Breakup Reports and Drastic Weight Loss Rumors Raise Concerns About Kasumi Arimura’s Future as an Actress

Kasumi Arimura (31), who plays the heroine in the Fuji TV Monday 9 PM drama “Beginning of the Sea” starring Ren Meguro (27) of the popular group “Snow Man,” has been garnering attention not only for her performance in the show.

Last December, it was reported that Arimura had been in a relationship with Kaito Takahashi (25) of “King & Prince,” a senior group from the same agency as “Snow Man,” for about three years. Although Arimura did not mention the relationship at all when she later appeared in public, Takahashi made a cryptic post on his Instagram Stories at the end of January this year.

“An illustration of a character resembling Takahashi himself was drawn with an unhappy expression, and the hat he was wearing had the word ‘END’ on it. His hand holding a spray can was positioned in front of the ‘END,’ as if to emphasize that he wrote that part, which sparked breakup rumors with Arimura on the internet, and Takahashi’s fans were delighted,” (Entertainment Reporter).

About five months later, in late June, the internet was abuzz with Kasumi Arimura’s drastic weight loss as she appeared at press conferences and promotional events for the same drama. In response, on July 5, Arimura posted on her Instagram, “As I face my work daily, I burn a lot of calories. Haha. I eat at my own pace, so don’t worry. Sorry, and thank you for your concern. ♡” She explained the reason for her weight loss. However, on July 8, the web version of “Josei Jishin” (Kobunsha) reported that she had broken up with Takahashi after repeated discussions up until this spring. 

“Just before the breakup with Takahashi was reported, at the drama’s press conference held on June 28, there was a moment that stirred up Meguro’s fans. Arimura, who was co-starring with Meguro for the second time, said, ‘I think it would be nice if we could create each scene by trusting and relying on each other through our roles.’ Besides Takahashi, Arimura has a ‘past offense’ of being reported in a romantic relationship with Keito Okamoto (31) of ‘Hey! Say! JUMP’ at the time, which made Meguro’s fans on the internet buzz with comments like ‘Is Arimura aiming for Meguro?’ With the breakup report with Takahashi coming out, Meguro’s fans are likely to be even more vigilant to ensure Arimura doesn’t get too close to him,” (said the same source).

 

 

Although Arimura has attracted attention for her private life, concerns are also being raised about her future as an actress.

Arimura co-starred with actor Kengo Kora (36) in the January 2016 Fuji TV Monday 9 PM drama “Love That Makes You Cry” This is her first appearance in the Monday 9 PM slot since then. Given her numerous lead roles in various film and television projects, a movie industry insider remarked, “If she were to appear in the Monday 9 PM slot again, it wouldn’t have been surprising if it was her first solo lead role.”

“In the 2021 WOWOW drama ‘Zenkamono,’ which was released as a film in 2022, she played the role of a probation officer, taking on a socially conscious piece. In last year’s film ‘Chihiro-san,’ which is currently available on Netflix, she played a former sex worker who runs a bento shop, and also showcased a love scene, generating considerable buzz. After making strides as an actress in these two projects, she was expected to aim for new heights as a leading actress. However, in this current Monday 9 PM drama, she plays the role of a heroine supporting Ren Meguro, and her future direction as an actress remains undetermined.

Currently, she appears in the hit emotional film ‘Dear Family’ in a minor guest role, ranked fifth or lower. Honestly, given the role’s rank, she probably didn’t have to take it. It is said that most of her work is directly managed by the president of her agency, with her own preferences not taking priority.”

 

Recently, the Monday 9 PM slot has struggled with low ratings, but “Beginning of the Sea” sees the team from the socially impactful drama “Silent” (October 2022) reunited. The average household rating for the first episode was 8.0% (according to Video Research, Kanto region), and the second episode had a rating of 8.1%. In the second episode, the heroine’s tragic past, played by Arimura, was revealed, drawing attention to her performance.

Even though she is not the lead, Arimura’s presence, characterized by her approach of “trusting each other and creating each scene,” has clearly become an important piece in the drama.

 

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