Ring: The Final Chapter

Ring: Saishusho
Title Screen
Genre	Drama Mystery
Directed by	Fukumoto Yoshito
Starring	Toshirô Yanagiba Tomoya Nagase Akiko Yada Kotomi Kyono Tae Kimura
Country of origin	Japan
Original language(s)	Japanese
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	12
Production
Running time	45 minutes
Release
Original network	Fuji TV
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Original release	January 7, 1999 – March 25, 1999
External links
Website

Ring: The Final Chapter (リング ～最終章～ Ring ~Saishūshō~) is a television series, produced in Japan, based on the Ring movie series. There are a total of 12 episodes in the series and a sequel was made called Rasen, consisting of 13 episodes.

Differences between book and film

The series does not strictly follow the format of the 1998 movie or the novel they are both based on. It features many departures from both versions of the story notably in the characters and storyline. There is more emphasis on finding answers and following clues in the series which causes it to resemble a Mystery/Drama production rather than a horror.

• In the series, Asakawa is a man named Kazayuki, as featured in the book while in the film, Asakawa is a woman named Reiko. In the book Kazayuki has a wife named Shizuka and a daughter named Yoko, while in the film Reiko is divorced and has a son named Yoichi. In the series, Shizuka is said to have died three years prior to the events while Yoichi is their child.
• In the film and book, the video tape displays a montage of strange images when being watched. In this case, the video is a music video by the Japanese popstar, Nao Matsuzaki. The cursed images on the tape appear subliminally where words and images such as Shizuko brushing her hair in the mirror and a shot of a volcano are found upon editing.
• In the film and novel whoever watches the tape is given seven days to live. In this version they are given thirteen. Instead of showing to one person they must show it to two.
• In the film and novel, Shizuko Yamamura has been dead for years after throwing herself into the crater of the volcano. In this case, she is still alive having been kept hidden by her cousin Takashi who was told to kill her but couldn't, instead convincing the public that she was dead.

Cast

• Toshirô Yanagiba as Kazuyuki Asakawa
• Tomoya Nagase as Ryûji Takayama
• Kotomi Kyono as Akiko Yoshino
• Akiko Yada as Mai Takano
• Tae Kimura as Sadako Yamamura
• Yûta Fukagawa as Yôichi Asakawa
• Hitomi Kuroki as Rieko Miyashita

Episode list

1. "The Seal is Now Solved"
2. "Killed by a Videotape"
3. "Someone is Watching..."
4. "A Virus of Silence"
5. "The Dead Person Who Was Reborn"
6. "A New Person with Supernatural Power"
7. "Sadako Will Appear Tonight"
8. "Someone Will Die When the Curse is Solved"
9. "Planned Memory"
10. "Sadako's Revival"
11. "Ryuji Takayama Dies"
12. "The Curse Was Not Lifted. The Thirteenth Day, a New Dead Person Destroys the World"

External links

• Ring The Final Chapter Review
• Ring: Saishusho at the Internet Movie Database