Best Japanese Zombie Movies (2023)

Zombie movies have ruled the silver screen for years now. And while internationally, zombie movies fluctuate in popularity, Japan has been going strong! Here are Japan’s best zombie movies of all time.

  1. One Cut of the Dead (2017)
  2. Versus (2000)
  3. Junk – Resident Zombie (2000)
  4. I Am a Hero (2015)
  5. Wild Zero (1999)
  6. Zedd (2014)
  7. Miss Zombie (2013)
  8. Bloody Delinquent Girl Chainsaw (2016)
  9. Schoolgirl Apocalypse (2011)

Like them or hate them. But zombies have so much potential in a movie plot! Add to it that this is one genre where logic can jump right out of the window. This gives way for some of the wackiest storylines, lots of gore, quite a bit of action, and sometimes even a few laughs with a little bit of romance sneaked in. What’s not to love?

Best Japanese Zombie Movies (1)

Best Japanese Zombie Movies

If you like zombie movies, you will love the Japanese zombie movies. Most of the movies have weak plots or dialogues. But what they lack in these departments, they more than makeup in bloody action sequences and display of dismembered body parts. Add some comic relief in true Japanese style, and you have a complete entertainment package. Here are the best few!

One Cut of the Dead

Best Japanese Zombie Movies (2)
  • Japanese name -カメラを止めるな! (Don’t Stop the Camera!)
  • Directed by – Shin’ichiro Ueda
  • Release date – November 2017
  • Running time – 97 minutes
  • Ratings – IMDb (7.7), Rotten Tomatoes (100%), Metacritic (86%)

Why watch it? The movie cleverly combines humor, gore, and satire. This makes it an enjoyable watch. The film might not scare you out of your seats. But, it will make you laugh and amuse you with its witty plot and camerawork.

Watch trailer:

Plot: This low-budget Japanese movie has an interesting plot. A low-budget movie director goes off to an isolated location with the cast and crew. Why? Because he wants to make a zombie movie! The director has a fallout with the actors and abandons them. But just then, real zombies appear and create chaos!

Instead of being shocked and scared, the director is delighted and starts shooting the film with the real zombies. As the zombies go about their regular zombie behavior, the director has only one piece of advice for the crew – Don’t Stop the Camera!

If you are interested in buying the movie:

Versus

  • Japanese title – ヴァーサス (Vasasu)
  • Directed by – Ryuhei Kitamura
  • Release date – October 29, 2000
  • Running time – 120 minutes
  • Ratings – IMDb (6.4), Rotten Tomaotoes (71%)

Why watch it? The movie combines some samurai fighting with zombie gore. It also has gunplay, martial arts, and comic relief. Due to the different entertainment elements, it makes for a great watch.

Watch trailer:

Plot: There is the human world as we know it. And then there are portals to the ‘other side of the world’. The 444th portal to the other side lies somewhere in Japan. It is known as The Forest of Resurrection. Different storylines bring an escaped convict, a gang of Yakuza battle, and a mysterious girl to this place.

When the buried dead wake up as zombies, the movie breaks into some good action sequences. The door to the portal is going to be opened. But why and what will happen when the portal is opened? This forms the storyline of the movie.

If you are interested in buying the movie:

(Video) Top 10 Japanese Zombie Movies | Japanese Zombie Movies | Japanese Horror Movies | Anything But Ten

Junk – Resident Zombie


  • Japanese title – JUNK死霊狩り(Junk: Shiryōgari)
  • Directed by – Atsushi Muroga
  • Release date – January 22, 2000
  • Running time – 83 minutes
  • Ratings – IMDb (5.4)

Why watch it? The movie might not have great ratings. But it is sure delivers on what is promises. For hardcore zombie-genre fans, there is dismemberment, heads blowing into pieces, and zombies munching on humans.

Watch trailer:

Plot: The US Military stationed in Japan along with a Japanese scientist carry out medical experiments on dead bodies. The facility is finally closed but a few people are still carrying out the experiments on their own. When the experiment results in one of the dead bodies waking up as an undead zombie. As he kills the scientists present, they too turn into zombies hungry for human meat and thirsty for human blood!

As some jewel thieves use the old, abandoned building, the zombies emerge and attack them. How the jewel thieves manage to fight with the zombies out there to kill them forms the crux of the story.

If you are interested in buying the movie, buy here.

I Am a Hero

  • Japanese title – アイアムアヒーロー (Ai Amu A Hiro)
  • Directed by – Shunsuke Sato
  • Release date – 2016
  • Running time – 126 minutes
  • Ratings – IMDb (6.8), Rotten Tomatoes (90%)

Why watch it? The movie is a good watch for the zombie-nerd genre fans. It has some good special effects, too. To add to it, the direction is great and the actors have performed very well.

Watch trailer:

Plot: Hideo is a manga artist. One evening, while returning home from work, he witnesses a road accident. A man is instantly killed by an oncoming car. But, to Hideo’s horror, the ‘dead’ man gets up and walks away. As Hideo wonders, if this was a hallucination, stranger things start happening around him. There is a virus breakout that is turning infecting people.

The infected people are being turned into zombies who want to eat the first human they can find. Hideo, armed with his shotgun, is left with no option but to fight the zombies around him. As a manga artist, Hideo has always dreamed to be a hero. Now, is his chance!

If you are interested in buying the movie:

Wild Zero

  • Directed by – Tetsuro Takeuchi
  • Release date – August 8, 1999
  • Running time – 98 minutes
  • Ratings – IMDb (6.4), Rotten Tomatoes (100%)

Why watch it? The storyline is extremely silly which adds comedy to the horror factor. The movie is not exactly scary. But there are zombies for sure and quite a bit of absurd and funny situations!

Watch trailer:

Plot: Ace, the protagonist, is a huge fan of the Japanese rock band Guitar Wolf. Once when he helps the group, he is given a special whistle. The Guitar Wolf calls him their ‘blood brother’. They tell him to blow the whistle whenever he is in trouble. Trouble is close at hand as soon there is an alien invasion. And the dead start rising as flesh-eating zombies.

If you are interested in buying the movie:

Zedd

  • Directed by – Teppei Nakamura
  • Release date – October 2014
  • Running time – 54 minutes
  • Ratings – IMDb (6.4)

Why watch it? This zombie movie has an interesting twist in the storyline that makes it a great watch. The performances by all six lead stars (they are Cross Gene singers!) are excellent! Watch it for action, humor, dancing, singing, all in one 54-minute movie!

Watch trailer:

Plot: Six young friends are wrongly accused of a crime they never committed. They are imprisoned as the world is in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. But then one of the six gets infected. They have no choice but to find an antidote or risk getting infected themselves. What will they do to stop the zombie infection from spreading?

Miss Zombie

Best Japanese Zombie Movies (4)
  • Directed by – Sabu
  • Release date – September 9, 2013
  • Running time – 85 minutes
  • Ratings – IMDb (6.3)

Why watch it? The movie has exceptional performances. Even though some themes depicted in the movie can be disturbing for some audiences, it is a very maturely made movie. And the ending will leave you speechless!

Watch trailer:

Plot: The movie is set in the future. Zombies are now kept in households as pets or servants. Miss Zombie is one such zombie. The movie explores how Miss Zombie (Shara) is exploited by her owners. It is a story of her ordeals and her retaliation. Shara tolerates all the ill-treatment meted out to her. But when she gets the chance, she is quick to seek revenge. The story uses dry humor and satirical themes to bring to you a movie that hits hard.

If you are interested in buying the movie:

Bloody Delinquent Girl Chainsaw

  • Directed by – Hiroki Yamaguchi
  • Release date – February 20, 2016
  • Running time – 76 minutes
  • Ratings – IMDb (4.5)

Why watch it? The movie is borderline absurd. And that’s really its highlight. There are a lot of weird things happening. So, prepare to be amused. And hey, there’s cut-up body parts!

Watch trailer:

Plot: Giko Nokomura is a senior in middle school. The poor girl just wants to make sure she writes her exams. But can she? No Sir! Because, Zombies. Giko’s classmates are turning into zombies and she must fight them or lose her chance to graduate from middle school! And how does Giko fight her classmates? With a chainsaw, of course! So as she goes around lugging a large chainsaw with her and cuts up zombies, there’s a lot of blood and gore to be seen if you have the stomach for it.

If you are interested in buying the movie:

Schoolgirl Apocalypse

  • Japanese title -セーラー服黙示録 (Sera-fuku mokushiroku)
  • Directed by – John Cairns
  • Release date – July 2011
  • Running time – 86 minutes

Why watch it? The film might seem like a simplistic plot where a Japanese schoolgirl turns into a zombie and goes on a killing spree. But the movie is a westernized and modern take on the Japanese cultural dynamics. It has been lauded for a liberal outlook.

Watch trailer:

Plot: Japanese schoolgirl Sakura’s town is in danger. All men in the town are turning into zombies and killing the women. As Sakura loses dear ones, she is battling with a wave of insanity coming to her due to the trauma. As she sets out to fight the apocalypse, she has visions of a red-headed boy. On her quest to find the boy, Sakura meets a mysterious and dangerous woman.

Conclusion

Zombies have become a household name. These flesh-eating undead creatures enjoy popularity in cinema, TV, and other popular media. This article by Kayleigh F. Murphy analyses the zombie movie genre in Japan. While the interest in zombie movies seems to be going down elsewhere, Japan is going strong even now.

(Video) Top 10 Modern Zombie Movies

Can’t get enough of Japanese action? These TV Series featuring Kaijus (Huge Monsters) could be just what you are looking for!

FAQs

What zombie movie has the strongest zombies? ›

10 Deadliest Horror Movie Zombies, Ranked
  • 8/10 THE WALKING DEAD.
  • 7/10 RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD.
  • 6/10 DEAD SNOW.
  • 5/10 PLANET TERROR.
  • 4/10 TRAIN TO BUSAN.
  • 3/10 DAWN OF THE DEAD.
  • 2/10 WORLD WAR Z.
  • 1/10 28 DAYS LATER.
22 May 2019

What is the Japanese zombie movie called? ›

One Cut of the Dead

Which zombies are the scariest? ›

1/10 Train To Busan Featured Fast-Transforming Zombies That Surged Quickly Across South Korea
  • night of the living dead.
  • Resident Evil.
  • george a romero.
  • zombies.
  • movies.
  • Army of the Dead.
  • World War Z.
22 Feb 2022

What is the top 10 best movie? ›

Best movies of all time
  1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Film. Science fiction. ...
  2. The Godfather (1972) Film. Thrillers. ...
  3. Citizen Kane (1941) Film. ...
  4. Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) Film. ...
  5. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Film. ...
  6. La Dolce Vita (1960) Film. ...
  7. Seven Samurai (1954) Film. ...
  8. In the Mood for Love (2000) Film.
20 Sept 2022

Why do we love zombies? ›

Perhaps the most cliché reason that people love zombies is that the story of the zombie is a metaphor for what is wrong with the human condition, particularly the monotony of our lives and our drive to consume.

Why zombie movies are so popular? ›

The reason zombie movies are so popular is a combination of low budgets, high returns, and suspenseful action. Zombie movies ticks of all the boxes when it comes to triggering our guilty human desires to experience our most basic instinctive fears (as categorized by Dr.

Which zombie movie is best Netflix? ›

The 9 Best Zombie Movies on Netflix for Fans of the Undead
  • Army of the Dead (2021) Netflix. ...
  • Army of Thieves (2021) Netflix. ...
  • #Alive (2020) Netflix Asia. ...
  • Ravenous (2017) UHM - Upcoming Horror Movies. ...
  • Cargo (2018) Netflix. ...
  • Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021) The Swoon. ...
  • Valley of the Dead (2022) ...
  • Day of the Dead: Bloodline (2018)
22 Aug 2022

Are there intelligent zombies? ›

In “Izombie” the zombies are quite intelligent. Their intelligence is shown many times in Marvel Zombies, as the remaining heroes can speak, retain memory and characteristics of their previous life, and even construct a device to magnifiy their inherited powers to defeat Galactus.

Is there any zombie? ›

Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in which a zombie is a dead body reanimated through various methods, most commonly magic like voodoo.
...
George A. Romero (1968–1985)
Zombie
TypeUndead (influenced by Haitian Zombie), Vampire, Ghoul
5 more rows

Is 28 days later scary? ›

Parents need to know that 28 Days Later is very scary and deeply disturbing. It has extreme and graphic peril and violence. Many characters are killed. Characters use very strong language.

Is love you as the world ends zombie? ›

One cut of the dead was also amazing, but that (spoiler!) wasn't a zombie movie at all, more a hommage to filmmaking. Love you as the world ends is basically a love story. It's about a young man trying to find his love in a post-apocalyptic world, finding her, losing her and everything in between.

How long is one cut of the dead? ›

Is one cut of the dead found footage? ›

Even though it's not technically a found footage film, there are aspects of the subgenre with One Cut of the Dead. It's one of the funniest horror comedies with zombies that I have seen in a while. It's unique and a film that everyone should watch.

Is zombie a horror game? ›

The zombie survival horror genre has been a mainstay in the gaming landscape ever since Resident Evil popularized it more than 25 years ago.

Is train to Busan the best zombie movie? ›

There is no doubt that Train to Busan is a near perfect zombie film. Here is why it may be the best in the sub-genre. The 2016 South Korean horror zombie flick has been hailed as not just one of the best zombie films of the 2010s, but one of the best zombie movies of all time.

Are zombie movies horror? ›

While zombie films generally fall into the horror genre, some cross over into other genres, such as action, comedy, science fiction, thriller, or romance. Distinct subgenres have evolved, such as the "zombie comedy" or the "zombie apocalypse".

What movie has a 100% rating? ›

A number of these films also appear on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies lists, but there are many others and several entries with dozens of positive reviews, which are considered surprising to some experts. To date, Leave No Trace holds the site's record, with a rating of 100% and 251 positive reviews.

What is the number 1 most watched movie? ›

Most Watched Movies Of All Time
  • Titanic (1997) ...
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) ...
  • The Wizard of Oz (1939) ...
  • Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) ...
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) ...
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) ...
  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) ...
  • The Lion King (1994)

What is the #1 rated movie in the world? ›

1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Why do we fear zombies? ›

The answer seems to be the little-known psychological phenomenon, called 'The Uncanny valley. ' The “dead” eyes and near-human characteristics of zombies provoke an instinctive disquiet in us. This is down to our inability to process these “strange” faces using normal psychological mechanisms.

Why are zombies green? ›

As the body decomposes further, chemical changes take place that produce skin colors including greenish-yellow, greenish-blue or greenish-black.

When were zombies created? ›

According to The Undead Eighteenth Century by Linda Troost, zombies appeared in literature as far back as 1697 and were described as spirits or ghosts, not cannibalistic fiends. They arrived on the film scene around the same time as their monster peers, Frankenstein and Dracula, with the 1932 release of White Zombie.

What do zombies symbolize? ›

For 80 years, the undead have been used by filmmakers and writers as a metaphor for much deeper fears: racial sublimation, atomic destruction, communism, mass contagion, globalism — and, more than anything, each other.

How did people think of zombies? ›

While there's a long history and fascination with animated corpses in American literature and cinema, zombies aren't originally a product of the American imagination. The undead corpses actually trace their roots to Haiti and Haitian Creole traditions that have their roots in African religious customs.

Who was in zombies? ›

Zombies (2018 film)
Zombies
StarringMilo Manheim Meg Donnelly Trevor Tordjman Kylee Russell Carla Jeffery James Godfrey
ComposerGeorge S. Clinton
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
19 more rows

How do you survive a zombie apocalypse? ›

12 tips for surviving a zombie apocalypse
  1. Separate friends from foes. You can't survive an apocalypse alone. ...
  2. Set up a base. ...
  3. Make hunting for supplies a priority. ...
  4. Don't drink the water. ...
  5. Pull your weight. ...
  6. Eliminate the weakest link. ...
  7. Find the perfect zombie-fighting ensemble. ...
  8. Just because you have shelter doesn't mean you're safe.

What is the new zombie movie on? ›

In a change to the previous movies, Zombies 3 will be premiering exclusively on Disney+ worldwide on July 15, 2022.

Do zombies speak? ›

It's widely accepted that zombies can't speak because their limited brain function doesn't allow for complex thoughts. However, watch almost any zombie movie made in the past 50 years, and you'll hear them moaning up a storm.

What is super zombie? ›

In this first person arcade style shooter zombie after zombie is coming for your brains. As you kill zombies the level increases. As the level increases more zombies. Higher levels unlock cool weapons.

Can zombies walk up stairs? ›

Yes, not quickly and not very well, but eventually, if something attracts them.

What are zombies weakness? ›

They tend to have disgusting looking teeth, and lots of dead skin.... Consensus zombies have only one weak spot: The brain. You must attack the brain. There is no other way to bring them down.

How do you say zombie? ›

How To Pronounce Zombie - YouTube

Is train to Busan inappropriate? ›

Due to its graphic violence, however, it's strictly for older teenagers and adults. Thus, TRAIN TO BUSAN merits extreme caution, especially for sensitive viewers who trouble handling intense violence, graphic bloodshed and scary zombies.

Is World War Z family friendly? ›

Although it has less blood and gore than some other zombie movies, there is plenty to scare children under 13 years and even younger teenagers. It is therefore definitely not suitable for children under 13 years and not recommended for children under 15 years.

Is the happening OK for kids? ›

Parents need to know that this tense horror film is the first one from writer-director M. Night Shyamalan to earn an R rating -- and for good reason. It's loaded with violent, bloody images and is much more graphic than the PG-13 movies that have earned him a following among teens.

Does hibiki and Kurumi get together? ›

Hibiki Mamiya (Ryoma Takeuchi) is a sincere young man with a bright personality. He works as a car mechanic and lives with his girlfriend Kurumi Ogasawara. They have dated since they were high school students.

Who is the mysterious man in love you as the world end? ›

Love You as the World Ends (TV Series 2021–2022) - Jae Hyun Kim as Yoon Min-jun, Yoon Yoo-jun, Mysterious Man - IMDb.

Who is the guy in black in Love You as the World Ends? ›

Flying's Kim Jae Hyun Confirmed to Star in the Japanese Series 'Love You as the World Ends' Band N. Flying's member Kim Jae Hyun is making his appearance in a Japanese drama series.

Is one cut of the Dead worth watching? ›

Easily one of the most original movies of recent years, 'One Cut Of The Dead (2017)' is best experienced if you know as little about it as possible. As such, I'm only going to talk about it in the vaguest of terms. It's safe to say, though, that I highly recommend you go out and watch it.

Is one cut of the Dead in English? ›

Following the surprise success of the 2017 zombie comedy film titled One Cut of the Dead/”Kamera o Tomeru na!” (Don't Stop the Camera!), Variety reports that the Japanese film is officially being adapted in an English-language remake with Patrick Cunningham to serve as producer.

Which zombie movie is best Netflix? ›

The 9 Best Zombie Movies on Netflix for Fans of the Undead
  • Army of the Dead (2021) Netflix. ...
  • Army of Thieves (2021) Netflix. ...
  • #Alive (2020) Netflix Asia. ...
  • Ravenous (2017) UHM - Upcoming Horror Movies. ...
  • Cargo (2018) Netflix. ...
  • Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021) The Swoon. ...
  • Valley of the Dead (2022) ...
  • Day of the Dead: Bloodline (2018)
22 Aug 2022

Is train to Busan the best zombie movie? ›

There is no doubt that Train to Busan is a near perfect zombie film. Here is why it may be the best in the sub-genre. The 2016 South Korean horror zombie flick has been hailed as not just one of the best zombie films of the 2010s, but one of the best zombie movies of all time.

Is there gonna be a zombies 4? ›

No, there will not be a Zombies 4. When the third film in the Zombies series was announced by Disney in 2021, it was also confirmed to be the final instalment.

What movie started the zombie craze? ›

The story of the zombie drastically changed, however, when it became a dominant icon of American popular culture in the late 1960s. The event which many would claim started the trend of zombie films is the release of Night of the Living Dead in 1968.

Is there any zombie? ›

Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in which a zombie is a dead body reanimated through various methods, most commonly magic like voodoo.
...
George A. Romero (1968–1985)
Zombie
TypeUndead (influenced by Haitian Zombie), Vampire, Ghoul
5 more rows

Who was in zombies? ›

Zombies (2018 film)
Zombies
StarringMilo Manheim Meg Donnelly Trevor Tordjman Kylee Russell Carla Jeffery James Godfrey
ComposerGeorge S. Clinton
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
19 more rows

Is Train to Busan inappropriate? ›

Due to its graphic violence, however, it's strictly for older teenagers and adults. Thus, TRAIN TO BUSAN merits extreme caution, especially for sensitive viewers who trouble handling intense violence, graphic bloodshed and scary zombies.

Why are zombie movies popular? ›

The reason zombie movies are so popular is a combination of low budgets, high returns, and suspenseful action. Zombie movies ticks of all the boxes when it comes to triggering our guilty human desires to experience our most basic instinctive fears (as categorized by Dr.

Is Busan train sad? ›

Sometimes, the most horrifying thing you can experience is the loss of a loved one or the threat of such a loss. This is at the heart of "Train to Busan," and what makes it genuinely horrifying. Like Romero before him, director Yeon Sang-ho took the notion of a zombie film and made it into a commentary on human nature.

Will there be a Encanto 2? ›

Disney's Encanto 2 (2022) - Teaser Trailer Concept - YouTube

How old is Zed from Zombies? ›

Milo Manheim (born March 6, 2001) is an American actor. He is known for his starring role as Zed in the 2018 Disney Channel Original Movie Zombies, and its sequels Zombies 2 (2020) and Zombies 3 (2022). In 2018, he finished in second place on season 27 of Dancing with the Stars.

Will there be a Moana 2? ›

MOANA 2 Teaser (2023) With Dwayne Johnson & Auli'i Cravalho - YouTube

Why are we obsessed with zombies? ›

Perhaps the most cliché reason that people love zombies is that the story of the zombie is a metaphor for what is wrong with the human condition, particularly the monotony of our lives and our drive to consume.

When was zombie first used? ›

According to The Undead Eighteenth Century by Linda Troost, zombies appeared in literature as far back as 1697 and were described as spirits or ghosts, not cannibalistic fiends. They arrived on the film scene around the same time as their monster peers, Frankenstein and Dracula, with the 1932 release of White Zombie.

What was the first fast zombie movie? ›

The first movie that had “fast” zombies was Return Of The Living Dead 1986.

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