Eko Eko Azarak: Wizard of Darkness (1995) User Reviews

Schools not out for the cursed, well just not yet.

[lost-in-limbo · 7/10 · 10 May 2007]

Misa Kuroi is the new mysterious girl at a Japanese High School, who knows about witchcraft and this, is what has drawn her to this place. Something evil is lurking and she's there to put an end to it. She gains respect from her fellow pupils when she confesses to being a witch, when she performs curse on a hated teacher and it works. However it all changes, when the teacher actually turns up in a very severe accident. She gets the blame, as gossip spreads that people close to her die. During an after school exam, Misa and twelve students get locked in for the night and their teacher has disappeared. When they try to escape, there seems to be some sort of force stopping them from leaving and trying to kill them off. There only chance rests on Misa, but trying to convince them to trust her is another matter.

We get a change of pace with this quirky, surrealistic, lurid and highly bold low-budget occult / supernatural / slasher J-horror film, which is inspired by Shinichi Koga's 70's Manga comics. Yes, there's no vengeful spirits here. The film basically exploits its risqué moments at every opportunity with candid lesbian acts (teacher and student relationship) that follow onto unpleasantly gruesome details in what you can call spicy camp.

Director Shimako Sato stylishly paints an edgy shocker with grisly set pieces worked into a claustrophobic atmosphere of dread, which hangs over the latter half of the film. The cheap feel to it all works to its advantage with its limited sets (basically all set in the school grounds), and the adept special effects and macabre make-up comes off extremely potent and well organised. While the majority of the pacing in the opening half slowly kicks off in first gear, it's not until just after the halfway mark where the tempo gets frenetic and the blood splatter hits the fans. Lurking within the haunting context is a cold and creepy tenor, which makes the inventive deaths incredibly blood curdling. The sweeping camera work that's dreamt up can capture some uncanny frames and lighting is kept rather under-lit to breath a really unsteady gloominess. In the background is a faintly effective and wistful music score. The story is nothing we haven't seen before, but it still comes off fresh and stable with its interesting idea, which silly overtones can feature and convoluted actions creep up. Nonetheless it keeps a disorientating and tense feeling on how things are going to turn out in the end.

There's not much of a background to the witch Misa in this story, as she's pretty much thrown right into this one and we got to accept it, even though this vagueness could frustrate. This would be the first of four chapters of this character. And the second entry (which is so-so and reminded of "The Terminator") would go onto be a prequel, which explained a lot about Misa's past and how she became to be a witch. The static script throws around plenty of witchcraft mumbo jumbo and lets the mystery unfold perfectly fine with few well-disguised red herrings and pawn-figures. The usual twists are also thrown in for good measure.

Performances range from brooding to flamboyant, but either way it always amused. Kimika Yoshino in the lead part brings a quiet determination in her strong performance as Misa. Naozumi Takahashi lives it up, in the part of the jealous, wannabe wizard student and Miho Kanno keeps it all innocent and soft as Misa's friend. A stellar Ryoka Yuzuki looks steamy, but strikes up a flinty barrier in her small part and Mio Takaki makes for a stoically steely turn as the teacher Shirai.

A dark, foreboding teen J-horror film in the area of black magic, which it's bumpy pacing can get just too causal. Well worth the peek for fans.

Enjoyable low budget Japanese splatter/occult movie

[Death_to_Pan_and_Scan · 5/10 · 27 August 2006]

I have never read the 70's manga by Shinichi Koga, so I cannot say how well the film follows its source.

I first saw this a decade ago on a Japanese grocery store rental tape without subtitles, but this first film had such a straightforward minimal plot that a full translation wasn't really necessary to follow the story. After seeing it subtitled, I feel the same way I felt back then: It's a decent low budget splatter film with witchcraft elements which seems to have spent the bulk of its budget in about 3 minutes of CG SFX scenes at the end of the film. Almost the entire film takes place in the school, but the limited setting doesn't hurt the film.

It's a pretty decent low budget film, but as the director stated is basically more of a relationship film with a horror backdrop than a typical horror film. I liked Kimika Yoshino in the lead role and thought she wasn't bad for a gravure model turned first time actress. Miho Kanno plays her new friend who shows her around school. You may recognize her from her role a few years later as the first Tomie. Prolific actress/voice actress Ryouka Yuzuki (aka Kanori Kadomatsu / Ayumi Nagashii) plays a schoolgirl who is having a lesbian affair with the teacher played by Mio Takaki (an actress from a few Ultraman films). The lesbian affair and its resulting nudity seems to be an idea of the producers to appeal to the exploitation audience and really doesn't add anything to the film.

STORY: Misa Kuroi is a witch who battle the forces of darkness and tries to protect the innocent, not that she has too good a track record for saving her friends, as she readily admits. Unfortunately for her, the trail of deaths left in her path makes some see her as an evil occult murderer, when in fact she just goes where the danger happens to be. She's somewhat of a victim of circumstance in this regard. She transfers in to a new school where five local murders have made a pentagram of blood and now an evil cult plans to kill off 13 more hapless victims to bring Lucifer into the world to obtain his powers. A group of students has to stay after school to retake a test and is trapped inside, trying to escape what seems to be a certain and rather messy death at the hands of an unknown enemy. The resident 'goth' kid has read some books about magic and decides Misa's knowledge makes her the number one suspect.

Sadly, the subtitlers at Tokyo Shock have an issue with consistency as they use at least 2 or 3 noticeably different spellings for the 3rd line of the Eko Eko Azarak chant. Luckily, the DVD is packed with extras.

Fine first outing of the series

[Vomitron_G · 6/10 · 20 January 2013]

I had seen this first 'Eko Eko Azarak' movie at a festival when it came out at the time. I remember being enthusiastic about it. I planned on re-visiting it together with the next 3 installments of this series. Only watched the first two so far. And re-watching this one, was a bit disappointing, sadly. I remembered it to be a bit better. Or maybe that first-time-viewing impact that many movies have, was simply gone now. There's a few moments were the story just doesn't seem to move on. But other than that, it's still a fun flick. High school kids trapped in the school building overnight. Satanic rituals going on. Someone out to inherit all evil powers of Lucifer. A good teenage witch out to stop her. Lots of magic. Possession. A handful of nice gore and very bloody killings. A couple of really hot lesbian scenes. And all-in-all it's not even some trashy Japanese exploit-effort, so the production values are pretty decent. A fun enough watch, worth seeking out.

A smart and sexy teen horror film

[AlxSmits · 3 February 1999]

Here's a sexy and bloody by-the-numbers supernatural teen horror film that somehow manages to be fresh and exciting. The tight and intelligent script is matched by high production values, interesting characters, slick special effects, and a haunting musical score. The direction is smart and generates a tense atmosphere of ever-increasing dread without dipping into cheap thrill exploitation. Highly recommended as a late night scare-fest - particularly if you enjoy watching girls dabble in the black arts.

Good rendition of Eko Eko Azarak

[ebiros2 · 7/10 · 15 February 2013]

Based on a long running comic series by Shinichi Koga, Eko Eko Azarak is a story about Misa Kuroi who's a high school student with ability to wield black magic. She chants various spells based on Basque language such as Eko, Eko, Azarak, Eko, Eko, Zomelak, Eko, Eko, Cernunnos, Eko, Eko, Aradia! etc.. The story has been made into movies several times. This was the first of the series. Kuroi Misa's name is a play on the words Kuroi -> Black, Misa -> (Latin) mass, and hints at the occult nature of her person.

Five gruesome murder happens in Tokyo. One day a girl named Misa Kuroi (Kimika Yoshino) shows up at the school that's exactly at the center of all the killing. The school turns out to be infested by demonic power, and students starts dying. Who is wielding the black magic ? The task falls on Misa to break the spell, and save the students.

Out of the series that was made between '95 - 97, I like this one the most. Misa's personality is most vivid in this movie as well. A very young Miho Kanno plays Misa's classmate. Mio Takagi plays the role of a teacher who's hiding many things about her personal life.

The story reflects Eko Eko Azarak 2 where Misa Kuroi is a high school student (in the first series, she was a Jr. High student). Her mood also reflects that of the second series, and she's a good character protecting her classmates.

A very good rendition of Eko Eko Azarak, and is recommended for viewing.

More creepy than terrifying...

[dave13-1 · 6/10 · 13 April 2012]

... but definitely watchable, this Japanese thriller tells the tale of young witch Misa, who goes to a girl's school to investigate creepy happenings and discovers that some of the students are dabbling in dark magic. Done in the style of an Italian giallo (yellow) thriller of the 70s, there are lots of shadowy frights and shots of nature disturbed by the doings of man - wind whipping through trees, that sort of thing. Since the movie was aimed at the teenage date market, the frights and gore are strictly PG-13, but the creepy atmosphere is well executed and draws the viewer into Misa's investigation. The pace is slow for most of the film's length, but the climax is flashy, frenetic and worth the wait. A big hit in Japan in its day and followed by an 'origin' prequel, Birth of a Wizard, that detailed Misa's first adventure.

Eko warrior.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 5 March 2021]

Unlike most Western horror films aimed at a teen demographic, this high-school horror from the land of the rising sun comes complete with gore (including that old Asian favourite, the arterial geyser) and even a fairly racy lesbian sex scene between a teacher and a female student: those naughty Japanese just can't help themselves. The blood-letting and sexiness certainly helps to make this otherwise unremarkable satanic movie a reasonably painless watch.

The plot sees thirteen classmates become trapped in their school for the night by a mysterious Satanist who intends to sacrifice the kids so that they can invoke Lucifer and gain demonic powers; new student and good witch Misa Kuroi (Kimika Yoshino) tries to help her friends escape with their lives, but doesn't do a very good job. That's pretty much all there is to it story wise, the fun being in the way that the victims die, the mystery surrounding the devil worshipper's identity, and all those girls in their sailor-style school uniforms.

To sum up: one drowning in a bathroom cubicle, five mangled bodies, one decapitation by a window, two lesbian sex scenes, several deaths by knife (including one suicide), one crucifixion, one death by fire axe, and the villain being sucked inside out by Lucifer (which sounds way cooler than it actually is).

5.5/10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

Trapped at school

[unbrokenmetal · 7/10 · 2 February 2007]

Misa Kuroi (Kimika Yoshino) comes to a new school and is challenged by kids dabbling in magic. Her skills in the dark art don't fail to impress the others, but a much more dangerous master seems to be around. Misa can't find out who it is. Soon after, a lot of the kids are trapped at school. All doors are locked, and then mysterious killings begin... Unfortunately, the first movie of the series contains a few blunt scenes of lesbian sex and molestation that should better be left to the tentacle monster flicks. The 3 sequels have hardly anything of this way of exploitation. Apart from that one little complaint, we have an effective teen horror movie here, cheaply shot in the narrow spaces of a few corridors and classrooms, but with vicious shocks and the bizarre surrealism of a nightmare. Voted 7/8/5/6 for part 1-4.

r u kidding me?

[A_Different_Drummer · 2/10 · 15 January 2014]

A comment on a chat board suggested that this series (film and TV) was not merely as good as Buffy, but actually "better." I have noted in other reviews that Whedon and Buffy literally changed the face of television (in terms of expectations of plot, casting, action etc) so to state the case mildly I was intrigued and ordered this DVD. Verdict? Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. This is the second time I have tracked down a hard to find DVD based on a single comment (the last one was Kiltro, also reviewed on IMDb, a rare South American martial arts film that was supposed to be riveting but instead deserved to be riveted) and the second time I have ended up astonished at what some individuals will consider to be quality. Let's be clear - I love both Japanese films and TV. I did a review of Lone Wolf and Cub here, after watching it beginning to end, a multi-year series and still consider it one of the best works of its kind. This is not even in the same league. It fails on all counts. The young actress playing Misa has an interesting face, but that novelty wears off in the time it takes to cook an egg. The special effects are considerably beneath what was available in the 90s when this was produced, suggesting budget issues. The script is horrendous, even when you take into account that it takes place in a high school and is spoken by high schoolers. The supernatural elements appear to be stolen from Hammer Studios in the 60s and border on silly. The direction is lugubrious. In all, completely forgettable, and should have been forgotten, if not for misguided fanboys in chat groups prattling on about things they simply do not understand.

Misa is not all that great a wizard.

[Aaron1375 · 6/10 · 27 March 2011]

This film had to have some sort of source material as the movie seemed to need some back story or something. You are introduced to Misa and it just seems you should already know who she is or something. Well I shall tell you what she is, she is a witch that uses her powers for good, but is not really all that effective in this movie. Which is a huge problem, the movie plays like a sequel, like you should have already been introduced to this character and that you should have seen her in action because in this particular film she is hugely ineffective. This Misa girl is a new student at a school, she is there to try and prevent these awful things that are about to happen. Strange things are going on as a strange ceremony is about to take place and gruesome murders are about to take place. The movie has a good deal of witchcraft and they try to throw a few surprises at you along the way. Granted I thought that it was relatively simple to figure them out, but I could not see the ending coming. Who could? It made no sense, one minute you see the hero dispatched the next she is back saying "I told you it would not work." No explanation on why things did not work or anything. Then the movie ends. It has its moments and for the most part I enjoyed it, I liked the kills and I liked that the one guy I thought they were going to make the jerk turned out to be okay. There is a bit of sexual scenes in the movie, but nothing that really lasts all that long, just adds a hint of spice. The main problem with this film though is the fact it just seems to be a sequel, that we should have been introduced to this character and seen her in all her glory. She is made out to be so powerful, but she does not really do a whole lot in the entire movie other than be held captive like all the other students. It was an okay movie, but I do hope the other two parts are a bit better at presenting themselves.

Worth having a look at....

[lilac_point_burmese · 4/10 · 8 October 2004]

This was on the other night on SBS really late (for those not in Australia this is the foreign channel). Being a big fan of Japanese horror films I waited up to watch it. Its really not bad! The film opens with a particularly gruesome death scene - which got my attention straight away - and it is suggested it was caused by these people using voodoo dolls. We are then introduced to a high school and a new girl at the school. Lots of strange things happen at this school, perverted teachers, mysterious deaths, suicides and the like. It seems that the new girl is in fact a witch and is investigating all the evil occurrences until one night when 13 students are locked in the school and they have to escape or die trying from those trying to summon the devil. Nothing is really explained, some character depth , but very little. Being Japanese Horror there is of course a fair level of unnecessary sexual scenes (girl on girl). Being female I found this quite amusing, but if you don't approve of completely unnecessary sex scenes I'd give it a miss. So all in all good horror, no plot connecting, sex and violence - ingredients of a good B grade horror and all the better because it is Japanese B grade horror, which is always much classier than our B Grade horror! 4/10 Don't rush out and buy it but if you come across it it is worth a peek.

High school girls and horror

[AwesomeWolf · 8/10 · 4 January 2005]

Version: Japanese, with English subtitles (by SBS)

With my knowledge of Japanese horror movies limited to the 'Ringu' and Takashi Miike's 'Audition', I caught this on SBS one night. I really liked 'Audition', but I found the Ring movies to be rather boring, so I watched this few expectations. When it was over, I was pretty impressed.

Misa Kuroi (Kimika Yoshino) is a witch, her secret means she gets transferred from school to school. Rumours constantly follow her - they say that people in her presence are prone to dying. Naturally, dark forces at work at her new school, and one night, Misa and twelve other students (that makes 13, get it?) are locked in the school. They will all die unless Misa can protect them.

Story wise, it isn't very original, but its still rather interesting. Horror wise, it is pretty good. Dealing with the occult and supernatural, 'Wizard of Darkness' is stylish and gory. Nice special effects, and what surprised me was the fact that there were good actors in what is essentially gory teen-horror.

It gets a bit Japanese at times, and if you've seen a few Japanese horror or action movies, you'll know what I'm talking about, e.g. unusual situations involving lesbians. If you don't like these movies, then maybe its best to avoid 'Wizard of Darkness, as it features unusual situations involving lesbians, among other things.

8/10 - Check it out if you like Japanese horror, or horror in general.

Seen worse but it isn't all that great

[karrybelle · 4/10 · 11 March 2013]

I can't say it was a movie worth watching but I can't say it is totally bad either. There are much worse out there. There were just a few things that bothered me in the movie other than it's bad acting and all the other stuff that goes along with bad low budget movies. Now also keep in mind I have never read the manga, saw the anime or TV show or any other thing related to the Eko Eko Azarak series. I just saw it on a list of recommendations someone put up on a list of little known Asian Horror that should be seen.

Misa has a locket that she is shown talking to with hair in it but there is never any explanation of what it's meaning is to her and who that hair had belonged too. You can tell it is obviously important to her because for one thing, she is shown talking to it when she is upset after the very much obviously jealous Mizuno accuses her of being a murderer. She also gives it to Shindou for protection later on. Since its obviously an important object it would have been a better story if it gave more explanations and so you can get a better understanding of the character.

Little development/explanation/character back ground given in the movie also was a big down side in the movie. You don't really get to grow any empathy for the Misa because all you really get to know is she never can save the people she cares about and so then she feels the guilt of so many people dying around her and that she sucks at being a witch according to her. It would have been more effective if there was a deeper explanation of that and flashbacks of her attempts at trying to save the people she cared about only to lose them. When Mizuno is trying to get everyone to hate her by saying people keep dying around her and what not, I didn't end up feeling sorry for her I just feel more disgusted that no one just told him to shut-the-heck up because it is obvious the only reason why you are trying to turn people against her is because she can actually do what you attempt to do and do so very poorly. It makes you hate him but not feel sorry for Misa because you don't know any details about it!

I also have a problem with the protective circle Mizuno made. I know that you can make it with anything but given that he doesn't have any kind of power he likes to believe he has it would have been smarter if he used salt. YES, I know that he is a pompous idiot who believed he had power and NO, I don't see how finding salt in a school would be weird given that it is a school so should have a kitchen, but really if I am terrified for my life and I studied the occult I would have used every measure I could to keep myself protected. Salt should have power even if you don't.

While I don't have as much problem with the charm Misa gave Mizuki for protection I would have liked to know the "how so" and the more on the "how it did what it did" at the end of the movie. I would explain more of what I mean of "how it did what it did" but that would be spoiling the movie and I am not spoiling the ending of the movie. There was more about then ending I would have liked further explained of why Misa said what was trying to be done couldn't be done but again I won't explain further because it would spoil the end.

I guess you can say my biggest grip with the movie is that there is too little explanations for just about all the important things in the movie. Oh and of course the stupid pervert teacher Numata. He can openly grope the girls and stick his hands up their skirt but Miss Shirai and Tanaka hide their relationship? Eh? Yeah, they do more than just touch but still... There is a ton load more of lesbian relationships in Asian horror than any American horror I don't see why Shirai and Tanaka was more "in the closet" than the perverted Numata.

There is however, one thing about the movie that I was very happy they did. In most (not all) horror movies that I have seen that has magic/witches in it, it is always show as something bad and evil. This movie did say that the pentagram can be used for both good or bad depending on it's use(drawn). Can't think of any movie off the top of my head that had magic/witches in it that pointed out in the beginning that there is a good side.

Would I recommend this movie? Probably not but I don't feel like I wasted an hour and a half of my time watching it.

Casts its spell on me

[movieman_kev · 8/10 · 7 February 2004]

Based on the Shinichi Kogo comic. Mika (Kimika Yoshino) is a new student who hopes to protect 12 other students from being killed by a Satanic cult. At first glance the film would seem to be your basic supernatural hack & slash. To an extant I feel that it is, but the film plays with such style it's rather hard to fault it for lacking originality. Violence, blood, gore, a touch of nudity, a pretty good (if unoriginal) story, what more could a horror fan want? Oh and Ryoka Yuzuki, who plays Kuzumi has a pretty damn nice body

My Horror Grade: B+

DVD Extras: Making of; Interviews with the director, Shimako Sato, and star, Kimika Yoshino; Film Premeire footage (a meager 10 seconds!); Theatrical trailer; Trailers for "Eko Eko Azurak 3: Mika the Dark Angel", "Kunoichi Lady Ninja", "Pyrokinesis" and "Versus"

Reason I started learning Japanese!

[ayumi_rocks333 · 10/10 · 23 August 2006]

I saw this movie on SBS (Australia) two years ago and have scanned the TV guide for it to come on again every week since! I loved it! This movie is the reason that I first became interested in learning Japanese language and about the culture (and I'm still doing it with the intention of becoming a teacher in Japan).

I found the end to be, like a lot of movies that build you up, quite disappointing, but the attractiveness of the actors and the relative originality of the plot more than made up for it. Yoshino Kimika's character Misa is captivating - you can *see* she's no normal Japanese high school girl. Yoshino's doubtful earlier movie career must have brightened considerably on the release of this movie.

However, Yoshino is not the only star in this production. Miho Kanno plays the submissive sacrificial lamb of the school, and with her plaintive face and doe eyes, you just can't help but go 'Awww' whenever she appears on the screen. The others, and unfortunately I can't remember all of their name, are equally as satisfying.

For those of you who can't or won't understand Japanese culture, this movie may confuse you and frustrate you. However, those more open-minded of you who are willing to look past the cover, please see this movie!! I can't guarantee you won't be disappointed, but after all, beauty is in the eye of the movie critic.

10 out of 10 for some great work by all involved.

Bloody Good Ripping Yarn!

[duntrune · 7 March 2004]

Outstanding!!!! Smart, well crafted flick with a couple of twists I MOST CERTAINLY didn't see coming! Usually horror flicks are pretty damn predictable, but this was not! Instead of a bad dub job, we get subtitles, which I much prefer, except when it distracts me from the mondo Japanese cuties on the screen! Our star is some kind of gorgeous, and the other girls aren't too difficult to look at, either. The plot is nothing overly original or spectacular, but it's done well, you're in suspense all the way, there's red herrings aplenty, and the aforementioned twists hit hard, and you're saying "I'd have NEVER thought that would happen". The FX are so-so, but they don't distract at all, you're too into what's going on to worry about it. I know there's two sequels, and I'm going to be looking for them!!!!! 8/10 Excellent!!!!!

Better than Ringu.

[BigHardcoreRed · 14 July 2004]

Of the only two Japanese horror films I've seen, Eko Eko Azaraku (Wizard of Darkness) and Ringu, I enjoyed Wizard of Darkness far more. I didn't find myself watching the clock as I did with Ringu and it seemed to be just the right length for this type of movie.

Kimika Yoshino did a fine job in the leading role and is a fine actress. She grew on me more as I got further into the movie. Ryôka Yuzuki was another actress I enjoyed watching, as she was probably the best looking female in the movie. She didn't have a very big part but the part she had was fine with me.

Overall, no one stood out as a bad actor or actress, which is rare, but it was in Japanese so what do I know? I looked all right from my perspective.

And finally, the plot wasn't too terribly original, but the movie did have it's own unique feel to it. I really couldn't find much wrong with the movie as a whole. I gave it an 8 of 10.

Better than "Harry Potter":

[lazarillo · 30 June 2008]

A young student and aspiring wizard comes to a new school where she makes friends with some difficulty. Before long, however, she finds herself having to protect her new friends and herself against the powerful forces of darkness that are conspiring against them. This synopsis may sound like a "Harry Potter" movie, but this movie has something that over-hyped mega-budgeted Hollywood franchise sorely lacks--hot girl-on-girl action!

Actually, this movie has plenty of exploitative elements, but they veer more toward the violent than the sexy--i.e. a topless satanic crucifixion, a toilet stall drowning (don't ask), a pretty realistic decapitation. Fortunately for gore-minded viewers, Misa, the lead character, proves singularly incompetent in protecting her friends from the forces of evil. The females are generally on the receiving end of most of the extreme violence, but they are also the strongest characters with most of the males reduced to cowering peripheral figures. The movie is also a happy medium between the more child-oriented "Haunted School" type Japanese horror films (which adults may find pretty boring) and the more sexploitative fare like "Kekko Kammen" (which tend to substitute believable adolescent characters with talentless strippers and porn starlets spilling out of schoolgirl outfits). This has fairly credible and likable characters despite the strong exploitation elements. It compares pretty favorably to films like "Battle Royale".

It is set in one of those strange Japanese schools where the one male teacher brazenly feels up his female students and the lesbian principal does a whole lot more than that. (Movies like this don't exactly instill one with confidence about the Japanese educational system). I'm not going to claim that this movie is objectively of the same caliber as a "Harry Potter" movie, but I sure enjoyed it more.