Eko eko azaraku III (1998)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Katsuhito Ueno

Writers:

Sôtarô Hayashi (screenplay)
Kengo Kaji (supervising screenwriter)
(more)

Release Date:

15 January 1998 (Japan)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The dark angel has landed. (literal translation)

Plot Keywords:

Based On Comic | Third Part | Sequel | Based On Comic Book | Black Magic

Cast

Hinako Saeki	...	Misa Kuroi
Ayaka Nanami	...	Aya Kinoshita
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bang-ho Cho	...	Satoru Kuroi
Chika Fujimura	...	Yoko Hino
Yuki Hagiwara	...	Hikaru Kazami
Hitomi Miwa	...	Mami Mizushima
Ayumi Takahashi	...	Kaori Dokite
Yûko Takimura	...	Yuki Kawai
Sakae Umezu
Erena Yamamoto	...	Hitomi Kamata
Kimika Yoshino	...	Misa Kuroi

Directed by
Katsuhito Ueno

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sôtarô Hayashi		screenplay
Kengo Kaji		supervising screenwriter
Shinichi Koga		comic
Kyoichi Nanatsuki		writer

Produced by
Yoshinori Chiba	....	producer
Tomoyuki Imai	....	producer
Kenichi Itaya	....	producer
Hiroki Ôta	....	producer
Akira Tsuburaya	....	executive producer
Hiroshi Yamaji	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Daisuke Suzuki

Cinematography by
Masahiro Nishikubo

Film Editing by
Yousuke Yafune

Makeup Department
Tomoo Haraguchi	....	special makeup

Sound Department
Takenori Misawa	....	recording director

Camera and Electrical Department
Haruo Hara	....	lighting technician

Production Companies

• GAGA Communications
• Tsuburaya Eizo

Distributors

• Media Blasters
• Tokyo Shock

MPAA:

Rated R for horror violence and gore.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R16 | Japan:R | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Tsukishima, Tokyo, Japan

Company:

GAGA Communications

Movie Connections:

Follows "Eko Eko Azarak: The Series" (1997)

Hinako Saeki, Misa forever!

This movie is based on 70's famous comic EKOEKO AZARAK by Shinichi Koga, as well as the T.V. series of the same title in 1997. The movie is basically the movie version of the T.V. show, so it is more joyful if you watch EKOEKO AZARAK The Series and EKOEKO AZARAK The Second before you watch this movie. The movie itself is, however, overwhelmed by the charm of Hinako Saeki, the young actress who played the role of Misa Kuroi, the most formidable high school witch, while the motif of Cthulhu Mythos (originally constructed by H. P. Lovecraft) and other elements are losing its power due to its low production cost. So it's the best to enjoy Hinako Saeki's atractiveness rather than waiting for a flashing SFX or CG effects.  The story line of the movie is focusing on the traumatic events of the young girls who are killed for the dark ritual. Then Misa Kuroi, the most powerful high school witch (also called Misa The Dark Angel), has to fight with her black magic power to protect her friends. So the story line is not truly matching with the motif of Cthulhu Mythos, so the image is simply used as another force of darkness that tries to devour the dark power of Misa, rather than the dry and mindless terror that Lovecraft has meaned. This is certainly watched as Another Tragedy of Misa, so it should be watched rather as a superheroine's tragedy than horror. This became the very last movie of Bang-Ho Chou, who played the role of Satoru Kuroi, the uncle of Misa and the master of surgery by magic. His serious and sometimes comical act has deepened the emotional side of the movie, as he portraited a hospitable uncle for Misa. The original comic by Shinichi Koga also has featured the surgeon uncle, since the character has been a loving one for the author. In conclusion, this movie is a good chance for the U.S. and European fans to watch a heroine figure that is totally different from Ripley in Alian series or Bond Girls in 007.

ZUMMUD (Ji-Mudou)