Evaluation - Activity Two

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

I will be doing a comparison between Sakura, the ghost from our two minute opening sequence, Cherry Blossom and Toshio from Colombia Pictures, the Grudge. The reason to which I have chosen Sakura is because she is in fact the main focus, due to her frightening image and mysterious characteristics. Toshio's character is portrayed by Yuya Ozeki, his character is a 'cursed spirit', he lurks in the house where the Williams family now live. The reason to compare such characters, is due to their similarities within their haunting nature and tragic past.











Sakura's character

Sakura was born in Japan, she came from a wealthy family. Her father was British, whereas her mother was of Japanese heritage. Her parents were divorced and Sakura resided with her father. She was a spoilt child, who studied at Havering College. It was her first year studying at the college, she had decided to re-sit her GCSE's. One day she disappeared from her college, all that can be now said of Sakura, is that her spirit still remains inside the college corridors.












Toshio's character

Toshio was born in Japan. His parents, Kayako and Takeo Saeki were both Japanese. During his childhood, he loved to draw and to care for his pet cat. When he was eight years old, he witnessed his father murder his mother. His father then drowned Toshio in the bathtub. His cursed spirit remains in the house, where he was murdered.

These two characters, share a fair amount of similarities, in relation to their heritage and their 'cursed spirits'. However, Toshio's character is known to be drowned whereas Sakura had never been found, dead or alive, which leaves more of a mysterious factor. Both characters are fairly young in age and had shared an innocent upbringing. It was proved that both childs parents, shared problems, which led to Sakura's parents divorce and Kayako's death. Now that both of their spirits remain, their appearance is horrifying and frightening and they both claim their own territory to haunt. Overall, the two storylines have very few similarities whereas the characters share very similar characteristics, even to the smallest detail.