Zatôichi kenka-tabi

Fierce fighter, but humble, deferential to a fault, carefully rewards goodness only when he cannot be thanked, protective of innocents --- much like our finest cowboy heroes (Shane, Coop in Noon, Clint).

My wife likes The Shield for the same reasons she likes Hollywood's version of Cosa Nostra: protect the innocent, swiftly and without recourse punish the guilty.

If Michael Corleone ran the justice system, would O.J. be playing golf? Would the beaten, threatened common-law wife be turned away from the police station with "until he actually kills you, the ACLU won't allow us to do anything?"

Just saw the first sequel episode, #2. The print I found appears to be a crude chop job by Janus Films, that marketer having rudely hacked off the correct ending.

When Zatoichi accidentally met an unknown dying man, who asked him to save an unknown maiden, he felt obligated. He didn't even have to promise. Time and again, he did everything in his power to save the maiden in several occassions. But when he took side on a feudal quarrel, he found himself choosing between which one to honor better: The request of a dying man or the contract he made with one of the gang leaders. You've guessed what he opted. Modern gangsters may have a different code of ethics.

The following review is an extract from the book "Shintaro Katsu´s Zatoichi: Complete guide to all movies", which is now available on Amazon.

"At the beginning of this film, as a filmic preface, we see how Ichi plays a game of dice (or something similar) with a small group of dishonest opponents. The latter, despite having lost, are not willing to accept defeat, but before they can react, Zatoichi makes them reluctant to even try any hostility against him. With a lightning fast movement of his shikomizue, he cuts a candle that illuminated the room vertically, leaving his opponents astonished, and leaving the room shortly afterwards in the dark (and therefore in relative equality of conditions with others who are able to see). "Darkness is my ally..." says Zatoichi again sheathing his sword in the reed.

The massive duel between the two groups of yakuza recalls by its atmosphere and stylistic characteristics the great Italo-westerns, where a solitary gunman (like Clint Eastwood in Sergio Leone's "Dollar trilogy") must face several enemies at the same time. Leone and other western masters were profusely inspired by the Japanese chambara. The equivalence and parallels between samurais or ronins and solitary cowboys or outlaws are undeniable."

This movie had some great sword-fighting sequences, as well as the usual beautiful (but kinda stupid) young woman falling for the blind gambler. I think that the most compelling sequence, though, is where he rescues the young hostage without drawing a sword. There is something about the transformation of the humble blind man to angry, sarcastic avenger that is compelling. It reminds me of those few Columbo episodes where the detective tips his hand early in the episode, for some reason.

This movie would be an excellent introduction to the series.

I recently rewatched Zatoichi on the Road (1963) on a random streaming site. The storyline follows Zatoichi as he helps a woman return home while constantly fending off rival gangs. But why do these gangs want her so badly?

This picture is directed by Yasuda Kimiyoshi (Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman) and stars Shintarô Katsu (Hanzo the Razor), Shiho Fujimura (The Snow Woman), and Yoshio Yoshida (Gamera: The Giant Monster).

This is prime Shintarô Katsu-classic Zatoichi filled with romance, rich cultural detail, and elite action choreography, all delivered with the unique twist of a blind clumsy swordsman at the center of it. The action feels smooth without ever actually being smooth.

The acting is outstanding. While you show up for Katsu's action scenes, his charm, mannerisms, and comedic timing are on a level comparable to Toshiro Mifune. There's a massage scene that had me laughing out loud, along with the line: "He has something to show this blind man, he said. I'd like to see that." 😂

The finale is classic Zatoichi-a full town showdown reminiscent of the Westerns of the era, with the heroes and villains facing off from opposite ends of the street. The large-scale fight is incredible: Zatoichi even delivers his classic pause to drink a glass of water mid-battle while fighting what feels like an entire village. It's huge, over-the-top, a bit unbelievable-and absolutely fantastic.

In conclusion, Zatoichi on the Road delivers everything you want in a Zatoichi film. He's practically the samurai version of James Bond at times. I'd give this a 7/10 and recommend it to any fan of the series or genre.