**Mito Mitsuko (1919-2007)** was a Japanese actress, a prominent figure in post-war Japanese cinema. Her career was marked by intense portrayals of strong women, often with tragic destinies but endowed with great resilience and dignity. She adeptly transitioned between melancholic roles and independent, determined characters.

Among her most memorable performances were those in two masterpieces. In Kenji Mizoguchi's film *Akasen Chitai* (Street of Shame, 1956), she delivered a poignant portrayal of a prostitute fighting for her autonomy. She also shone in Akira Kurosawa's *Yoidore Tenshi* (Drunken Angel, 1948), intensely embodying a complex female figure connected to the yakuza world. Her style was characterized by a magnetic stage presence and remarkable emotional depth.