Beginning with Godzilla, Colette Balmain follows the evolution of Japanese horror from the 1950s to contemporary classics such as Ringu and Ju-On: The Grudge. Divided thematically, she identifies the vengeful virgin, the demonic child, the doomed lovers, and the supernatural serial killer, relating them to traditional Japanese mythology and folk-tales. She also unpacks the aesthetics of the Japanese horror film and the uses of setting, lighting, music, and mise-en-scene that make Japanese horror such a visceral experience. She concludes with the impact of Japanese horror on contemporary American cinema, reading remakes of Ringu, Dark Water, and Ju-On: The Grudge.
