In her teens the beautiful Ayako Wakao was contracted to Daiei Studio and appeared in numerous films for the next two decades. She came to prominence in a couple of films with Mizoguchi and also worked with Ichikawa and Ozu but saved her best performances for Masumura, collaborating with him on numerous occasions and giving brilliant and sexy performances in the likes of Manji, Seisaku's Wife, Red Angel and Irezumi..