Toshiko Sato
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is a
fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
from the television series ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' and its spin-off ''
Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing ...
'', played by
Naoko Mori (born 29 November 1971) is a Japanese actress based in the United Kingdom. She is known for her roles as Toshiko Sato in ''Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', Yasuko Namba in ''Everest'', Sarah in ''Absolutely Fabulous'' and Nicola in '' Spice Wor ...
. After a one-off appearance in the ''Doctor Who'' episode "
Aliens of London "Aliens of London" is the fourth episode of the first series of the British science fiction television show ''Doctor Who'' after its revival in 2005. First broadcast on 16 April 2005 on BBC One, it was written by Russell T Davies and directed b ...
" (2005), Toshiko is re-introduced as a series regular in the ''Torchwood'' 2006 premiere episode " Everything Changes". The character appears in every episode of the show's first two series as well as Expanded Universe material including ''Torchwood'' novels, audiobooks and
comic strips A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics ter ...
. Within the series narrative, Toshiko is the Cardiff branch of Torchwood's "technical expert", described as "quiet but highly intelligent", and a "computer genius". Aside from lead character
Jack Harkness Captain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in '' Doctor Who'' and its spin-off series, ''Torchwood''. The character first appears in the 2005 ''Doctor Who'' episode "The Empty Child" and subsequently features in the ...
, she is the regular character with the longest history with the Torchwood Institute, having been recruited three years prior to the series. Her characterisation explores the differences between her nature and that of her colleagues and her difficulty in romantic relationships. A general backstory relating to her pre-Torchwood life and long-standing crush on colleague
Owen Harper Dr Owen James Harper is a fictional character played by Burn Gorman, and a regular in the BBC television series ''Torchwood'', a spin-off from the long-running series ''Doctor Who''. The character last appeared onscreen in the Series 2 finale, ...
is hinted at across the first series, and explored more thoroughly in the second series. Mori departed the cast in the series two finale, "
Exit Wounds ''Exit Wounds'' is a 2001 American action film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, and starring Steven Seagal and DMX. The film is based on the book of the same name by John Westermann. The book takes place on Long Island, while the film is set in D ...
" (2008).


Appearances


Television

Sato first appears in the ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' episode "
Aliens of London "Aliens of London" is the fourth episode of the first series of the British science fiction television show ''Doctor Who'' after its revival in 2005. First broadcast on 16 April 2005 on BBC One, it was written by Russell T Davies and directed b ...
", credited as 'Doctor Sato', when she is called in to examine a supposed alien corpse at Albion Hospital. Toshiko is reintroduced in the ''Torchwood'' 2006 premiere episode " Everything Changes" as the technology expert of the
Torchwood Institute The Torchwood Institute, or simply Torchwood, is a fictional secret society, secret organisation from the British science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its Doctor Who spin-offs, spin-off series ''T ...
's Cardiff branch. In " Greeks Bearing Gifts", Toshiko enters into a sexual relationship with a woman named
Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
(
Daniela Denby-Ashe Daniela Jolanta Denby-Ashe (born 9 August 1978) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Sarah Hills on the soap opera ''EastEnders'', Margaret Hale on the period drama ''North and South'', and Janey Harper on the BBC sitcom ''My F ...
), from whom Toshiko receives a
telepathy Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic W ...
-granting necklace. Toshiko's experiences with telepathy distress her. She expresses despair and hopelessness, noting that across space, all cultures are essentially similar, leading to utter disappointment with existence. In the penultimate episode of the series, " Captain Jack Harkness", she and
Captain Jack Captain Jack may refer to: People * Calico Jack (1683–1720), a pirate in the 18th century * Captain Jack (Hawaiian) (died 1831), Naihekukui, commander of Kamehameha's fleet and father of Kalama * Captain Jack (fl. 1830s on), Kaurna man in c ...
(
John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in '' Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrow ...
) are sent to the year 1941 by the villainous
Bilis Manger This is a list of characters from the British television science fiction, British science fiction television programme ''Torchwood'', created by Russell T Davies. This list includes main characters, recurring characters and important guest chara ...
(
Murray Melvin Murray Melvin (born 10 August 1932) is an English actor. He is best known for his acting work with Joan Littlewood, Ken Russell and Stanley Kubrick. He is the author of two books: ''The Art of Theatre Workshop'' (2006) and ''The Theatre Royal, ...
), where being
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
, Tosh is the victim of bigotry. With their resident genius stranded,
Ianto Ianto may refer to: * Ianto Davies (), Welsh international rugby union full back * Ianto Evans, applied ecologist, landscape architect, inventor, writer, social critic, and teacher *Ianto Morgan, a fictional character in the Penguin Modern Classic ...
(
Gareth David-Lloyd Gareth David Lloyd (born 28 March 1981), known professionally as Gareth David-Lloyd, is a Welsh actor and writer best known for his role as Ianto Jones in the British science fiction series ''Torchwood.'' Early life He was born in Bettws, Newp ...
) and Owen are unable to open the Cardiff spacetime Rift and save her until Toshiko leaves them the necessary equations, which she is forced to write in her own blood. In the first series finale, a vision of Toshiko's mother is used to convince her to mutiny against Jack. In the second series (2008) episode " To the Last Man", Tosh has a relationship with a soldier from 1918 (
Anthony Lewis Anthony Lewis (March 27, 1927 – March 25, 2013) was an American public intellectual and journalist. He was twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and was a columnist for ''The New York Times''. He is credited with creating the field of legal jour ...
), who had to be frozen and re-awoken every year until the time was right for him to return to 1918 and heal the Rift. In episode " Reset", Owen agrees to go on a date with her, but dies at the end of the episode after being shot in the heart. When Owen is briefly revived by team leader Jack Harkness using a resurrection glove, Tosh says her goodbye to him by confessing that she has always loved him. Owen flatlines, only to revive again permanently, existing in a state resembling undeath. In the episode " Fragments", the audience comes to understand how Toshiko came to work for Torchwood; Captain Jack rescued her from a
UNIT Unit may refer to: Arts and entertainment * UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' * Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation Music * ''Unit'' (alb ...
detention centre where she was held after she was forced to build a sonic modulator for an unnamed terrorist organisation. In the show's second-season finale, "
Exit Wounds ''Exit Wounds'' is a 2001 American action film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, and starring Steven Seagal and DMX. The film is based on the book of the same name by John Westermann. The book takes place on Long Island, while the film is set in D ...
", Toshiko is shot and killed by
Gray Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...
(Lachlan Nieboer), Jack Harkness's unstable younger brother. She dies within minutes of Owen, having been unable to save him from his own death when he becomes trapped in a
nuclear power Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...
facility bunker flooding with
radioactive Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is consid ...
material. In the moments before their deaths, Owen apologises to Toshiko for never having managed to bring their relationship to fruition. By initiating the final log-off procedure for her account on the Torchwood computer system, Ianto activates a pre recorded message from Toshiko, in which she thanks Jack for saving her. She tells him that she is grateful for the opportunity to work in Torchwood and that she hoped her contributions were valued. After being killed off, the character is mentioned in the two episodes of ''Doctor Who'' which follow "Exit Wounds". In these episodes, Gwen (
Eve Myles Eve Myles (born 26 July 1978) is a Welsh actress. She is best known for her television roles portraying Ceri Lewis in the long-running BBC Wales drama series '' Belonging'' (2000–2009), Gwen Cooper in the BBC science-fiction series ''Torchw ...
) and Ianto vow to keep fighting in Tosh and Owen's memory, and later discover a "time lock" designed by Tosh which protects the Hub from
Dalek The Daleks ( ) are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. They were conceived by writer Terry Nation and first appeared in the 1963 ''Doctor Who'' ...
invasion.


Literature

Toshiko appears in the first eight of the ''Torchwood'' novels, published by
BBC Books BBC Books (also formerly known as BBC Publishing) is an imprint majority-owned and managed by Penguin Random House through its Ebury Publishing division. The minority shareholder is BBC Studios, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasti ...
. The first wave, '' Another Life'' by
Peter Anghelides Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...
, ''
Border Princes Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...
'' by
Dan Abnett Dan Abnett (born 12 October 1965) is an English comic book writer and novelist. He has been a frequent collaborator with fellow writer Andy Lanning, and is known for his work on books for both Marvel Comics, and their UK imprint, Marvel UK, sinc ...
, and '' Slow Decay'' by
Andy Lane Andrew Lane (born 17 April 1963), as Andy Lane, is a British author and journalist best known for the Young Sherlock Holmes series of Young Adult novels. He has written novels in the Virgin New Adventures range and audio dramas for Big Fini ...
, were published in January 2007 and form a loose story arc. Published in March 2008, and tying in with the concurrently airing second series of ''Torchwood'', Toshiko appears in the novels '' Trace Memory'' by David Llewellyn, ''
The Twilight Streets ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' by
Gary Russell Gary Russell (born 18 September 1963) is a British freelance writer, producer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-offs in other media. As an a ...
, and '' Something in the Water'' by
Trevor Baxendale Trevor Baxendale is a writer. His first ''Doctor Who'' novel ''The Janus Conjunction'' was published by BBC Books in 1998. He has also written novels for ''Torchwood'' and ''Blake's 7'', as well as short stories, comic strips and audio drama scri ...
. The novel ''Trace Memory'' depicts a five-year-old Toshiko living in Japan with her parents and elderly grandmother. This depiction is consistent with the character's history seeded across the series, although as with all ''Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'' spin-off media, the
canonicity The adjective canonical is applied in many contexts to mean "according to the canon" the standard, rule or primary source that is accepted as authoritative for the body of knowledge or literature in that context. In mathematics, "canonical example ...
in relation to the television series is open to interpretation. Toshiko also appears in the novels ''
Pack Animals A pack animal, also known as a sumpter animal or beast of burden, is an individual or type of working animal used by humans as means of transporting materials by attaching them so their weight bears on the animal's back, in contrast to draft ani ...
'' and '' SkyPoint''. ''Skypoint'', set after " A Day in the Death" and before "
Exit Wounds ''Exit Wounds'' is a 2001 American action film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, and starring Steven Seagal and DMX. The film is based on the book of the same name by John Westermann. The book takes place on Long Island, while the film is set in D ...
", depicts Tosh and Owen masquerading as a couple in order to investigate an alien sighting in a luxury apartment complex. Toshiko also appears in the first two ''Torchwood'' audio books, ''
Everyone Says Hello ''Everyone Says Hello'' is a BBC Audiobooks original audiobook written by Dan Abnett and based on the British science fiction television, ''Doctor Who'' spin-off series ''Torchwood''. It was released on 4 February 2008. Plot summary Early in the ...
'' by
Dan Abnett Dan Abnett (born 12 October 1965) is an English comic book writer and novelist. He has been a frequent collaborator with fellow writer Andy Lanning, and is known for his work on books for both Marvel Comics, and their UK imprint, Marvel UK, sinc ...
, narrated by
Burn Gorman Burn Hugh Winchester Gorman (born 1 September 1974) is an English actor and musician. He is known for his roles as Owen Harper in the BBC series ''Torchwood'' (2006–2008), Phillip Stryver in ''The Dark Knight Rises'' (2012), Karl Tanner in the ...
(who plays Owen), and '' Hidden'' by Steven Savile, narrated by Naoko Mori. The Radio Play Lost Souls, aired on BBC Radio 4 in September 2008 examines Jack, Gwen and Ianto's grief in the wake of Toshiko's death.


Character development

Naoko Mori's addition to the cast of ''Torchwood'' was announced in April 2006. Mori had previously appeared in the ''Doctor Who'' episode "Aliens of London". Speaking of the decision to cast her in ''Torchwood'' executive producer Russell T Davies stated: "she was absolutely brilliant n ''Doctor Who'' and I knew then that I wanted to bring her back". Toshiko is introduced as the technical expert of the Torchwood team. The official Torchwood website described the character as "quiet but highly intelligent" and "focused and intensely professional, though sensitive". In a 2006 interview Mori described the character as being "at the cutting edge of technology" and stated that she "loves the challenge of trying to work things out". Though Toshiko at first seems "a bit square and quiet" Mori contends that "she's actually just a very private person" who doesn't like to share her feelings. Toshiko has a "very strong bond" with her boss Jack Harkness though is "not scared of expressing her opinions with him" and is shown to have a crush on colleague Owen Harper who Mori feels to be "one of those guys you can't help but really like ... and fancy a little bit". ''Torchwood'' producer
Richard Stokes Richard or Dick Stokes may refer to: * Richard Stokes (politician), British soldier and politician * Richard Stokes (producer), British television producer * Richard Stokes (priest), English Anglican priest * Dick Stokes (hurler), Irish hurler * Dic ...
felt that in her characterisation of Toshiko "Naoko ... has a real vulnerability that you completely believe" and stated the character to be "emotionally the opposite to Owen". Mori felt the Toshiko centric episode "Greeks Bearing Gifts" to be "a real learning curve" that makes the character "stronger" and well as "more truthful and honest". Discussing how Toshiko changes in the second series, Mori stated that the audience would see Toshiko "bursting out of her shell" and that the series would explore other sides to her personality, and other romances.
Helen Raynor Helen Raynor (born March 1972) is a Welsh television screenwriter and script editor from Swansea. She is best known for her work on the relaunched BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. She previously worked as a theatre director. Besides te ...
wrote the episode "To The Last Man" which she felt took Toshiko "on another step". Davies states that it always the plan to have a very big Tosh-centric story in the second story and felt it inevitable that the story "would end in tears". Mori felt the episode showed that Toshiko had "had the worst love life ever". Davies joked that the character is the "kiss of death" and prospective love interests should stay away from her. Helen Raynor felt that Tommy embodied "the perfect boyfriend" for Toshiko, whilst head writer
Chris Chibnall Christopher Antony Chibnall (born 21 March 1970) is an English television writer and producer, best known as the creator and writer of the award-winning ITV mystery-crime drama ''Broadchurch'' and as a showrunner of the long-running BBC sci-fi ...
stated that the character "has certain values, a sense of honour, a sense of propriety, a sense of quiet dignity" that "chimes with Tommy's sense of dignity and sense of duty". On account of the decision to kill off her character in the series finale, Naoko Mori has commented that it "made sense because Tosh has been through so much. She's come a full circle and had her journey." In regards to her input on the death itself, she stated: "one of the things that I wanted to ensure was that it made sense, and that the connection between Owen and Tosh had the right balance. All through the series I didn't want it to come across as her being this stalker girl with a crush on Owen. I wanted it to be deeper than that, because as a colleague and as a human being she cared for him. I wanted their last conversation to be delicately and well put." Mori has not ruled out the possibility of returning to the show at a later date.


Reception

Karman Kregloe, a writer for the lesbian and bisexual female orientated media site
AfterEllen.com AfterEllen (also known as AfterEllen.com) is an American culture website founded in 2002, with a focus on entertainment, interviews, reviews, and news of interest to the lesbian and bisexual women's community. The site covers pop culture and lifes ...
, reacted negatively to the depiction of Toshiko's relationship with Mary. Kregloe criticises the use of female sexuality within the episode as a "manipulative tool" and a "throw-away tactic", pointing out that Toshiko's sexuality is not explored again subsequently.
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
reviewer praised the character's storyline in " To the Last Man" feeling that Toshiko "bears all the emotions of the episode" and that the audience have a sense "of her blossoming as a woman". Alan Stanley Blair reacted negatively to Toshiko's subsequent storyline, feeling that "Mori has so much more to give this series and it is painful to watch her relegated to unrequited love status". The character is described as a "tragedy-queen" by Dan Martin of "
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
" in 2011, whilst Dave Golder of '' SFX'' claims that the character was "incapable of acting professionally for more than 60 seconds." In a 2012 poll conducted by ''SFX'' magazine to find the 100 sexiest female characters in science fiction and fantasy, Toshiko was voted number forty-two.
UGO Networks UGO Entertainment, Inc. was a website that provided coverage of online media in entertainment, targeting males aged 18–34. The company was based in New York, New York, United States. History The company started in 1997 as Unified Gamers Onlin ...
listed her as one of the "Best TV Nerds" in 2012.


References


External links


Toshiko Sato on the BBC's ''Torchwood'' website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sato, Toshiko Female characters in television Television characters introduced in 2005 Fictional female scientists Fictional physicians Fictional hackers Fictional Japanese people Fictional murdered people Fictional bisexual females Fictional scientists Fictional secret agents and spies Torchwood characters Fictional LGBT characters in television