The Terrifying Stories That Inspired The Grudge

The Terrifying Story of The Grudge

When the credits roll at the end of a horror film, you can take comfort in knowing that it’s a work of fiction. Or is it? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be discussing The Terrifying Story of The Grudge.

Come along as we explore the urban legends, folklore, and classic Japanese tales that inspired “Ju-on” aka “The Grudge” - imbuing a modern story of supernatural terror with a timeless and enduring sense of dread.

“The Grudge” is a hugely successful horror franchise that’s spanned more than two decades. The original japanese property was created by filmmaker Takashi Shimizu and debuted in 1998 with two short films “Katasumi” and “4444444444”, which were both included in the television movie, “Gakkō no kaidan G”. This paved the way for two feature length straight-to-video films, “Ju-On: The Curse” and its sequel, both released in the year 2000. In 2002, the franchise made the jump to the big screen with “Ju-On: The Grudge”. Over the years, “Ju-On” has spawned a total of nine Japanese instalments, including a crossover with fellow J-horror franchise, “The Ring”. “Ju-on” has also been adapted into novels and comic books.

Further cementing the property’s place in the horror hall of fame is the fact that it’s found similar success internationally. The first film in the American leg of the franchise, 2004’s “The Grudge” - which was also directed by Shimizu - made a staggering $187 million worldwide on a budget of just $10 million. It’s spawned three sequels, including 2020’s “The Grudge”. Though not every instalment has been met with critical acclaim, “Ju-on: The Grudge” has proven many times over that it’s an enduring franchise with lasting appeal.

Though each film keeps things interesting with unique twists, turns, and frights, they’re all based on one core idea: that of the Ju-on curse or “the grudge”. As described onscreen at the start of multiple films in the franchise, “When someone dies in the grip of a powerful rage... a curse is born. The curse gathers in that place of death. Those who encounter it will be consumed by its fury.” Ominous, right?

Essentially, what it means is that when someone dies in a particularly horrible and emotionally-charged way, they live on as a vengeful, supernatural force. Anyone who enters the space in which that person met their demise is doomed to fall victim to this malicious entity. What that quote doesn’t explain however, is that the grudge is self-perpetuating. Though the curse begins with a singular murderous supernatural force, the people killed are similarly cursed in kind. Essentially, the Grudge is an ever-expanding and seemingly unstoppable supernatural plague. Within the world of the Grudge, this terrible curse began with the murder of a mother and child by a jealous husband/father.

This particular narrative is (thankfully) a work of fiction, but the basic premise of the Grudge does draw heavily from Japanese tradition, history and popular culture.

The concept of a vengeful spirit is one that crops up in the traditions of countless civilizations and cultures from throughout history. The keres of ancient Greece; the lemures of Roman mythology; the dybbuk of Jewish lore; the chudails that haunt northern India and Pakistan; Mexico’s la llorona… we could go on all day! In Japan, there are actually a number of subtypes of vengeful spirits; Funayūrei haunt ships and the sea; Mu-onna are inconsolable mothers who lost their children to war or famine; and Goryō are martyred spirits of aristocrats.

In “The Grudge”, however, the vengeful spirit in question is an Onryō. This type of ghost is distinctly terrifying because it can cause direct harm to the living. Its purpose is to right the wrongs that were done to it in life by taking the lives of those responsible. However, this vengeance often takes the form of natural disasters, which shows that the Onryō isn’t overly concerned with limiting its punishment to the guilty. In Japanese tradition, Onryō can typically be appeased through the willful righting of wrongs by the living or through Buddhist rites and prayer. Unfortunately for the victims of The Grudge, this particular curse seems to be a distinctly lethal and and resilient breed of Onryō.

There are numerous examples of onryō from Japanese folklore. But arguably the most famous such story (one which shares elements in common with “The Grudge”) is that of Yotsuya Kaidan. Interestingly enough, it’s not actually a folk tale, but rather a kabuki play written by Tsuruya Nanboku IV in 1825. A play in five acts, it tells the story of a husband who conspires against his wife, Oiwa, only for her to return from death as an onryō. Sound familiar? With its universal themes, haunting narrative and roots in traditional Japanese beliefs, Yotsuya Kaidan (also known as the “Ghost Story of Yotsuya” in English) has become an iconic and universally-known story in its country of origin. Relative to other popular onryō stories, it’s a notably violent and brutal one, which many have speculated is why it’s popularity surpasses all others. Apparently some things never change - violence sells!

Like Oiwa in “Yotsuya Kaidan”, Kayako Saeki, the principal ghost in “The Grudge”, bears all the classic physical traits of an onryō - including long messy hair, unnaturally white skin, and a white dress. Yotsuya Kaidan has been adapted directly many times over; but while “The Grudge” is by no means the closest adaptation, the influence of the kabuki play can be felt throughout the franchise.

“The Grudge” is rooted in traditional japanese culture and supernatural myths dating back centuries. But it’s also a franchise defined by modern preoccupations. In crafting the initial premise, creator Takashi Shimizu took inspiration not only from the onryō tradition, but also what seemed to be a rising number of domestic abuse cases being reported in Japan in the late 90s. So while the story of Kayako Saeki isn’t based on a particular incident of a man killing his wife, it was nonetheless inspired by real world events. Moreover, the central story at the heart of “The Grudge” is so popular that it’s become an urban legend in its own right, resulting in some confusion as to which came first - the film or the urban legend about a woman named Kayako. But isn’t that the case with all truly great ghost stories? If it’s scary enough, it’ll take on a life of its own.

And that, folks, is the real story behind “The Grudge”. By simultaneously tapping into traditional ghost stories and modern concerns, Takashi Shimizu has given birth to and nurtured an enduring horror franchise . . . one that, despite being a work of fiction, continues to inspire very real fear in audiences.