The Ring 0—Birthday

    (Dark Horse, 2005)
™ and © 2000 Meimu

Released in time to ride whatever wave may have been created by the theatrical release of the American version of Ring 2, this volume adapts the Japanese film Ring 0 (which is available on DVD). While the story as a whole suffers from sequelitis, it meets—and in some ways exceeds—its film counterpart. Ring 0 is the backstory of Sadako (Samara in the American version). This manga adaptation clarifies several points from the film. (Why did all the kids in Sadako’s class drown? Where did Sadako’s alter ego come from?) In many ways it’s hard to digest, presenting us with a Sadako older than we think she should be, but all is explained. Sort of. Maybe.

Subtitled “Birthday,” this is the fourth Dark Horse Ring collection. This may be a bit confusing, since Vol. 3 was titled Birthday and also dealt with Sadako’s life prior to the events of Ring. But, if readers can change gears from the first Ring manga to the second, which follows a somewhat different continuity, they can follow this.

— Jack Abramowitz
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#1

February, 2005
Cover Price: $12.95
1 copy available for $10.36 		Koji Suzuki, Meimu, Hiroshi TakahashiMeimu