Aido

AIDO: Slave of Love

愛奴

Release Date: June, 7th, 1969

Running Time: 105 min

Genre: Feature

Color: -

Screening Format: -

Screen Size: -

Sound Processing: -

Subtitle: ,

[ Directed by ]

HANI Susumu

[ Cast ]

[ Staff ]

KURITA Isamu ── Screenplay
HANI Susumu ── Screenplay
OKUMURA Yuji ── Cinematography

[ Production Company ]

SHOCHIKU

[ Distributor (Japan) ]

SHOCHIKU

[ Story ]

Shusei (Kenzo Kawarazaki) wanders in the night when he comes upon a lotus pond with a lantern floating on the surface. While staring at its flame, he encounters the beautiful Madame Enjoji (Kimiko Nukamura).
She leads Shusei to a gorgeous mansion and disappears. Instead, he finds beside him the lovely Aido (Yuri Suemasa).
Shusei is whisked into a world of sexual fantasy with this lovely and desirable young girl and all of his wildest dreams are fulfilled in her arms.
From now, Shusei spends dreamy days. But he gradually senses that Madame Enjoji is not of this world.
He approaches Madame Enjoji again. She gently refuses, telling him to accept Aido. Oddly enough, while making love to Aido, Shusei feels Madame Enjoji watching them.
Madame Enjoji finally reveals that Aido is the incarnation of herself who was murdered for infidelity. She confides to him that if he made love directly to her, he would have been unable to return to the world of the living.
After Aido disappears, he traces her to the lotus pond and unearths a golden coffin containing her body.
Shusei shows it to his friends who believe he is out of his mind. Then Aido speaks, "I am the spirit of sensuality; a slave of love. Whenever you need me, I appear. I can't refuse anything you offer. But don't give me anything to drink or eat. If you do, I'll be destroyed."
Aido is incapable of understanding true love. She is compelled to give herself to anyone who needs or wants her.
Shusei tells her to point out, in front of his friends, the one most eager to have her. Aido, smiling, chooses him.
He foolishly proposes a toast to their love, but as she drinks, Aido begins to turn transparent and disappears. From afar comes a voice: "I drank and now cease to be."
Now all that remains is his diary, telling of his fantastic experience.

【Quoted from Unijapan Film Quarterly 1969 12.3】