Summary
In every medium, the horror scene is a constantly changing and unique genre. What may have not been considered scary in the 1970s may be scary now, or vice versa. And because of this, concepts can recycle and be explored in accordance with modern times.
For example,Ousama Gameuses cell phones and social media, everyday objects to create aunique narrative, where participants have to abide by a command or die. It’s a unique premise, but the delivery is mediocre in that it relies on shock value, edgy characters, and metal music to sell the idea that it’s “dark”. And unfortunately, that’s what a lot of the horror genre relies on nowadays.
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Bigger Is Not Always Scarier
When it comes to horror, there is no set criterion that determines whether the story will actually be scary or not. This is why the author must have an adept understanding of the human psyche, and what it means to make one feel uneasy. Some of the most popular horror anime such asHigurashiandShikimanage to encapsulate this. Both exploit the fear of the unknown, which is an often overlooked aspect of thehorror genre. Most, if not all, horror stories use this to some degree, but usually only as a basis for the overarching narrative - and eventually the reader will come to find out what exactly the monster they’re running from is. Getting answers isn’t a bad thing, but the budding realization of what one’s up against also plays just as much as an important part as the mystery itself.
Higurashiuses a small town setting with a group of friends to tell its story. A bunch of schoolchildren living their everyday lives in a cozy village where everyone knows each other. Familiarity is comforting, and we may think that we know all there is to know about those who we love and trust. But in the town of Hinamizawa, there’s more than meets the eye. When it seems that your friends know something you don’t, and this increased paranoia weighs on you, not knowing who to trust anymore, your mind becomes your greatest enemy. At any moment, your best friend could turn on you and commit murder in cold blood. Not feeling safe in what’s supposed to be your home is terrifying in itself. Jump scares are very scarce and uncommon in theHigurashiseries - instead, the narrative relies on this steady feeling of uneasiness.
Out of Your Control
People like being in control of their own fate and their own destinies, and find comfort best in routine. InShiki, that is changed against the characters' wills. A doctor who’s an expert in medicine finds himself at a loss after a mysterious, seemingly impossible epidemic plagues his village. The people he lived alongside for years fell dead, yet only he was spared. But the whole time, it was those who walked among them:vampires. Halfway through the story, the hunters become the hunted, when the main character commits murder and decides to torture the oppressors.
This whole time, there were two sides, and audiences find themselves pitying the vampires, as it wasn’t their choice to die and come back. InShiki, it’syou, the human, who becomes the monster. Moreover, this mindset is all too familiar in real life, “As long as it’s the other side, it’s okay if I do it. They’re the bad guys, and I’m not”. Additionally, the lack of self-awareness makes it all the more disturbing.
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Suspenseful, But Not Scary
2018’sAngels of Deathhas a similar dilemma toOusama Game. A girl wakes up in an unknown location and is being hunted down by a serial killer. Sure, that can be scary, but if it’s happening to a character on screen, it’s not as horrifying as one might think. The setting then changes when the main character, Rachel, suddenly accepts her death and asks her pursuer to kill her, despite having been scared prior. The primary weakness that these “horror” anime have is unrealistic characters. The audience is unable to relate or see themselves in a similar position, and so what they see on screen is more of a survival game-show, than an actual horror.
Still Entertaining
Though a self-proclaimedhorror seriesmay not always be “scary”, it doesn’t mean that it’s not entertaining.Ousama Gamehas an interesting premise, but isn’t executed in such a way that makes the audience sympathize or care. What many storytellers rely on is mystery and the conventional “in-your-face” scare tactic for horror, but there’s so much more than that. Human beings are more complex than that.
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