J-Horror Wave
1998–2006 · JP
Late-90s to mid-2000s Japanese horror thrived on quiet dread, pale, clinical visuals and a sound design that made creaks and static feel like characters; vengeful female ghosts and decaying domestic spaces mirrored anxieties about technology, isolation, and family. Go in expecting slow buildups and ambiguous endings—Ringu and Kairo show how everyday objects (VHS tapes, empty chatrooms) become portals for dread—so give scenes room, listen closely, and don’t expect tidy explanations.
