Japanese Actress Ashina Sei Dies at Age 36

I awoke at 4 am to the news of yet another Japanese entertainer found dead in their apartment. Happens too often this year.  I did not think I had seen this actress in anything until I did some research. Nanase Futatabi, Hard Romanticker, The Tale of Genji, Impossibility Defense, Criminal for the Prosecution, Stand Up!!, Bloody Monday, Bloody Monday 2, Bartender, Tenno no Ryoriban, ON Ijou Hanzai Sousakan Todo Hinako, and Yuube wa Otanoshimi Deshita ne, so quite a few and it saddens me to think she will no longer be with us.

@Joe Shiren filled in this part with a paragraph that I moved to the career portion of the fan guide. He and BrightestStar urged me to do an article for her.

Kamen Rider Hibiki (2005)

Ashina portrayed as Super Hime, an antagonist character who is originally childish in personality before they matured into homicidal psychopaths wanting to taste Oni (Kamen Rider) blood. 

Saru Lock (2009)

This comedy-drama was her first role as a starring cast. She played the role of Mizuhara Ritsuko, a strong and boyish childhood friend of Saru (Ichihara Hayato) and Yamamoto (Watabe Gota).

Yae no Sakura (2013)

A taiga drama depicting the traditional Aizu clan when Japan was going through major changes. Ashina Sei here plays one of the courageous Aizu women who fought to the end to protect their beliefs, pride, land, and loved ones. Ashina particularly stood out as someone experiencing the pains of war and going forward with nothing left to lose.

Kurokouchi (2013)

An attractive forensic scientist who occasionally aids Korokouchi (Nagase Tomoya) and Seike (Gouriki Ayame). She picks up as of episode 4 as a replacement while Kashi Yu's character was "on sick leave". She picks up right where her predecessor left off, being flirty with Seiki while giving her helpful clues. 

ST Aka to Shiro no Sousa File (2014)

She plays a member of an eccentric investigation team under Yurine Tomohisa (Okada Masaki) while actually loyal to their true leader and fellow team member Akagi Samon (Fujiwara Tatsuya).  Her role is a human lie detector, someone who is very true to themselves. There is also a prequel SP ST Keishichou Kagaku Tokusou-han  and a sequel Movie 

Lingering Spirits (2014)

It was just an un-credited cameo role, but it was her work that I've seen most recently. She showed off her gymnastics skill in the ending part of the movie.

Impossibility Defense (2018)

Possibly her most notable screen performance even though it was only a support role. Ashina played as Yumehara Risa, a victim of Usobuki's eye of death.

(Notes and remarks)

- Rumoured to be dating with Koizumi Kotaro, from Oricon news (worked together in The Good Wife - she was only guest role though)

(Sources: JP wiki, Oricon news)

I will now go on with her Fan guide.

Stage Name: Ashina Sei
Real name:  Igarashi Aya
Native name: 芦名星; (五十嵐 彩)
AKA: Asina Sei 

Born: November 22, 1983 Died: September 14, 2020 Birthplace: Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan Height: 165 cm Blood Type: O Talent Agency: Horipro Official Page: www.horipro.co.jp/ashinasei According to the Japanese wiki Her hobbies were muscle training, listening to music, English conversation, and the outdoors. Special skills include calligraphy, cooking, and playing the clarinet. Because she was fat in the past, she lost 25 kilos on a non-biting diet and muscle training. Due to her grandfather's influence, she is a Yomiuri Giant fan. A big fan of Jackie Chan. Her favorite work is the early " Shaolin Wooden Men ". The Great East Japan Earthquake completely destroyed her parents' house and her brother's house. She participated in the fund-raising activity of the "That Bell Ringing is Your Fund" that was opened to support the victims.

Career

She was born Igarashi Aya and assumed the stage name Sei Ashina. Prior to her acting career, Ashina was a model. She made her acting debut in the 2002 TBS Television series The Tail of Happiness (しあわせのシッポ）, modeling that year in magazines including Shogakukan's CanCam and Shueisha's Pinky, and was best known for starring as Hime in Kamen Rider Hibiki.

In 2006, she was selected from among 800 people at the audition for the role of Japanese heroine for the collaborative movie "Silk". She became known as The Girl, an unnamed concubine in the movie. This was a career turning point for her, and she became more devoted to acting activities. 

On September 14, 2020, Ashina, at age 36, was found dead at her home in Shinjuku by her family (eng Wikipedia) Strangely, the gravure was published in "Weekly Playboy" ( Shueisha ) released on the day of the discovery of the body.  (Jpn Wiki)

Stage

We can never know what she was going through or was thinking when she made the decision to take her own life. We may never find out what difficulties she was facing. All I can do is urge you to ask for help if you find yourself seeing this as a solution to what is troubling you. If you feel yourself being a burden to those around you, talk to them about it, you may be surprised to find the real answers.

Thank you as always for reading.

^{Editors: BrightestStar (contributor & 2nd editor)}