Veteran fans of Japanese horror are familiar with the name Takashi Shimizu, there’s no doubt about it. Having gained attention from horror fans all around the world with his Ju-On franchise, Shimizu-san has been a continuous contributor to the genre with varying reception from his audience. Admittedly, I haven’t been a good audience for some
Tag: Japanese Horror
After contributing to periodical manga magazines such as Manga OK from the mid-60s, the ever-ambitious Taro Bonten would decide to create his own bespoke gekiga magazine in 1969 named Black Ace. However, this wouldn’t be just any normal magazine and would seek to recreate the mystery genre started by kasutori magazines in the late 1940s.
Noboru Yoshimi was a prolific horror manga author who enjoyed great success with over 300 published stories to his name, mainly aimed at a younger audience. There is however one tale of perverted gender-bending horror that risks being relegated into the realms of lost media. To this day the only place to read Indecent Wriggling
Rumor has it that musicians sell their souls to the devil and worse represent Satan through their songs. It was a ridiculous idea that still scares the bejesus out of anyone who hero-worships such personalities. Then, the idea stretched out through code deciphering videos that took over YouTube ages ago, spurring both negative and positive
It’s well hypothesised that the late 90s-early ’00s ‘J Horror’ boom was inspired thematically in parts by the country’s post-war advancements in technology and economic prowess that had gradually begun to stagnate by the 90s. A zeitgeist of fiscal depression and disappointment opened the door in which crept the eponymous genre, wrapping a slimy, cold
I want the truth. No matter how terrifying. I want the truth. ~ Masafumi Kobayashi When I think about the genre of mockumentaries, the first image that comes to my mind is that of Trailer Park Boys (2001-2018) doing crazy stuff while drinking lots of alcohol. Little did I know, director Koji Shiraishi utilised the
Suicide Girl is an ongoing action horror magic girl manga, written and illustrated by Atsushi Nakayama. Atsushi is best known as the creator/illustrator of Uratarou, The Zombie Maria, Nejimaki Kagyu, and Love Suicide. The manga follows Kirari Aokigahara, a high school student contemplating suicide, who decides to go to a “Suicide Café” where a mysterious
We are always on the lookout for the best free to stream horror and cult films. There are plenty of services that provide this service while still giving back to the industry. This also comes with its own challenges when you look between different regions, and while there are free services that exist, it is
Japanese horror is no small beast, it had a Golden Era with horror movies at the turn of the 21st century that brought Asian horror to the forefront of the horror field internationally with adaptations to homages: Ringu, Ju-on, Dark Water, and more as iconic for the modern time. It established various tropes and displayed
Having a roommate can be hard. Whether it’s disrespect of the kitchen cleaning rules or failing to remember how thin the average bedroom wall is, living with another person is often a frustrating and filthy experience. Yuhiko Tsutsumi’s outrageous black horror comedy 2LDK (2003) follows two aspiring actresses: the demure, virginal Nozomi and party girl