Rika Aoki

Acting

Born Sharon-Lee Yoshida (Morris) to an American father and Japanese mother, Rika adopted both the first and last name of her manga counterpart as her stage name. Obviously, her mixed-race heritage was a large factor in her winning the part, though she also stood at an impressively statuesque 5ft7 (the average height for Japanese women is 5ft2), further accentuated by a pair of high-heeled boots, perfectly matching the leggy manga heroine. Taro Bonten, the creator of the manga, was full of praise for Rika saying ‘I never thought I’d find someone so perfect’. Despite this, Rika was quite...