An Onryō is a spirit of wrath or rage featured in Japanese culture. They are sometimes presented as vengeance spirits (See Spirit of Vengeance), who seek redress against those who wronged them, and ultimately responsible for their deaths. They can assume a human appearance, interact with the physical world, and cause harm to the living and even cause natural disasters. In fiction, Onryō are the featured ghosts in the Ju-on film series in Japan, as well as its various sequels and reboots, including The Grudge film series. The most well known examples of an Onryō from the films are Kayako Saeki and her young son, Toshio - both of whom were murdered by Kayako's husband, Takeo in a jealous rage, for he believed that his wife had been having an affair and that Toshio was not his son. These Onryō were visually presented with ink black hair, stark white skin, and bloodshot eyes. This visual design became a standard for many ghost characters in other forms of fiction as well, including episodes of programs such as Supernatural and Ghost Whisperer, as well as satire like Scary Movie 4.
This article relates to the Grudge film franchise. This template will categorize articles that include it in into the The Grudge miscellaneous category.
This article relates to the Ring film franchise. This template will categorize articles that include it in into the Ring miscellaneous category.
