From the middle of March 2025 through to the middle of April 2025. We are celebrating the whacky, macabre, world of Japanese horror. We will be checking out some of the greatest J-Horror movies of all time and bringing you reviews. I will, also, be adding my prior Japanese horror movie reviews to this category to make it easier to find all of our J-Horror content. Let’s appreciate one of the greatest horror nations on earth.
For our 500th post milestone, we are diving deep into the Land of the Rising Sun. Many fans believe the golden age of J-Horror is over, but we disagree. From the splatter-punk madness of Tag to the genius of One Cut of the Dead, here are 20 recent Japanese horror movies that prove the genre is still alive, kicking, and screaming.
We review Shin’ya Tsukamoto’s Kotoko (2011). Singer Cocco delivers an uncompromising performance in this harrowing Japanese horror character study of a mother’s mental decline. Is it a masterpiece of experimental cinema or simply too disturbing to endure? Find out in our full review.
We review Takashi Miike’s The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001). A singing, dancing, claymation-filled J-horror cult classic that makes Audition look tame. Is it a masterpiece of weird cinema or just a massive headache? Find out in our full review.
We review Shin’ichirô Ueda’s One Cut of the Dead (2017). This low-budget Japanese zombie flick became a global sensation, but is it actually one of the greatest zombie movies of all time? Find out why you need to go in blind in our full review.
We review #Manhole (2023). A Japanese thriller about a man who falls into an uncovered manhole on the night before his wedding and turns to social media for help. Is it a tense masterclass in single-location horror or just a farcical trudge through logic-defying plot holes? Find out in our full review.
Japan was, at one point, putting out some of the best horror movies the genre has ever seen. In 2025, that feels like a distant memory. But what happened? What happened to J-Horror?
Hideo Nakata redefined supernatural horror with Ringu. We revisit the cursed videotape and the terrifying Sadako to see why this Japanese classic remains a genre icon.
Eiichirô Hasumi attempts to bring manga horror to life with Remember Member. A group of students face a repetitive nightmare in this stale time-loop flick.
Takashi Miike delivers a shocking and profoundly disturbing classic with Audition. A slow-burn drama that transforms into a visceral nightmare of retribution.
Kōji Shiraishi delivers a masterclass in atmospheric dread with Noroi: The Curse. A complex, hyper-realistic found footage film that weaves folklore into a nightmare.