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So, what if Kadokawa, Nikkatsu, Nishimura Eizo Co. came together to create a finale to the Ring film series, to basically give up on being a Ring movie all together. It turns into a Sushi Typhoon styled splatter film like Tokyo Gore Police (2008), Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl (2009), Helldriver (2010) and other movies such as Meatball Machine: Kodoku (2017) even.

In this hypothetical the goal was it just happened to be a straight to DVD and Blu Ray movie instead of a Theatrical film like Ring (1998) or the other films post 1995 and goes back to its roots in regards to being a non-theatrical film, however it'd also likely be released on streaming and if Well Go USA signed distribution rights to distribute it on DVD and Blu Ray in North America, I could see it becoming a memorable Ring entry in both Japan and North America for how intentionally absurd it is.

It also likely would have music composed by Koh Nakagawa, which means you'd get some action rock music in there.

I just want a Ring entry where it just stops caring about plot, the plot becomes intentionally self aware, pokes fun at itself and the series, idk maybe throw in a badass 420 IQ cyborg high-school girl with a cyber-katana to confront Sadako at the end, in the meantime the plot is serviceable for it just to become mindless guts, gore, violence all caused by Sadako. I think that'd be the best note to end the film series on, there'd be a lot of people who wouldn't like this, but oh well, ideas are fun to throw around. The whole point would to be not like Ring (1998) whilst using the mascot of that film.

Me personally? I’m already trying to make a body horror splatter project more specifically that’s also a blend of sci-fi, horror, action and dark comedy plus some psychological horror in there that I also will likely also be in as the main villain.

But what would you guys make as your defining and starting horror film? or just a horror film in general, like even if you directed prior what would make THIS ONE stand out amongst your filmography?

Let me know in the comments below. :)

I have noticed a lot of people have been talking about films like Ring (1998), Ju-On: The Grudge (2002), Pulse (2001), One Missed Call (2003) and Audition (1999) for YEARS now. The worst offenders are articles, the ones that are like "10 Japanese Horror Films You Need To See Before You Die" and they'll recite the same 10 films that've gotten enough coverage within 20 or so years, it makes me scratch my head and think to myself that whoever wrote the article is trying really hard for attention either that or they genuinely don't know any other Japanese horror films to talk about, which hey, that's why I am making this post, its to inform. No shade here.

I've noticed this PARTICULARLY on the English language side of the internet and less so on the Japanese side of the internet, seems to be a lot more diversity and other differing films brought up when it comes to horror on the Japanese language side of the internet compared to when people talk about J-Horror on the English side. Another thing is that a lot of Japanese horror is available in places like the UK, North America and Australia. Plus outside of those areas too, Europe has a wide array of Japanese horror releases I've found too.

There's a lot of great distributors, 88 Films has done quite a few Gaira's Guts Trilogy Blu Ray boxset was one I wasn't expecting. Another one who's distributed quite a LOT is Media Blasters, they'd done a 4K UHD Blu Ray for 964 Pinocchio (1991), they had also released a lot of other films like X-Cross (2007), Tokyo Gore Police (2008), God's Left Hand Devil's Right Hand (2006), Hellevator: The Bootled Fools (2004), Id (2005) (Follow up to Organ), Tomie: The Beginning (2005), Tomie: Revenge (2005), Eko Eko Azarak Wizard Of Darkness (1995), Eko Eko Azarak II: Birth Of The Wizard (1996), Eko Eko Azarak III: Misa The Dark Angel (1998), Eko Eko Azarak: The First Episode of Misa Kuroi (2011), all of which are on DVD with Tokyo Gore Police (2008) and X-Cross (2007) having also received Blu Ray releases. Unearthed Films which has distributed films such as A Record Of Sweet Murder (2014), The Sound Of Summer (2022), Red Room (1999), Red Room 2 (2000), 964 Pinocchio (1991), Rubber's Lover (1996), Brutal (2017), Evil Dead Trap (1988), Evil Dead Trap 2: Hideki (1992) and are soon to release a Blu Ray of Tetsuo: The Bullet Man (2009), the third entry in the Tetsuo trilogy. There's also Massacre Video, they'd released films such as Girl Hell (1999), Tumbling Doll of Flesh (1998), Women's Flesh: My Red Guts (1999) & Suicide Dolls (1999).

Synapse Films have distributed films like Stacy: Attack of The Schoolgirl Zombies (2001), Wild Zero (1999), Battle Girl: The Living Dead in Tokyo Bay (1991), Organ (1996) (prequel to Id), Evil Dead Trap (1988), Entrails Of A Virgin (1986), Entrails Of A Beautiful Woman (1986), Undertaker (2012), Gurozuka (2005) & Horror of Malformed Men (1969) all of which are on DVD with Undertaker (2012) also having a Blu Ray release. You have Wild Eye Releasing + Visual Vengeance which have distributed Violator (2018), Bloody Muscle: Bodybuilder in Hell (1995), Cyclops (1987), Ikenie Man (2019) & Harawata Man (2019). Terror Vision which distributed Cube (2021) & Yellow Dragon's Village (2021) + Visitors Complete Edition (2023). Cleopatra Entertainment distributed The Beast Hand (2024).

New Wave Video had distributed in recent times Rubber's Lover (1996), Strange Circus (2005) & Nighty Night Midnight Nightmares (1986) all on Blu Ray. Error_4444 distributed Anatomia Extinction (1995) (Precursor to Tokyo Gore Police), Scissor Penis (2018), Mukuro Trilogy (2015), Egg (2005) & The Deform Collection (2017-2020) all on Blu Ray!

Not to come across as condescending however I want to know what the excuse is here of bringing up the exact same 5 to 10 to 20 films basically that have been recited for nearly 2 decades? is it a simple lack of knowledge or information on this subject matter? or is it that people can't get over these films and find other Japanese horror films to watch? like you'll see even videos, which are often poorly written and scripted with the title "What happened to J-Horror", Screened's video or even some of Accented Cinema's videos on J-Horror are a good examples of what a lack of information or key knowledge looks like yet at the same time NOTE I'm not here to bash anyone or be disrespectful, just pointing out that the videos themselves aren't very well informed and do a lot more harm than good, also considering there's a lot of distributors right now releasing Japanese horror films overseas in the west and other places as well. Idk, what do you all think about this, let me know in the comments below and remember, stay sharp guys!

So I wanted to say this 2026 J-Horror releases are actually looking great! So far Arrow Video has released Sana (2023) & Sana: Let Me Hear (2024) in February. March New Wave Video released Nighty Night: Midnight Nightmares (1986) on Blu Ray, Treasured Films is releasing both Hellevator: The Bottled Fools (2004) & X-Cross (2007) on Blu Ray, 964 Pinocchio (1991) is receiving a Standard Edition from 88Films who also distributed Helter Skelter (2012) in March of this year. Visual Vengeance is giving Cyclops (1987) an upcoming Blu Ray release, likely around August, Tetsuo: The Bullet Man (2009) is also getting a Blu Ray release from Unearthed Films.

So I’s say yeah J-Horror releases are looking great this year. Not to mention that New Wave Video had distributed Rubber’s Lover (1996) last year as well as Strange Circus (2005) last year.

What do you guys think? anything up and coming that I missed?

I’d love to highly recommend that you to check out the experimental surrealist body horror film Organ (1996) if you haven’t, it was directed by Kei Fujiwara, her most notable role was from the film Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989) aka “Tetsuo” which itself was a remake of another project she was in, The Phantom Of Regular Size (1986) which served as the narrative basis for the 89’ Tetsuo movie.

It’s also unfortunately not frequently brought up in a lot of discussions about/surrounding J-Horror unlike films like Ringu, Ju-On, Pulse/Kairo, Dark Water, One Missed Call.

Somehow Organ (1996) with that regard is in kind of a similar vein as 964 Pinocchio (1991) and Rubber’s Lover (1996) by legendary director Shozin Fukui (RIP) who has produced some very interesting works outside of those two as well such as S-94 from 2009, a 30 minute science fiction horror short film.

Them not being brought up is truly an utter shame because these films are also really really great, profound, influential, disorienting (in a good way) and are highlights of a highly interesting experimental movement within Japanese horror and science fiction cinema.

As for Organ, if you do happen to like this one, it has an in universe follow-up/sequel, Id (2005) which was also directed by Kei Fujiwara. I’m also considering watching it when I get the chance to.

I do recommend this for people looking to get into more experimental and surreal horror films, Japanese horror cinema, and also body horror oriented films.

So, this film, I never got around to reviewing yet but! I do recommend it to those who’ve seen films like *Tokyo Gore Police*, *Helldriver*, *Dead Sushi*, and a lot of the Sushi Typhoon era of J-Horror films from the mid-late 2000’s to early 2010’s. You’ll get a kick out of this. But I do warn that only in the middle it does slow down a bit, so pacing isn’t 100% consistent which I can see being a turnoff for people. But!! I have a strong feeling people will adore the opening to this film, as it’s very atmospheric and kind of creepy *in a fantastic light*. You do get some body-horror in this film as well as some *Evil Dead* style of humor/vibes here and there, lots of blood splatter as this is a splatter film as well. I could even see people who liked The Substance (2024), liking this film.

But if you like blends of sci-fi, horror, action and some dark comedy/satire in there with cheap looking practical effects, a ridiculous plot then you’ll like this film!

It’s on both Blu Ray and DVD on Amazon, as well as Streaming on Amazon Prime as well as AppleTV if I’m not mistaken. So that’s a recommendation from me!

Just wondering if there’s any American horror comedy comics out there. I’ve never seen them talked about. So it’d be interesting to see a comic book that blends horror and comedy, however I will say I’m not used to reading “comics” but I am more familiar with manga as I read them lots as a child and I grew up reading manga.

But American comics, the artstyles have always bothered me visually, that could be due to me being used to the artistic finesse of manga in comparison by having grown up reading manga!

But I’m learning to explore outside of my comfort zone right now, so I get familiar with global literature. I’m also not American so pardon me if I also have difficulties in English or with the roman alphabet. So what would you guys recommend?

Whilst the west defines “J-Horror” by the “boom” quote on quote of movies that were brought in by western distributors such as Lionsgate, Dreamworks, Media Blasters, amongst others that released a ton in the mid 2000’s. People treat this “boom” like it affected Japan and whilst it “did”, the creativity didn’t fall into generic ghost films that copy the onryo horror mystery investigation formula like One Missed Call (2003), whilst people cite films like Ring (1998), Ju-On: The Grudge (2002), Pulse (2001) and Dark Water (2002) as defining example of “J-Horror”, I do not and neither should you. You have newer examples such as Fuji_Jukai.mov (2016), Violator (2018), One Cut Of The Dead (2017), The Beast Hand (2024), Scissor P (2018), Mai-Chan’s Daily Life: The Movie (2014), Miss Zombie (2013), Undertaker (2012), House Of Sayuri (2024), Demon Virus (2025), Exit 8 (2025), etc etc.

In fact by 2004 and 2005 horror films in Japan only got more and more creative, experimental like how they did during the 1990’s, it resulted in films such as Tokyo Psycho (2004), Lizard Baby (2004), Walking Dead Girl (2004), Infection (2004), Premonition (2004), Strange Circus (2005), The Last Supper (2005), Tokyo Zombie (2005), Meatball Machine (2005), Id (2005) amongst other films.

2006 we saw the release of films like Naoyuki Tomomatsu’s “Zombie Self Defense Force”. Regardless of the quality of certain films, the creativity grew more and more, Japanese body horror has also been a thing for a long while, Matango (1963) does technically also fall into the body horror sub-genre amongst films like Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989), Tetsuo II: Body-Hammer (1992), Tetsuo: The Bullet Man (2009), Anatomia Extinction (1995), Tokyo Gore Police (2008), Meatball Machine (2005), Meatball Machine: Kodoku (2017), Holy Mother (2022), Cyclops (1987), etc etc.

In the 2010’s, there was even more of an influx, even western distributors have distributed films such as The Sylvian Experiments (2010), Helldriver (2010), Big Tits Zombie (2010), Zombie Ass: Toilet Of The Dead (2011), Dead Sushi (2012), Undertaker (2012), Miss Zombie (2013), Cult (2013), The Crone (2013), Talk To The Dead (2013), Mai-Chan’s Daily Life: The Movie (2014), Mukuro (2015), Corpse Party (2015), Fuji_Jukai.mov (2016), One Cut Of The Dead (2017), Liverleaf (2018), Violator (2018), Ghost Master (2019), Ikenie Man (2019), Harawata Man (2019), Howling Village (2019), The Day Of Destruction (2020), Cube (2021), The Sound Of Summer (2022), Holy Mother (2022) & The Beast Hand (2024) amongst many others.

With newer faces even like Kenichi Ugana, Yugo Sakamoto, Taichiro Natsume, Yu Nakamoto amongst long time names such as Takashi Shimizu, Hideo Nakata, Shinya Tsukamoto, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Junichi Yamamoto, Hiseyasu Sato, amongst many others, I’d argue Japanese horror might be if not one of the MOST creative regional genres of horror outside of like Hong Kong horror of course. The evidence contradicts what people have said about J-Horror for years.