Tsuyoshi Murakami (村上 強志 Murakami Tsuyoshi) is the protagonist from the short film 4444444444, a minor character in Ju-on: The Curse, and a major character in Ju-on: Video Side, portrayed by Andō Kazushi.
Biography[]
Toshio's ghost growls over Tsuyoshi.
At some point, Tsuyoshi and his family moved to the Saeki house. He had a girlfriend named Mizuho Tamura. Tsuyoshi invited her to his house, where she met his family. Their relationship thrilled Kanna, and she constantly teased them. Yuki asked him for a picture of Mizuho, but Tsuyoshi refused to show her one.
As Tsuyoshi came to school, he found a ringing cellphone in the garbage. Intending to return it to its owner, Tsuyoshi picked and heard nothing but a mewing. Tsuyoshi insisted to have an answer and, concluding it was a prank, asked if the caller was watching him. As someone personally answered his question, and Tsuyoshi found a ghostly boy sat by his side. Spilling a viscous black stain from his mouth, the ghost growled and Tsuyoshi was taken by the curse.
Aftermath[]
Mizuho looked for him at school but only found the cellphone and Tsuyoshi's bycicle. Alone in the building, she was haunted by Toshio's ghost and caught by the curse as well.
Etymology[]
- The name Tsuyoshi means "strength, intensity, force, power, potent/potence/potency, vigor/vigorous, energy, greatness, intense/intenseness, efficacy, vis, might, pussiance, arm, powerful, robust, slogging, sturdy, lusty, rushing, smart, vehement" (強) (tsuyo) and "will, purpose" (志) (shi).
- Tsuyoshi's surname Murakami means "town, village" (村) (mura) and "above, top, upper" (上) (kami).
Notes and trivia[]
- Tsuyoshi is the very first victim of the curse to be seen on screen.
- Tusyoshi is seen leaving his house with a very different clothing and hair style from the ones seen in 4444444444.
- The number four in Japanese is considered unlucky, since the number four (四) and the Japanese word for death (死) are homonyms: both are pronounced shi. This phenomenon that is known as tetraphobia.
- Tsuyoshi and Mizuho's relationship is deepened in the Video Side manga.
- Tsuyoshi is the only character who actually attacked one of the ghosts in the manga.
Gallery[]
