PREFACE
Reiko
is a journalist searching for the truth behind a mystery involving a
cursed videotape that is somehow responsible for the death of four
teenagers, including her niece. The rumor is that anyone who watches
the disjointed and bizarre images on the video will die a week later.
Retracing the last steps her niece had taken, Reiko locates the tape
and lets it run. Her fears are confirmed when a message across the
screen states that she is doomed unless she does something about
what she just saw, though what that should be is not specified.
Unsure
of what else to do, Reiko contacts Ryuji, her ex-husband and father
to their only child. Ryuji too, views the tape and falls under its
curse. Seeing their ordeal as more of a fun challenge than a
terrifying threat, he accompanies Reiko to the locations alluded to
in the video in the hopes that they can solve the mystery and
thereby, save both of their lives.
MANGA VISION TEST
ARTWORK:
Though the art is a variation of the large eyed manga and anime
drawing style, I do not think these particular drawings fit the
story. The characters have faces that are not detailed enough,
especially in regards to expressions. Shock can look more like
embarrassment at times because the facial contortions are not
maximized. Also, characters can appear somewhat impassive when sad
or horrifying situations overtake them for the same reason,
resulting in them looking more like dolls with vacant expressions
instead of anguished people. As a result, the story does not come
across as frightening as it could be. More realistic art is what
this book needs as well as some good pose shots.
SOUND EFFECTS: Kakimoji are
used but not overused, for soft and loud sounds. What I like is that
they are not always so conspicuous, so they end up not blocking too
much of the artwork like in other manga.
EDITS: I
did not find any edits.
EXTRAS: There are
images of the well that is shown in the video as well as of a
forlorn figure standing before it, in the first few pages. The
significance of those pictures is revealed towards the end of the
story. While there are no chapters, the second half of the book is
demarcated by a full-page picture of a wrinkled hand with bloody
fingertips gripping some cloth, and a textual reference to the
warning given on the cursed video. Also, the days that Reiko has
left are noted via the date and day of the week in the opening manga
panels that depict the start of each new day.
BOOK REPORT
STORY:
An excellent addition to the horror manga genre, this book had tense
and creepy moments, and a resolution that will make you think. Koji
Suzuki, the author of the novel that this manga is based on, created
a story with a unique mythology and haunted characters on both sides
of the moral fence, which will not be quickly forgotten.
TRANSLATION: There were
hardly any American expressions used and characters from different
regions in Japan were not given inappropriate, American sounding
accents, so I think this is a very clean sounding novel adaptation.
CHARACTERS: Reiko
– A young journalist whose curiosity gets her into trouble when
she gets involved with a supernatural matter that is out of her
depth. She loves her son Yoichi deeply and is determined to find a
solution to her problem so that they can continue living together in
peace. She holds no animosity towards her ex-husband though he is
not involved in Yoichi’s life.
Ryuji – A math
professor who wants to solve the mystery for the fun of it, almost
as if he is bored with his life the way it is. He has distanced
himself from Yoichi and has no relationship with him, though at
times, expresses interest and concern for his well-being. He has
enough regard for his ex-wife to help her out in a crisis.
FAN SERVICE: In
some panels, Yoichi is reading a book on the floor and among his
toys are a Game Boy and a model of the Pokemon called Pikachu.
The drawings of them are so tiny
however, that they can be easily missed.
FOOTNOTES:
What
attracted me to this manga was not just the pull of the mystery,
which was original, well crafted and intriguing, but the way that it
impacted Reiko. Here, like in any good horror story, threatening
circumstances pervade the lives of the main characters, overwhelming
them with fear and alienating them from normal circumstances. Thus
consumed, imagining a way out of their situation is all that they
can think about. Though Reiko had no trouble at all accepting the
paranormal as a fact, her world shifted radically as she was taken
out of her comfort zone and into a fight for her life. Her search
into the meaning of the curse no longer became an ordinary matter of
journalism, but one that would test her survival skills. Realizing
exactly what was at stake, she showed amazing strength by not
lapsing into denial, as many others would have done, and by actively
working against her unseen enemy, for her sake and for the sake of
Yoichi. Situations like these are a good way of revealing exactly
what people are made of, for better or for worse, as mundane
considerations are tossed aside to focus on what really matters. It
was especially pleasing for me to see a woman, often the helpless
victim in horror dramas, though panicking at times, remain so
proactive, rational and strong in her ordeal.
What I also
found interesting were the dynamics between Reiko and Ryuji. In
times of crises, people will look to be comforted by what is
familiar to them, and that and Ryuji’s intellect prompted Reiko to
contact him to help rid her of the curse. There is such an
awkwardness that comes across in Reiko in regards to Ryuji that is
in contrast to his self-confidence. She blushes when a student of
his enters his room and though you can tell she is curious, will not
ask if the two of them are involved. He, in turn, shows a loyalty to
Reiko in that he will not leave her side during her lowest moments.
You wonder if the crisis will bring the two of them back together
again as a couple. I thought those moments were a good respite from
the scary situation the two of them were in because it brought some
sanity to their plight.
The weightiest
and most fascinating subject matter in this manga involves the
cursed tape itself. Frightening images of a man staring down a well
and an old woman warning about a monster coming appear on it at
random and Reiko and Ryuji are forced to find out who created it so
they can survive. I loved how the seeming incoherence of the video
gave way to the hateful message at the end. It made the tape appear
not to be some pointless thing with an unclear intention, but
something that had a malicious purpose intended for the viewer. The
fact that the statement does not say what the viewer needs to do to
live was a particularly nasty touch. Something evil is not going to
help you is what can be gathered from that, though its abolishment
is something that can fill your life with meaning as it does to
Reiko and Ryuji. They both desire a just outcome but cannot really
imagine the extent of what they are dealing with. Incredible hatred
was the impetus behind the creation of the tape, and the power
behind it is so strong that a bridge between the living and the dead
was created. Given that, the notion that evil should never be
underestimated, I feel, is this manga’s biggest theme.
Though
the placid artwork dulled the sensation of horror for me to a
certain extent, I did still get a creepy thrill from reading The
Ring. The reminders of
the day of the week and how many days Reiko had remaining added a
fervent pace to this book that contributed to the horrifying sense
of not being able to escape a deadline which could be fatal. Also,
the fact that the enemy is unseen for so long made my imagination
run wild with possibilities of what exactly Reiko and Ryuji are and
will be facing. Yoichiro’s presence gave the book a sense of
poignancy, as I feared for his outcome if his parents failed in
their mission and he would be left an orphan. That character also
brought further attention to the fact that there are some real
stakes in this story to be fighting for.
Overall, The
Ring was very well constructed and made me very eager to reach the
conclusion of the story since I had come to care about the main
characters and plot so much. I think this book is a good read for
those who are looking for substance in a horror story.
OTHER OFFICIAL
STORY ADAPTATIONS:
In
addition to this manga having been adapted from the novel of the
same name by Koji Suzuki, two very successful live action films, one
Japanese and one American, have been made from this story.
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