Version: Japanese, with English subtitles (by SBS)
SBS' Cult Movie time-slot is awesome, for the simple fact that most of the movies shown aren't actually about anything, but manage to be awesome anyway. In this tradition, they showed 'Eko Eko Azaraku: Wizard of Darkness'. It was pretty cool, and so they showed 'Eko Eko Azaraku II: Birth of the Wizard', and it was also pretty cool.
Kimika Yoshino returns in this prequel to 'Wizard of Darkness' to play Misa Kuroi before she was famous, or at least before she realized she was a witch. 'Birth of the Wizard' begins in Meiji-era Japan, in a village of former witches and wizards. I say former, because someone seems to have slaughtered them. Skip to the present day, and an archaeologist discovers a mummy from the village. Blissfully unaware that the mummy is, in fact, possessed by an evil spirit (naturally), he runs off, leaving his assistant alone. The mummy comes to life, kills her, and the evil spirit takes over her body.
This evil spirit is now searching for Misa, who is protected by Kyle Reese, who goes by the name of Saiga in this film (I thought I had made an original joke, but then I noticed the other reviewer caught the same connection six years ago). It is Misa's destiny to defeat this evil spirit, but she needs Saiga's help to do it.
'Birth of the Wizard' ends up playing a lot like 'Wizard of Darkness'. Again, the story isn't original, but it is entertaining. Similar stylish and gory horror, a nice fast pace, and some pretty good special effects. Although, it is a prequel, so despite excitement, you can have some guesses as to Misa's fate (and if you guess wrong, you really need help). That aside, it is an entertaining horror movie.
The only thing missing in this from the original is the Japanese-style unusual situations involving lesbians. If that was your main reason for watching 'Wizard of Darkness', then you may be disappointed with this. Finally, I swear there were several plot-elements and moments in the movie that were lifted from 'The Terminator'.
8/10 - For fans of 'Wizard of Darkness', Japanese horror, or horror in general. I'll have to check out the third movie sometime.