Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Ju-on: Black Ghost Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 6, 2023

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Arrow Video's Ju-on: The Grudge Collection.

In a commentary included on Ju-On: The Grudge, film historian David Kalat, who kind of jokingly states that, yes, he did write the (or at least a) book on so-called J Horror, offers a fun and interesting overview of the entire Ju-On franchise, documenting how the "first" film is in actuality at least the third, and, if you include a couple of shorts that started the whole thing going, even further down an ordinal list. Kalat gets into the fact that at least some of the sobriquets assigned to various films in the series (like The Curse and, yes, maybe even The Grudge) are actually the creation of fans (not that there's anything wrong with that), but one way or the other, Arrow has aggregated six Ju-On films in this set, offering all of them on 1080 discs, with Ju-On: The Grudge also getting 4K UHD treatment. As is typically the case with Arrow releases, the supplements are bountiful, at least with regard to the two films bearing Grudge in their titles.

I was kind of surprised to find out in looking around our database when I received this collection that it looks like only Ju-On: White Ghost and Ju-On: Black Ghost have had a prior release on Blu-ray, and in this case on a Region A release from Well Go USA that I reviewed several years ago. Those interested in my thoughts on the film(s) are encouraged to read my Ju-On: White Ghost / Black Ghost Blu-ray review of that release. That review also offers the opportunity to compare screenshots between the two releases.

Ju-on: Black Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Ju-On: Black Ghost is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. Arrow's insert booklet for this set lumps all of the films together on one page of verbiage about the transfers:

Ju-On: The Curse and Ju-On: The Curse 2 are presented in their original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 with stereo sound.

The films were shot on standard definition video and have been sourced from the original tape masters supplied by Kadakowa Corporation.

Ju-On: The Grudge is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with 5.1 and stereo sound and has been exclusively restored by Arrow Films.

The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K 16 bit resolution at Tokyo Genzosho, Japan. The film was restored in 4K and graded in HDR10 & Dolby Vision at Silver Salt Restoration, London.

The audio mixes were remastered by Kadakowa Corporation. The restoration was supervised by James White and James Pearcey, Arrow Films.

Ju-On: The Grudge 2 is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with 5.1 and stereo sound.

The film was produced in 35mm and the HD master was supplied by Kadakowa Corporation. Additional grading and picture restoration was completed at R3Store Studios, London.

Ju-On: Black Ghost and Ju-On: White Ghost are presented in their original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 with 5.1 surround sound and stereo sound.

The films were produced in high definition video and have been sourced from the original tape masters from Kadakowa Corporation. Additional grading was completed at R3Store Studios, London.

As with Ju-on: White Ghost, there are some subtle but noticeable differences between this Arrow version and the now pretty old Well Go USA Blu-ray release for Region A, as can perhaps be made out by doing some screenshot comparisons. This transfer can look marginally brighter, which is not to say artificially boosted, but it also offers a sharper, clearer look overall. The Well Go USA release actually looks a little yellowish and milky (if milk were yellow) now when compared to this version. There is still an almost sepia toned approach to the visuals here which may lead to occasional deficits in shadow detail in some of the darkest material.

Ju-on: Black Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Ju-On: Black Ghost features an LPCM 2.0 track that obviously doesn't have the same immersive capabilities as the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that was offered on the Well Go USA Blu-ray, but which is more than sufficient for a production that frankly doesn't rely on an overly baroque sound design. Effects are still subliminally creepy at times, even if they're not able to "stretch out" into surround channels, and dialogue is always rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Ju-on: Black Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Arrow has packaged White Ghost and Black Ghost on one disc. Perhaps just a little confusingly, after selecting Choose Film from the Main Menu, the Special Features Menu brings up shared supplements no matter which film has been selected, while the Play option for offers an optional introduction for Black Ghost .

• Black Ghost Introduction by Mari Asato (HD; 00:31)


• Interview with Mari Asato (HD; 11:29) is subtitled in English.


• Trailer (HD; 1:12)


• Image Gallery (HD)

Ju-on: Black Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Seeing all of these Ju-On films one after the other establishes the kind of comical fact that Shimizu and his team tend to hit first "at bats" out of the ballpark, only to falter a bit with follow ups. This is once again an issue of a perceived "sophomore slump", though Black Ghost probably has enough spectral energy to engage fans of the franchise. Technical merits are solid and the Asato interview enjoyable, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.