MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Ju-On: Origins Season 1 (2020)

Genre:

Horror/Mystery

Drama

Rating:

TV-MA

Release Date:

July 3, 2020

Episodes:

6

Run Time:

27-31 minutes

Language:

Japanese

Directed by:

Shô Miyake

Based on:

Ju-On by Takashi Shimizu

Production Co.:

NBC Universal Television

Distribution Co.:

Netflix

Social Media:

    

Cast:

Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Yuina Kuroshima, Ririka, Koki Osamura, Seiko Iwaido, Kai Inowaki, Ryushin Tei, Yuya Matsuura, Kaho Tsuchimura, Takemi Fujii, Ryota Matsushima, Haruka Kubo, Shinsuke Kato, Nana Yanagisawa, Atom Shukugawa, Yura Anno, Tokio Emoto, Nobuko, Sendo, Kana Kurashina

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

A paranormal researcher searches obsessively for a cursed home where something terrible happened to a mother and her child long ago.

source

*My Thoughts*

Ju-On: Origins is a Netflix original drama influenced by Ju-On: The Grudge (2002) and its American adaptation, The Grudge (2004). It follows the story of a paranormal researcher and author as he explores into the mystery of a cursed house. The story starts in 1988 with Haruka Honjo, Testsuya Fukazawa, and researcher Yasuo Odajima, where Odajima is collecting information for his new book. Haruka and Tetsuya are experiencing supernatural noises and hallucinations. At the same time, high schoolers Kiyomi Kawai, Yoshie Minakami, Mai Hyodo, and Yudai Katsuragi visit the cursed house causing Mai and Yoshie to disappearance and hallucinations throughout Kiyomi and Yudai’s lives. These six episodes fast forward from the 1980’s through the 1990’s and follow different characters who are all haunted by this one residence.

Netflix’s Ju-On: Origins has the same atmosphere as the 2002 and 2004 movies, giving me the same chill. Even so, the onryō of this short series takes a different form from Kayako, the onryō I was familiar with. This one does not crawl or appear as often as Kayako. The threatening gurgling from Kayako’s throat isn’t there. Instead, the onryō is a mother who mumbles the words “Together” and “buried.” She doesn’t seem as malicious, and I thought that took away much of the original mood. The sense of doom is gone and the constant change of perspective in six episodes also make it difficult to sympathize with the different characters. Although I remember the names of the main characters, any support is rather forgettable such as the prisoners or police officers that were interviewed by Odajima. Despite all that, the story is easy to follow with time stamps.

Overall, Ju-On: Origins is pleasant for the time it is on screen. It doesn’t rely on jump scares or constant bloodletting, but Origins is not something that leaves a lasting impression. The accompanying music to the end credits of each episode is more relaxing than ominous, but that is because I think ominous is relaxing. I know the curse is never-ending and it leaves the last episode predictable. Ju-On: Origins made me curious ever so slightly to know what happens next to Haruka and Kiyomi but once I completed the series, it seems dull.

My rating: