While we’ve been using Disney+ to revisit beloved childhood classics, Japanese subscribers have been using it to watch a folk horror series about eating kids. “Gannibal” debuted on Disney+ internationally back in 2022, and hit Hulu in the United States at the same time. The Japanese folk horror series is based on Masaaki Ninomiya’s manga of the same name and, as <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/gannibal-series-eating-children-disney-japan-1236190053/" rel="nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>The Hollywood Reporter notes, has become the biggest live-action hit for Disney+ in Japan. Thankfully, U.S. audiences can still catch up with both seasons of the series right now on Hulu.
If you’re in the mood for a discrete dose of folk horror, Hulu recently added Adam Scott’s terrifying horror “Hokum.” But if you’d like to extend your trauma over, say two seasons of sheer terror, then “Gannibal” is for you. The show stars Yuya Yagira as a police officer who leaves the city to start over in a remote village. Here, he quickly discovers things aren’t quite as idyllic as they seem.
“Gannibal” premiered in December 2022 but has failed to make much of an impact outside of Japan, despite arguably being one of the best horror series of the 2020s. Thus far, two seasons of “Gannibal” have been released, and had they hit Netflix in the United States, the show may well have become a big hit stateside. As it stands, this is one of Japan’s best kept secrets and it’s waiting to be discovered on Hulu.
Gannibal is a worthy adaptation of the original manga
Masaaki Ninomiya’s “Gannibal” manga was originally serialized across thirteen volumes from October 2018 to November 2021. In October of that year, it was announced that “Gannibal” would be adapted as a TV series, with Shinzo Katayama directing from teleplays by Takamasa Oe.Thankfully, it turned out to be a worthy adaptation.
One of the best foreign horror shows streaming right now, “Gannibal” shares much in common with the South Korean horror movie with a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score “The Wailing.” Both are set in remote villages and follow a police officer who becomes increasingly menaced by some terrifying ancient evil. But “Gannibal” departs from the movie with its tale of a cannibal conspiracy.
Yuya Yagira plays police officer Daigo Agawa, who after an unfortunate ordeal in Tokyo moves to the small mountain village of Kuge with his wife Yuki Agawa (Riho Yoshioka) and daughter Mashiro Agawa (Kokone Shimizu). At first, this secluded hamlet seems like the ideal refuge from the city and Agawa’s fraught past. But things get off to an eerie start as Kuge’s previous police officer has mysteriously vanished.
As Agawa and his family become more acquainted with the village and its people they discover the Goto family essentially run the town, and they don’t seem like the most charming bunch. Meanwhile, a woman’s body is found on the mountain, and while the Gotos claim she was killed by a bear, Agawa notices a human bite mark. Soon, his family’s escape starts to turn into a nightmare. As such, this is not a horror TV show you can watch with the whole family. But it definitely deserves your attention regardless.
Gannibal is the Japanese mega-hit you need to see
While you may never have heard of “Gannibal,” the series has become a sensation in its native Japan. In April 2025, The Hollywood Reporter reported that “Gannibal” had become the most-viewed title in the country on Disney+ since its second season debuted in March of that year. The show also set new records for the streamer, solidifying its status as a bonafide mega-hit in Japan. In the United States, however, “Gannibal” mostly flew under the radar.
There are no “top critic” reviews for the series on Rotten Tomatoes, and it hasn’t shown up on any “best horror series” lists since its 2022 debut. But it has managed to generate a small amount of buzz among non-Japanese viewers. One Redditor described the series as “grim folk horror” and was evidently left “completely wrecked” by it. Elsewhere on Reddit, another user described the series as “like ‘Midsommar’ meets ‘Resident Evil 7′” and praised the “amazing actors, great cinematography, chilling and memorable soundtrack, and an absurdly dark story.”
Letterboxd users are similarly impressed. “I just love it,” writes one, who goes on to commend the series for its “sharp plot,” “creepy characters,” and “unsettling vibes,” as well as the “splendid cinematography.” Another also highlighted how the show is “beautifully shot and incredibly well-acted.” Unfortunately, it seems unlikely there will be more to come. “Gannibal” Season 2 was released on March 19, 2025 and that wrapped up the story told in Masaaki Ninomiya’s manga. Thankfully, if you are able to binge your way through both seasons of the series, there are plenty of great folk horror movies to tide you over.
