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Felice Beato. Priests or Zen Shu, Woman in Winter Dress, Man in Straw Raincoat, Samurai, Koboto Santaro, The Executioner, Woman in Winter Dress, Woman Washing, Samurai (top to bottom). 1866-67.

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Detective Story (Takashi Miike, 2007)

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I probably asked a similar question before, but has there been any good Japanese horror movies that came out within the past ten years? I know there hasn't been any, but I assume that there has to be at least one good J-horror movie. I mean, I live in the US, so I can tell you that a lot of our horror movies are clichéd, derivative bullshit, but once in a while, we release something that is actually good.

Things aren’t great, but I think it’d be an overstatement for me to say the past ten years have been a complete write-off. There is a lot of good still in there.

8 Japanese Horror Films from the Past Ten Years Worth Watching

I Am A Hero

Even if you’re tired of zombie movies, I still can’t recommend I Am A Hero enough. Arguably the most entertaining film in the genre since Shaun of the Dead, it also manages to be one of the rare modern horror manga adaptations that doesn’t stink. It doesn’t cram 10 volumes in to one film, the characters act like people and not anime clichés, I could go on.

Himeanole

Ok, so I lied, there is another manga adaptation far ahead of the pack and it’s this. I’ve never read the source material, so don’t know how it compared, but this is one of my favourite films in recent years. Himeanole is a genre mash up that begins as a quirky indie comedy before everything comes crashing down, turning the film in to Angst, the original Maniac or I Saw The Devil. It’s grim basically.

Lesson of the Evil

As with Himeanole, Lesson of the Evil is a film that begins as one thing before taking a nasty turn. Not that Lesson of the Evil is ever a comedy. It’s certainly a horror film throughout, but what begins as Tom and Jerryesque depictions of murder are soon abandoned for real-life methods. Probably a lot harder to watch now than it was even 5 years ago. Miike’s last truly great movie.

Over Your Dead Body

Not a brilliant film, honestly, but certainly a good one. With Over Your Dead Body Miike attempts to tell two versions of Yotsuya Kaidan within one movie. One as a faithful stage rendition, and the other the out in the real world as the narrative bleeds in to the performer’s lives. Feels almost like a film essay, in that it’s structural tricks overstay their welcome, but it does have plenty of good moments, and the way Miike films the stage play is fantastic.

Ghost Theater

Another film set in a theatre.  Certainly not for all tastes as the film is intentionally well… theatrical in an almost schlocky manner, but if you want a fun horror film it’s well worth watching. Very reminiscent of Mario Bava’s 1960s movies and pretty stunning to look at. Again, has almost the same plot as Over Your Dead Body, only replacing Yotsuya Kaidan with Elizabeth Bathory.

Tag

Love it. Feels almost without dialogue… which it isn’t, but is a testament to Sion Sono’s direction. Saying too much will ruin it, but it felt like a great commentary on more than a few tropes I’m tired of.

Sadako vs. Kayako

Not only is the film better than it has any right to be, it’s inarguably better than the bulk of the films that make up both parent franchises. Koji Shiraishi has a better cinematic eye than you tend to see in Japanese horror films recently, and it’s used to great effect here. Not so much a vs movie as one short Ring movie and one short Juon film running simultaneously, Sadako vs. Kayako trims all the fat from both narratives and makes a fun popcorn horror film out of them.

Helter Skelter

Sure, this is a borderline case, but Helter Skelter is one of the best recent examples of body horror in recent years. The big caveat being that there actually isn’t any physical body horror, though the character sets around her own Cronenbergian narrative as if she actually were decaying. Mike Ninagawa has such an incredible style, it’s a shame we haven’t seen more from her.

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Achillea millefolium

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Iron Ghost Girl / / ☽

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