The ghost in The Terror: Infamy may not be the scariest part of the show - Watch a new clip

AMC's anthology series The Terror returns for its second season in August with a new story that puts a supernatural twist on a historical event that has particular resonance today. The drama's subtitle this season is Infamy, and the story takes place against the backdrop of internment camps where Japanese-Americans were imprisoned during World War II.

In a new featurette released ahead of the show's panel at Comic-Con, the showrunner and cast preview the paranormal twist on an already frightening setting. A series of mysterious deaths in the Japanese-American community are tied to a malevolent spirit that is based on the Japanese ghost-themed folklore known as Kaidan.

Similar to how The Walking Dead's zombies aren't always the biggest threats, Infamy's menacing spirit may not be the worst thing facing the central cast, who are persecuted by the government over racist paranoia. "The ghosts, of course they are scary, but what human beings do to each other is a lot more scary," says cast member Shingo Usami, who plays one of the prisoners.

"We're telling a piece of history that has been underrepresented, but we're telling it in a very unusual way," says executive producer Alexander Woo. "Fans of Japanese horror movies, especially those of the last 20 years, the ones that rely more on psychological creepiness, are going to find a lot that they're familiar with."

The cast also includes Star Trek veteran George Takei, who spent several years as a child in one of these internment camps. "It's a very timeless series," he recently told SYFY WIRE. "It riffs on the horror stories that we tell, but it's also a chapter of authentic American history, fused with the ancient ghost stories of Japan, Kaidan, and carrying a lesson for us today — because it's being repeated time and time again."

The Terror: Infamy premieres Aug. 12 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 CT on AMC.