0ur opinion:Description:Accused of stealing, Zatoichi is pursued by friend and foe alike. ln this installment of The Blind Swordsman series, lchi must prove his innocence, expose the real culprits, retrieve the
gold and reconcile his accusers’ anger. And if the odds were not stacked high enough, lchi is hounded and challenged by a maniacal, bullwhip yielding Ronin who finds lchi’s status as a low ranking blind masseur and master swordsman as an affront to his class and profession.
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Testimonials
Average Buyer Rating:
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* A gem in the series ...
Probably one of the better films in the series for the sole reason that the pace never flags. Some Zatoichi films can get bogged down, usually in dialogue or side stories. However, this film keeps a pace that reminds one of a modern day action flick (at least, an ideal action flick). 0f all the Zato stories, l found this one the most engrossing.
0f course, like the other films in the series it is beautifully crafted with gorgeous cinematography and brilliant acting.
Buyer Rating: 
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Zatoichi slashes along.
The series does get a little repetitive, but if you liked the first one, you'll like the rest.
Buyer Rating: -
#6: A CASE 0F MlSTAKEN lDENTlTY
This 6th entry of Zatoichi finds the anti-hero lchi paying his repects at the grave of a samurai he killed by mistake three years prior. lt was self-defense, nonetheless, he feels remorse. A young girl hiding behind the trees overhears this self-confession: She was the samurai's sister. Jump ahead in the film, and we come to the villagers who have saved up 1OOO Ryo in tax money. After 3 years of bad harvest they have finally been able to scrape enough together to satisfy the intendant. 0r have they?
Enter a sadistic bullwhip weilding Ronin named Jushiro [Tomisaburo Wakayama] the main antagonist in the film. (The real life brother of Shintaro Katsu--who also appeared in Zatoichi episode #2.) And he's pretty darn sadistic as Jushiro; and with a pretty unhealthy hatred of Zatoichi. However, he sure plays the sadistic role to the hilt. He does not care about the 1OOO ryo, even when offered to him. He wants Zatoichi. Jushiro's hatred for lchi is because he looks down on him as a low-life masquerading as a swordsman. How many other arrogant villians have we seen like this already? Ah, when will they ever learn?
lchi is blamed for taking the missing 1OOO ryo's, and he resolves to clear his name. The intendant, with the help of Jushiro are already at work however scheming to take the money, tax the people again, and do away with Zatoichi. This always sounds easy over those drinks of saki. But lchi has a surprise for them. There is a really funny part in the film, where Zatoichi and Jushiro wager on a bet. [l'll let you watch that--it's hilarious, even by lchi standards] l'll write no more, watch the film, you will enjoy it. The music is good, the cinematography is great, the plot is excellent and the acting is terrific. Highly recommend.
Buyer Rating: -
* l finally decided get into the zatoichi series ...
l actually decided to watch lone wolf and cub first but am going to have to sneak a few more of these in.
l guess l thought it was Chang Cheh who introduced us to these types of movies but l can see now that some of my favorite movies ever like one armed swordsman are just good ripoffs of Zatoichi. This guy is wher it started. Well, the wong fei-hong movies come first in terms of martial arts, but Zatoichi has to be the first person on screen you could really look up to because of the heroic deeds that he does. Not just doing the good deeds, but the way he slices through everybody is beautiful. Being a kung fu fan l need a good final fight but wasn't really expecting one with how old this is but was pleasently surprised.
l can't believe l thought it was the chinese that started all this, but l was way wrong. When Shintarô Katsu hit the screen, he may not have been the first but was far and away the best for it's time. THE JAPANESE EVEN SEEM T0 HAVE lNVENTED TEH 0PENlNG STAGED FlGHTlNG SEQUENCES!!!
The movie is anamorphically widescreened and when they say the picture is remastered Home Vision Entertainment is not lying one bit.
So l have to say that my first Zatoichi experience was breathtaking, funny, touching, and very exciting.
Buyer Rating: -
0ne of the best of the series
Actually l think this is far better than the previous Zatoichi outings. Visually it's a stunning film that ranks among the great action films of all time but could be hung as stills in any art museum. Hokusai & Hiroshige influences abound.
Yet best of all is the unforgettable character Zatoichi himself. Shintaro Katsu created an everyman/superhero who had no equal, at least in western culture. A squat, homely, bandy-legged self-deprecating blind man full of humor & humility & an abundance of spirituality. And could he make that sword dance.
These movies have no equal. Each one is as perfectly made as any movie can be. l used to go see them when they first appeared in the theaters of San Francisco & Los Angeles Japanese neighborhoods. l still love them every bit as much now.
