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open/close all folders Japanese Series Kazuyuki Asakawa/Reiko AsakawaThe main protagonist of the novels and films, depending on the series. Kazuyuki is a journalist who investigates the cursed videotape and has seven days to find the answer to escaping it or he will die. Aided by his friend Ryuji Takayama, Kazuyuki becomes more determined to solve the curse after his family watch the tape accidentally. He succeeds only to be wounded along with his family in a car crash in the second novel, dying several days later in hospital.Reiko Asakawa is also a journalist and follows Kazuyuki's story, but Ryuji is her ex-husband and they have a son named Yoichi who watches the tape and becomes their reason to solve the curse's mystery. In Ring 2, Reiko and Yoichi go into hiding after Ryuji is killed by Sadako at the end of the first film, and are found by Mai Takano to help end the curse.
Ryuji TakayamaThe secondary protagonist, Takayama is a university professor and former medical student. He aids Kazuyuki in discovering the secrets of the tape. He has a very eccentric and strange personality in the novels, claiming to have raped several women in his lifetime but never proves it. In the film series, he is the ex-husband of Reiko and father of Yoichi. Despite their divorce, Takayama and Reiko are still on good and close terms. He is more down-to-earth, relaxed but very intelligent. It is implied he has ESP powers. At the end of the novel and first film, Takayama realises the tape must be copied and shown to another person to be cured, only to be killed by Sadako when she crawls out of his TV.
Yoichi TakayamaReiko and Ryuji's young son. A quiet and polite individual, Yoichi is sent into silence after his cousin Tomoko is killed (actually being a victim of the tape.) He later watches the tape himself and becomes the motive for his parents to find the curse's origins.
Ando MitsuoThe main protagonist of the second novel Spiral and the retconned film sequel Rasen. An old friend of Ryuji, Ando works as an autopsy mortician and ends up examining Ryuji's body. He is in mourning after his son Takanori died and was almost Driven to Suicide. He sees the tape as his chance to finally be at peace, accepting his inevitable death although he ends up playing a bigger role in the spreading of the curse. He ends up sleeping with Mai Takano and helps reincarnate Sadako, and then spreads the curse to resurrect Takanori using Sadako's DNA and fertilised eggs.
Mai TakanoRyuji's student and possible girlfriend, Mai becomes the main protagonist of Ring 2 and investigates her teacher's death, becoming involved in the world of the cursed tape. In Rasen, she becomes the unwitting pawn and incubator for Sadako's resurrection.
Sadako YamamuraThe Big Bad of the franchis, and possibly the original Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl, Sadako Yamamura is the creator of the cursed videotape (a mutated smallpox virus in the novels). Depending on the source material, Sadako has led a troubled life and eventually is tossed down a well to her death, her spirit creating the tape which kills anyone in seven days. Among an astonishing variety of Psychic Powers, Sadako has nensha, also known as thoughtography, meaning she could see images and burn them onto objects, thus the tape. It is also implied that, after she kills them, some of her victims become malevolent spirits under her control. Her usual appearance has her long dark hair hiding her face, and she wears a white dress. And she is definetly the biggest Woobie in the series.In the novel, Sadako was thrown down the well by a rapist doctor named Nagao Jotaro. However, he discovered she had Testicular Feminization Syndrome - meaning she was female, but was biologically male and had testicles. In rage, Nagao threw her down the well but inadvertantly created the Ring Virus with a smallpox strand he transmitted to Sadako. In the films, Sadako split into two girls, one good, one bad, after she killed a journalist at her mother's disastrous public demonstration of her powers. Sadako joined an acting troupe but her powers went out of control, leading to the troupe members to try to kill her. Sadako's two halves rejoined and she killed all the members, including her boyfriend Toyama, before being tossed down a well by her step-father Dr. Ikuma.In Ring 2, it is revealed Sadako actually survived down the well for thirty years via sheer will, but died shortly after making the tape.
Nagao JotaroThe asshole responsible for the events in the novels, Nagao Jotaro is a rapist doctor who assualts Sadako, only to discover she has Testicular Feminization Syndrome and throws her down a well.
Shizuko YamamuraSadako's mother, Shizuko has psychic powers and the power of foresight. She gave birth to Sadako who inherited her psychic powers. After she met her lover Dr. Heihachiro Ikuma, Shizuko stood down from performing at a public demonstration of her powers and was chastised by the press, leading to a depression. She then killed herself by leaping into Oshima Island's volcano, after predicting it would erupt.
Doctor Heihachiro IkumaSadako's father (adoptive in the films), and Shizuko's lover. He was a university professor who became fascinated with Shizuko's powers, leading to the fateful public demonstration. In the films, after Shizuko died and Sadako split in two, Dr. Ikuma drugged the evil twin and locked her away whilst allowing the good twin to live a normal life. After both twins reunite he is forced to throw Sadako down the well and seal her within.
Takashi YamamuraShizuko's cousin and Sadako's uncle. In the films, Takashi was responsible for Shizuko's ridicule and her eventual suicide. Now an elderly bitter man, Takashi runs an inn with son on Oshima Island but his sins comes back to haunt him upon learning that Sadako's presence still remains.
Koichi AsakawaReiko's elderly father and Yoichi's grandfather, Koichi is a very supportive parent and lives alone in the country.
Tomoko Oishi and Masami KurahashiBest friends who both become victims of the curse. Tomoko watched the tape a week before the events of the first film and is killed by Sadako, whilst Masami is put in an asylum after witnessing the latter's death. But, both become pawns of Sadako later on.
OkazakiA journalist who works with Reiko. He only has a cameo in the first film, but becomes a major character in Ring 2, helping Mai find out what happened to Reiko, Ryuji and Yoichi. He receives a copy of the tape from Kanae Sawaguchi but is too afraid to watch it. This has serious consequences.
Kanae SawaguchiA high school student, Kanae watches the cursed tape in Ring 2 and turns to Okazaki for help. She gives him a copy of the tape to watch but he chickens out. This has serious consequences for both characters.Doctor KawajiriA character introduced in Ring 2, Doctor Kawajiri works in the hospital where Masami is cared for. Fascinated with the existence of rare illnesses, he considers psychic powers to be just that and does not believe in supernatural occurences. He demonstrates how Sadako's powers can be removed via water, and uses this on Yoichi to exorcise Sadako's power from him. It doesn't go very well.
Detective Keiji OmutaA police detective who investigates Ryuji's death in Ring 2, Detective Omuta ends also investigating Sadako's connection to the murders.
Hiroshi ToyamaSadako's love interest in Ring 0, Toyama is the sound operator in the acting troupe Sadako works in before her grizzly end. He was dating Etsuko Tachihara at the time but eventually falls in love with Sadako, understanding her powers, and offering to run away with her. In the novels, he lives to an old age but dies upon reuniting with Sadako's spirit. In Ring 0, Sadako is murdered and resurrected before Toyama's eyes. When Sadako bonds with her evil twin, she is unable to recognise friend from foe and murders Toyama.
Akiko MiyajiThe fiancée of the journalist who was killed by Sadako at Shizuko's demonstration. Driven by revenge, Akiko tracks down Sadako with the plan to kill her sooner or later. One event leads to another, Akiko realising there are two Sadakos and rallies the troupe members to kill the evil Sadako. This eventually leads to both Sadakos reuniting and killing everyone. Akiko and Etsuko flee to Dr. Ikuma's house where they are confronted by Sadako, only for Akiko to defy Sadako and commits suicide by shooting herself and Etsuko.The Acting TroupeThe acting troupe Sadako worked with in Ring 0. Most of the members aside from Toyama disliked Sadako, blaming her for their strange dreams. They eventually kill the good Sadako, and are led by Akiko to kill the evil twin, leading to the two Sadakos reunion. Sadako kills all of the members including Toyama. The most notable members are the leader Yusaku Shigemori who tries to blackmail Sadako for sex when he learns of her past; Aiko, an actress who is killed by Sadako's evil twin; and Etsuko Tachihara, Toyama's jealous and clingy girlfriend.
The Towel ManA mysterious figure who appears in the tape. He stands by the shore, pointing off-screen and wears a towel on his head hence his name. His identity is unknown but it is specualated he is either Ryuji or Toyama. He points Reiko to Yoichi watching the tape, and again appears hinting that she must copy the tape to save her son. He is quite the Ensemble Darkhorse, once having his own Wikipedia page. American Series Rachel KellerThe main protagonist of the films, Rachel Keller is an Intrepid Reporter who investigates her niece Katie's death, leading to her finding the cursed videotape, this version created by Samara Morgan. A caring and protective mother, Rachel is willing to go to great lengths to keep her son Aidan safe, but is an emotional person and easily frightened. Oh, and she's played by Naomi Watts.She enlists the help of her ex-boyfriend Noah Clay who is Aidan's father in solving the videotape's origins. She gains a motherly attachment to Samara upon learn her suffering in life and finds her body in the well. However, this causes Samara to kill Noah since he did not copy the tape.In The Ring Two, Rachel and Aidan move to Astoria, Washington, to start a new life. Rachel tries to skip her responsibility after copying the tape and setting it loose upon the world. This comes back to haunt her when a copy of the tape appears in her neighbourhood, and Samara wants her to be her new mother.
Noah ClayRachel's ex-boyfriend and a media analyst, Noah is enlisted by Rachel to discover the origins of the cursed videotape. He is Aidan's father but doubted he would ever be a good father due to his own being a disappointment. He is killed by Samara at the end of the first film.
Aidan KellerRachel and Noah's young son and quite a Creepy Child. Aidan seems to possess some degree of Psychic Powers, and is contacted directly by Samara after he watches the tape. He draws prophetic drawings which lead Rachel to the Morgan Ranch. He then has one of the biggest What the Hell, Hero? moments at the climax of the film. In The Ring Two, he is possessed by Samara when she wants Rachel to be her mother, making him two creepy children in one.
Samara MorganThe antagonist of the series and the American version of Sadako Yamamura. Samara appears as a Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl, perhaps the third most recognised after Sadako herself and Kayako Saeki from the Ju-on series. She possesses nensha powers which she cannot control, only aim, leading to her isolation and eventual death. She created the cursed videotape, but unlike Sadako who was very pure and innocent before dying (having been split into two girls, one good and one evil), Samara shows psychopathic tendencies with her line "Everyone will suffer", and when a doctor tells her she doesn't wish to hurt anyone and she responds with "But I do, and I'm sorry, it won't stop."After nearly being drowned as a child by her birth mother Evelyn, Samara was put up for adoption and became the child of Anna and Richard Morgan. However, as she grew up her nensha powers developed as well, causing nightmares for her parents. Richard banished her to the family ranch's barn after she spent some time in a psychiatric hospital. In anger, Samara used her powers to drive the family horses to suicide, also driving Anna insane. Eventually, Anna pushed Samara down a well on Shelter Mountain where she died seven days later, creating the tape in her afterlife.As a villain, Samara is a merciless and angry person for an eight-year old girl, being needy and quite selfish, starting to kill anyone in The Ring Two who annoys her or gets in her way. Yet, she is a sympathetic villain despite her vengeful tendencies. Samara has more powers than Sadkao, including body possession and water manipulation.
Anna and Richard MorganSamara's foster parents. Anna and Richard Morgan ran a family horse ranch on Moesko Island and were renowned horse trainers in the local area. After adopting Samara, Anna suffered from horrible visions caused by Samara's powers, causing Richard to banish the girl to the barn. In revenge, Samara tortured the ranch horses into suicide by jumping off cliffs. Anna eventually kills Samara by pushing her down a well, before committing suicide herself by leaping off a cliff. Years on, the visit from Rachel also leads Richard to his own death via electrocution in a bath.
EvelynSamara's birth mother. Having possibly mentally unstable prior to child birth, Evelyn was young when she gave birth to Samara and lived in a hospital run by nuns. However, Samara did not cry unless put near water. Evelyn claimed Samara was possessed by a demon and was told by her daughter to drown her in order to save her. She attempted this but was stopped by the nuns and carted off to an asylum. She appears in The Ring Two, and cryptically tells Rachel how to exorcise Samara from Aidan.
Max RourkeEditor-in-chief of the Daily Astorian newspaper, Max Rourke becomes Rachel's ally in The Ring Two. He is very sceptical about Samara's existence and powers, but the strange goings on changes his mind. He is eventually killed by Samara.
Katie Embry and Becca KohtlerBest friends who discuss the rumours of the cursed videotape. Katie is Rachel's 16-year old niece and close to her and Aidan. Katie reveals to Becca that she and three other students, Josh, Stacey and Scott, went to Shelter Mountain where they became the first viewers of the tape. Minutes later, Katie is killed by Samara. Her death leads to the events of the film. Becca witnessed her friend's death and was institutionalised, possibly gaining psychic powers in the process.
The Ring GroupsAfter Rachel released the tape into the public, copies were made among teenager groups, creating a teenage cult called "Rings" as seen in the short film of the same name. These Secret Circles of Secrets involve about five people, each person watching the tape to see how long they can last with the supernatural symptoms of the curse, whilst recording what they see. If they panic or give up, they can pass the tape to the next member, and so on. Very few rings have seen anyone get beyond Day 7, and the Astorian Ring seem very determined to do that, particularly with their newest member Jake.
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