A breakout star of hyperviolent action movies in the early 1970s, Meiko Kaji is best known for Toei’s “Sasori” (“Scorpion”) series, playing the eponymous laser-eyed female convict out for revenge against the men who betray, abuse and torture her. Even though she has largely been absent from the big screen for decades, the actor retains a fervent cult following in the West.

One prominent fan is Quentin Tarantino, who heavily references her films, especially the 1973 revenge drama “Lady Snowblood,” in his “Kill Bill” duology, released in 2003 and 2004. In addition to modeling Uma Thurman’s take-no-prisoners protagonist on Kaji’s character in “Kill Bill: Volume 1,” he lifts a climactic fight scene almost move-for-move and shot-for-shot.

Tarantino also used two hit songs sung by Kaji herself — “The Flower of Carnage” (“Shura no Hana”) and “My Grudge Blues” (“Urami Bushi”) — on the “Kill Bill” soundtrack, boosting her overseas profile even higher.

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