Spiral

Andō watched the tape because he was despondent over the death of his own child and believed that Ryūji Takayama's ghost was guiding him to do so. His grief and professional curiosity, combined with the supernatural influence of the tape, led him to deliberately seek out the curse.

Andō's earlier discovery of the cryptic note in Takayama's stomach hints at his willingness to pursue dangerous knowledge.

Reiko survived because she had already broken the curse by making a copy of the videotape, a method she believed would neutralize its power. However, Yōichi died exactly one week after watching the copy of the tape, just like his father Ryūji had died after watching the original.

Reiko's research into the tape, revealed through her diary, shows she was trying to find a way to protect herself and her son.

The note was hidden in Takayama's stomach and hinted at a larger mystery involving the cursed videotape and Sadako Yamamura. It suggested secret life and hidden motives, prompting Andō to investigate further into the supernatural events surrounding Takayama's death.

This discovery triggers Andō's broader investigation into the rumored curse, setting the entire story in motion.

The deaths were not caused by the cursed videotape or a virus alone, they were triggered by Reiko's diary. The diary contained the details of the curse and the truth about Sadako Yamamura, and those who learned its contents became targets. The virus was a cover story, but the diary was the actual mechanism of death.

Early in the investigation, Andō notices the deaths follow a pattern beyond simple viral infection, suggesting a more supernatural cause.

Mai Takano is actually Sadako Yamamura reborn, manifesting as a dual-gendered entity. After Mai goes missing and is found dead having given birth with no baby, Andō encounters her at work and discovers she is Sadako herself, having returned through Mai's body.

Mai's unexplained disappearance and return, followed by her mysterious death with no newborn, foreshadows her true supernatural identity.

Takayama was not helping Andō stop Sadako, he was actually helping Sadako. Andō learns that his rival's ghost was guiding him not toward stopping the curse, but toward aiding Sadako's resurrection and plans. This twist reveals Takayama's true allegiance.

Andō's belief that Takayama's ghost was guiding him to stop the curse is undermined by the revelation that Takayama had his own hidden motives.

Sadako promised to help resurrect Andō's dead son in exchange for his assistance. This dark pact led Andō to help bring both Takayama and his son back to life using Sadako's supernatural power, effectively trading his soul's future for this resurrection.

Andō's deep grief over his son's death makes him vulnerable to Sadako's offer, which fulfills his deepest desire.

After Mai went missing and was found dead having given birth with no sign of a baby, she later reappeared to Andō at his workplace. It was then revealed that this returning figure was actually Sadako Yamamura reborn in Mai's body, explaining the mysterious pregnancy and death.

The bizarre detail of childbirth with no baby suggests something supernatural and otherworldly was happening within Mai.

Yoshino died because, despite never watching the tape himself, he possessed Reiko's diary which contained the truth about the curse and Sadako. The diary itself was the mechanism that triggered death, knowing its contents was致命的, regardless of whether one watched the tape.

Yoshino admits to Andō that he regrets getting involved in Reiko's research, foreshadowing his imminent death.

When Ryūji Takayama tells Andō that 'many years will pass before our world will be at peace,' he implies that the resurrection was only a temporary solution. The pact with Sadako means ongoing conflict and future threats, the peace is fragile and temporary, not a true resolution.

The ambiguous ending, with characters resurrected through a sinister bargain, suggests the threat is not truly eliminated.

Andō destroyed the videotapes because he realized they were the physical conduit for the curse. By destroying all copies, he hoped to break the curse's power and ensure he would be its last victim. He wanted to sever the link between the deadly force and the living world.

After witnessing multiple deaths connected to the tape, Andō decides the only way to stop the cycle is to eliminate the physical source.

Mai told Andō she was too scared to be with him when he died, despite their emotional intimacy. This reflects the overwhelming fear that the cursed videotape instills in everyone, even those closest to its victims cannot face the inevitable outcome.

Their intimate moment comes right after Andō decides to become the video's last victim, adding weight to her refusal.