The Onryō
A vengeful spirit that causes harm to the living.
The Onryō is a type of ghost (yūrei) believed to be capable of causing harm in the world of the living, injuring or killing enemies, or even causing natural disasters to exact vengeance to "redress" the wrongs it received while alive, then taking their spirits from their dying bodies. Onryō are often depicted as wronged women, who are traumatized, envious, disappointed, bitter, or just infuriated by what happened during life and exact revenge in death. These kinds of ghosts appear extremely vengeful, cruel, deranged, egotistical, bloodthirsty, and heartless.
- Role
- Killer
- Real Name
- Sadako Yamamura
- Origin Franchise
- The Ring / Ringu
- Status
- Active in the Trial
Lore & Background
The onryō is a staple of the J-Horror genre, most notable being Sadako Yamamura from the Ring franchise. Sadako Yamamura is the main antagonist. Her origin is from the Ring novel series by Koji Suzuki, where she haunts and kills people through tapes on a television. It is revealed that she was killed by a doctor who infected her with smallpox, and then sealed her body in a well. Before Sadako dies, she promises to take revenge on the world, and becomes an onryō.
In Their Own Story
In March 2022, Sadako Yamamura was added as a playable character in the asymmetrical horror game Dead by Daylight. The Onryō is a vengeful spirit who haunts and kills people through tapes on a television. She was killed by a doctor who infected her with smallpox, and then sealed her body in a well. Before Sadako dies, she promises to take revenge on the world, and becomes an onryō.
Reader's Guide
Origin Story: Sadako Yamamura is an onryō from the Ring franchise. She was killed by a doctor who infected her with smallpox, and then sealed her body in a well. Before Sadako dies, she promises to take revenge on the world, and becomes an onryō. She haunts and kills people through tapes on a television. Abilities: The Onryō's powers center on her cursed videotape and ability to manifest through televisions. She can become undetectable and project a projection of herself to attack Survivors. Loadout Options: Add-ons include items related to the Ring franchise such as VHS tapes, dolls, and well water. These modify her teleportation range, stealth duration, and the spread of her curse. Matchmaking Role: As a Killer, The Onryō excels at map pressure and stealth. Her playstyle focuses on spreading her curse through televisions and using her undetectable state to ambush Survivors.
Did You Know?
- Sadako Yamamura is an onryō from the Ring novel series by Koji Suzuki.
- She was killed by a doctor who infected her with smallpox and sealed her body in a well.
- Before dying, Sadako promised to take revenge on the world, becoming an onryō.
- She haunts and kills people through tapes on a television.
- Sadako Yamamura was added as a playable character in Dead by Daylight in March 2022.
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