by It’s summer! Horror! Horror anime! The sweltering heat continues these days. It’s tempting to go with the slightly simplistic but classic “Horror in the Hot Summer.”
Action horror is excellent, but anime is even better. So, we’ll introduce some recommended horror anime. Each work features unique visuals that can’t be achieved in live-action and expressions that only anime can create, so please use this as a reference for your summer. Table of Contents: 1. “Junji Ito: Maniac” 2. “Serial Experiment Lain” 3. “PERFECT BLUE” 4. “Another” 5. “Yami Shibai” 6. “House of Wolves” “Junji Ito: Maniac” is an anthology series based on the original works of cult horror manga artist Junji Ito, featuring individual anime adaptations of classic episodes such as “Tomie,” “Soichi,” and “Hanging Balloon.” Junji Ito’s grotesque and absurd “bizarre world” is constructed through stunning visuals. It’s not simply about the scary ghosts; it’s a work that beautifully expresses a conceptual sense of horror and aversion.
The eerie feeling that will likely haunt you in your dreams after watching it may become addictive… Watch it here! Netflix “Serial Experiments Lain” The story follows an ordinary young girl named Lain, whose existence gradually becomes blurred between the virtual world of the Internet and reality, eventually transforming into a god-like being.
The complex intertwining of themes such as reality and fiction, networks and the collective unconscious, and death and rebirth makes this a work that has gained cult popularity despite its complexity. While not based on horror, it can be described as a philosophical, psychological horror piece that evokes the fears felt in the early days of the Internet.
The colors, noise, and composition truly frightened me when I first saw it. Watch it here! : BANDAI CHANNEL, U-NEXT, Hulu “PERFECT BLUE” This psychological horror anime film depicts the mental breakdown of former idol Mima, as she transitions to acting, gradually blurring the lines between reality, fiction, and delusion. Director Satoshi Kon’s direction and visual tricks, which overlap with the dialogue of the play within the play and create a sense of reality and delusion blending in the viewer, are a must-see.
This film also effectively captures the anonymous fear of an era before the Internet was widespread. I found this film the most interesting. Watch it here! : Netflix, U-NEXT “Another” Koichi, a boy who moves to the countryside, learns that a local “legend” causes people to die mysteriously. Together with a mysterious girl who is treated as if she doesn’t exist, they unravel a “curse” lurking in the land. This mystery-horror film combines curses and splatter.
The mystery of unraveling the curse and the extreme visuals of the deaths that occur one after another are highlights. There are plenty of other highlights, including brilliant narrative tricks born out of the unique expression of animation. Watch it here: U-NEXT “Yami Shibai” This omnibus series depicts modern urban legends and ghost stories in short, four-minute episodes, with kamishibai-style visuals and narrative.
The film slowly depicts “something” that creeps into everyday life, and by deliberately using the analog technique of kamishibai, it enhances the sense of horror of Japanese ghost stories and urban legends, stimulating the viewer’s imagination. The series is still ongoing, and some past episodes are available on YouTube. Watch it here: U-NEXT, Hulu “Wolf House” This stop-motion animated film, inspired by a real Chilean cult, depicts the nightmarish experiences of a girl who escapes and finds herself locked away in a house.
The uneasiness created by the constantly transforming room, and the eerie and overwhelming visuals of the images, which become concrete, abstract, and writhe, approach the viewer, creating a truly nightmarish experience. This is an art horror film that is more of a “crazy artistic experience” than a horror film. The visuals are so amazing that they are genuinely frightening. Watch it here: Amazon (rental)
