Parents' Guide to

Ju-On Origins

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Scary Japanese prequel series is is violent and eerie.

TV Netflix Science Fiction 2020
Ju-On Origins Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • YJu-On Origins TV Series: Yasuo Odajimi talks to Haruka Honjo about the hauntings.
  • YJu-On Origins TV Series: Haruka and Tetsuya see something frightening in their apartment.
  • YJu-On Origins TV Series: The house.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Ryan_1400
Ryan_1400 Adult
August 2, 2022
age 18+

TW: sexual assualt.

No one other than adults should watch this. It has graphic depictions of rape. If that's triggering for you then don't watch this.
kaylyn22
kaylyn22 Adult
July 12, 2020
age 18+

Gorey and violent.

Child abuse, rape, prostitution. Gore and blood. No one under 18 should watch this. Very graphic.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

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?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

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

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