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is a Japanese horror franchise created by Takashi Shimizu, consisting of 11 feature films. Shimizu attended the Film School of Tokyo, where he studied under Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Kurosawa helped Shimizu shepherd the ''Ju-On'' projects to fruition.〔(Takashi Shimizu's Ju-on )〕 The ''Ju-On'' films generally revolve around a curse created in a house in Nerima, Tokyo when Takeo Saeki, convinced that his wife Kayako was having an affair with another man, murdered her, their son Toshio and Toshio's pet cat in a jealous fit. According to ''Ju-On'', when a person dies with a deep and powerful rage, a curse is born. The curse gathers in the place where that person has died or where they were frequent at, and repeats itself there. The spirits of the deceased haunt the location, killing anyone who encounters the curse by any means, such as entering a cursed house or being in contact with somebody who was already cursed. The curse's manifestation is mainly death, where the victims' bodies may or may not disappear. The following deaths may create more curses and spread them to other locations. The franchise consists, to date, of 11 films (8 Japanese productions, 3 American) alongside additional media and merchandise products.〔(Ju-on (呪怨) series )〕 ==History== Shimizu stated in an interview that the inspiration for ''Ju-On'' came from his own personal fears as a child and a Japanese dance group that would paint their nude bodies and perform, Shimizu found the performance frightening and decided to "paint () ghosts white". He also mentioned that the rise in the number of domestic abuse cases emerging in Japan during production of his previous films gave him ideas about the origins of the story. The title of the films translates roughly to "Curse Grudge". The first two films in the series were so-called V-Cinema, or direct-to-video releases, but became surprise hits as the result of favorable word of mouth. Both films were shot in nine days and feature a story that is a variation on the classic haunted house theme, as well as a popular Japanese horror trope, the "vengeful ghost" (''onryō''). The titular curse, ''ju-on'', is one which takes on a life of its own and seeks new victims. Anyone who encounters a ghost killed by the curse is killed themselves and the curse is able to be spread to other areas. Under very tight budgetary constraints, Shimizu's films garnered much acclaim from both critics and genre fans for their effective use of limited locations and eerie atmosphere to generate chills. Shimizu was at the same time perfectly willing to show his ghosts onscreen, in contrast to some directors who might choose only to hint at their appearance. But critics noted that Shimizu's minimalist approach to directing and storytelling — a necessary by-product of the production's limited overall resources — allows the films to retain their ability to unnerve viewers. Very few scenes in the movies are graphically bloody, making such scenes more disturbing when they occur.〔 Following the success of the two direct-to-video films, and the international success of Hideo Nakata's ''Ring'' (1998), Kurosawa and ''Ring'' screenwriter Hiroshi Takahashi helped Shimizu develop a theatrical ''Ju-On'' sequel starring Megumi Okina and Takako Fuji. The first theatrical feature film, ''Ju-On: The Grudge'', was released in 2003 to critical acclaim and the US remake rights were purchased, with Shimizu himself attached to direct and Sarah Michelle Gellar starring. Later that year, another Japanese theatrical installment, ''Ju-On: The Grudge 2'' was released. Due to the major success of the remake, a sequel was released. The film was not a remake and followed a unique storyline, albeit still drawing inspiration from several Japanese films. 2014's ''The Beginning of The End'', in turn drew inspiration from the ''The Grudge 2''. 〔(Takashi Shimizu Interview )〕 The most recent American sequel, 2009's ''The Grudge 3'', is set shortly after the events of the second film. In 2009, the tenth anniversary of the series, two new sequels, ''Ju-On: White Ghost'' and ''Ju-On: Black Ghost'' premiered in simultaneous screenings in Japanese theaters. The films' storyline deviated from the cursed Saeki family, which all previous films had followed, instead focusing on two unrelated but also ill-fated families. On March 20, 2014, it was announced that an American reboot was in the works, written by Jeff Buhler and produced by Sam Raimi, as with all previous American installments. In 2014, the fifteenth anniversary of the ''Ju-On'' franchise, a new installment was released, titled ''Ju-On: The Beginning of the End''. The film is a reboot of the series that features a new backstory regarding the curse while still featuring the Saeki family as an integral part of the plot. The film was followed by a 2015 sequel, ''Ju-On: The Final'', which served as the supposed final film in the series. Both films have no input from Shimizu. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ju-On (franchise)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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