”, but she made a slight comeback in the Black Jack (1973-83) chapter “Sun Dolls” as Hiroshi’s mother in 1976.