Emi Wada

Emi Wada

Birth : 1937-03-18, Kyōto, Kyōto Prefecture, Japan

Death : 2021-11-13

History

Emi Wada was an Academy Award-winning theatrical, movie and ballet costume designer from Japan.

Profile

Emi Wada

Movies

Love After Love
Costume Design
The film tells the story of a young girl who travels from Shanghai to Hong Kong in pursuit of education, but ends up working for her aunt seducing rich and powerful men.
They Say Nothing Stays the Same
Costume Designer
Toichi is a boatman who ferries the villagers to a town on the other side of the river. Besides rowing a boat for the villagers all day long, he barely communicates with anyone except Genzo, a young neighbour. Upstream, a large bridge is being constructed. Everyone is excited, but Toichi has mixed feelings about it. One day, Toichi meets a mysterious girl. Having no family and no place to go, Toichi lets her stay with him, but this encounter starts to bring about changes to Toichi's life.
Samurai Marathon
Costume Designer
When feudal lord Itakura Katsuakira decides to prepare his samurai troops for the onslaught of modernization by having them compete in a marathon, his independent-minded daughter Yuki secretly joins the race.
God of War
Costume Design
During the 16th century, pirates rule the Chinese coastline, pillaging the small villages and terrorizing the citizens. When maverick leader Commander Yu enlists the help of a sharp young general, they devise a plan to defeat the pirates. A violent clash of wit and weapons will decide who will rule the land.
Lady of the Dynasty
Costume Design
The tragic story of a Tang Dynasty imperial consort who was the favorite of the Emperor Xuanzong.
Wu Dang
Costume Design
In early Republican China, rumors were going around about the treasure in Wudang Mountain. An American conspirator took his well-trained kung fu daughter to Wudang by sponsoring a Taoist martial arts competition, to steal the treasure. Out of expectation, a disciple represented Wudang to compete with other martial arts masters for the championship. During the competition, resentment incurred against different parties, the relationship became complicated, a Korean female Tai Chi descendant fell in love with the American conspirator and the secret of the treasure had been revealed. The treasure is the key of the magnetic field of Wudang, if it's stolen, Wudang would be devastated. To protect Wudang, a group of young heroes rallied around to defeat grant masters. It's the time the long-lost Wudang martial arts returned
Reign of Assassins
Costume Design
Set in ancient China, Zeng Jing is a skilled assassin who finds herself in possession of a mystical Buddhist monk's remains. She begins a quest to return the remains to its rightful resting place, and thus places herself in mortal danger because a team of assassins is in a deadly pursuit to possess the remains which holds an ancient power-wielding secret.
The Warrior and the Wolf
Costume Design
Set during China's the Warring States Period (476-221 BC), benevolent warrior Chenkang Lu (Joe Odagiri) enters into a torrid love affair with a woman (Maggie Q) from the nomadic Harran tribe. Their relationship sends the warrior to a place where humans were once wolves...
The Go Master
Costume Design
The life of Go master Wu Qingyuan from his meteoric rise as a child prodigy to fame and fortune as a revolutionary strategic thinker, as well as the tumultuous conflicts between his homeland of China and his adopted nation of Japan.
The Go Master
Production Design
The life of Go master Wu Qingyuan from his meteoric rise as a child prodigy to fame and fortune as a revolutionary strategic thinker, as well as the tumultuous conflicts between his homeland of China and his adopted nation of Japan.
The Restless
Costume Design
After his beloved fiancée is killed by demons, Yi Gwak joins the royal demon-hunting squad and distinguishes himself as a great hero. And though Yi eventually falls in battle, his adventures are just beginning. His spirit is whisked away to Joong-cheon, a place between heaven and earth where souls await reincarnation -- and where the final, epic clash between the forces of good and evil will be played out.
Japan Sinks
In the aftermath of a major earthquake, scientists predict that Japan will sink into the sea. As further disasters follow, politicians plead with other countries to take refugees, while scientists struggle to save Japan itself.
Making of House of Flying Daggers
Costume Design
Main Characters/Performers: 1. Xiao Mei - first appearing as new star dancer in lavish Peony Pavilion brothel, Mei is believed to be the blind daughter of a rebel group's recently assassinated leader- played by Zhang Ziyi . 2. Jin - police captain in the ruling Tang emperor's service, enlisted by his superior Leo to play the role of double agent by helping Mei escape and getting her to lead him - and government troops - to the rebel stronghold - played by Takeshi Kaneshiro. 3. Leo - introduced as a high ranking policeman in the Tang emperor's service, Leo turns out to a mole planted years earlier by the rebels working to overthrow the corrupt ruling Tang government - played by Andy Lau.
Madama Butterfly
Costume Design
Japan, early twentieth century. U.S. Navy Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton inspects the house he has leased from a marriage broker. The broker, Goro, has procured him three servants and a geisha wife, Cio-Cio-San, known as Madama Butterfly. He is enchanted with the fragile Cio-Cio-San. Cio-Cio-San is heard in the distance joyously singing of her wedding. In a quiet moment, Cio-Cio-San shows her bridegroom her few earthly treasures and tells him of her intention to embrace his Christian faith. The Imperial Commissioner performs the wedding ceremony, and the guests toast the couple. The celebration is interrupted by Cio-Cio-San's uncle, a Buddhist priest, who bursts in, cursing the girl for having renounced her ancestors' religion. Alone with Cio-Cio-San in the moonlit garden, her husband dries her tears, and she joins him in singing of their love.
House of Flying Daggers
Costume Design
In 9th century China, a corrupt government wages war against a rebel army called the Flying Daggers. A romantic warrior breaks a beautiful rebel out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.
Hero
Costume Design
One man defeated three assassins who sought to murder the most powerful warlord in pre-unified China.
I'm Sure Tomorrow...
Youth fantasy love story starring idol Kazue Fukiishi.
Taboo
Costume Design
Set during Japan's Shogun era, this film looks at life in a samurai compound where young warriors are trained in swordfighting. A number of interpersonal conflicts are brewing in the training room, all centering around a handsome young samurai named Sozaburo Kano. The school's stern master can choose to intervene, or to let Kano decide his own path.
8 ½ Women
Costume Design
After the death of his wife, wealthy businessman Philip Emmenthal and his son Storey open their own private harem in their family residence in Geneva (they get the idea while watching Federico Fellini's 8½ and after Storey is "given" a woman, Simato (Inoh), to waive her pachinko debts). They sign one-year contracts with eight (and a half) women to this effect. The women each have a gimmick (one is a nun, another a kabuki performer, etc.). Philip soon becomes dominated by his favourite of the concubines, Palmira, who has no interest in Storey as a lover, despite what their contract might stipulate. Philip dies, the concubines' contracts expire, and Storey is left alone with Giulietta (the titular "½", played by Fujiwara) and of course the money and the houses.
8 ½ Women
Production Design
After the death of his wife, wealthy businessman Philip Emmenthal and his son Storey open their own private harem in their family residence in Geneva (they get the idea while watching Federico Fellini's 8½ and after Storey is "given" a woman, Simato (Inoh), to waive her pachinko debts). They sign one-year contracts with eight (and a half) women to this effect. The women each have a gimmick (one is a nun, another a kabuki performer, etc.). Philip soon becomes dominated by his favourite of the concubines, Palmira, who has no interest in Storey as a lover, despite what their contract might stipulate. Philip dies, the concubines' contracts expire, and Storey is left alone with Giulietta (the titular "½", played by Fujiwara) and of course the money and the houses.
The Storm Riders
Costume Design
Based on a comic book called Fung Wan (or Tin Ha), the movie stars Ekin Cheng as Wind and Aaron Kwok as Cloud. The plot involves two children, Whispering Wind and Striding Cloud, who become powerful warriors under the evil warlord Conquer's tutelage. They grow up serving as his subordinates, but a love triangle and an accident leads to a quest for retribution.
The Soong Sisters
Costume Design
The Soong family was a political dynasty in China that reached the highest levels of power. This film follows the lives of the three Soong daughters, who were educated in America and returned to China. Ai-ling married a wealthy and powerful businessman. Ching-ling married Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary founder of modern China. Mei-ling married Chiang Kai-shek, China's leader during World War II. The sisters captured the world's fascination for their brilliant marriages and their strong influence on their nation.
The Bride with White Hair 2
Costume Design
For ten years, Cho has been in the snow of Mount Shin Fung waiting for a rare flower to blossom that will cure his wife who, back in Chung Yuan, is slowly killing all of the members of the Eight Big Clans. Something Cho did to her early in their marriage has turned her hair white and driven her mad. Cho's nephew, Kit, marries Lyre; they are deeply in love. On their wedding night, Ni-Chang, the bride with white hair, kidnaps Lyre and takes her to her harem of fighting women to indoctrinate her against Kit. Kit tries to lead a rescue party, but they are up against formidable opponents. Can Cho come in time with the blossom to soften Ni-Chang's heart?
The Bride with White Hair
Costume Design
The sensitive swordsman Cho Yi-Hang is tired of his life. He is the unwilling successor to the Wu-Tang clan throne and the unsure commander of the clan's forces in a war against foreign tribes and an evil cult. One day, he meets the beautiful Lien, a killer for the evil cult who is equally unsatisfied with her situation, but their love angers both the Wu-Tang clan and the evil cult.
Rikyu
Costume Design
Late in the 1500s, an aging tea master teaches the way of tea to a headstrong Shogun. Through force of will and courageous fighting, Hideyoshi becomes Japan’s most powerful warlord, unifying the country.
Festival of Dreams
Costume Design
Princess from the Moon
Costume Design
Two poor, married farmers have recently lost their only child; after a freak visitation, they pry open an alien cocoon to greet their new daughter.
The Hall of the Crying Deer
Costume Design
Ran
Costume Design
With Ran, legendary director Akira Kurosawa reimagines Shakespeare's King Lear as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan. Majestic in scope, the film is Kurosawa's late-life masterpiece, a profound examination of the folly of war and the crumbling of one family under the weight of betrayal, greed, and the insatiable thirst for power.