The Yurei
It was about halfway through watching Rob Jabbaz’s debut feature The Sadness that I realized I was in the hands of a maniac. Taipei resident Kat (Regina Lei) is hiding in a hospital waiting room and watching an emergency broadcast when a drooling, laughing man shoves a grenade into the president of Taiwan’s mouth on
The Terror is a thrilling semi-historical, supernatural horror anthology series in which each season is inspired by a different infamous or mysterious real-life historical tragedy. The newest season of the show titled Infamy, co-created by Max Borenstein (Godzilla) and Alexander Woo (the True Blood series), is set against the backdrop of World War II and
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
Opening 6 April 2022 and running until 15 May at MERRY ART GALLERY in Yokohama is “Showa Bizarre MANGA Syndrome,” an exhibition organized by manga artist Miyako Cojima. As is well known, Japan is home to some of the world’s most outlandish and shocking horror imagery, much of which dates back centuries. More recently, when
Following WWII, there would be a shortage of decent alcohol and before long bootleg, shochu liquor, referred to as kasutori (effectively Japanese moonshine) began to circulate. Being made from whatever ingredients people could scrape together, sometimes even toxic chemicals, kasutori alcohol soon developed an extremely poor reputation in society, with widespread cases of blindness and
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
Gaia is a strikingly gorgeous and demented release from new mangaka Asagi Yaenaga, who is transitioning from their expressive and violent art pieces into the realm of narrative storytelling. The debut also exists as a rarity for a Japanese artist, debuting outside of the manga system and landing their work with a European Publisher, Hollow
Preman is a 2021 Indonesian action crime drama, written and directed by Randolph Zaini in his first feature length directorial debut. After witnessing the murder of an old man at the hands of vicious gangsters, young Panu along with his deaf father Sandi, a current member of the gang, must fight for their survival as
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