While inspiring new stories like Dandadan. However, very little is known about a certain manga featuring the story's antagonist.

Sadako-San and Sadako-Chan is a manga series by Aya Tsutsumi that loosely ties into the events of the 2019 film Sadako. However, rather than being a serious prequel to the film, it's a loving parody, similar to the webcomic Erma, of the Ring franchise as Sadako attempts to adjust to the changing technological world around her. In order to keep up with the times, she teams up with a young unnamed girl, who's believed to be Sadako's reincarnation, to create a YouTube channel to spread Sadako's curse to the next generation. It's a remarkably silly premise, but the execution of the manga itself makes it a must-read for fans of the films.

Sadako-San and Sadako-Chan Is a Fun Satire on Modern Technology

Making Sadako a YouTuber is Way Funnier than Anyone Would Expect

While not necessarily a scary story, this take on Sadako is an effectively funny parody of modern technology for a ghost that's practically dated by today's standards. She's always known as the ghost that will kill anyone who watches her cursed videotape. However, now that VHS is obsolete, she needs to learn to curse in different ways as the world shifts around her. The decision to make her team up with an unnamed reincarnation, dubbed Sadako-Chan in the manga, to reignite her curse through YouTube videos is a stroke of genius as it opens the lore of Sadako to a whole new generation.

What makes this manga truly succeed is how much it plays these adjustments for laughs. Sadako's frustration with needing to use phones and computer screens instead of a CRT TV is incredibly funny, especially with her refusing to even use them by simply walking out the door. Also, with the cursed videos she and Sadako-Chan are making on their "Double Sadako" channel being traditional YouTube video ideas, it makes the story a refreshing take on the standard Ring formula.

Sadako-San & Sadako-Chan Transcends Parody as a Satisfying Chapter in the Ring Franchise

Fans Need to Find a Copy at Their Local Bookstore ASAP

The best thing about Aya Tsutsumi's parody story is how it's essentially an alternate storyline that gives Sadako a second chance at finding a family. Throughout the manga, Sadako-San and Sadako-Chan slowly get closer with the two doing each other's hair and having meaningful conversations with each other. Sadako's story is one of the saddest in horror as she was essentially dumped down a well because of her immense power. So, giving her an opportunity to find a new family can be viewed as the happy ending Sadako has always wanted.

Sadako-San & Sadako-Chan was actually intended to simply be an online manga. However, according to Tsutsumi in the now-published graphic novel's afterword, it was the immense popularity of the story that made it get a physical release. However, now this manga is sadly fading with time. This loving homage and parody of The Ring shouldn't be forgotten, and here's hoping that more fans give this hilarious and sweet manga a chance that made it such a hit in Japan.