Although these days you can’t mention Junji Ito without a comics snob rolling their eyes at you, this wasn’t always the case. With Ito’s cosmic horror series Uzumaki finally getting a television adaption from Adult Swim (which has sparked plenty of controversy in its own right), there’s never been a better time to explore the world of Japanese horror. This robust and varied genre out of Japan encompasses everything from the original Ring movie to Parasite Eve, a novel about our mitochondria hijacking our bodies to make us spontaneously combust. In short, there’s a lot of great horror being produced outside of the Western world.
With so many options available to you, it can be tough to know where to begin. This list specifically focuses on J-horror comics and films—just enough to get you started. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite in the bunch.Without further ado, let’s get to some J-horror classics!
