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''Ring'' ( ja, リング, Ringu), also known as ''The Ring'', is a Japanese horror
media franchise A media franchise, also known as a multimedia franchise, is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or ...
, based on the novel series of the same name written by
Koji Suzuki is a Japanese writer, who was born in Hamamatsu and lives in Tokyo. Suzuki is the author of the ''Ring'' novels, which have been adapted into other formats, including films, manga, TV series and video games. He has written several books on th ...
. The franchise includes eight
Japanese films The has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world; as of 2021, it was the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. In 2011 Japan produced 411 feature films that ea ...
, two television series, six
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
adaptations, three English-language film
remakes A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the sam ...
, a Korean film remake, and two video games '' The Ring: Terror's Realm'' and '' Ring: Infinity''. The ''Ring'' films revolve around a cursed
video tape Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog or digital signal. Videotape is used in both video tape recorders (VTRs) and, more commonly, videocassett ...
; whoever watches the tape dies seven days later, unless the tape is copied and shown to another person, who then must repeat the same process. The video tape was created by a psychic,
Sadako Yamamura , also known as Park Eun-suh () and Samara Morgan, is the main antagonist of Koji Suzuki's ''Ring'' novel series and the film franchise of the same name. Sadako's fictional history alternates between continuities, but all depict her as the ven ...
, who was murdered by her adoptive father and thrown into a well. After her supposed death, she returned as a ghostly serial killer, killing anyone who fails to copy and then send the video tape to someone else under a seven-day deadline (constricted to a two-day deadline in ''
Sadako vs. Kayako is a 2016 Japanese supernatural horror film directed by Kōji Shiraishi. It is a crossover of the '' Ju-on'' and the ''Ring'' series. The film was first teased as an April Fools' joke on April 1, 2015, but was later confirmed on December 10 to ...
'' and a one-day deadline in ''
Sadako DX ''Sadako DX'' ( ja, 貞子 DX) is a 2022 Japanese supernatural slasher comedy film directed by Hisashi Kimura. It is an installment in the ''Ring'' franchise, and stars Fuka Koshiba as a quick-witted high school student who has to unravel the cu ...
'').


Japanese media


Novels

The franchise began with
Koji Suzuki is a Japanese writer, who was born in Hamamatsu and lives in Tokyo. Suzuki is the author of the ''Ring'' novels, which have been adapted into other formats, including films, manga, TV series and video games. He has written several books on th ...
's 1991 novel ''
Ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
''. It was the first of a trilogy, with two sequels: '' Spiral'' (1995) and ''
Loop Loop or LOOP may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live * Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets * Loop Mobile, an ...
'' (1998). Several later novels based on ''Ring'' were released: ''
Birthday A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage. Many re ...
'' (1999) S''_(2012),_and_''Tide_(Suzuki_novel).html" "title="S_(Suzuki_novel).html" ;"title="hich contains a prequel to ''Ring'', an epilogue to ''Loop'', and details what happened to a key character in ''Spiral'', ''S (Suzuki novel)">S'' (2012), and ''Tide (Suzuki novel)">Tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravity, gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide t ...
'' (2013).


Films

In 1998, Hideo Nakata made a new Japanese adaptation of the book in his film ''Ring (film), Ring'' (also known as ''The Ring'' or ''Ringu''). The movie was a critical and commercial success, being credited with revolutionizing the J-horror genre and influencing many future films in the wider horror genre.Balmain, Colette (2008), ''Introduction to Japanese Horror film'' (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press).Martin, Daniel (2009), 'Japan’s Blair Witch: Restraint, Maturity, and Generic Canons in the British Critical Reception of Ring', ''Cinema Journal 48'', Number 3, Spring: 35-51. The first sequel to the 1998 film was '' Rasen'' (also known as ''The Spiral'' or simply ''Spiral''). It was an adaptation of '' Spiral'', Suzuki's sequel to his first ''Ring'' book. It was released on 31 January 1998, the same day as ''Ring''. It was a critical and commercial failure compared with the first film. It was directed by George Lida, who had previously worked as the writer for the television film, ''Ring'' (1995). A new sequel, ''
Ring 2 is a 1999 Japanese supernatural horror film, directed by Hideo Nakata and serves as a sequel to '' Ring''. ''Ring'' was originally a novel written by Koji Suzuki; its sequel, ''Rasen'' (a.k.a. ''Spiral''), was also adapted into a film as the ...
'', was released in 1999. The film continues the storyline of ''Ring'' (1998) and ignores the events of ''Spiral'' (1998) and many cast members from the original film return. Hideo Nakata also returned to direct. This was the first film in the franchise not based on any of Suzuki's novels. While not as critically well-received as the first film, the movie was a financial success, becoming the second-highest grossing Japanese film of 1999. A prequel, '' Ring 0: Birthday'', was released in 2000. The movie is based on the short story "Lemon Heart" from Suzuki's 1999 book, ''
Birthday A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage. Many re ...
'' (the fourth book in the series). This film delved into a uniquely different mythos surrounding
Sadako Yamamura , also known as Park Eun-suh () and Samara Morgan, is the main antagonist of Koji Suzuki's ''Ring'' novel series and the film franchise of the same name. Sadako's fictional history alternates between continuities, but all depict her as the ven ...
and the cursed videotape. In 2012, ''
Sadako 3D is a 2012 supernatural horror film directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa, loosely based on the novel '' S'' by Koji Suzuki. Plot A mysterious, white-clad man drops a long-haired woman into a well. The well is full of women, all with long hair, all dresse ...
'' was released, adapted from Suzuki's book '' S'' that released the same year. A direct sequel, ''
Sadako 3D 2 is a 2013 Japanese supernatural horror film directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa and the sequel to 2012's '' Sadako 3D'' and the final installment in the ''Rasen'' timeline. Plot Takanori Andō (Kōji Seto) is waiting while Akane Ayukawa is giving bir ...
'' was released in 2013. Both were directed by
Tsutomu Hanabusa is a Japanese film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role ...
and continued the timeline established in ''Spiral''. In 2016, ''
Sadako vs. Kayako is a 2016 Japanese supernatural horror film directed by Kōji Shiraishi. It is a crossover of the '' Ju-on'' and the ''Ring'' series. The film was first teased as an April Fools' joke on April 1, 2015, but was later confirmed on December 10 to ...
'', directed by
Kōji Shiraishi is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and occasional actor. He is primarily known for directing Japanese horror films, most notably '' Noroi: The Curse''. Background Kōji Shiraishi was born and raised in Fukuoka, Japan. After graduatin ...
, was released, a crossover of the '' Ju-on'' series of horror films. It features Sadakaya, a ghost that resulted from the fusion of Sadako and the ''Ju-on'' antagonist
Kayako Saeki is the main antagonist of the '' Ju-On'' horror franchise. History and characteristics Japanese timeline In the ''Ju-on'' timeline, as revealed in the official novel written by Kei Ohishi, both of her parents were present albeit highly negle ...
. It is not canon to either timeline and the deadline for the video tape is two days instead of seven. ''
Sadako Sadako is a Japanese name, commonly used for women. Sadako is also a film. The same name can be written with a variety of kanji, and the meanings of the name differ accordingly: *, "chaste child"; the same characters can also be read as a Korean fe ...
'' was released in 2019. It saw the return of director Hideo Nakata to the Japanese film series for the first time since ''Ring 2'', 20 years prior. The film is loosely based on ''Tide'', the final novel in the series. ''
Sadako DX ''Sadako DX'' ( ja, 貞子 DX) is a 2022 Japanese supernatural slasher comedy film directed by Hisashi Kimura. It is an installment in the ''Ring'' franchise, and stars Fuka Koshiba as a quick-witted high school student who has to unravel the cu ...
'', directed by
Hisashi Kimura was a Japanese astronomer originally from Kanazawa, Ishikawa. He devoted his career to the study and measurement of variation in latitude, building upon the work of Seth Carlo Chandler, who discovered the Chandler wobble. In 1899, he became the ...
, was released in 2022. The film stars
Fuka Koshiba is a Japanese actress represented by the talent agency Oscar Promotion. Biography In November 2011, Koshiba won the Grand Prix award at the 2011 Ion and Oscar Promotion Girl Audition. In 2012, she debuted in the drama ''Iki mo Dekinai Natsu''. ...
as a college student attempting to unravel the curse of Sadako with the help of a psychic and a fortune teller.


Television

The first adaption of ''Ring'' was the Japanese television film ''
Ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
'' (titled ''Ring: Kanzenban'' for home video release), released in 1995. This remained the closest to the book but didn't have the success and recognition of the later films. '' Ring: The Final Chapter'' is a 12 episode self-contained miniseries that aired in 1999, and is loosely based on the original ''Ring'' novel. It is not connected to the films or the previous television adaptation. In the same year, a sequel television miniseries titled '' Rasen'' was made, consisting of 13 episodes.


Manga

Several manga series have been published by Kadokawa Shoten based on the films. The second manga adaptation is a two-volume series based on the first novel and the first Hideo Nakata film. The manga was written Hiroshi Takahashi and illustrated by Misao Inagaki. Both volumes were released on January 21, 1999.
Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
compiled the first two volumes and released an english-language version on November 12, 2003. The third adaptation, of Nakata's ''Ring 2'' film, was written by Hiroshi Takahashi and illustrated by
Meimu Meimu (or Mei Mu, born 24 September 1963), real name , is a Japanese manga illustrator. While attending classes at Osaka University of Arts, he made his debut as a manga artist. Meimu's talents have been featured in various genres of storytelli ...
, was released on February 3, 1999. Dark Horse Comics released it on May 19, 2004 as the second volume of ''the Ring'' manga series. The fourth adaptation, titled , is based on the novel and film of the same name. The manga was written by Koji Suzuki, illustrated by Sakura Mizuki, and released on September 10, 1999. Dark Horse released it on August 18, 2004 as volume 3 of ''the Ring'' manga series. The fifth adaptation, titled , is based on the novel of the same name. The manga was written by Koji Suzuki, illustrated by Meimu and released on December 22, 1999. Dark Horse Comics released it on November 3, 2004 as volume 4 of ''the Ring'' manga series. The sixth, named " Ring 0", based on the film of that name, was also written by Hiroshi Takahashi and illustrated by Meimu, and released on January 28, 2000. Dark Horse Comics released it on March 30, 2005 as "Volume 0" of ''the Ring'' manga series.


Korean remake

''
The Ring Virus ''The Ring Virus'' () is a 1999 South Korean horror film adapted from the Japanese novel '' Ring'' by Koji Suzuki. A joint project between Japan and Korea, this version has Park Eun-Suh as the creator of the cursed videotape. Although the filmm ...
'' was the first remake to be made, in 1999, where the villain is renamed as Park Eun-suh, who is
intersex Intersex people are individuals born with any of several sex characteristics including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical bina ...
, as Sadako was in the books. Though the film copied multiple scenes from ''Ring'', it is, like ''Ring: Kanzenban'', very faithful to the original novel series.


American films

In 2002, an English-language remake was made, titled ''The Ring'', where the killer is renamed as Samara Morgan, who is a preteen instead of an adult. ''The Ring'' was one of the highest-grossing horror remakes, its box office gross surpassing that of ''Ring''. Two sequels were made, including a short film. ''The Ring'' was released on 18 October 2002. The film follows journalist
Rachel Keller Rachel Keller is a fictional Character (arts), character in The Ring (film series), ''The Ring'' film series. The character, created by writer-producer Ehren Kruger and portrayed by Naomi Watts, serves as the protagonist of ''The Ring (2002 film) ...
as she investigates a videotape that may have killed four teenagers (including her niece). There is an urban legend about this tape: the viewer will die seven days after watching it. If the legend is correct, Rachel would have to run against time to save her son's and her own. A short film, ''
Rings Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
'' was released on 8 March 2005, originally as part of the DVD set of the first film. Jake Pierce, a young teenager, watches a cursed video tape after joining a teen cult named "Rings". ''
The Ring Two ''The Ring Two'' is a 2005 American supernatural psychological horror film and a sequel to the 2002 film '' The Ring'', which was a remake of the 1998 Japanese film ''Ring''. Hideo Nakata, director of the original Japanese film ''Ring'', on whi ...
'' was released on 18 March 2005. High school student Jake Pierce tries to make his girlfriend Emily watch the cursed videotape. After discovering that Emily covered her eyes and didn't watch the tape, he is killed by
Samara Morgan , also known as Park Eun-suh () and Samara Morgan, is the main antagonist of Koji Suzuki's ''Ring'' novel series and the film franchise of the same name. Sadako's fictional history alternates between continuities, but all depict her as the veng ...
. Rachel Keller learns of Jake's death and realizes she has to save her son Aidan from Samara. ''
Rings Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
'' was released on 3 February 2017. The story follows Julia who becomes worried about her boyfriend when he explores a dark subculture surrounding a mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after they view the tape. Her actions lead her to make a horrifying discovery: there is a "movie within the movie" that no one has ever seen before.


Future

In September 2019, ''The Grudge'' director
Nicolas Pesce Nicolas Pesce () is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing and writing the horror films ''The Eyes of My Mother'' (2016), ''Piercing'' (2018) and ''The Grudge'' (2020). Life and career Nicolas Pesce was born, and currently reside ...
expressed interest in a crossover film between ''
The Grudge ''The Grudge'' is a 2004 supernatural horror film directed by Takashi Shimizu, written by Stephen Susco, and produced by Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Takashige Ichise. A remake of Shimizu's 2002 Japanese horror film '' Ju-On: The Grudge'', i ...
'' and the English-language ''The Ring'' film series.


Japanese cast and crew


Cast

*A indicates the actor portrayed the role of a younger version of the character. *A indicates the actor or actress portrayed their film character as possessed by another. *An indicates an appearance through archival footage. *A indicates a
cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
. *A dark gray cell indicates the character was not in the film.


Crew


American cast and crew


Cast

*A indicates the actor portrayed the role of a younger version of the character. *A indicates the actor or actress lent only his or her voice for his or her film character. *A indicates the actor or actress portrayed their film character as possessed by another. *An indicates an appearance through archival footage. *A indicates a
cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
. *A dark gray cell indicates the character was not in the film.


Crew


Reception

The original 1991 novel ''
Ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
'' sold 500,000 copies by January 1998, and 1.5million copies by July 2000.


Box office performance


Critical and audience response

In his review o
Sadako (2019)
the film critic and psychoanalyst Pieter-Jan Van Haecke remarked that while Sadako does not work as a horror movie, the atmospheric tension that marks the films turn the film into an enjoyable experience.


Unofficial films

In 2015, ''Hikiko-san vs Sadako'' (or simply ''Hikiko vs Sadako''), directed by Nagaoka Hisaaki was released. While the DVD cover features a character resembling Sadako emerging from a well, the character in the film is named Sadako Takamura. In 2016 and 2017, ''Bunshinsaba vs. Sadako'' and ''Bunshinsaba vs Sadako 2'', both directed by
River Huang River Huang (; born November 13, 1989) is a Taiwanese actor. He is the first actor signed by the director Yee Chin-yen. At age 18, Huang won the Best Actor award at the Golden Bell Awards for his debut role in ''Dangerous Mind'', making him the ...
, a crossover with the ''Bunshinsaba'' film series, were released. A third film, ''Bunshinsaba vs Sadako 3'', was originally scheduled for release in 2020, but was delayed and its release date is unknown. ''The Return of Sadako'', released in 2018, was the first stand-alone Chinese ''Ring'' film to be made following the crossover film ''Bunshinaba vs. Sadako'' in 2016; produced by Scarecrow Pictures, the film's killers are renamed as sisters Sadako and Kawako, who flee to
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
alongside their father after the outbreak of the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
, before turning against one another for the love of a Japanese boy; years later a projector is discovered in their house with their souls imprinted upon it. Though the film was marketed as an unofficial sequel to ''
Sadako 3D 2 is a 2013 Japanese supernatural horror film directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa and the sequel to 2012's '' Sadako 3D'' and the final installment in the ''Rasen'' timeline. Plot Takanori Andō (Kōji Seto) is waiting while Akane Ayukawa is giving bir ...
'', it is in-fact a remake.


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ring Film Series Horror film franchises Kadokawa Dwango franchises Japanese supernatural horror films Japanese serial killer films Japanese ghost films Fiction about curses Films about journalism Films about television Japanese horror films Film series introduced in 1995 DreamWorks Pictures films Paramount Pictures franchises Mass media franchises introduced in 1991