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[Anime Horrors] Celebrating the Best Horror Anime of the 2010s

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*Keep up with our ongoing end of the decade coverage here*

This past decade has not only been tremendous for anime as a whole, but there have been incredible works of horror-related anime in particular. With shows exploring various subgenres of horror, the 2010s have offered viewers an awesome selection of anime entertainment that exudes chills and adrenaline.

Before we dive into the focus of this article, I want to express sincere gratitude to the audience who reads Anime Horrors. Anime was one of the first art forms I ever discovered in life, and I’m so incredibly thankful to Bloody Disgusting for allowing me this opportunity. Shifts had to take place earlier in the year where the column came out bi-monthly, but I am proud to share that as of 2020, I am back to releasing new installments on a monthly basis.

So with that said, let’s talk about some of the best horror anime of the 2010s.

One of the defining qualities coming out of horror anime this decade has been the emphasis on psychological and thriller based stories. Packing numerous twists and brutal tension, these titles do a tremendous job keeping the viewer in the dark and excited for what is to come next. 

Looking back at the earlier part of the decade, anime audiences were gifted the incredibly subversive and grim Puella Magi Madoka Magica. At first the show comes across as a slightly darker version of the typical magical girl anime we’ve all come to know and love; however, it doesn’t take long for the show to not only flip audience’s expectations, but also submerge them in an eerie and heartbreaking story. School-Live! was also a surprising gem many did not see coming. It’s still one of the best anime to go into totally blind, for it subverts anime tropes in a fascinating way and presents a chilling psychological tale. 

Where pre-2010 anime fans had the incredible Death Note, post-2010 anime fans have The Promised Neverland. As one of the more highly anticipated shows of 2019, The Promised Neverland’s first season proved to be a riveting experience. The narrative makes for a consistent rush of suspense and tension, keeping viewers on edge and awaiting each new shocking surprise. 

The 2010s also saw two fantastic supernatural driven narratives, Another and Shiki. These shows do a tremendous job exuding unease throughout their narratives; as each story progresses, the characters find themselves mixed up in haunting and gruesome terror. Embracing mystery and supernatural elements, Another and Shiki offer viewers nightmarish atmospheres, gory visuals, and large doses of emotional storytelling.

Along with all the suspenseful and psychological anime titles, however, there have also been an excellent amount of action driven shows incorporating creepy imagery. This decade saw the likes of Tokyo Ghoul and Attack on Titan; the latter is one of the standout anime titles of the 2010s, making for a terrific blend of action, emotion, and philosophical intrigue. Each show utilizes haunting visuals, providing adrenaline and tension throughout their various conflicts. Another title that has been seeing great recent success is Demon Slayer. With its stunning visuals, as well as enjoyable characters and intense emotional depth, Demon Slayer has been shaping up to be an awesome anime for those who love fantastical battles. 

An interesting development that took place this decade was the increase in anime releases from none other than Netflix. The massive streaming service has certainly helped to elevate the mainstream appeal of anime, offering such titles as the live action Full Metal Alchemist and Death Note movies, as well as providing a means to stream the iconic Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, some of the strongest contributions to come out of Netflix are its original content; among all of Netflix’s anime titles, that of Devilman Crybaby and Castlevania are the most epic and satisfying works of action-driven horror.

The short first season of Castlevania was just enough to get viewers excited for season 2; the latter not only offered killer action set pieces, but also displayed an excellent blend of emotion and creepy imagery. This sentiment extends to Devilman Crybaby – a show brimming with gruesome violence and tragic drama. What begins as a riveting ride of ultraviolence eventually develops into existential anxiety that reflects the darkness of humanity.

The 2010s was amazing for horror, and anime fans got their fair share of fantastic works. Moving into 2020, I personally am looking forward to Attack on Titan and The Promised Neverland; among the Netflix library, I’m on the edge of my seat for the next season of Castlevania, as well as the new Devil May Cry anime the platform will be releasing. And of course… there’s the adaptation of Junji Ito’s classic story, Uzumaki (releasing through Adult Swim). I am beyond thrilled to see the animation behind this haunting manga. Along with these titles, I’m sure we will see many other surprising gems throughout the next decade.

What are the horror anime titles that you enjoyed during the 2010s? Other than the titles mentioned here, what are other anime you feel also deserve recognition?

Thank you again to the readers who look forward to and read Anime Horrors – I’m really excited to bring this project into the new year and beyond!

Michael Pementel is a pop culture critic at Bloody Disgusting, primarily covering video games and anime. He writes about music for other publications, and is the creator of Bloody Disgusting's "Anime Horrors" column.

Editorials

Silly, Self-Aware ‘Amityville Christmas Vacation’ Is a Welcome Change of Pace [The Amityville IP]

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Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.” 

After a number of bloated runtimes and technically inept entries, it’s something of a relief to watch Amityville Christmas Vacation (2022). The 55-minute film doesn’t even try to hit feature length, which is a wise decision for a film with a slight, but enjoyable premise.

The amusingly self-aware comedy is written and directed by Steve Rudzinski, who also stars as protagonist Wally Griswold. The premise is simple: a newspaper article celebrating the hero cop catches the attention of B’n’B owner Samantha (Marci Leigh), who lures Wally to Amityville under the false claim that he’s won a free Christmas stay.

Naturally it turns out that the house is haunted by a vengeful ghost named Jessica D’Angelo (Aleen Isley), but instead of murdering him like the other guests, Jessica winds up falling in love with him.

Several other recent Amityville films, including Amityville Cop and Amityville in Space, have leaned into comedy, albeit to varying degrees of success. Amityville Christmas Vacation is arguably the most successful because, despite its hit/miss joke ratio, at least the film acknowledges its inherent silliness and never takes itself seriously.

In this capacity, the film is more comedy than horror (the closest comparison is probably Amityville Vibrator, which blended hard-core erotica with references to other titles in the “series”). The jokes here are enjoyably varied: Wally glibly acknowledges his racism and excessive use of force in a way that reflects the real world culture shift around criticisms of police work; the last names of the lovers, as well the title of the film, are obvious homages to the National Lampoon’s holiday film; and the narrative embodies the usual festive tropes of Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies.

This self-awareness buys the film a certain amount of goodwill, which is vital considering Rudzinski’s clear budgetary limitations. Jessica’s ghost make-up is pretty basic, the action is practically non-existent, and the whole film essentially takes place in a single location. These elements are forgivable, though audiences whose funny bone isn’t tickled will find the basic narrative, low stakes, and amateur acting too glaring to overlook. It must be acknowledged that in spite of its brief runtime, there’s still an undeniable feeling of padding in certain dialogue exchanges and sequences.

Despite this, there’s plenty to like about Amityville Christmas Vacation.

Rudzinski is the clear stand-out here. Wally is a goof: he’s incredibly slow on the uptake and obsessed with his cat Whiskers. The early portions of the film lean on Wally’s inherent likeability and Rudzinski shares an easy charm with co-star Isley, although her performance is a bit more one-note (Jessica is mostly confused by the idiot who has wandered into her midst).

Falling somewhere in the middle are Ben Dietels as Rick (Ben Dietels), Wally’s pathetic co-worker who has invented a family to spend the holidays with, and Zelda (Autumn Ivy), the supernatural case worker that Jessica Zooms with for advice on how to negotiate her newfound situation.

The other actors are less successful, particularly Garrett Hunter as ghost hunter Creighton Spool (Scott Lewis), as well as Samantha, the home owner. Leigh, in particular, barely makes an impression and there’s absolutely no bite in her jealous threats in the last act.

Like most comedies, audience mileage will vary depending on their tolerance for low-brow jokes. If the idea of Wally chastising and giving himself a pep talk out loud in front of Jessica isn’t funny, Amityville Christmas Vacation likely isn’t for you. As it stands, the film’s success rate is approximately 50/50: for every amusing joke, there’s another one that misses the mark.

Despite this – or perhaps because of the film’s proximity to the recent glut of terrible entries – Amityville Christmas Vacation is a welcome breath of fresh air. It’s not a great film, but it is often amusing and silly. There’s something to be said for keeping things simple and executing them reasonably well.

That’s a lesson that other indie Amityville filmmakers could stand to learn.

2.5 out of 5 skulls

The Amityville IP Awards go to…

  • Recurring Gag: The film mines plenty of jokes from characters saying the quiet part (out) loud, including Samantha’s delivery of “They’re always the people I hate” when Wally asks how he won a contest he didn’t enter.
  • Holiday Horror: There’s a brief reference that Jessica died in an “icicle accident,” which plays like a perfect blend between a horror film and a Hallmark film.
  • Best Line: After Jessica jokes about Wally’s love of all things cats to Zelda, calling him the “cat’s meow,” the case worker’s deadpan delivery of “Yeah, that sounds like an inside joke” is delightful.
  • Christmas Wish: In case you were wondering, yes, Santa Claus (Joshua Antoon) does show up for the film’s final joke, though it’s arguably not great.
  • Chainsaw Award: This film won Fangoria’s ‘Best Amityville’ Chainsaw award in 2023, which makes sense given how unique it is compared to many other titles released in 2022. This also means that the film is probably the best entry we’ll discuss for some time, so…yay?
  • ICYMI: This editorial series was recently included in a profile in the The New York Times, another sign that the Amityville “franchise” will never truly die.

Next time: we’re hitting the holidays in the wrong order with a look at November 2022’s Amityville Thanksgiving, which hails from the same creative team as Amityville Karen <gulp>

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