The Story of Chie and Rinko
Summaries of Six Variations
Summaries of Six Variations
During a festival, Chie discovers her friend Rinko is a spirit when she fails to appear in multiple photos taken on her phone. A panicked confrontation leads to Rinko calmly explaining that she isn't physically present in the same way as Chie. Although Chie confirms Rinko's tangible presence by holding her cold hand, Rinko insists that the phone 'knows better.' As the festival ends, Rinko reveals that being seen and acknowledged by Chie was her sole purpose, and her form peacefully dissolves into the night.
After the initial shock of Rinko not appearing in a photo, Chie reassures the ghostly Rinko that she is not afraid and that their friendship remains. This prompts Rinko to share her tragic history of being an orphan who was bullied to the point of suicide. She lingered as a spirit out of a deep-seated fear of being forgotten and alone. To help her find peace, Chie uses an Obon festival lantern, painting Rinko's name on it to guide her to the afterlife. Rinko thanks her and peacefully moves on.
In this version, Chie's discovery that Rinko is a ghost triggers the spirit's departure. After seeing the photo, Chie watches Rinko move ethereally through the festival lanterns toward the river. When Chie follows, Rinko explains that she is a *Yūrei* (ghost) whose purpose for remaining was to be seen and understood by a living person. Now that her true nature has been recognized, Rinko's task is complete, and after a brief, final goodbye, she vanishes instantly.
Rinko becomes visibly upset after not appearing in the photo, confessing to Chie that she is a ghost who died feeling unwanted after a difficult life with her adoptive family. She asks Chie to help her find peace. After researching the matter, Chie learns that Rinko must accept her death and let go of her past attachments. During their final meeting, Chie helps her do this. In return, the grateful Rinko comforts Chie, encouraging her to be more confident before peacefully fading away.
After Rinko disappears from the photo and then vanishes in person, a frantic Chie seeks help from a classmate named Takumo, who is known for his interest in ghost stories. The situation takes a dramatic turn when Takumo's mother overhears and reveals that Rinko was her own biological mother, who had committed suicide after a teenage pregnancy. The three of them find Rinko's spirit at her grave, allowing for an emotional reunion between the ghost and her long-lost daughter. Having found this closure, Rinko is able to pass on.
The discovery of Rinko's nature unfolds differently when she expresses confusion not about her invisibility, but about the phone itself, revealing she believes the year is 1916. Realizing her friend is a ghost from over a century ago, Chie flees in panic. Rinko catches up to her, sadly acknowledging that her secret has been discovered. Before Chie can process the situation and accept her, Rinko explains that she can no longer stay and vanishes after a final goodbye, leaving Chie to grapple with the encounter.