Zatôichi monogatari (1962) Online

This is the first of more than 20 films featuring Ichi, a blind masseur-turned-swordsman in medieval Japan. Although he learned to wield a sword only to gain respect, Ichi finds his skill constantly in demand by criminal gangs. He's always reluctant to fight, and resorts to violence only with great reluctance and as a last resort. He prefers to make his living by practising his skills as a masseur and supplementing that income by conning greedy crooks who underestimate his gambling abilities.

In this first episode of a series that covered two decades, Ichi is hired by a gang leader to defeat a consumptive samurai who's been imported by a rival gang. The two swordsmen meet while fishing and become friends, but destiny has decreed they must fight each other, and only one will survive…

Fans of action movies may be disappointed with ZATOICHI MONOGATARI, because there's virtually no fighting for the movie's first hour. Instead, there's unusual emphasis on character development. Ichi himself receives much of the attention, and Shintaro Katsu (who also played the role in all the sequels) presents us with a subtle, complex portrayal of the reluctant mercenary. His scenes with the enamored sister of one of the gang members and with the mortally sick samurai are played with great sincerity without becoming sentimental. These two characters are also sensitively portrayed. Even many of the crooks are carefully established as individuals.

The climax won't disappoint action fans, though. Beginning with a flurry of gang skirmishes, frenetically edited to a throbbing score, it ends on a bitter and almost tragic note after the inevitable confrontation between the two protagonists.

Director Kenji Misumi embellishes the slow build-up with a succession of captivating black-and-white compositions and attention to period detail. A degree of pace is maintained by making scene transitions with cuts rather than dissolves. Sets are given visual depth by being framed with foreground objects. The camera is often positioned slightly above or below the characters' eye-lines. Very precise interior lighting creates interesting patterns on and around the actors. By contrast, the daytime exteriors are overly bright and tend to disrupt the mood.

Far from being a typical samurai movie, ZATOICHI MONOGATARI is an unusually somber yet effective period drama, and probably the best entry in the long series it inaugurated.

"Zatôichi Monogatari" aka. "The Tale of Zatoichi" (1962) is the fantastic start to the longest and most famous series of Samurai films, the wonderful "Zatôichi" series about the eponymous blind swordsman, gambler and masseur impersonated by the great Shintarô Katsu. Katsu is one of my personal favorite actors, and I am equally an admirer of the brilliant director he often worked with, the great Kenji Misumi. This first film in the series, as well as several more to come, was directed by Misumi, in my opinion one of the greatest Japanese directors of all-time. My personal favorite films by Misumi will always be the brilliant "Kozure Okami" (aka. "Lone Wolf And Cub") films (1972-1974) starring Shintaro Katsu's equally great brother Tomisaburo Wakayama (four out of the six films were directed by Misumi), as well as the outrageous Samurai-Exploitation classic "Hanzo The Razor - Sword Of Justice" (OT: "Goyôkiba") starring Katsu himself. It was the "Zatôichi" films, however, that made Misumi a known director and brought Katsu to stardom, and the series has long obtained an enormous cult-status. In total, Katsu played the role of Zatoichi in 26 films as well as in a 100-episode TV-series that ran between 1974 and 1979. Misumi directed six of the films, as well as many episodes of the series.

The reasons why the Zatôichi franchise enjoys such an enormous cult-status are numerous, but I will stick to the most important ones. The eponymous hero, Zatôichi must be the most likable character ever in cinema to work as a hired sword. Zatôichi, a blind masseur, has obtained his sword skills because he was tired of being looked down upon by others, as usual for blind people in Feudal Japan. Due to his excellent sword-skills, he makes a good living as a hired swordsman. His senses of smell and hearing are as excellent as his swordsmanship, which makes him one of the most powerful swordsmen. Even so, Zatôichi is a kind, gentle and humorous man by nature, who will rather solve problems otherwise than having to kill someone. Shintaro Katsu is brilliant in the role of his life, and I cannot imagine for anyone else to fit the role like Katsu did. Cult-filmmaker Takeshi Kitano (of whom I am a great fan) took a new turn on the role in 2003 - Katsu had passed away in 1997 - and did so greatly. Yet, to me, the only true Zatoichi will always be Shintaro Katsu. This first film in the series is one of only two that were filmed in black and white, and it already epitomizes what makes the brilliance of the series. "Zatôichi Monogatari" mixes Smurai Action with Comedy, Drama and philosophical elements. The film begins with the crafty Zatôichi, who tricks a bunch of fellow gamblers into underestimating him... The film marks the beginning to a great and highly successful series that may not be missed by any lover of Japanese cinema. I had seen several other "Zatôichi" films with Katsu, as well as the 2003 film with (and by) Kitano before seeing this one. The action is great in this first film, but it is the plot that outweighs the fighting by far. Overall, "Zatôichi Monogatari" is a great little piece of cult-cinema and everybody even remotely interested in Japanese films must see it.

"The Tale of Zatoichi" was a cultural phenomenon in Japan in the 1960s, spawning 25 sequels, a 112-episode TV series and a remake.

Set toward the end of the feudal Edo period (1603-1868), the film stars Shintaro Katsu as Zatoichi, an itinerant blind masseur/swordsman. He stops in the town of Iioka one day to stay with a yakuza boss, Sukegoro, who he had met on an earlier journey.

Zatoichi is humble, but has a quiet intensity. Even though he is blind, he perceives more in the situations around him than the other participants with normal eyesight. In an early scene, Sukegoro's gangsters try to take advantage of Zatoichi in a game of dice, but he uses their underestimation of him to his advantage, and hustles the gamblers out of all their money.

Zatoichi insists his impressive skills with the katana are nothing more than parlor tricks, but Boss Sukegoro hires him to stay on, as he has plans to go to war with a rival gang in nearby Sasagawa. Sasagawa boss Shigezo hires a ronin samurai, Hirate, to counterbalance Sukegoro's Zatoichi.

Zatoichi and Hirate develop a sort of friendship, but their affection toward each other has less to do with their love of fishing or drinking than on their common code of honor. Even though they know they will be expected to fight to the death in the war between Iioka and Sasagawa, this doesn't stand between their personal friendship.

So it follows that the most interesting conflict in the movie is not the yakuza warfare between the Iioka and Sasagawa gangs, but the conflict between Zatoichi and Hirate. Hirate is dying of consumption, and seems to prefer death by Zatoichi's sword rather than let his illness or an unworthy gangster take his life.

"The Tale of Zatoichi" is both fun and stylish. But rather than being a by-the-numbers action flick, the filmmakers took the time to develop characters the audience can actually care about, which elevates Zatoichi above other films of this genre.

Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) is a blind masseuse (masseuse was a traditional occupation for the blind in Japan) who took up sword fighting to gain more respect ("Zato" is actually a title--"Ichi" was his name; "Zato" was the lowest title in the traditional guild for the blind). He quickly mastered the art--far surpassing the average sword fighter and even the average samurai--as he seems to have a sixth sense. This film has Zatoichi visiting Sukegoro (Eijiro Yanagi) of Iioka, to "cash in" on some owed hospitality. He begins by slightly conning Sukegoro's gang in a gambling game involving dice. Shortly afterward, he learns that Sukegoro's gang is about to enter a war with Shigezo's (Ryuzo Shimada) rival Sasagawa gang. Shigezo has enlisted the services of Hirate (Shigeru Amachi), a famed samurai. Will Zatoichi help Sukegoro win his battle?

This is the first in a series of 26 Zatoichi films (and a television series that ran for four seasons in the 1970s), all starring Katsu in the title role. Remarkably, 25 of the Zatoichi films were made in little more than a ten-year period. This first film was based on a short story by Kan Shimozawa.

I haven't seen most of the Zatoichi films yet, and I hadn't seen any of them for a long time, so it's difficult for me to compare Zatoichi 1 with the rest of the series, but I was slightly disappointed with this film. It's a bit too much in the realm of realist drama for my tastes, and as such, moves at a slow clip. There are no big fight scenes until the last 20 minutes or so, and those aren't filmed, directed or choreographed very spectacularly. But the black and white cinematography (which only lasted for one more Zatoichi film) is frequently arresting and the dramatic material does present some intriguing situations, many concerned with various shades of ethical grayness. If you're in the market for an Asian "art-house" drama with a slight martial arts edge, Zatoichi 1 may be just the film for you. If you're looking for something more visceral, or for exciting action, it would probably be safe and wiser to start later in the series.

The visual style caught my attention more often than any other aspect of Zatoichi. Director Kenji Misumi, who went on to do five more Zatoichi films after this one, has cinematographer Chishi Makiura shoot in a stark black and white that has a strong, even exaggerated film noirish edge. The whites can be almost blinding and the darks are pitch black. There are a lot of shadows. Much of the film takes place at night and indoors. It's an attractive way to use the minimal sets. The scenes set in different environments are pleasant in their contrast. A scene at a lakeside begins with a Zen Art-styled water through branches shot. The big fight scene near the end has some interesting lake shots and even better village labyrinth shots. The climactic Western (the genre)-like showdown on a bridge is also nicely staged and photographed.

The story, using a script by Minoru Inuzuka, focuses on interesting character arcs for the two principals--Zatoichi and Hirate. Especially Zatoichi has a questionable morality when the film begins, but both gradually come to be more concerned with being honorable, just and unselfish by the film's end. This is in contrast to the characters embroiled in romantic relationship dilemmas--Otane (Masayo Banri), Tatekichi (Michio Minami) and Seisuke (Manabu Morita), and even the gang bosses, Shigezo and Sukegoro, who all have little to no character development arc, although Otane is already ethically good (per the conventional wisdom) at the beginning of the film.

But Zatoichi and Hirate are initially set against each other as surrogate representatives of warring "families", in what amounts to a yakuza/samurai version of Romeo & Juliet (and by extension West Side Story, 1961). Of course there is no romantic angle between Zatoichi and Hirate, but there is a deep respect and a bonding through a brotherly love that eventually triumphs in its own way over "turf wars". There is an expected end to their relationship, but the appearance of this development (most significantly to the gang bosses) is quite different than what is actually going on between the two of them. The romantic angle is covered instead by Zatoichi's relationship with Otane, which has the appropriate air of being forbidden to cover the Romeo and Juliet/West Side Story analogy, and which also ends up being defined by an intriguing selflessness that rarely rears its head in western (the culture) films.

Zatoichi is a fascinating character. Katsu doesn't have a typical martial arts or action star look--already in this film, he appears to be middle aged (beyond his actual age of 30 at the time of shooting) and a bit chubby. His "sixth sense" abilities and cunningness verge on the magical, as do his swordsmanship skills. The character isn't nearly as well explored here as he could be, but given that there were 25 more films to come (and a recent remake with a new Zatoichi), I suppose it's more excusable.

It doesn't help that it takes awhile to get up to speed on the relatively large cast of characters with sometimes complex relationships to one another (especially if you're like me and you have trouble remembering character names as well as trouble remembering who is who when characters have similar looks), but once you figure out that it's a kind of West Side Story, it's easy enough to get the gist of events unfolding.

I DID like this, the first of the series of blind swordsman movies. Ichi doesn't draw his sword for the first half of the movie; moreover, he seems a lot more bitter than in later movies. This being said, it was an excellent movie.

Others have described this movie well, so, I will only add something that I noticed while watching the scene of Ichi fishing with the ailing samurai. What made the scene so compelling was not what was said, but, the effective use of silence between them. The pauses in dialog were masterful, especially the long lull at the end of the sequence. It reminded me of some of Kurosawa's work.

I recommend this movie, not as the first Zatoichi that you see; but, rather as something to experience after a few of the more exciting movies...after you've developed a relationship with the character.

I normally wouldn't dare rate a movie a 10. However for the first Zatoichi film (and maybe the second) I make an exception. An incredible tale of a flawed man at peace with the fact that he is a gangster. Zatoichi is forced into situation after situation where honor and compassion make us side with this blind man, not because of his handicap, but because he is doing the right thing. Filmed in black and white the action is superbly choreographed to convey the intensity of each situation without one bright red spray of blood across the screen. If you only watch one Samurai movie, make it this one. If you love it, then the first 25 of these masterpieces are coming to Blu Ray courtesy of Criterion this November.

This Zatoichi movie was the first in the long series. As I had seen MOST of the movies before I saw this film, I think my expectations were a bit too high. This is not to say that this is a bad movie--it certainly is not. However, it seems only average when compared with the others. Also, a few scenes were later repeated and so there weren't that many surprises. One scene in particular, where he is gambling and "accidentally" drops the dice OUTSIDE the cup when he is gambling (i.e., every seeing person there sees whether or not the dice are odds or evens before they bet--so it's an apparent "sure thing") has been used at least three times in his movies. Plus, this isn't exactly one of the better scenes, because it makes Ichi look like a cheater and not the defender of the friendless (as he's usually portrayed). Still, it's a solid film throughout.

FYI--if you pay attention, you'll notice that in many scenes Ichi has a shaved head, while in others he has very substantial stubble. Due to editing errors, his hair length goes back and forth during the course of the movie!

For all the new Zatoichi fans that were introduced to the story by Beat Takeshi's 2003 adaptation, do yourselves a favor and see the original!

I really wish I could read the movie reviews of this film in Japan in 1962. The story is compelling in many ways and must have been a big surprise to many in Japan. There are two main stories that are poignant and sad in a typical Japanese fashion. The consumptive samurai (Hirate Mike) has fled Edo and is eking out a living as a yojimbo for a rural yakuza boss. Hirate craves an honorable death and only finds solace in the sake bottle. Zaotichi has taken up the sword because he was treated with scorn as a blind masseur. The only lighter moments come in the love interest between Zatoichi and Tane.

I have watched this film numerous times. In the latest viewing i couldn't get over what a scum-ball Tate (Tane's brother) is. He has zero scruples, and at one point practically tells his yakuza elder to rape his sister! Thankfully Tate gets his just desserts in the last scene.

As others have mentioned, Zatoichi's cane sword doesn't see any real action until the fifty- second minute. This is a great film to learn more about Zatoichi's character. In one scene Zatoichi explains why he took up sword training.

This is a great film. The HVE Entertainment DVD is a great way to add this film to your personal film library.

The Tale of Zatoichi is the first in a long series of samurai movies centered around the blind gambler and masseur turned lowly yakuza who has a strong moral compass and makes us feel empathic not because he is blind and underestimated but because he is brave and honest as he always tries to do the right thing. This first movie is one out of two shot in black and white and has a unique atmosphere that makes life in rural Japan come to life in an authentic manner. This film shows how Zatoichi gets caught up in a war between two rival gangs. Even though he isn't respected by the gang he is supposed to represent and uncovers unfair gambling methods, misogyny and murder, he has accepted the fate that he has to live the life of a lowly criminal that he never really wanted. He develops a profound friendship with the rival's ronin who suffers from tuberculosis as they have similar values and share a passion for fishing and sake. However, one day, the two friends know they must face each other in a decisive battle.

There are several elements that make this movie so outstanding. First of all, the film's authentic settings bring the culture and history of rural Japan to life in a very authentic way. Secondly, the protagonist convinces as a man who relies on his moral compass and cleverness first and foremost and only draws a sword if he doesn't have any other choice. Thirdly, the numerous side characters are quite interesting as well, especially Zatoichi's wise opponent Hirate, the ruthless criminal Tate and his proud but desperate sister Otane who ends up falling in love with Zatoichi. Fourthly, the dialogues are really to the point and add something to characters and plot unlike many contemporary martial arts flicks. Fifthly, the few fight sequences in the movie are carefully choreographed and would go on to inspire any other genre film that would follow this movie.

By today's standards, The Tale of Zatoichi might not be the most vivid genre film but it's crafted in an artistic, detailed and intellectual manner that still stands out far over five decades after its initial release. Any martial arts fan should give this movie a chance. I would highly recommend the stunning Criterion Collection of the Zatoichi movies that truly offers value for money. Movies of this quality are rarely made nowadays and should be hold in high regard.

I decided to sit down and watch this because I found out about Zatoichi meets Yojimbo (1970) and I decided to pick that up but I wanted to watch a Zatoichi movie before I watch Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo and I did and for a period piece/samurai epic - I'd recommend it if you are a fan of the genre.

Okay so the story as a war between gangs is brewing a blind man who practiced and perfected the art of sword-fighting is asked (actually, more along the lines of forced) to stay at one of the gang's hideout so he can freeload and be their secret weapon in the war. While the other gang is doing the same thing with another master swordsman. While Zatoichi is fishing he has a conversation with the other swordsman and they become good friends. Zatoichi then guesses correctly that the other swordsman is sick and dying of consumption. As the war brews will the 2 leading characters be forced to kill each other?

If there is any scene in which I didn't like it enough for me to point out it's actually the very first scene of the movie. Zatoichi begins to gamble in a dice game and the dice aren't covered by the cup only to be revealed that he was playing them all along and has 2 identical dice literally up his sleeve. The reason why I didn't like that scene is that it kind of contradicts Zatoichi's character. Although he is a gangster he does have a good moral code and in the end, he will try to do what is right but would you ever guess that he was the good guy by the scene that I described?

In terms of what I liked, The relationship between the two samurai for one thing. It does get across pretty well this relationship as well as the rather conflicting feelings they have at the thought of them having to go up against one another. It does offer some good drama (and to their credit the actors do very good jobs). The sword-fight choreography is on par with a Kurosawa movie and even though I didn't like the opening scene I do like Zatoichi's character.

Aside from that all I have left to say is that if you liked Kurosawa's samurai movies then this is worth checking out. I mean while this movie is NOTHING in comparison with the aforementioned movies I will most certainly say if you like those then there is a pretty good chance you'll like this.

A tale of warring townships and two strong characters who cant help but being pawns in a horrible game of carnage. Set in rural Japan in feudal times the setting is beautiful.

Too bad the camera works don't quite follow up. The scope is 70mm (or close to it), but I could settle with less if the cameraman (I suspect they didn't have one) didn't cut off the heads all the time. The use of zoom-lens sometimes works and sometimes don't. One time zooming in on Tane-san for instance was very dramatic. Intense was also the battle scenes. Very good.

Zatoichi is a good character and the actor playing him is fitting. The story is good and makes for an intriguing film despite some flaws. In all respects I think its inferior to Sanjuro though.

This is my first Zatoichi and I will check out other entries in the series for sure (at least the Kitano "Zatoichi" from 2003 is easy to get hold on).

This is just one of a whole series of films about Ichi, the blind swordsman. It is the first one I've seen and I found it to be very satisfying. My only complaint is that many well framed shots seemed to have been poorly aimed or something. It could have been a camera problem, but more then once the tops of the heads of the characters were cut off. It's noticeable, but not a serious problem because the cinematography is otherwise excellent.

The plot is rich and thought provoking and the swordplay is exciting. I look forward to seeing the rest of the series.

THE TALE OF ZATOICHI / THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF MASSEUR ICHI / ZATÔICHI 1 (ZATÔICHI MONOGATARI). Viewed on Streaming. Restoration/ preservation = nine (9) stars; cinematography = seven (7) stars; set design = six (6) stars; choreography = two (2) stars. Think you've seen every flavor of Japanese movie sword swinger? How about a self-taught amateur who is also blind? And very deadly! Director Kenji Misumi deploys Tokugawa Period Yakuza-gang warfare as a backdrop for a fascinating personality analysis of a masseur turned wandering master of swordplay whose sightless handicap is more of an advantage than a disability. (Perhaps with the help of a little magic?) Misumi's photo-play provides more talk than action and seems to have been adapted from a stage play (or the script writers learned their craft in the live theater?). Interestingly, ancient Yakuza gangs closely resemble those depicted in contemporary films (instead of not being able to shoot straight, they are unable to slash straight and rely on hired swords (usually unemployed samurai)! Acting is consistently good despite terrible choreography. Characters often only have to waive their wooden swords at stunt actors to get them to fall over (the dialog tries to cover this obvious short coming by repeating lines that say sword play is too fast to be seen!). Sound-stage "exteriors" look and sound phony. Cinematography (2.35 : 1, black & white) is mostly well done especially the interior dolly shots. Not so much for panning which serves mainly to induce horizontal vertigo in the viewer wide-screen formats and rapid pans don't play well together!). Subtitles are close enough for Kansei-Ben deliveries. Restoration/preservation is good. Adult make-believe fun. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.

THE TALE OF ZATOICHI is an action drama, which shows, in a striking way, an inner struggle of a blind man.

The blind masseur Zatoichi is hired by a yakuza gang-leader, because of the inevitable war with a neighboring gang. Zatoichi has a distinguished reputation as a swordsman. Their rival responds by hiring a ronin of similar repute. Zatoichi is a humble and honest man. These characteristics are not welcome in the criminal circles of society. However, a ronin, who is hired by the opposing gang, has similar characteristics. Though he and Zatoichi know they must fight when the war begins, they develop a kind of friendship...

This film has a similar theme as "Sanjuro" and "Yojimbo", but its creation and characterization are different. This is a samurai story, in which the main protagonist is not a samurai. This change has brought a melodramatic refreshment.

Shintaro Katsu as Zatoichi is a surreal and peaceful character. The man, who is trying to find his inner peace and meaning is in a contrast to his surrounding. His blindness is actually an advantage, based on which he will show his skills. He changes his mood, when a melodramatic story gets its brutal and bloody endgame. He becomes a lone wolf who does not want to socialize with ordinary dogs.

Shigeru Amachi as Miki Hirate is a good support as a drunk and sick ronin. His life is hanging between his honor and a sword of his rival. Masayo Banri as Otane is a beautiful girl who fell in love with the character of a blind man.

A melancholic end, in which the blind swordsman runs away from his species is very touching.

From 1962 until 1989, 26 film series and a 100 Japanese television series, some in black and white, were produced.

Similar themes run through the stories yet each seems refreshingly dramatized. The later movies began to use special effects (blood) rather more seriously during sword fights - something I personally think was unauthentic and therefore, unconvincing. But, I still love the stories of the fictional character, Zatoichi.

Subtitles for us who do not understand Japanese is helpful but sometimes simplistic, and often get in the way of appreciating visual story nuance and acting. The solution I could not avoid is to watch the films as often as needed to later watch with minimal or no subtitle help. This is recommended.

So, simplistic subtitles is a good thing because as you watch again, virtually ignoring the easy English, your mind easily sophisticates nuance, subtext, very subtle humor, and your eye can take in the vistas of the Japanese island, the modes of dress, and the differences between classes of people which are story-driving themes.

The culture of the era is easily understood because, for example, women walk like 21st century women models walk: toe first and then foot in front of next foot. However, the action is observed in a way that causes one to think it a cultural standard of the Edo era and not of this century.

Every detail is authentic including the desired sharpness and blink-of-eye swiftness of sword blade that cuts so clean and fast, there is no blood residue on the blade. So when you see a scene and think, "Aw; there's no blood on the blade," with some exceptions, that's how sharp an Edo era swordsman kept the blade – life and death depended on its reliable swift surprise. And so, that is why the use of special effects blood is not authentic. The only exception known to me is when battles lasted for hours because the blade against flesh and bone would dull allowing blood and residue to adhere, somewhat, to the blade. Sharpness of blade was as culturally significant as the mode of a woman's walk.

Returning to benefits of repetition, I've discovered there seem to always be, as part of the story's spine, small but integral roles for children, animals, and music which reveal characters' character, mores, and preferences. Subtle themes transition viewers to subtle/not so subtle humor and events that rally reasons why swordsmen attack Zatoichi.

Zatoichi is a lone Hero living during the Japanese Edo period of 1630 until 1868. Am surmising Zatoichi roamed Japan during the 1820s, 30s, or 40s. This is based on historical accuracies of the films' well-established inns and places to eat along well-marked roads walked by many of the characters behind which is set beautiful Japanese landscapes.

The roadways were vital for communication, to farmers, and others getting goods to markets; roadway paths provided the same purpose as America's Interstate System. The Japanese system included wooden directional sign posts firmly positioned into the ground. Though some directions and names were painted, important city and village directions were carved into the wooden posts.

During the Edo period, politics and peasants were at extreme opposing ends of the spectrums of power and money which always flowed to political coffers by way of taxation, over-taxation, graft, theft, gambling, and debauchery.

The vacuum in the middle created "middle men" who became nationally known as Yakusa: organized criminals who skimmed people's wages, taxes, anything, and took advantage of those who could not defend against their Samurai skills.

Once honorable, but now without a master, they were in need of employment, shelter, and food. Political stability caused changes such that, Samurai, instrumental in stabilizing Japan, were now not needed.

Most were laid off and were known as Ronin. Many became unsavory types who joined or formed a Yakusa. Many held long, lingering anger because of losing the high social status of Samurai.

They were no longer able to live as Samurai or honorable men. Having lost honorable employment, shelter, food, and the brotherhood of honor, they felt unfairly treated and took resent on people unable to resist. At least now, money was available, they were able to eat and sleep somewhere, and serve a Yakusa Boss.

They angrily and unhappily survived the loss of social stature. They began to survive eating their insides out with hatred and jealousy toward anyone better than they, or anyone whom they perceived as acting or even thinking were better than they. Why they did this: they only knew weaponry, martial arts, and war fighting. Their knowledge was more an instinct to survive than it was a will to live. They knew nothing of kindness except through their small window of the Samurai Code which they hypocritically enforced on people who lived as farmers. Once many were honorable Samurai, then Ronin, and now, thugs.

Enter Zatoichi, living amongst the anguish of people in the middle who, lose their lively hoods, lives, happiness, and hopes to antagonistic, evil men.

Zatoichi is blind. An exquisite swordsman. Honorable. Gambler. Traveling masseuse. Regrets his necessary Yakusa relationships but finds hospitality from a few Yakusa Bosses who are also honorable.

He dreams of a peaceful existence, means no harm to anyone, is not mean spirited, is often set upon by rivals who seek his death. He is brought into people lives because of his compassion to help people in need of relief from oppression. He's a sucker for doing the right thing, kids, some animals make him uncertain and he likes to sing and play the shamisen, a musical instrument of 3 stings played with a large plectrum.

And the sword fights! All I can say is, don't mess Zatoichi !! Enjoy these films. I don't know anywhere else to see the TV series except on YouTube; all seem excellent tales. Many are black & white; all I've seen are subtitled.

Zatoichi is a blind masseur swordsman-yakuza created by novelist Kan Shimozawa, whose written works spawned a film series of 20+ films and few reboots, as well as a TV series. Played by Shintaro Katsu (from Lone Wolf and Cub and Tenchu!), the principal character Ichi ("zato" is a title, signifying a lower-ranking blind man) holds the entire chanbara series on his back. This particular movie was directed by cult chanbara director Kenji Misumi.

The Tale of Zatoichi, although propagated as an action hack-and-slash film, is more of a meditative, talky character-driven jidaigeki gangster drama which reveals a bit of Ichi's past and deals with his sense of justice and hatred of the ruthless gangster underworld to which he belongs himself. He befriends a sick swordsman from the neighboring yakuza clan, but as the tensions between the two clans mount he's forced to fight his friend. There's also a subplot about this asshole who discarded his pregnant lover, leading to her suicide. This guy also has a sister who falls in love with Ichi, but their romance doesn't last long because of his unsteady lifestyle.

This movie is pretty entertaining and has an easy enough plot to follow. The characters are well-written and there's no unnecessary scenes; short, sweet and to the point. It also sports an interesting soundtrack in which traditional music and orchestral pieces collide.

Two things I disliked about it are the dim lighting which makes it hard to distinguish what's going on in several scenes, and uninspired action scenes which pop up at the end. It's just random gangsters going all-out on each other, each time obviously missing each other with their katanas.

The first two films in the series are B&W, so we'll see how the second movie compares. The highlight so far is Ichi cutting a thrown candle vertically in two equal pieces, without extinguishing it.

One thing about the masterless, lonely samurai figures is all about placing a godlike figure, mysterious and, I would say, largely unsurprisingly surprising in the context of the film. They are nigh-invincible, often slandered, yes, but the dramatic force of the film comes from our samurai hero (or antihero, whichever label you want to attach to whichever character) being in an underdog position we know to be false. The other characters should know better nut they don't, and we get immense gratification in the moment when the samurai reveals his true strength.

I started watching the Zatoichi films at a time I had just rediscovered Kurosawa's contemporary smash hits, the utterly gorgeous, ambitious, amazing "Yojimbo" (1961) and "Sanjuro" (1962), its so-called sequel (more like a parallel film in my mind) that was actually released the same year as the first Zatoichi film. So, for me, I think these films will always be embedded not only next to each other but they also overlap, and I don't think it's a bad thing, since not only are the Kurosawa films absolutely brilliant, but so is this. I mean what a hoot! Ninety minutes full of great filmmaking, not only concerning the action sequences and fights but much more to do with the buildup and the anticipation that leads to the action. And while I have heard some criticism about this lack of immediate action in the film I believe it is a wonderful way to introduce the character to us, indeed as a blind masseur. This "procrastination" to show Zatoichi in his full force in turn forces us to take all the information we can get of his skill second-hand instead of seeing for ourselves. We are thus forced to rely on the reports of a rather greedy and unsympathetic person. This goes on for a long time and it's wonderfully executed. It makes Ichi's character function a lot better. Similarly we have Mifune's character in "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro" who was very much disconnected from the political and social problems that needed to be resolved. He's most certainly an outsider, in so many ways such a godlike figure that it's necessary to allow us to doubt him for a while, and he's really fleshed out as a character during the first hour, during which he has definitely won us over, barely unsheathing his sword.

When the action comes, it's blindingly fast, furious but not brutely so, much more akin to a dance. Just the way I think it should be. The 360-degree shot in the midst of battle is fabulous.

I don't think there could be a more promising start to a film series as this.

Just discovered this film series and have now viewed the first three. Outstanding entertainment!

The story of a blind, meek master swordsman "Zatoichi" is very well done, just a notch below Seven Samurai in excellence. The lead actor who plays "Ichi" in almost all the films, Shintaro Katsu, later wrote and directed some entries.

The plots are interesting and characters well-drawn. Anyone who enjoyed the Samurai films of Akira Kurosawa with Toshiro Mifune should enjoy this film and its sequels. "Ichi" is similar to the Mifune characters in his deliberately unprepossessing appearance and aversion to violence, but when he is pushed too far, watch out! Also, despite his blindness and poverty, he is something of a chick-magnet for some very attractive Japanese women.

You can find considerably more detail on Shintaro Katsu and these films on Wikipedia.

A real cool film that works on many levels. Had me laughing like a buffoon because the whole thing is done in a totally deadpan fashion. Great sense of humor and very vibrant fighting scenes. A real joy for people who might like Sanjuro, but this film stands on its own for sure.

Here's to you Howard! cheers! Action 'Kung Fu' move of pops generation. Early 60's when movies were in Black and White like everything else in those days. So no, it's not the action skills we all grew to lurrve in the 70's latenight big screens on 42nd Street but for posterity you must check it.

On one level it's very very true to Caribbean Shanty stock like you and me. My man, Ichi is just like the Sticksman old folk would tell me about. He is not lowlife, just normal country boy planting corn or massage or just getting by. But he has a gift of kicking ass, just like the Sticksman.

Now imagine you just getting by day to day with your little handicap (you blind or have a limp) and other people see you have a gift, with weapons. Everyone is going to want you to fight for them, conquer and consolidate. Do you become Gun/Sword/Stick for hire? Do you walk away? Do you go 'Yanky on them' and set YOURSELF up as the Man in the Village?

watch the movie then let's sit down and chat these question out....it's a real Historical drama to many of us from the Caribbean. - hey you can guess which option and route my dad took.

Stcy

may be some spoilers... one year after yojimbo was released, comes the first installment of zatoichi, the film series. i'm pretty sure this started as a television series in japan, and became hugely popular at some point...i can see why. this story is fairly similar to yojimbo - a wandering stranger (zatoichi, the blind samurai) who works for one of two warring gangs. there are other, smaller similarities that i won't bother to list. since it's so easy to compare the two films (especially given the relative paucity of Japanese samurai films i [and most] have seen) i'll first talk about the relative shortcomings of zatoichi. the score is good, but yojimbo's score is great. the direction in zatoichi is pretty good, whereas kurosawa's direction in yojimbo is almost unparalleled. the cinematography in both films is strong. the acting in yojimbo is amazing - from the smallest role all the way up to the title character, whereas zatoichi has solid acting, but nothing spectacular. in other words, yojimbo is a better film in just about every conceivable way. that said, zatoichi is a great film. its opening sequence serves as a great hook storywise and characterwise. i suppose that by now most Japanese filmgoers would have had some interaction with zatoichi through the TV series, but the filmmakers wisely dedicated some time to getting to know the title character. i think the strongest aspect of this film was the relationship that was built between zatoichi and his adversary. they have a great deal of respect and admiration for each other, at one point zatoichi even gives his adversary a massage while they discuss swordsmanship. a common theme in asian cinema is the "herofication" of traditionally weak individuals - women, blind people, one-armed people, etc. zatoichi, the blind swordsman, is another in this tradition. i'll just say that it's a good film and you should give it a try if you liked yojimbo or sanjuro. B+.

A simple and very good movie. A movie about honor in the raw world of samurai. Shintarô Katsu plays a special role in the main role, Zatoichi. Masayo Banri is more than convincing in the role of the sister of a coward, the woman who falls in love with Zatoichi. Shigeru Amachi is also good in the role of Hirate. Good Japanese movies have something special comparing to the rest of the world, they have a very special magical atmosphere. This is one of them.

Currently sitting at a perfect 100 percent score on rotten tomatoes, this is a film noir martial arts film, about the Japanese blind swordsman known as Zatoichi. He cannot see, but has heightened senses of hearing and touch, which allows him to (reluctantly) kick massive amounts of ass. I say reluctantly because he would rather earn his way by fleecing criminals, and by working as a masseur, he resorts to violent swordplay only when necessary, as the last resort.

The film moves at a slower pace than one might expect in a martial arts film, but that only serves to add depth to the character, and build mood and atmosphere.

Beautiful looking black and white photography, some indoor and nighttime scenes shot in high contrast, and with some interesting composure and composition, as thin branches frame its climactic fight, filmed with completely stationary cameras, and without much editing.

Best part about this movie is there is nineteen more to watch, I have only watched nine up to now but a great set of movies. watched this after Harakiri. If you liked this watch them all and watch harakiri as well one of my new favorite's ,all plot and everything else was covered by many good reviews but could not pass up giving it my vote and cant wait to watch the other eleven, as I have just finished watching ninth installment have not been disappointed yet. You have to be moved by old films that relied on story and emotion rather than today's all action big budget flops that are about today this is brilliant well written well acted some of the sword play seemed a little sloppy but easily forgiven it was still more convincing than most of today's rubbish,also sorry for my poor spelling and grammar.

This is the introduction of the blind samurai. It led to a cottage industry in Japan. It involves a nondescript blind swordsman/masseuse who has traveled to see a friend. The man is a gangster and has ulterior motives. He knows that an upcoming confrontation with another gang lord will happen and he wants Zatoichi on his side. Despite his infirmity, he is a master of the sword and would provide a great advantage to someone using his talents. The movie is mostly about the lowlife gangs and their lack of compunction and dedication. The Bosses are pigs, self centered and unsympathetic to their minions. Loyalties are tested and power is the central issue. There is more than one cowardly act and in the end, the two most noble of them all must fight on their own terms and not align themselves with the miscreant factions. A pretty good character is born in this film.