20 Awesome J-Horror Movies Every Horror Fan Should See

20. As The Gods Will

Plot: Thousands of high school students all over Japan are forced to take part in a series of demented death matches modelled on childhood games.

It's been a quiet decade for J-Horror overall and the most noteworthy releases have been yet more sequels in the Ju-On and Ring franchises, indicating that the sub-genre is going through a creative drought. There has still been the odd great movie though and As the Gods Will is definitely one of them.

What are some of the most common things in Japanese Horror? Female protagonists, fears about technology, long-haired female ghosts, broken families, modernity clashing with traditionalism and... death games. Japan really loves its death game movies and As the Gods Will is one you cannot miss.

Visually stunning, demented, brutal, darkly comical, endlessly entertaining and bursting with vibrant, tension-filled set-pieces, this one is absolute insanity that will linger with you for days after you see it. The squeamish should stay away, but most other viewers will likely find this a delightfully crazy obscure gem that's well worth seeking out.

Since he's literally made over 100 films throughout his career, director Takashi Miike's output is inevitably inconsistent, but this one is a must-see.