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Monday, 11:03 pm in Archive

The first thing I have to say about it is that it’s quite obvious that you’re reading translated Japanese, which means the writing can seem awkward at times, but no more (and, in fact a lot less) than say, J. K. Rowling. Actually, while reading it I kept translating <acronym title=”ie. not much”>phrases I knew</acronym> back into Japanese in my head, and that often felt more natural since there are quite a few Japanese expressions which don’t translate to English very well.

Despite the awkward writing, the book did manage to freak me out, causing me to end up reading 90% of it in well-lit rooms with other occupants. Though I’m not sure if it was the book itself which was unsettling so much as the fact that it bought back the memory of watching the film; which very much was unsettling (~wolf [h] can tell you all how I hid behind a pillow for most of it, only occasionally peeking out to ask “What happened?”). Anyway, from what I remember of the film, it was a pretty true adaptation of the novel. The only really glaring differences were the structure of the video itself; the movie version works much better as far as being a creepy piece of abstract theatre goes, but has less to do with the plot than the version in the book; I still want to know what the deal with the man with the paper over his head is, and those people crawling backwards give me the willies just thinking about them. The deaths of the victims are different; instead of Sadako  crawling out of TVs and they like, they seem to see themselves age Last Crusade style, which honestly is less scary. And the Main Character Guy (whose name I have forgotten) is just that; a guy. Oh, and he’s not Ruiji’s ex-lover, though there are hints of shounen-ai at the very end if you’re a pervy hopeful like yours truly.

Ryuji’s character is another interesting one, and a little different than that in the film. Incidentally, ~wolf [h] had a big cry at his death since he was her Favourite Character and her Favourite Character is always first to die. In the book – and seen from a Western perspective, I’m not sure how weel it works if you’re Japanese – Ryuji dies because he is a rapist. And rapists, no matter how helpful they are to their best friends, always die. Of course, then you get student jailbait-Mai’s little bit at the end to Main Character Guy about how Ryuji is really a sweet, innocent virgin who only acts rough around Main Character Guy; his one-and-only friend. So maybe he’s just indulging in strange Japanese male too-much-hentai self-delusions. Unfortunatley I liked book!Ruyji (I liked movie!Ryuji too, but he wasn’t a rapist as far as I recall, thus no Conflict of Interest), so I prefer to think the latter. But it’s open-ended. But nevertheless, Book!Ruyji is not killed by someone crawling out of the TV. More’s the pity.

I’d forgotten about Sadako’s hermaphrodite thing. I like it. It appeals to the same place I dig EtA? and Loqia up from. I don’t recall the smallpox thing being covered in the film, though. That Sadako’s ‘child’ – the curse video that spreads like a virus – is really the product of her hate of the media and the sheep who follow it (take heed, Fox-watchers; Sadako is coming for you next!) and the smallpox virus’ pissyness at getting eradicated. It’s a metaphore, stupid.

I don’t remember the blinking thing in the movie, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. It’s been a while.

So yeah. Interestingly, the book didn’t particularly elaborate on much that the film didn’t, except for perhaps fleshing out some situations a little more. But… yeah. I hope they translate the others.

All in all, I recommend it if you’re a fan of the series or the genre. But it’s not exactly a groundbreaking piece of literature if you’re not. Three rolled-up eyes.

There is something in here that’s biting me, for fuck’s sake. And I keep looking over my shoulder to Check for Sadako. For fuck’s sake. And I need to go to bed so I can get up for work tomorrow.

Yup.

• Mood » Creeped Out
• Music » Malice Mizer, "Gardenia"