Hideshi Hino's Theater of Horror
Six unconnected horror films from Hideshi Hino's manga.
Hideshi Hino's Theater of Horror, also referred to as the Kaiki Gekijou Hexalogy, is a collection of six live-action Japanese horror films produced by Pony Canyon. The movies draw from various manga by Hideshi Hino and were shown in Japanese theaters during 2004, with a North American release following in 2006. Despite being grouped as a horror series, the six films are not linked by any shared storyline, continuity, or canon.
The Boy From Hell (Jigoku Kozou): After losing her child Daio in an accident, Setsu meets an old woman who offers to bring him back. Daio returns, but he is half-decomposed and not fully human. To restore him, fresh human organs are needed. Setsu goes to great lengths to help, but her son becomes a monster, sparking a murder spree that draws the attention of a detective. Directed by Mari Asato, the cast includes Mirai Yamamoto, Mitsuru Akaboshi, Baku Numata, and Hanae Shouji.
Dead Girl Walking (Kaiki! Shinin Shojo): Sayuri is declared dead on a hospital table, yet her body keeps functioning. Her wounds fester and her skin rots. Her family grows disgusted, and when the home reeks of decay, they confront her. She escapes, is captured by a circus owner, and forced into a freak show. Fleeing again, she heads to the lonely hills, believing she has gotten away. Directed by Kōji Shiraishi and Kazuhiro Yokoyama.
Lizard Baby (Watashi no Akachan): Horror screenwriter Umeki suffers from writer's block. After accompanying his pregnant wife Akiko to a check-up, he gets an idea for a story about a woman giving birth to a reptile. Akiko is repulsed, but Umeki writes the screenplay, which critics praise. Life then imitates art when Akiko gives birth to a half-human, half-lizard son. Umeki spirals downward as his wife cuddles the lizard child. Directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura, with Kurume Arisaka, Mansaku Ikeuchi, Matomu Onda, and Yoshie Ootsuka.
The Ravaged House: Zoroku's Disease (Tadareta Ie: Zoroku no Kibyo): In a rural village, Zoroku lives with his sister Haruko. One day, he contracts a strange disease that blisters his skin and deforms his body. Fearing the townspeople's reaction, his parents lock him inside. The village chief sees him, and soon both Zoroku and Haruko are mistreated by everyone. Unable to bear Haruko's suffering, the parents decide to end Zoroku's misery. Haruko tries to save her brother, and they leave home, but what follows
- field
- Horror film series
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- Six live action horror films based on Hideshi Hino's manga
- release_year_Japan
- 2004
- release_year_North_America
- 2006
Lore & Background
The series comprises six films: The Boy From Hell, Dead Girl Walking, Lizard Baby, The Ravaged House: Zoroku's Disease, The Doll Cemetery, and Death Train. Each film was directed by a different director, including Mari Asato, Kōji Shiraishi and Kazuhiro Yokoyama, Yoshihiro Nakamura, Kazuyoshi Kumakiri, Kiyoshi Yamamoto, and Kazuyuki Sakamoto. The stories range from a resurrected half-decomposed child needing human organs, to a girl pronounced dead whose body continues to function, to a screenwriter whose wife gives birth to a half-human, half-lizard son.
Reader's Guide
Hideshi Hino's Theater of Horror represents a unique anthology approach to horror filmmaking, adapting the creator's manga into six standalone live action films. Released in Japan in 2004 and North America in 2006, the series lacks any overarching narrative or shared universe, allowing each film to explore distinct horror themes. The films feature grotesque body horror, psychological terror, and supernatural elements, as seen in The Boy From Hell's decomposing child, Dead Girl Walking's rotting protagonist, and The Doll Cemetery's possessed dolls. The series is notable for its diverse directorial voices, with each film helmed by a different filmmaker. While the films were released as a set, they have no continuity, making them accessible as individual horror stories. The series remains a niche but significant entry in early 2000s Japanese horror cinema, showcasing the translation of manga horror to live action.
Did You Know?
- The series is also known as the Kaiki Gekijou Hexalogy.
- The films have no form of continuity, canon, or connection between them.
- The Boy From Hell was directed by Mari Asato.
- Dead Girl Walking was directed by Kōji Shiraishi and Kazuhiro Yokoyama.
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