Universal Studios Japan, marking the 25th anniversary of its opening, held a press preview on September 9 (Wednesday) for its autumn seasonal event, Universal Extreme Autumn – Discover U!!!, running from September 10 (Thursday) to November 8 (Sunday), 2026. The preview gave media a first look at Halloween Horror Nights, now in its 15th year and opening September 11 (Friday), including an all-new Street Zombies story with the largest zombie horde the event has ever featured and the park's first R-18-rated, waiver-required horror attraction, Afterimage.
Street Zombies Debuts With an All-New Story
Around 7:00 PM, Street Zombies made its first appearance of the year with a brand-new story, unfolding in Gramercy Park as it fell under an eerie darkness.
When a breaking-news alert reading "Zombies have invaded the park" appeared on the Gramercy Park screen, a wave of newly introduced high-school zombies poured into the park one after another, closing in on fleeing guests and crew and turning the park into a scene unimaginable by day. Watching the swarm of zombies overrun every corner, invited guests experienced the inescapable fear that they themselves might be next to turn — marking the opening of Halloween Horror Nights' 15th-anniversary chapter.
First Look at Afterimage, the Park's First R-18 Attraction
Afterimage, the new attraction introduced for Halloween Horror Nights' 15th anniversary, also had its preview at the September 9 event. The attraction — the park's first to carry an R-18 rating and require a signed waiver — pursues psychological fear born from extreme situations. Guests are led into a facility studying nightmares, placed in an inescapable state of isolation and confinement, and gradually worn down by fear with no end in sight. In a disorienting space where the line between hallucination and reality blurs, guests confront a mental horror like a nightmare they can't wake from.
*A dedicated paid ticket is required to experience Afterimage.
Guest reactions to Afterimage:
"I knew I'd be alone, but the moment I stepped into the private room, I was so scared I thought, 'This is it…' There was no escaping the dark room, and the fear closed in from just inches away — the atmosphere and sense of immersion were unlike anything I've felt before." (Group of women, Aichi Prefecture)
"It was so scary! Everything about it was a first for me. I was tense from the very start and worried I wouldn't make it to the end, but I got through the fear and made it — I'm proud of myself. The fact that it looked like an ordinary lab space made it even scarier, somehow, and it really fired up my imagination." (Man, Tokyo)
"The fear that slowly builds without knowing what's coming or how long it will last was a completely new sensation. Once I was alone in the private room, I was so anxious I found myself squeezing my eyes shut. Everything felt so close in that small room, with different kinds of fear packed together — it was incredibly immersive. It was scary, but I'd want to experience it again!" (Woman, Osaka Prefecture)
Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive Opens With a 30th-Anniversary Collaboration
Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive, a horror attraction collaborating with the latest installment of the globally popular survival horror franchise Resident Evil, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, also opens September 11 (Friday). The attraction recreates the abandoned hotel and sanatorium scenes from Resident Evil Requiem in striking detail, with creatures attacking from every direction to recreate the game's unpredictable terror.
*Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive runs from September 11 (Friday) to December 27 (Sunday), 2026.
Guest reactions to Resident Evil Requiem: The Dive:
"I was surrounded by so many zombies, chased from behind, and things jumped out at me from the side — I was so scared I didn't know what to do. It felt like stepping straight into the world of the Resident Evil Requiem game. It was scary, but so much fun!" (Mixed group, Kyoto Prefecture)
"The creatures, the zombies, the hotel's design, even the way the doors opened — every detail matched the game exactly. I kept thinking, 'That's the scene from Resident Evil Requiem!' and 'That's that creature!' while genuinely terrified. When I ran into a Licker, I knew I had to stay quiet just like in the game, but I ended up screaming from fear. It was so cool when Leon came to help!" (Woman, Nara Prefecture)
"It was amazing! I've played Resident Evil Requiem myself, and seeing the game's world right in front of me — the same things happening as in the game — I found myself tearing up with joy even while scared. Wandering into a city overrun by zombie infection felt like a return to the series' roots." (Man, Osaka Prefecture)
Zombie de Dance and the New Halloween Horror Nights Academy Show
The special show Halloween Horror Nights Academy – 15 Years of Screams, condensing 15 years of fear and madness into one performance, was also revealed to invited guests at the preview for the first time. As legendary characters from Halloween Horror Nights' history took the stage one after another, along with the fan-favorite Hamikuma, the crowd's energy built to a peak. When past Zombie de Dance favorites played — Sandaime J Soul Brothers' "Rat-tat-tat," Ado's "Show," and King Gnu's "SO BAD" — guests sang along and danced, taking in 15 years of Halloween Horror Nights' history and excitement.
Also Previewed at the Press Event
The press preview also included: Jaws – Red Alert, given a new staging power-up to mark the park's 25th anniversary; The Curse of Sadako – Dark Horror Ride, the screamer ride returning for the first time since 2023; Factory of Fear – Zombie Tour of Despair, the zombie-manufacturing factory; KATE Presents: The Witch of No. 18 – A Mansion Where Emotions Play Wild, the sensory attraction born from a collaboration with global makeup brand KATE that generated major buzz last year; Chainsaw Man: The Chaos 4-D, a collaboration with the hit anime Chainsaw Man; Chainsaw Man x Hollywood Dream – The Ride: IRIS OUT, which adds Kenshi Yonezu's "IRIS OUT," the theme song of the film Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, to the ride's soundtrack; and Zombie de Dance x Hollywood Dream – The Ride, which brings back past Zombie de Dance hits on the thrill ride.
