Ringu

Ringu is a well known Japanese horror movie that was inspired by a novel of the same name by Koji Suzuki. Since the Fatal Frame series came out, and the American adaption of Ringu called 'The Ring' came to the states, there has been a lot of speculation on the movie's influence on the Fatal Frame series. Both tap into well-established imagery from traditional Japanese ghost stories, leading to visual and stylistic similarities.

The Facts

• Keisuke Kikuchi has several times stated in interviews that the series is not directly inspired by Ringu, but comes from a variety of sources.^{(Citation Needed!)}
• Makoto Shibata has stated that the game's concept of fighting up close with a ghost on camera was partially inspired by Sadako's famous scene of crawling out of the TV.^{(Citation Needed!)}

Possible Inspirations

• The Woman in Box ghost from Fatal Frame II is speculated to have been directly inspired by Sadako in both appearance and actions. There is also a Mission Mode where you battle several copies of her coming out of a well in the basement of the Kurosawa House.
• Koji's name may come from the author of the Ringu novel Koji Suzuki.
• In Fatal Frame IV two of Ruka's friends are discovered in horrific poses, similar to how victims of Sadako's curse are found in the Ringu series.
• Several times in the series, photos of people who have been cursed with distorted faces can be found. This may be another reference to Ringu, in which a sign that an individual has been cursed is their face becoming distorted in a photo.

Common Misconceptions

• Kirie Himuro's design (like Sadako's) is based on what Japanese ghosts are thought to look like. There is no evidence that the character was directly inspired by Sadako.
• Fatal Frame did not inspire the Ringu series; the book and original movie were made several years prior to the game being released.

Japanese Culture
Religion
Buddhism - Shinto
Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Funayūrei - Goryō - Hitodama - Ikiryō - Onryō - Ubume - Yōkai - Yūrei
Specific Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Oiwa - Okiku - Yuki-onna
Terms
Dosojin - Grave Mound - Hannya Mask - Higanbana - Jizo - Kaidan - Miko - Mukoyōshi - Sanzu River - Shimenawa - Toro-Nagashi - Wara Ningyo
Locations
Northeastern Japan - Shizuoka - Sugisawa Village - Tono
Media and Entertainment
Kagome, Kagome - Ringu