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| Kayako Saeki | |
|---|---|
| Ju-On and The Grudge character | |
.jpg) Takako Fuji as Kayako Saeki | |
| First appearance | Katasumi (1998) |
| Last appearance | The Grudge: The Untold Chapter (2020) |
| Created by | Takashi Shimizu |
| Portrayed by | Takako Fuji (Katasumi, Ju-on: The Curse, Ju-on: The Curse 2, Ju-on: The Grudge, Ju-on: The Grudge 2, The Grudge, The Grudge 2) Misaki Saishō (Ju-on: The Beginning of the End, Ju-on: The Final Curse) Kyōka Takizawa (Young Kayako) (The Grudge 2) Aiko Horiuchi (The Grudge 3) Anna Moon (Tales from the Grudge) Tomoko Satō (Scary Movie 4) Runa Endō (Sadako vs. Kayako) Junko Bailey (The Grudge: The Untold Chapter) |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Kayako Saeki (née Kawamata) Rose (reborn, The Grudge 3) |
| Species | Human (formerly) Onryō |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Housewife |
| Family | Takeo Saeki (husband) Toshio Saeki (son) Nakagawa Kawamata (mother; American version only) Naoko Kawamata (sister; American version only) Daisuke (brother-in-law; American version only) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Kayako Saeki (佐伯 伽椰子, Saeki Kayako) is the main antagonist of the Ju-On and The Grudge horror franchises.[1][2][3][4] Kayako's fictional history alternates slightly between continuities, but all depict her as the very attractive yet unfortunately vengeful ghost of a woman killed by her husband, Takeo, along with their son Toshio, in a murder–suicide that happened after he came to believe she was having an affair. After the crime, the spirits of all three are bound to their family home, haunting and killing all who enter in the following years.[citation needed]
Saeki has been played by a number of actresses in films, including Takako Fuji in Katasumi (1998), Ju-On: The Curse, Ju-On: The Curse 2 (both 2000), Ju-On: The Grudge (2002), Ju-On: The Grudge 2 (2003), and the American remake films The Grudge (2004) and The Grudge 2 (2006), Misaki Saishō in Ju-On: The Beginning of the End (2014) and Ju-On: The Final Curse (2015), Kyōka Takizawa as a child in the American The Grudge 2, Aiko Horiuchi in the American The Grudge 3 (2009), Anna Moon in the American Tales from the Grudge (2006), and Junko Bailey in the American The Grudge: The Untold Chapter (2020).
The American adaptations expand the backstory of the character, with her only cameo appearance occurring in the 2020 film, where her "grudge" is transferred to other spirits. Saeki also appears in Kōji Shiraishi's 2016 crossover film Sadako vs. Kayako (portrayed by Runa Endō), alongside The Ring antagonist Sadako Yamamura, both serving as principle inspirations for the webtoon series Erma.
- ^ "The Grudge Franchise Timeline Explained". Screen Rant. 2021-11-27. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
- ^ Llewellyn, Tom (2020-07-03). "Is Ju-On: Origins based on a true story? The Grudge horror franchise has its roots set in reality". HITC. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
- ^ "The Grudge's Curse Still Makes Absolutely No Sense". CBR. 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
- ^ Crucchiola, Jordan (3 February 2017). "Rings Comes Out This Weekend, But Who Cares — Watch Sadako vs. Kayako Instead". Vulture. Retrieved 2022-02-19.