10 Awesome Asian Zombie Horror Movies – Ranked

Welcome to Ranking Horror. Yesterday we took a look at 10 Zombie Horror Comedies that you might have Missed. Today, we are heading East to check out 10 Awesome Asian Zombie Horror Movies.

If you took a cursory glance at the last few zombie related lists on Ranking Horror, you would quickly realise one thing. A lot of the titles come from Asia. Yep, the Asian horror juggernauts of Japan and South Korea have as much of a fascination with Zombies as we do in the West. In fact, if you ask people to name a recent great zombie horror movie, a lot of people would immediately jump to South Korea’s Train to Busan.

With that in mind, today we are taking a look at 10 Awesome Asian Zombie Horror Movies that aren’t Train to Busan. Everyone already knows that movie, it was a huge hit, so let’s talk about something different. I always try to bring you a few movies that you may have missed on Ranking Horror and this list is no exception. I also won’t be talking about #Alive as that was a pretty big Netflix horror that got a lot of attention. Without further ado, let’s take a look.

10. Operation Undead (2024) – War is Hell (and Hungry)

Why it Ranked: We will kick things off with what is probably the least awesome movie on this list. With that being said, it does feature zombie soldiers and that has proven to be a winning formula in the past. Just look at Norway’s Dead Snow. Director Khom Kongkiat Khomsiri tries to do something new with the whole zombie thing by giving the characters both memories and the ability to speak. It doesn’t always land but Operation Undead is still an interesting take on the genre.

Synopsis: Operation Undead is set during World War 2 and sees a group of Thai soldiers defending their land against an invading Japanese force who have brought with them a sinister biological weapon.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy)

9. Schoolgirl Apocalypse (2011) – Anime Girls vs The Undead

Why it Ranked: Schoolgirl Apocalypse is probably the least known movie on this entire list. It’s also not one of the best but it still deserves a mention. Despite being a very low budget production, Schoolgirl Apocalypse benefits from some decent visuals and a strong lead performance by Rino Higa. It’s hard to describe this movie as a traditional zombie flick as it goes in some unexpected directions. With that being said, it may not appeal to traditional zombie horror fans who will find it quite atypical and perhaps a bit slow. Still worth checking out for something different, though.

Synopsis: Coming by way of Japan, the story follows high school girl Sakura as she makes her way through the town, attempting to get to the bottom of what has caused all the men to go crazy and start attacking the women.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

8. Peninsula (2020) – Fury Road with Zombies

Why it Ranked: I said no Train to Busan in this list but I didn’t say there would be no movies with connections to Train To Busan. Peninsula, from South Korea, takes place in the same world as the aforementioned zombie horror hit. A lot of people expected a whole bunch from Peninsula, especially with it being part of the Train to Busan series. As it stands, it has very little in common with its predecessor, telling its own story that pushes the zombies to one side just a little to focus on more heist related action. It’s still a decent watch.

Synopsis: It’s four years later and an ex-soldier is tasked with forming a team and recovering a truck full of money from the zombie infested South Korean wasteland.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

7. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (2023) – YOLO Apocalypse

Why it Ranked: Director Yûsuke Ishida brings us an Asian zombie horror with a difference in this entry. Based on the manga series of the same name. Zom 100 feels like a movie that would have been brilliant if it was made 10 years before. As it stands, it is far more of a teen aimed comedy drama than anything. It’s still a fairly fun, over the top, ridiculous display of Japanese zaniness in parts, though. I think many fans were disappointed at the lack of action and the slow, ambling zombies but that’s really not the point of this movie. Zom 100 is similar to other lacklustre manga based movies like Re/Member in just trying to capture that very specific young crowd.

Synopsis: Zom 100 follows the story of tired and uninspired wage slave Akira. Bullied at work and spending most of his waking hours grinding for pay, Akira’s life is turned around after a zombie apocalypse hits, finally allowing him to set about ticking off all of the activities on his bucket list before he succumbs to the infection too.

Where to Watch: Netflix

6. Block Z (2020) – Campus Lockdown

Why it Ranked: Directed by Mikhail Red. Block Z is pretty standard fare as far as Zombie horror movies go. A group of survivors working together to overcome tremendous odds. Still, it features a likable cast and some great action scenes so is definitely worth a look. This movie did tremendously well on PPV in the Philippines, speaking to the country’s love of all things horror. It never quite made an impact in the West which is a shame as it is perfectly serviceable horror for anyone who loves zombies.

Synopsis: Block Z sees a group of international students at a university being forced to push aside their differences and team up to overcome a zombie outbreak after a patient at the facility comes back to life, biting a student and infecting numerous people on the campus.

Where to Watch: Netflix

5. The Sadness (2021) – Taiwan’s Ultra-Violent Nightmare

Why it Ranked: Zombie movies seem like prime fodder for some good, old fashioned, ultra violent splatter horror but you really don’t see too many emerge. Well, Taiwan is here to take that mantle with 2021’s The Sadness. Directed by Rob Jabbaz; as far as Asian zombie horror movies go, The Sadness is probably the goriest and most violent. In fact, it is violent to an almost ridiculous degree, depicting numerous acts that are simply meant to shock the viewer. Anyone who likes their horror movies to be particularly nasty is sure to love this one.

Synopsis: The story follows a couple attempting to reunite amidst a viral outbreak that has turned the city’s residents into murderous zombies.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

4. Rampant (2018) – Kingdom of the Dead

Why it Ranked: We are off to South Korea for this entry with 2018’s Rampant. Rampant unfortunately released at the same time as the very similar television series Kingdom, meaning it flew under people’s radars a little. It’s a ton of fun, however. The sword play, archery, and horse combat add a new, exciting element to the typically modern zombie horror movie format. As with a lot of South Korean horror, this is a long movie so you have to stick with it to get to the good parts.

Synopsis: Set during the 1600s, the story follows a prince who is kidnapped and taken to the Qing Dynasty. Only to find himself having to grab a sword and fight for his survival after the place where he is being held captive is attacked by zombie like humans.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+, Tubi

3. I Am a Hero (2015) – From Zero to Hero

Why it Ranked: We are going back to Japan, next, with 2015’s I Am a Hero. Some of you may recognise this title as a Kengo Hanazawa manga from 2009. Shinsuke Satô brings the comic to life in this absolutely fantastic horror comedy. I Am a Hero is everything you might expect from a Japanese zombie horror comedy. It is hilarious, violent, action packed, and utterly insane. One of the things that makes this movie interesting is how our protagonist is right at ground level experiencing the chaos as it happens, meaning he gets up close and personal with zombie after zombie in his attempts to get to safety. It’s a ton of fun.

Synopsis: The story follows a manga artist whose life is turned upside down when the local population begin to experience an apocalyptic infection. He soon finds himself teaming up with a high school girl and forced into the role of an unlikely hero after being forced to fight off a city full of marauding zombies.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy)

2. One Cut of the Dead (2017) – The Ultimate Zombie Meta-Movie

Why it Ranked: I have talked about Japan’s One Cut of the Dead (Kamera o tomeru na!) so many times on this website and we have only been adding lists for a couple of months. I just love it so much! The first thing I should say about One Cut of the Dead is that you should avoid the trailer and stick with it while it gets going. As far as Asian zombie horror goes, this movie might be the most unique of the bunch. Hilarious, touching, compelling throughout, and just a damn good time. One Cut of the Dead feels like the shot in the arm the tired zombie horror genre has needed for so long.

Synopsis: The story follows a group of low budget horror movie makers as they head to an abandoned WW2 facility to shoot a zombie horror movie. Things begin to go horribly wrong when the filmmakers are attacked by actual zombies.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

1. The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale (2019) – A Cure for the Undead?

Why it Ranked: We have another great Asian zombie horror movie from South Korea next with Zombie For Sale. This movie is also known as The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale and, of course, its Korean title Gimyohan gajok. Directed by Lee Min-jae. Zombie For Sale is a horror comedy that is simply tons of fun. There are a bunch of laughs to be had here and a surprisingly compelling plot. It’s quite long and it starts off pretty slowly so you have to stick with it. Things really ramp up in the second half, however, and the charming Park family make the movie all the more enjoyable.

Synopsis: It follows a family who take in a young man who has been the victim of human experimentation and is transforming into a zombie. Only for the family’s father to be bitten by the man, revealing that he has special rejuvenating powers but at what cost?

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Shudder

More Asian Scares Await

That wraps up our list of 10 awesome Asian zombie horror movies. From the splatter-filled streets of Taiwan to the historical battlefields of South Korea, Asian cinema continues to breathe new life (and death) into the zombie genre. Hopefully, you’ve found a few new titles to add to your watchlist that go beyond the usual suspects.

We are constantly exploring new horrors from around the globe, so be sure to check back for more lists. If you enjoyed this dive into Asian horror, why not take a look at some more of our Asian horror rankings? I’ll be back soon with more lists. Stay spooky.

🌏 Quick Picks: Asian Zombie Essentials

• 🏆 The Must-Watch: One Cut of the Dead (2017)
• 🤣 The Comedy Choice: The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale (2019)
• 🩸 The Extreme Horror: The Sadness (2021)
• 🏰 The Period Piece: Rampant (2018)
• 💥 The Action Flick: I Am a Hero (2015)