"So you're saying you want me to help write the plot for Ju-On 2? And preferably a finale, too?" Kenichi Amamiya gave Kazahana Koyuki an odd look. He had been planning to leave this world, head into outer space to explore what the future held, and check on Naruto along the way. But before he could go, Koyuki had come to him, hoping to learn what happened next in Ju-On. It was an unusual request. After a moment's silence, he agreed. He knew Koyuki well enough to understand how much it mattered to her, and he quietly set about helping her. Still, the mention of Ju-On 2 and a finale left him with a strange expression. Ju-On had been enormously famous in his previous life. It was terrifying, and its popularity made it irresistible to anyone eager to squeeze every last bit of value from the franchise. There were Ju-On: The Video Version 1 and its sequel, followed by Ju-On: The Movie 1 and its sequel. The spin-offs Ju-On: White Ghost and Ju-On: Black Ghost were reasonably well received. Then came Ju-On: The Final Curse, an attempt to milk the series further that ended up a laughingstock. Director Takashi Shimizu also made The Grudge 1–3 for American audiences, followed by the even more disappointing New Ju-On. There was the television adaptation Ju-On: House of the Curse, and later Sadako vs. Kayako. As far as Kenichi was concerned, only a handful of them were any good.
If Kenichi had to recommend a watch list, he would stick to the video releases, the original films, The Grudge trilogy, and the two spin-offs, Ju-On: White Ghost and Ju-On: Black Ghost. He would not recommend anything that came after them. Even the much-discussed Ju-On: House of the Curse was, to him, a terrible series.