The Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Films

Murguia, along with more than 50 international academic contributors, presents an A–Z reference guide highlighting Japanese horror (J-horror) cinema. Various aspects of the genre are considered, such as ero guru nansensu (erotic grotesque nonsense), tokusatsu (live-action special effects), and anime. This encyclopedia seeks to provide a 'perspective on the intersection between popular culture and the commercial production of horror' that is 'accessible for general audiences and academics alike.' Films (Ringu; Tokyo Gore Police), directors (Takashi Miike, Kiyoshi Kurosawa), and series ('Ju-on,' 'Tetsuo,' 'Daimajin') are examined. Entries on films include information such as date, director, and screenwriter along with graphically detailed synopses and brief analysis, in order to give scholarly credence to these works. Many of the movies are disturbing in theme and involve scenes of rape, mutilation, and torture. Splatter, slasher, and 'pink' films (those with sex or nudity) are discussed. This comprehensive source will benefit those looking for material on these films in a single volume and be of value to film students researching the topic. Some articles offer helpful bibliographies for further exploration. VERDICT: For J-horror enthusiasts and academic libraries with film collections. * Library Journal *
For film aficionados, Japanese horror is a well-known genre, influencing horror productions in the U.S. as well as in other Asian countries. Varying widely from monster films, like the iconic Godzilla, to violence-and death-obsessed works, science-fiction-influenced tales, and ghost stories, these films appeal to differing demographics. Designed for both general readers and those in academic venues, this alphabetically organized work covers most of the Japanese horror films made in the past 100 years, both in film-specific entries and those for notable writers, actors, directors, and producers as well as film festivals. Articles, written by approximately 45 international contributors, most with academic affiliations, are accessibly written essays. . . .[T]he essays are generally interesting reading, and many are followed by cross-reference notations and short bibliographies. The contents give film titles and names in both English and Japanese, and the index is comprehensive and accurate. . . .[T]his volume is a sound inclusion for collections at colleges and universities supporting film studies. * Booklist *
This offbeat encyclopedia edited by Murguia seeks to fill a niche as the only English-language work on ‘J-horror.’ More than 50 international contributors—mainly scholars—provide write-ups, treating horror broadly, including genres such as hyper-violence, erotic grotesque, or anime horror. The bulk of the work focuses on an admirably wide range of specific films; it also offers entries on important directors, actors, and general themes…. [T]his volume belongs on the bookshelves of aficionados and libraries collecting comprehensively in film…. Upper-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers. * CHOICE *
Once opened, The Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Movies unleashed wriggly, rubbery tentacles of film analysis and biography and historical context and cultural insight onto the hapless reviewer’s initial cursory interest of the topic and infused it with an irradiated concoction of well-written essays, until the reviewer found himself morphing and transforming and mutating into...an ardent appreciator of J-Horror. . . .According to Murguia, in his two-page introduction, The Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Movies stands alone as the only encyclopedia in the English-speaking market focusing on J-Horror. . . .While the essays about the movies provide the reader with the expected summary and analysis of the film or film series, the contributors’ expertise add unexpected textures to the content. . . .Does Godzilla lurk within these pages? Yes. Will your library’s patrons—J-Horror connoisseur or curious novice—find themselves ensnared by the content of The Encyclopedia of Japanese Horror Movies? Place the book on your shelves and walk away. * American Reference Books Annual *