Yukari Ōshima (大島 ゆかり, Ōshima Yukari, born December 31, 1963) is a Japanese actress and martial artist. She gained prominence in Hong Kong and became popular in the Philippines as Cynthia Luster. Due to Filipinos' interest in Jackie Chan, she became Chan's pseudo female equivalent.[1]
Yukari Ōshima 大島 ゆかり | |
|---|---|
| Born | Yukari Tsumura (津村 ゆかり) December 31, 1963 Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan |
| Other names | Cynthia Luster |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, martial artist |
| Years active | 1984–2005 2011–present |
| Spouse(s) | Mark Cheng (1991–1995) Philip Ko (1995–2017) |
Biography
editYukari Tsumura (津村 ゆかり, Tsumura Yukari) was born in Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan, to a Japanese businessman and fashion designer and a Chinese mother. She began studying Gōjū-ryū Seigokan karate at Ennouji Dojo in junior high school. She was one of Japan's brightest female martial artists during the 1980s and a leading figure in the girls with guns fad of Hong Kong action cinema.[citation needed] Oshima portrayed "Farrah Cat" in Bioman, which aired not only in Japan originally but also worldwide. She is best known to Western audiences as Yomi in Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky. After her Hong Kong career dried up, she embarked on a new career in the Philippines in the 1990s with the stage name Cynthia Luster.
Oshima now resides in Fukuoka, Japan,[1] where she has promoted tourism in the city. She is commonly known to Western audiences as the actress in the Marlboro Lite commercials in the late 1990s.
Selected filmography
editTelevision
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Space Sheriff Gavan | TV Series | ||
| Kagaku Sentai Dynaman | Doll Assassin | Ep. 28 | ||
| 1984 | Space Sheriff Shaider | TV Series | ||
| 1985 | Choudenshi Bioman | Farrah Cat | TV Series | |
| 1986 | Sukeban Deka II | Ep. 1 |
Film
edit| Year | English title | Original title | Role | Notes | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International | Philippines | |||||
| 1984 | Chodenshi Baioman the Movie | 超電子バイオマン | Farrah Cat | |||
| 1986 | Millionaires Express | China Warriors | 富貴列車 | Samurai | [2] | |
| A Book of Heroes | Fight to Win Again | 歡樂龍虎榜 | Yamashita's fighter | [3] | ||
| The Funny Family | 頑皮家族 | Tempura | ||||
| Kung Fu Wonder Child | 靈幻童子 | Hai Chiu Hse | ||||
| 1987 | Angel | 天使行動 | Madame Yeung / Sue (English version) | |||
| 1989 | Final Run | 目中無人 | Mon Ta Yee-Wa | |||
| Burning Ambition | 龍之爭霸 | Chau Siao-Tao | ||||
| Close Escape | 飛越危牆 | Migi | ||||
| Lucky Seven 2 | 7小福 2 | |||||
| Framed | 沉底鱷 | Kitty Li | ||||
| A Punch to Revenge | 十面埋伏 | |||||
| 1990 | Never Say Regret | 無悔行動 | ||||
| Outlaw Brothers | 最佳賊拍檔 | Tequila | ||||
| Angel's Mission | 先發制人 | Hing-tse | ||||
| Brave Young Girls | 黑海霸王花 | Lady Overlord | ||||
| Midnight Angel | 午夜天使 | Ying | ||||
| That's Money | 越軌行動 | Typist | ||||
| 1991 | The Godfather's Daughter Mafia Blues | 烈火情仇 | Amy Lee | |||
| Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky | 力王 | Huang Quan | ||||
| Spiritually a Cop | 駁腳差佬 | |||||
| Angel Force | 天使特警 | Arms Trafficker | ||||
| The Angels | 天使風雲 | |||||
| Ghost's Love | 雲雨生死戀 | Kicking policewoman | ||||
| Devil Cat | 貓變 | Black Cat | ||||
| The Story of the Gun | 黑星風雲 | Lin Ho-Hung | ||||
| Dreaming the Reality | 夢醒血未停 | |||||
| Gambling Ghost Are Ready | 賭鬼總動員 | |||||
| 1992 | Lover's Tear | Police officer | ||||
| Full Contact | 新龙争虎斗 | Mrs Wang | ||||
| Big Deal | Sim-Lan | |||||
| The Direct Line | Mok Yu Xia, CID Madam | |||||
| Nv Xiao Feng Yun: Xie Jiao Ru qin | ||||||
| Fatal Chase | Cynthia | |||||
| Beauty Investigator | The Hitwoman | |||||
| Jin San Jiao qun Ying hui | Bullet | |||||
| Hard to kill | ||||||
| Mission of Justice | ||||||
| Patio | ||||||
| The Story of the Gun | ||||||
| Win Them All | ||||||
| 1993 | Zong Heng Tian Xia | Uncredited | ||||
| Angel the Kickboxer | ||||||
| Lethal Panther | Jane Matsuko/Shoko | In International version | ||||
| Serious Shock! Yes Madam! | Coco | |||||
| The Avenging Quartet | Oshima | |||||
| Project S | Terrorist | |||||
| Ghost's Love | ||||||
| Love to Kill | ||||||
| Angel of Vengeance | ||||||
| Kakambal Ko sa tapang | Michelle | |||||
| Angel Terminators II | Bullet | Also known as The Best of Lady Kickboxers | [4] | |||
| 1/3 Qing Ren | Lin Ching-Hsia | |||||
| Xing Qi Gong Zhi Tan Bi | ||||||
| 1994 | Once Upon a Time in Manila | Lt. Cynthia Wang | Cynthia Luster's first Filipino movie | |||
| Yue gui Zhi Lang | ||||||
| Pintsik | May Leng | |||||
| His Way, Her Way, Their Ways! | ||||||
| Hong Tian mi Ling | Inspector Cynthia Lee Lai-Nga/Lisa Li | |||||
| Deadly Target | ||||||
| 1995 | Drug Fighters | Yi Chian | ||||
| Kinkyu yobidashi - Emâjenshî kôru | ||||||
| Ultracop 2000 | Trishia Marks | |||||
| 1/3 Lover | 大島由加里 | [5] | ||||
| Emergency Call '95 | Cameo | |||||
| Hubungan Jenayah | Heung Lan | |||||
| Power Connection | ||||||
| 1996 | Guardian Angel | |||||
| 1997 | Tiger Angels | |||||
| Tapang sa Tapang | 沈诗芳-小慧欣 | Jane Nakamoto | ||||
| Super Cops | Interpol Agent Yukari | |||||
| Challenge | ||||||
| Vengeance is Mine | ||||||
| 1998 | Gold Rush | [6] | ||||
| The Golden Nightmare | Nikki | |||||
| Leopard Hunting | Chieko | |||||
| To Kiss is Fatal | Diana Pama Aller | |||||
| 1999 | Digital Warriors | Jean Chung | ||||
| Double Sin | ||||||
| It Takes a Thief | [7] | |||||
| 2000 | Hakata Movie: Chinchiromai | Fay Lan | ||||
| 2001 | Xtreme Warriors | |||||
| Ashita wa kitto | Girl in grape field | |||||
| 2011 | Legendary Amazons | Zou Lanying | Final film role | |||
See also
edit
Citations
edit- ^ a b Macuja, Lista (March 24, 2014). "5 memorable movie "imports"". www.starcinema.abs-cbn.com. ABS-CBN Corporation. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ^ "2nd Action-Packed Day!". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. 21 August 1987. p. 9. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
The Fiercest Encounter of Martial Arts Experts in a Gigantic Movie!
- ^ "Opens Today". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. 25 August 1987. p. 13. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
In 1986, we introduced Chuck Norris' student Cindy Rothrock[.] Now in 1987, we are proud to present Bruce Lee's top female student[:] Cynthia Luster)
- ^ "Grand Opening Today!". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. April 30, 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
The super combination of the three LADY MASTERS of KICKBOXING in the most HARD-KICKING MOVIE of the YEAR!
- ^ 大島由加里 (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ Gold Rush at HK cinemagic
- ^ It Takes a Thief at HK cinemagic
General sources
edit- Williams, Tony (2000). "Yukari Oshima: Hong Kong Cinema's Japanese Panther; A career profile". Asian Cult Cinema. 28 (3rd Quarter): 44–47.
