Oxen Split Torturing
徳川女刑罰絵巻 牛裂きの刑
Two short stories set in Edo during the Shogun era. The first, during a time when Christians are persecuted vehemently, Iori falls in love with a young Christian girl. When she and her family are captured during a raid, his sadistic master takes her as his personal slave to torment Iori. The second follows Sutezo who, forced to serve the barbarous master of a brothel in order to repay his debts, befriends a young girl. Together, they both escape and struggle to get by on scams and petty theft.
Why it matters
A grim dive into Edo-period cruelty where human suffering is a merciless backdrop for forbidden love and survival.
- Unflinching depiction of Christian persecution and feudal brutality rarely seen in samurai-era horror.
- Two haunting tales that blend psychological torment with historical oppression, emphasizing atmosphere over spectacle.
- For fans of period horror willing to confront the genre’s darkest, most oppressive moods rather than traditional ghost stories.
- Stark, minimalist direction amplifies the rawness, making each act of cruelty feel viscerally immediate and inevitable.
Director
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
57
Slow Burn
50
Psychological
14
Supernatural
0
Creature
0
Disturbing
83
Fun Factor
0
Cerebral
71
Survival
0
