Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Scary Japanese prequel series is is violent and eerie.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Ju-On Origins
What's the Story?
The limited Japanese series JU-UN ORIGINS is a prequel to the popular Ju-Un movie franchise. It's 1988, and author and paranormal expert Yasuo Odajimi (Yoshiyoshi Arakawa) is writing a book about people's ghost experiences. As part of his research, he revisits conversations he had with actress Haruka Honjo (Yuina Kuroshima) and her boyfriend Tetsuya (Kai Inowaki), whose terrifying experience at a strange house seems to follow him wherever he goes. Meanwhile, Kiyomi Kawai (played by Ririka), a high school student with a troubled past, soon finds herself frighteningly connected to the same old house in terrible ways. Throughout it all, a serial killer continues his violent streak throughout Tokyo. As the links between these events continue to unfold, the stories they yield become more frightening.
Is It Any Good?
This dark, entertaining series delivers some hair-raising suspense and well-timed jump scares within the fictional Ju-On story world. Ju-On Origins provides the foundation for the popular franchise (which includes The Grudge stateside movies), and offers some explanation of why the ghost is holding a grudge against all those who come into contact with it. As the multiple dark narratives unfold and begin to connect, one soon realizes how those even loosely associated with the house are impacted by it in different, but frightening ways. The horror comes from the fact that once touched by it, later generations will be unable to escape it, no matter where they go. If you're looking for a good spine-chilling series to plug into, Ju-On Origins is worth checking out.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of horror movies and shows. What makes them fun: the story, the scares, or both? What makes Ju-On Origins scary?
Why do you think there's so much smoking in this series? Would the series work if they eliminated the tobacco use?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 3, 2020
- Cast : Yoshiyoshi Arakawa , Ririka , Yuina Kuroshima
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Science Fiction
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 7, 2022
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