Michiko Nishiwaki: The first Japanese female bodybuilding champion

Watch the filmCharlie's Angels. These risky stunts that appeared to be performed by Lucy Liu were actually performed by Michiko Nishiwaki. She has been a stunt double for some big names in Hollywood as well as a fight choreographer. After narrowly missing out on being cast in Mortal Kombat, Michiko decided to add stuntwoman to her resume. She performed all the risky stunts in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) and Kelly Hu in The Scorpion King (2002). She also did stunts in Collateral (2004), Mission: Impossible III (2006) and Rush Hour 2 (2001).

Michiko Nishiwaki has had an interesting and varied career. As a teenage gymnast in Japan, she liked the muscles she was developing in her upper body but wanted more development in her legs. She found inspiration in the early 1980s Photos of female bodybuilders, particularly by Rachel McLish, to whom Michiko bore a striking resemblance. At first she couldn't imagine posing in a tiny bikini. She said: "It was simply not appropriate behavior for a woman in Japanese society to show her body in public." At that point, female bodybuilding wasn't real founded in the USA or Europe, i.e. in JapanBeing a woman in a muscle competition was nothing short of revolutionary.

As a serious athlete, Michiko Nishiwaki found a gym and began training with weights to balance her proportions and symmetry. Within a relatively short period of time, Michiko became the first female bodybuilding and powerlifting champion in Japan and held these titles for three consecutive years. She opened three fitness clubs with her brother to capitalize on her competitive success. Known as an expert in strength training, she also completed executive personal training and networked with Japan's elite. Michiko forever changed the stereotype of the submissive and docile Japanese woman by becoming a strong role model for everyone.

Michiko's acting career began in Hong Kong in 1985. Her first major role was in the film My Lucky Stars, in which she played a Japanese fighter. Her performance caught the attention of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung and soon she was performing with many of the most well-known martial arts stars. Michiko appeared in dozens of these genre films and later in A-list films such as Memoirs of a Geisha, Lethal Weapon, In the Line of Duty and Man on the Moon with Jim Carrey.

As a top athlete, she easily learned to portray a martial arts expert in the film, which also included learning weapons training. Michiko realized she could use her own gymnastics training like Jackie Chan, whose background helped him develop a unique, athletic style. She was eventually in demand to do stunts and perform as an actress, and quickly became typecast by playing villains in most of her Hong Kong films.

Film director Oliver Stone brought Michiko to my attention. I planned a shoot with her in my studio for Weider Magazine. Michiko is so popular around the world that I have seen my photos of her posted all over the internet on martial arts related websites. Not only was she a pioneer in the world of muscle and physique, but she was an admirable role model for how she was able to capitalize on her athletic success and develop a film career.

Michiko Nishiwaki married and then moved to Moorpark, California. Michiko living near Los Angeles gave me the chance to bring her into my studio to take photos for Muscle & Fitness. I consider the images I have created with her to be a significant addition to my photo archive and am happy to share them with current magazine readers.

Michiko Nishiwaki film credits

• Geisterfels (2003) – Hana
• Man on the Moon (1999) – Karatekämpferin
• Tödliche Waffe 4 (1998)
• Top Fighter 2 (1996) – Sie selbst (Archivmaterial)
• Stadt in Flammen (1993) – Chia-Chi
• Ging fa yu lau ang (Hure und Polizistin) (1993) – Nancy Cheng
• Tödliche Verführung (1993)
• Ba hai hong ying (The Avenging Quartet) (1993) – Sen
• Huo bao da quan zi (Big Circle Blues) (1992) – Kwan Show-Yun
• Pi li bao zuo (1992)
• Yun yu di liu gan (Leidenschaftliches Töten im Traum) (1992) – Sha Sha Lee
• Hong tin huang jia jiang (Angel Terminators) (1992) – Miss Nishiwaki
• Yin yao hao qing (Hero Dream alias Naked Huntress) (1992) – Yi
• Sing je wai wong (The Mighty Gambler) (1992) – Joyce Huang (Festlandbewohnerin)
• Se jiang (Hexerei gegen Fluch) (1991) – Simol
• Das wahre Ich (1991)
• The Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990) – Herself (Archivmaterial)
• Magic Cop (1990) – Die Zauberin
• Drachenkämpfer (schwer zu töten) (1990)
• Hu dan nu er gang (Widow Warriors) (1990) – Chieko
• Geächtete Brüder (1990) – Miego
• Tie dan xiong feng (Lebe hart) (1989) – Lily
• Miao tan shuang long (City Cops) (1989) – Michiko
• God of Gamblers (1989) – Ko Chuns Yakuza-Gegnerin
• Time Burst: Die letzte Allianz (1989)
• In der Pflicht III (1988) – Michiko Nishiwaki
• Ojosan tantei Tokimeki renpatsu! (Young Lady Detectives: Heart Beat!) (1987) – Misao Matsuda
• Jikuu Senshi Spielban (Dimensional Warrior Spielban) (1986, Fernsehserie) – Rikkî
• Meine Glückssterne (1985) – Japanischer Kämpfer