Of the many popular genres in contemporary Asian cinema, none has experienced the kind of growth and success like horror, and over the last decade or so it’s grown into an impressive phenomenon that has racked up dedicated and loyal followers worldwide. Yet even outside of the fanboy crowd, the Japanese horror film, or J-Horror (and its Korean equivalent K-Horror), has become the subject of serious critical study, and multiple volumes have been written on the subject.

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If one were to survey Japanese films that have been distributed in America over the last thirty to forty years, certain patterns would form. Works from the great masters, historical epics, dramas, monster movies and of course horror have certainly been well represented for decades. But one genre that’s severely lacking is comedy. In 1985, Juzo Itami’s noodle-western TAMPOPO became a smash hit, playing to sell-out crowds for months. However, since that time there haven’t been many Japanese comedies to find their way into the cultural zeitgeist, but that’s not for lack of material.

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Though not quite a household name, prolific auteur Takashi Miike has made quite a splash outside of his native Japan, both within the fanboy community as well as the cinephile set. Then again, when you’ve completed nearly eighty films in only eighteen years, you’re bound to get recognized.

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