Sadako-san and Sadako-chan (2024)

Ringu is one of my favorite horror movies. The original Japanese one a work of genius and a truly terrifying film. One of the very few occasions where the film improves upon the book in every way.

So, imagine what happened if you made it a cute comedic manga?

Yes, this is what happens if you take Sadako from the Ringu movies/books and put her in a slice of life comedy. Imagine if you will that the terrifying ghost that comes out of the TV to kill you instead is lamenting the lack of CRT TVs, and how everyone is just watching youtube. Now, she meets a little girl who intentionally summoned her and is going to make her an online vlogger so people will remember Sadako again.

It's utterly ridiculous and somehow charming. It's surprisingly cute and wholesome, which seems very anti-Ringu, but hey, I was amused. A surprised 4/5 stars.

Este año le metí garra a la literatura asiática, y caí en una profunda obsesión con todo lo relacionado a japón fantasmal. Obvio que me la agarré con Sadako y todo el mundo de Ringu. Sadako-San y Sadako-Chan es una historia muy dulce sobre la figura fantasmal de Ringu, y una nena solitaria. Tremendamente tierna y divertida.

- Si querés saber más sobre Pumpkinheads, y comics igual de adorables para la spooky season, no te pierdas este video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyBEt...

This is a bizarre humor spin-off of the horror franchise known as "The Ring" or "Ringu." Specifically, it was inspired by the 2019 Sadako film -- which is like the 9th movie in the Japanese series and was in turn inspired by creator Koji Suzuki's sixth Ring novel, Tide.

I have not seen or read a single Ring movie or book, but I did have the vague knowledge that Sadako is a ghost who kills anyone who watches a particular videotape. But since this is a manga available at my local library, I of course picked it up, because I'm that single-minded.

And, hey, it paid off this time, because I was amused by the vengeful ghost who is confused by the telepathic "Mini-Me" doppelganger of herself that she finds padlocked in a closet and frustrated that no one watches videotapes anymore. So of course the two team up to become internet content creators. An unexpected number of laughs come from Sadako's reluctance to pass through cellphone and computer screens and just her general exhaustion from being a vengeful ghost for so many years now.

Weirdly fun.

Wow, I didn't have high hope for this and it still bored and disappointed me.

Aya Tsutsumi's Sadako-san and Sadako-chan is a quirky and endearingly cute read. The relationship between the two main characters is very entertaining to see unfold.

The Ringu girl is having issues.

Nobody has big ass TV's anymore. She has trouble fitting through phones cause she's gained a few pounds from not cursing people. She meets a little girl trapped in a dark room and decides to work with her to make a Youtube channel...

Yeah, it's as insane as it sounds. A 4 out of 5.

There are only two types of people: loners and normies.

THAT WAS SO WHOLESOME BUT LET'S HOPE I SLEEP WELL TONIGHT LOLLL /cries/

I did like it, but I wish it had more of an ending…

Cute. The potential of the comedy setup lasts just about as long as this single slim volume.

Sadako-san, the ghost from the Ring movies and books, has been summoned to a padlocked closet, the location of her newest victim. Inside the closet is a little girl who says her mother calls her Sadako's reincarnation. Her mother supposedly keeps her locked in the closet because she's "special" (the girl can read minds, which is how she can understand Sadako-san) and only lets her out for short periods when she's home.

The little girl has been called "Sadako's reincarnation" for so long that she can't remember what her real name is, so Sadako-san calls her "Sadako-chan." Sadako-san laments the fact that people don't have CRT TVs or watch videos much anymore, so Sadako-chan proposes that she upload cursed videos and become a streamer. Through these activities, Sadako-san eventually meets Kazuma, a streamer who's a little creeped out by her but also impressed with the number of views she's been getting.

I stopped by a B&N Starbucks to get some coffee and a snack. I felt bad about not buying a book as well, so I browsed the manga section until I finally found something something that interested me and that I didn't already own. One of the appeals of this was that it appeared to be a one-shot, so I didn't feel like I was potentially committing to anything by getting it.

Don't go into this expecting it to be scary. As the author states in their afterword, "I'm a manga artist that can't draw horror manga." This was more of a slice-of-life comedy with a few surprisingly sweet moments.

I've read the first couple Ring books and I've seen the US movie adaptation. From what I could tell, this Sadako-san probably had more in common with the movie versions, but a few features that I recalled from the books were present here and there in things like Sadako-chan's telepathy.

Most of the humor was derived from Sadako-san's not always successful efforts to adapt to the times. She was a creature of habit and really, really would have preferred to curse people via a VHS tape viewed using a CRT TV. Unfortunately, hardly anyone owns CRT TVs anymore, and streaming and DVDs/Blu-ray discs are more popular than VHS tapes. (So why not a cursed DVD? That was never really explained, but it still wouldn't have solved Sadako-san's "I would prefer to emerge from a CRT TV" problem.)

Sadako-san and Sadako-chan were surprisingly cute together. Sadako-chan's mother was never shown on-page, but it was clear that Sadako-chan wasn't being treated well, no matter how much she tried to claim otherwise. The manga didn't dwell on that too much, but it definitely didn't ignore that aspect. There was a really great and bittersweet moment in which Sadako-san did a nice thing for Sadako-chan but told that her mother had done it for her. In a way, Sadako-san was like Sadako-chan's surrogate mother or older sister. The hair episode was another example of that.

Kazuma had a relatively minor but still important role - he could help Sadako-san with the things she needed or wanted to do that Sadako-chan, a child who'd been confined by her own mother, couldn't.

It's probably for the best that this is just a single volume. While I can think of a few things I wish had happened in the story, like so many gimmicky comedies it'd be easy for the jokes to quickly get old. As it was, it was a little weird but nice. It didn't really make me laugh, but I appreciated its quirkiness and overall sweetness.

Extras:

A couple full-color pages, a 2-page comic style afterword by the author, and a 2-page spread black-and-white version of the cover art.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

A young Sadako, reincarnation of the actual horror movie Sadako, meets her supernatural counterpart. They decide to start streaming curse videos, but turns out teaching an old ghost new tricks isn’t all that easy.

What the hell did I just write?

Yep, another one of these bizarre manga creations that saw Ringu and said… this, but weirder. This one is a very, very tongue-in-cheek look at adjusting to modern society and makes roughly as much sense as the Sadako at the End of the World manga, but doesn’t take itself seriously at all whatsoever.

If Sadako is one of the most recent horror icons, you’ll be hard pressed to figure out why, precisely, since in this volume she’s about as scary as a muffin tin.

Still, this is a paper thin (in both content and amount of content, clocking in at roughly 110 pages of actual material) look at a ghost that keeps forgetting to curse people, is not repelled by talismans but sure gets lazy around them, and turns on ad revenue so she can buy a stuffed bear.

While the double Sadakos are fine, once another streamer gets involved with them they really mine this for some fun jokes. The running gag of Sadako pestering him to get a CRTV because she doesn’t like coming out of monitors, LCD TVs, or smartphones (those are just way too small for her) is really good - the poor guy tries to be helpful though he seems to be ignoring the fact that this would lead to his death.

When Sadako gives ghost Sadako some seriously overdue hair care and she goes to visit the streamer to show him, that whole sequence is probably the funniest part of the book.

I mean, look, this is what it is. There’s no point to this, no nihilism like the other Sadako book, just goofing around with a premise. I think they mined enough of it from what we got, although this is a really tiny book to be asking full price for.

3 stars. Perfectly fine for what it does. I have never seen any Sadako-based film, but there’s enough here that you get the jokes and there are jokes to be gotten. Nothing earth-shattering, but a cute little time-waster.

True Rating 3.5

Really cute and fun

On a bit of a manga kick lately and like, this is content I love. Camp and cheese based in horror lore. What else could an Abigail want??

4 stars for the idea. 3 stars for the execution. Sadako comes to curse someone and finds a tiny version of "herself" that is living a very lonely life. They become fast friends. It's very cute. It's a really adorable concept. The ending (?) Was very vague and strange, but I'm not upset I read it. I wish it had been a series rather than a one volume manga, this idea and the execution would have worked much better this way.

Sadako being cute and having friends while trying to curse the whole world? Yes I'm all for that please! Now I gotta get the apocalypse one.

I didn't know until after watching a video from Jordaline in the horror and manga BookTube spheres [Jordaline Reads, go check her out, she's amazing and a complete queen] that this was even a thing. And the irony is I didn't watch that video until after BHVR's announcement that the next upcoming chapter for Dead By Daylight [chapter 23, as of the time this review is being written and posted] is going to be licensing the original Ringu. It felt like a sign, so I paused the video, went to Amazon and looked up this manga to order it.

It's only fair to say here that I don't have the best background with the Ring franchise. In fact, I think it was what put me off of horror movies for so long. I'd gone to a friend's weekend-long 16th birthday party in high school, and she rented nothing but horror movies to watch the entire weekend, without consulting with anyone else whether or not they were okay with watching horror. There were a large number of movies we watched, and I recall the American films The Ring and The Ring Two were the ones that particular friend was the most excited to spring on everyone without preparation to kick off the horror movie marathon. I somehow blacked out the first one entirely, and most of the second one, if that tells you anything about how badly they messed me up at 16 years old. Between those and the subsequent other movies, I was put off horror movies for a very long time. I don't ever plan on revisiting those movies, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that since diving back into horror movies in October 2019, that it's not crossed my mind to eventually read the original novel and watch the original Japanese Ringu.

This wasn't an impulse buy, much as I could try to claim so; I guess part of me wanted to see if I am capable of handling Sadako in a more lighthearted setting, and I was intrigued by the explanation of what this oneshot manga entails. I can safely say that this was very fun and sweet; while the chapters are all cohesive, there's no major story going on in this manga in particular. It's very driven by character interactions, and that's perfectly fine! The whole thing is a very quick, lighthearted read, and I enjoyed seeing what Aya Tsutsumi did with such an iconic horror character outside of her [Sadako's] usual setting.

This manga is so goofy and odd, I had to pick it up when I saw it. Having read the first book in the series, and (regrettably) only seen the American remakes of the movies. Sidenote, the books and movies are incredibly different and I highly suggest taking both with a few grains of salt. However, this manga showed Sadako in a new light, one where she's much less scary and more like a ghost who can't get with the times. Much like people who are stumped by today's technology, e.g. YouTubers, smartphones, etc.

While this version of Sadako is an amalgamation of the films and books, Aya Tsutsumi manages to make her feel fresh (well as fresh as she can be after being stuck in a well for over 30 years), and unique. So much so that as a fan of the series, I fully embrace a more "child friendly" version of the girl that crawls through TV screens and curses people. Screens are a running joke throughout the manga.

TL;DR: Comedy manga for fans of The Ring, that shows Sadako as a ghost struggling to adapt her cursing for the modern world, as a little girl helps her along the way. Not perfect, but incredibly fun and that's perfect enough!

I had been wanting to read this for months but could not find it in any library.

Luckily my co worker had it and let me borrower it. Completely forgot it was in my mailbox until yesterday and thought I should read it to give it back.

This was cute and funny and I wish there was more. The collaboration with the other Youtuber was really hilarious.

I wish the author creates more of this. I would love to know what the Sadako-chan real name is, if she is finally able to live outside the closet or even what her mother looks like.

This super cute, I know that sounds weird, tale of a lonely (mistreated) young girl befriending the Ringu ghost is a quick read.

Watch as Sadako-chan helps Sadako-san reach new audiences by becoming a new viral sensation as a streamer! Well... that's the purpose, but it soon devolves more into Sadako-san helping Sadako-chan live.

Its short and cute and not above commenting on the ridiculous nature of its premise.

Adorable is not a word one generally associates with Sadako (or in the English versions, Samara) of the Ring movies. Yet this book is exactly that. It follows Sadako as she tries to adapt to modern technology and makes some friends along the way. From the description, you can probably tell if this book is going to be your cup of tea or not. If it sounds like it is, then I highly recommend checking it out. It’s a lot of fun, and, like I said, pretty adorable.

Sadako-San and Sadako-Chan - 5/5
Story & art by Aya Tsutsumi

Literally one of the cutest mangas of all time.

I love the original novels by Koji Suzuki. I love the original movies. I love the American remakes. And I definitely love this! A must for any Ringu fan!

Such a funny adorable read!

Oh my god, this was so funny! I hope there are further installments of this, because I would be SO DOWN FOR THAT.

Just a sweet little look at Sadako being wholesome with another cursed child. Who could say no?

If I had a nickel for every comic I've read that injects Ringu's Sadako into an adorable slice of life manga, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice. This was, for me, significantly less successful than Sadako at the End of the World. At least that book had a fully developed world. There are a lot of unanswered questions about this setting, and Sadako-chan in particular. And the sense of humor is just too silly for me, at least for Sadako.

Sadako meets a girl who is imprisoned in a closet, dubs her 'Sadako-chan' and makes cursed videos with her.

I love the idea of this but the humor didn't really connect for me. There are some good parts - Sadako gets her hair washed, tries to get into a cell phone screen, and gets a teddy bear for her new friend.

If you want to read another take on this (with horror) try Sadako at the End of the World by Koma Natsumi.

Never thought I'd enjoy a slice of life manga featuring Sadako Yamamura from Hideo Nakata's famous Ring film. This manga features good artwork and a fun storyline that has Sadako trying new ways to spread her infamous curse. See her struggle to find old-school CRT tvs, get a makeover, and start a career as a horror Youtuber! This is perfect reading material for horror manga fans who want something a little different.

There wasn't much to this, but it was really cute at times. Sadako meets a little girl and enters the world of being a YouTuber. There are some good chuckles along the way. There are only 3 characters in the entire story and all three of them are fun. The art is good too. Its short and reads really quickly but it was a fun little diversion. It's also a one shot, so once you're done, you can move on.

I wanted to like this much more than I actually did. The translation is just.. rough. I know the slang was supposed to be funny, but I just thought it was out of place. The art was cute and I Loved the mother daughter dynamic they had going on.

[[But if you put sad neglectful parent plot in it and don't show a payoff please God make one]]

How can a horror icon be wholesome?" Well, you get something like this manga. While it’s a nice one-shot, I found myself wanting more. I hope the author returns to continue this story because the ending does feel pretty open.

Overall, I enjoyed this, but felt like something was missing. Some of the jokes did not land well, but I thought it was pretty funny regardless.