This was how it was translated in the danish subtitles as well; which lead me to think that Sada means only Mai is saved and Yoichi is somehow "not saved".
But ringworld (which is normally a good source for ring-stuff) translates it differently in their FAQ: http://ringworld.somrux.com/faq.htm
Q: What does Sadako mean when she asks, Why are you the only ones saved?
A: This is reference to the fact that Mai and Yoichi muster the strength to break free of the psychic projection and thus escape the well-- something which Sadako herself has tried unsuccessfully to do for 30 years.
In the context of the movie (and only having beginner knowledge of japanese language) I think ringworld's translation is the most plausible one, ie.: Sada talks to BOTH Mai and Yoichi.
Without having read the book, but having watched Ring 0-2, I interpret this scene as showing that Sada is basically "un-saveable". The very best you can do is to save yourself and your loved ones.
Mai realizes this, and basically "just" saves herself and Yoichi in the end of 2.
Reiko, however, DOESN'T realize this (or she is too curious, being a journalist and having a dead niece) in Ring 1, and tries to "save" Sada, which is impossible.
Another thread with the same subject:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218553/board/thread/3964687
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asakawa_k
20 years ago
thanks for your thoughts. it's usually me telling people to go to the ringworld site, it is the best source for ring info!
i don't really like the thought of sadako being 'beaten' which is why i was thinking that sadako let mai and yoichi live. also sadako could have stopped them escaping the well but she didn't, just said her cryptic line and fell... one of the best points of the first film was the anti-happy-ending and i don't like the thought of the sequel ending all that well for mai and yoichi... (part of me really didn't want yoichi to get through it all!)
why do you call her 'sada' is it a difference in translation or are you just shortening her name?
I'm glad to see that some people do still frequent this board! i didn't expect to get a reply this quick!
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showa48
20 years ago
Heh heh, yes; I recognize your name now. You have been quite active on the Ring boards!!
"Sada" is just me being lazy. In the danish version it is translated "Sadako" as well;-)
My interpretation of the end R2 is a somewhat like yours: Sadako IS beaten, but on the other hand I see the ending of R2 referring a lot to the end of R1, and Mai's actions referring to Reiko's actions.
Both women try to save Yoichi, but Reiko tries to save Sadako as well, where Mai just tries to save herself and Yoichi.
Reiko knows that her her ex-husbond Ryuji dies because of a tape she introduced to him....And her failure is complete when the last sentence she hears, while being alive, is her dead father saying that Yoichi HASN'T been saved - in effect what Reiko's father is indirectly saying to Reiko is :"you knowingly caused my death - for nothing".
In the end both Reiko's atttempt at understanding Sadako and saving her son fails.
Mai on the other hand, is somewhat more lucky, and tries to save Yoichi, by using the more-than-strange methods of the doctor in the end scene of R2, in the Yamamura ryokan.
Mai doesn't really care that much about Sadako's fate, only as much as is needed to save Yoichi, which is her primary objective.
I think that the differences between Reiko and Mai, the differences between their respective actions, and not at least their relation to and understanding of the nature of Sadako, are the pivotal points in R1 and R2.
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asakawa_k
20 years ago
interesting. and well thought out!
You know, the more i think about Ring2 the less i like it. especially the ending. It seems to be a film of good moments without quite enough plot to hold them all together. I've said this before on other boards that, i kinda think that the greater the departure from the novels the weaker the Ring stories become. Though i haven't read Rasen (still waiting for the translation), so this is based on what i've heard, the general feeling is that it was a better novel and better story than Ring so i sort of think it's a shame that nakata hideo didn't make Rasen...
...rambling now. D'oh!
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showa48
20 years ago
Heh heh, I have thought about reading the books as well......but it takes a little more effort than watching the movies;-)
Anyway, I think both R1 and R2 are good movies, although not perfect or without their weaknesses. R1 was just what the genre needed: New blood, in terms of style and storyline.
I like the movies' "open-endedness" as well, they really give you something to
think about, as for example your own question in this thread, and many other questions.
Unfortunately R0 spoils this somewhat, by explaining Sadako's past WAY too much, not to mention the strange (and unneeded, IMHO) twist that she was "split up" during her childhood, in "evil" and "good" Sadako.
R0 is by far the weakest link in the series, and spoils the feel and mood of the two other movies. Being made by another director than Nakata, it only fits R1 and R2 halfways in terms of general mood and atmosphere.
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asakawa_k
20 years ago
yes, i half agree about Ring0. it is such a different style that it really doesn't fit into the 'cycle'. i like it though, sure it's pretty dull at times and for anyone who isn't a real ringophile probably not worth watching but i think it posed almost as many questions as it answered and had a couple of definitive, scary moments (sadako coming round the corner at the end! still creeps me out more than any other moment from the three films). i did have a little difficulty with the 'split sadako's' thing too. i'm surprised they didn't go with the hermaphrodite bit though that would be difficult as they'd already changed it so the ikuma pushed her in the well...
i don't think that Ring0 detracts from the other 2 but it certainly doesn't add nearly as much as it had the potential to.
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Meven_Stoffat
18 years ago
Umm... I say because Mai saw only some of the video, and Yoichi was saved from his possession by Sadako.
Why are you the only one saved?- Sadako, RINGU 2
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