Ask John: Are There Any Anime Adaptations of American Horror Movies?

Question:
I was wondering if there is any anime based on American horror movies such as “Friday the 13th” or “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

Answer:
I’m not aware of any anime directly based on American horror films, but there are parodies and references to Western horror movies scattered throughout anime. Koichi Ohata’s Cybernetics Guardian Saigard is a gothic horror starring a main character named John Stoker, probably not a coincidental similarity to the creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker. The Irresponsible Captain Tylor has a crew member named Jason who wears a hockey mask and carries a chainsaw. The obscure 1987 OAV Lily C.A.T. is a shameless rip-off of Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic Alien. Excel Saga also parodies Alien(s). There are parodies of slashers stalking remote cabins in the woods in both Di-Gi-Charat and Miami Guns. And I’ve always believed that the opening shot in SoulTaker, of a freshly stabbed Kyosuke hanging upside down, is a direct homage to the opening of Dario Argento’s classic Italian horror film Susperia.

Have I missed any? Visit the AnimeNation Forum to add your examples.