Eko Eko Azarak (manga)

Eko Eko Azarak (エコエコアザラク) is a Japanese manga by Shinichi Koga. This is also known as the Wizard of Darkness. The manga serves as the basis of live-action TV-series and live-action movies.

Plot summary
Eko Eko Azarak is set in an anonymous Japanese city. A mysterious cabal of red-garbed black-magicians have apparently been cursing the local inhabitants. The film opens with a woman, inexplicably running in terror from an unseen pursuer. Elsewhere, in a secretive corridor draped in satanic iconography, the spooky cabal chants about a voodoo doll-like fetish. When the cabal leader thrusts a knife into the head of the doll, a large metal beam falls from high atop a nearby construction site and beheads the woman.

Later, it appears first victim was the last to die in a series of such curses, the object of which was to provide the five points of a giant pentagram, with each victim murdered at a particular point. The purpose of the pentagram? Some are meant to protect, and others to “invoke.” As one might expect, this one is meant to summon Lucifer himself and the high school is the nexus.

The story follows transfer student Misa Kuroi, a forthright and bold girl who is actually a witch of considerable powers. She has been “transferred” from one school to the next, presumably fighting black-magicians on earlier adventures at each respective location. She makes no attempt throughout the film to conceal the fact that she is a witch. Though rather tacit throughout the film, Kuroi is at least familiar with all the occult proceedings happening in the city, and demonstrates on many occasions that she is at this particular school for the very purpose of fighting the satanic conspiracy. To make matters worse, Misa has some difficulty getting the curse-fodder classmates to trust her. Only one student truly mistrusts her, the insecure Misuno, who hunches, poses, glowers, and lashes out so as to otherwise appear unsympathetic. As the film progresses, he becomes even more so. So while there is some dissent concerning Misa’s intentions, it isn't the main conflict.

The spell words themselves, along with the references to "pagan" gods (namely Cernunos and Aradia) are what gives Eko Eko its magic, just in case that wasn’t clear from the spell-like title. English stoner-doom metal band Electric Wizard (now called "The Electric Wizard") liked them so much, they wrote a song using the title chant from the movie.

Live-action drama

 * Eko Eko Azarak (1997–1998)
 * The Series (1~13)
 * The Second (14~26)
 * Eko Eko Azarak -eye- (エコエコアザラク〜眼〜) (2004)

Anime

 * Eko Eko Azarak (2001)

Films

 * Eko Eko Azarak I -Wizard of Darkness- (1995)
 * Eko Eko Azarak II-Birth of the Wizard- (1996)
 * Eko Eko Azarak III-Misa The Dark Angel- (1997)
 * Eko Eko Azarak IV -Awakening- (2001)
 * Eko Eko Azarak R-page (2006)
 * Eko Eko Azarak B-page (2006)

Reception
Wizard of Darkness was selected for the official competition for best film at the 1997 Fantasporto.