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Kazuo Umezz's Horror Theater Vol 2
[The Present / Death Make]

Genre: Santa Slasher and Guppy Mantis Monster!

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This is the third and last volume of the Kazuo Umezu Horror Theater collection and contains episodes five and six of the six-episode whole. Unlike the child-centric tales in volume 2, these two episodes are squarely aimed at adults, at least in terms of the horror and gore meted (meated?) out. In the first story, you better not cry, you better not pout... or Killer Santa will feed your BRAINS to his reindeer. In the second tale, a group of amateur clairvoyants gather to confront their inner demons, which may or may not turn out to be a giant fish-faced bug from Hell!

Honto ni Atta! Noroi Bideo 2
[True Happenings! Cursed Video 2]

Genre: Documentary-Styles Haunted Videos

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This is the second in a LONG and popular series of documentaries investigating real-life cursed videos. This collection contains nine video clips believed to have captured a spiritual entity or be in some way the cause of misfortune for those who have seen them. The series' producers investigate the origin of each tape and interview eye-witnesses to their spooky impact. Then you are given a chance to see the tapes for yourself... AND THEN YOU TOO ARE CURSED!! Oh my.

Kazuo Umezz's Horror Theater Vol 2

Snake Girl / The Wish

Genre: Pre-Pubescent Horror Tales

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This is the second volume of the Kazuo Umezz's Horror Theater collection and contains episodes three and four of the six-episode whole. Unlike the tales of the first and third volumes, these two tales focus on the (mis)adventures of two elementary school-aged children. In the first, a young girls learns the hard way about the transformational power of hatred. In the second, a young boy discovers to his horror that sometimes wishes come true.

TOKYO!

TOKYO!

Genre: Tokyo-scape Triptych of Self-Realization

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TOKYO! is an anthology of three short films by directors Michel Gondry (France), Leos Carax (France) and Joon-ho Bong (Korea), each of whom offers an imaginative and transnatural/supernatural glimpse into the Tokyo Megapolis. In the same fashion the internationally released collections of Three (2002) and Three Extreme (2004) consist of similarly-themed triptychs by well-known (Asian) directors, TOKYO! takes things two steps further. First, this anthology deals solely with Japan. Each short film's setting is in Tokyo, the primary language is Japanese, and the cast of each features predominantly Japanese actors, many of whom J-Film fans will recognize. Second, two of the three directors are Western (French). TOKYO! is currently being screened in the 2008 International Film Festival, but I assume it will soon be more widely released.

Death Train [Kyofu Ressha]

Genre: Mind-Bending Death Tale

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An innocent summer train ride turns into a mind-shattering nightmare for three high school girls. This is the third tale in the "Hino Hideshi Theater of Horror" hexology, and is easily the most thought-provoking and potentially horrific episode of the series. This is a bizarre and intricate story which provides viewers just enough clues to follow through its otherwise indiscernible progression but resolves in a rather enigmatic way which ultimately requires of audiences some after-thought if they hope to understand the nature of the nightmare.

Doll Cemetery
[Occult tanteidan: Shiningyou no Hakaba]

Genre: Killer Dolls, Clowns from Hell, and ZOMBIES!!

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A group of emo high school kids start an "Occult Detective Club" in order to explore and solve paranormal phenomena. No sooner do they set their minds to this than they fall headlong into into a supernatural abyss of vengeful zombie dolls intent on exacting fatal retribution for Barbie-neglect. This is the fourth tale in the "Hino Hideshi Theater of Horror" hexology.

Ravaged House
[Tadareta Ie : "Zoroku no Kibyou" yori]

Genre: Tale of Dismal Collectivism and Local Superstition

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In a rural village, a young man is suddenly stricken with a mysterious and terrible disease which transforms him into an unrecognizable mass of festering sores. Fearful of the local towns people's opinion and reaction, the family strives to keep their diseased son hidden from sight. But when the nosy mayor and his delinquent son take things into their own hands, the horrible secret is brought to light with dreadful consequences for everyone involved. This is the last tale in Hideshi Hino's Theater of Horror Hexology.

Lizard Baby
[Watashi no Akachun]

Genre: Embryonic Terror!

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In an attempt to overcome writer's block, an aspiring horror screenplay writer uses his wife's pregnancy as the backdrop for a new gripping and well-received tale. As both his story and the subsequent film progress toward their completion, his finds his real-life situation paralleling the more horrifying elements of his imagination, not least of which is his wife's giving birth to a LIZARD BABY! This is tale five in Hideshi Hino's Theater of Horror Hexology.

Dead Girl Walking
[Kaiki! Shinin Shôjo]

Genre: Postmortem Teen Angst

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Although young Yuri suffers a fatal heart attack she finds herself unable to play dead. Instead, she lurches around dropping various body parts as she becomes more isolated and ostracized from her family and friends. When all other relationships and physical cohesiveness abandon her, she must decide her own fate. This is the second volume (of six) of manga artist Hideshi Hino's "Theater of Horror" now available in Region 1 release.

Boy from Hell
[Jigoku kozu]

Genre:Manga-based Z-grade Schlock-gore Horror

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When her only child is tragically killed, prominent surgeon Chiba Emma will stop at nothing to bring him back. For both audiences and victims alike, this unfortunately entails a gamut of schlock-gore violence and the creepy de-evolution of a loving mother into the MILF from Hell. This is volume one (of six) of manga artist Hideshi Hino's "Theater of Horror" now available in Region 1 release.

Prayer Beads [Omoinotama Nenju]

Genre: Horror Anthology

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This is a 9 episode collection of Japanese horror vignettes, all either directed or supervised by CG/FX guru Masahiro Okano. With stories ranging from psychedelic sci-fi to traditional folk horror, from the sentimental to the macabre, this collections presents a number of entertaining tales with impressive cinematography. In relation to the other Japanese horror anthologies released in the West, this collection stands near the top in terms of cinematic quality and visual polish.

Tales of Terror from Tokyo - Volume 1
[Kaidan Shin Mimi Bukuro: Night 1]

Genre: Collection of 15 Terrifyingly Unscary Tales

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Culled from the long-running TV series of Kaidan Shinmimi Bukuro, this collection of 15 short tales from various directors sets a new standard for anti-climactic "horror" stories ranging from the unscary to the utterly dull.

Kaidan Shin Mimi Bukuro [Tales of Terror]

Genre: Collection of Supernatural Ghost Stories

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A collection of eight contemporary folk tales of the ghostly and supernatural produced by seven up-and-coming directors of the new J-Horror genre. Ranging from the comedic to the truly spooky, this collection of entertaining and fun short films is a contemporary version of the Edo Period's "Mimi Bukuro", a ten-volume collection of kaidan tales.

Dark Tales of Japan
[Nihon no Kowai Yoru - Tokubestuhan]

Genre: Five Supernatural Ghost Tales

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This is a collection of made-forTV tales from J-Horror TV's 2004 series entitled Nihon no Kowai Yoru (Frightening Night of Japan). Each tale is by a different director including Tsurata Norio and Shimizu Takashi. These range from monster tales to ghost stories.

Curse, Death & Spirit
[Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Jushiryou]

Genre: Early Short Horror Stories by Nakata Hideo

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This is a trilogy of very early (short) horror "films" by Ringu director Nakata Hideo. Though produced on a made-for-television budget, Nakata's central intuition regarding the malicious nature of departed spirits comes through loud and clear.

Kazuo Umezz's Horror Theater Vol 1:
House of Bugs / Diet

[Umezu Kazuo Kyoufu Gekijou: Mushitachi no Ie / Zesshoku]

Genre: Powerful Psychological Horror

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This collection contains two horror stories based on manga by Umezu Kazuo. These are both very effective tales of psychological horror in which audiences will find themselves led along truly bewildering paths. This is the first of three volumes and is well worth watching. Director Kurosawa Kiyoshi directs the first tale here.

J Horror Anthology: Legends
[Inagawa Junji no Densetsu no Horaa]

Genre: Six Supernatural Traditional/Urban Legends

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This is one of two recently released collections of ghost tales from the prolific productions of Inagawa Junji, Japan's predominant contemporary master storyteller of Japanese ghost tales. Here you experience six supernatural "legends" ranging from the ancient to the modern .

J Horror Anthology: Underworld
[Inagawa Junji no Senritsu no Horaa]

Genre: Six Supernatural Ghost tales

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This is one of two recently released collections of ghost tales from the prolific productions of Inagawa Junji, Japan's predominant contemporary master storyteller of Japanese ghost tales. Here you experience six supernatural ghost stories haunting contemporary Tokyo-ites.

Kadokawa Mystery & Horror Tales: Vol. 3
[Kadokawa Horaa Bideokan: kiken na kaori no onnatachi]

Genre: Three Supernatural Ghost Tales

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This is the third and final of the Kadokawa Horror Bideokan series. This third collection contains three genuinely creepy and unique Japanese ghost tales which are nothing short of entertaining. In light of (re)viewing all nine tales in this series, I can wholly recommend this for some refreshingly creative and effective ghost tales.

Kadokawa Mystery & Horror Tales: Vol. 2
[Kadokawa Horaa Bideokan: O-daidengaeshi no karakuri emaki]

Genre: Three Tales of Ghosts and Horror

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This is the second in a series of three collections released by Kadokawa Films. Each of the three tales contained herein is an impressively effective and well-done supernatural tale, making for a very strong horror collection.

Kadokawa Mystery & Horror Tales: Vol. 1
[Kadokawa Horaa Bideokan: zekkyou yashiki e youkoso hen]

Genre: Three Tales of Horror or Karmic Woe

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This is the first in a series of three collections released by Kadokawa Films. Each collection contains three tales by (potentially) up and coming directors versed in either supernatural horror or dismal karmic consequence.

Onryou

Genre: Eerily Familiar Supernatural Ghost Stories

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This is a collection of 5 tales which I am sure you will find quite HAUNTING. By "haunting" I mean these tales are the mere ghosts of plots and twists which were alive and well in much more effective and successful films and collections of the recent past. Watch this alone; Watch it with friends; Watch it with your eyes closed. It will make no difference. Onryou will remain the haunted graveyard of mediocrity!

Scary True Stories: Ten Haunting Tales from the Japanese Underground
[Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi]

Genre: True (!!) Ghost Story Vignettes

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Well, here we are, back at the beginning. Some well informed sources say that this series of "true ghost stories" spawned what we now know as J-Horror. Directed by Tsurata Norio, this early collection of ten ghost tales sets the tone and ambiance for the avalanche of japanese horror films which will follow.