Ritsuko Sakakibara

Ritsuko Sakakibara is Kouichi's deceased mother and Yousuke's wife. She only appears in the school graduation album and their family old pictures. She went to Yomiyama North Middle School in 1972 and was in the same class with the dead Misaki Yomiyama, 9th Grade Class 3.

Personality
Kouichi's father mentions that she is a very special lady, and has a great taste in men. She is also a supporting sister. Reiko mentions when his father (Kouichi's grandfather) went against Reiko's decision to attend art university, Ritsuko is the only one who stood up for her and supported her.

Appearance
She has brown hair, as well as brown eyes in the anime, and has brown hair and black eyes in manga. In her middle school days, she wears a ponytail in the anime. In the manga, her hair is shoulder length and her hair is worn down.

Plot
It is unknown whether she died while giving birth to Kouichi, or if she died shortly after his birth. In chapter 10, it is hinted that her death was most likely caused by the Class 3-3 curse, since her sister, Reiko, was in that class. And it was also confirmed that she is actually The Death Of May of the 9th Grade Class 3 in 1983. After her death, her father (Kouichi's grandfather), is always seen sitting in front of her altar, probably still depressed about her death. In Episode 5, when Kouichi was looking at his mother's class picture, the librarian, Tatsuji Chibiki came to him and asked about his mother. Tatsuji is shown to know about his mother, since he was the homeroom teacher of class 3-3 in 1972. In episode 10 Kouichi had shown Mei some old pictures with Ritsuko in her teens.

Trivia

 * Her first name, Ritsuko, means "child of the law".
 * It is affirmated about the fact that Ritsuko and her sister, Reiko, look a lot alike.