Eri Otoguro as Keiko/Frankenstein Girl in Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl

Even though she’s a fashion (not gravure) model, Eihi Shiina, who gave a winning performance as Asami in Audition, deserves inclusion here. She’s pictured above as Ruka in Tokyo Gore Police.

Minase Yashiro as Ami in Machine Girl

Aya Kiguchi as Yoshie in Robogeisha

Yumi Sugimoto as Rin in Mutant Girls Squad

Aino Kishi in Samurai Princess

Tsugumi Nagasawa (formerly known as Asami Tachibana and who’s also starred in Tokyo Gore Police and Zombie Hunter Rika) as Aki in Grotesque. Unlike the other more campy films mentioned in this entry, this one is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Junko Miyashita (here in a still from the 1975 gem, A Woman Called Sada Abe) also went on to do mainstream films and is still currently acting.

Credited with bringing Nikkatsu into the S&M genre, Naomi Tani began her brief tenure with the company in 1974 with Flower and Snake and made her final Nikkatsu feature in 1979 with Rope and Skin (above). After her retirement, she went through a few personal difficulties but did release an interesting vocal album entitled Modae No Heya in which she spoke (not sung) over a background of traditional Japanese instruments. Eventually, she became a restaurant owner and later, opened a video store that specializes in the type of classic bondage movies she used to star in.

Apartment Wife: Afternoon Affair, which starred Kazuko Shirakawa, was the first of the Apartment Wife series. After starring in the first eight entries, Kazuko was succeeded in 1975 by Rumi Tama.

1974’s Secret Chronicle: She Beast Market which features Junko Miyashita, contains some unforgettable scenes and is a must-have for any serious collector of Nikkatsu roman porn.

Poster for 1979’s Rope and Skin, which was Naomi Tani’s swan song with Nikkatsu Studios.

Theatrical trailer for Rope and Skin featuring Naomi Tani

After 21-year hiatus, Rei reappeared in the form of actress/singer/model Natsuki Ozawa in the simply-titled Zero Woman.

Naoko Iijima starred as Rei in the second 1995 release, Final Mission.

Described by one reviewer as “a cross between Susan Sarandon and Rosamund Kwan,” Kumiko Takeda took on the role in 1996’s Assassin Lovers.

The 1997 film, The Accused featured Mai Tachihara, who was the lowest-profile actress to play the part.

Mikiyo Ono, who was a member of the J-Pop singing group “Coco,” starred in the second 1997 Zero Woman film, The Hunted.

Personal favorite Chieko Shiratori (not to be confused with pro wrestler Chikako Shiratori) nicely filled the role of Rei in 1998’s Dangerous Game.

1999’s Zero Woman Returns featured Saori Ono, another actress who hasn’t seemed to have appeared in much else.

Maiko Tohno (also spelled Maiko Tono) starred in 2005’s Zero Woman. The second one in the franchise with no subtitle.

The 2007 and most recent exploit of Rei, Zero Woman R featured Atsuko Miura.

JAV actress Tsugumi Nagasawa (formerly known as Asami Tachibana) plays Rika’s grandfather’s wife, Sayaka Shiratori, who schemes with her boyfriend to kill the old man so that she can inherit all he owns. She also provides the film with some titillating scenes. (Pun intended.) Tsugumi’s other splatter movie credits include Tokyo Gore Police (2008) and Grotesque (2009). A nice topless shot of her on the set of the former; here.

One notable scene in the move is where the three maids at Rika’s grandfather’s mansion (played by Akina Serizawa, Mina Arai, and Lemon Hanazawa) are interrupted by one of the flesh-eating ghouls while comparing boobs with each other. Lemon’s also appeared in such gems as Lunch Box (2004) and Molester’s Train: Sensitive Fingers (2007).

Clip of granddad’s wife, Sayaka (Tsugumi), making out with her boyfriend as a voyeuristic zombie watches, followed by the above-mentioned scene with the three maids.

Official trailer