When you think 'Asian horror' there are a few horrifying faces that immediately pop into your head, whether you like it or not. From long-haired revenants to demon babies, let’s recount some of our classic Asian horror villains.

With Sadako vs. Kayako showing in movie theatres, could we be looking at a new trend of 'versus' movies? After all, we’ve got plenty of iconic horror antagonists here in Asia. Perhaps a battle of the demon children could see Toshio (Ju-On) locked in unholy mortal combat with a Toyol (South East Asian child spirit). Or maybe a roaming troupe of Jiang Shi (Chinese vampire) could have a showdown with Mae Nak (female spirit from Thai folklore) while being delivered from South East Asia back to their ancestral homes (we call dibs on the movie rights to that). Unlikely possibilities can become reality — after all, Sadako vs. Kayako pretty much started off as an April Fool’s joke.

But before we try to pitch our own Asian horror royal rumble, it’s probably a good idea to take stock of our catalogue. So here’s a look back at the classic ghosts, demons and monsters that are the horrible pride of Asian horror movies.