Haunted Japan: The Evolution of J-Horror

The shift from analog to digital media in daily life has also influenced the way that monsters and ghosts function in Japanese horror films. In this talk Professor Nelson examines the role of TVs, computers, smartphones, and the internet in The Ring and its many sequels, prequels, and remakes, showing how Sadako and her descendants continue to terrorize new generations of fans through new types of media technology and devices. Dr. Nelson is the author of the recent book Circulating Fear: Japanese Horror, Fractured Realities, and New Media, (Lexington Books, 2021).

Sponsored by the Ei’ichi Shibusawa-Seigo Arai Professorship in Japanese Studies, University of Missouri, St. Louis, and East Asian Languages and Cultures, Washington University in St. Louis