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Zatoichi at Large (1972)

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Posted on February 26, 2006 by Mat

After the rather pitiful Zatoichi in Desperation I was worried that the Zatoichi franchise could be lost forever. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy writing a scathing review – in fact they’re easier to write, it’s just that you have to watch the film in the first place. Thus I had fairly low expectations when I began watching Zatoichi at Large. Thankfully it isn’t as bad as Zatoichi in Desperation. What am I saying?! It completely annihilates … (read more)

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Zatoichi in Desperation (1972)

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Posted on February 12, 2006 by Mat

It’s a crying shame when a well-loved film series becomes so formulaic that each successive film brings nothing fresh or original to the story line or character development of the series. Unfortunately, it seems that Zatoichi in Desperation has steered the Zatoichi franchise down this path of fruitless repetition. Having said this, Zatoichi in Desperation cannot be called a terrible film: it’s just a bad film, as there are a handful of good scenes which make the film watchable.

It … (read more)

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Zatoichi: Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (1970)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo, is the first Zatoichi film to see Shintaro Katsu go head-to-head with screen legend Toshiro Mifune. We know that they have to fight one another, but whose fighting skills will reign supreme?

What an incredibly good film! The entire film feels as though there was more money to spend than in all the previous Zatoichi films put together, and this has resulted in a forty year old film that is just as much, if not more, … (read more)

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Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman (1971)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Zatoichi meets the One-Armed Swordsman follows in the same footsteps as the previous Zatoichi film, Zatoichi meets Yojimbo, by introducing a guest character from a popular series or film of the time. In this case, we are introduced to Wang Yu, of One-Armed Swordsman fame.

Having travelled from China to Japan in an attempt to escape from a past shrouded in mystery, Wang Kong (Wang Yu) doesn’t waste much time in making new enemies. After saving a child from … (read more)

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Zatoichi: New Tale of Zatoichi (1963)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Having defeated almost all of the bad guys in the previous two films, Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi and Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi Continues, Zatoichi returns to do battle with yakuza thugs and sore shoulders in Zatoichi: New Tale of Zatoichi!

When we last left our hero, in The Tale of Zatoichi Continues, he had just killed his brother, a gang leader, and a multitude of hired goons. In New Tale of Zatoichi, Zatoichi, wanting … (read more)

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Zatoichi: The Fugitive (1963)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Shintaro Katsu returns as the sword-wielding, blind masseur Zatoichi, in this, the fourth film of the Zatoichi series. Having defeated a sizeable portion of the yakuza gangs in Japan, you would think that Zatoichi would be allowed to enjoy a well-earned rest, but alas, this is not to be. Ichi finds another bounty on his head and, as if that’s not bad enough, Zatoichi finds that the village he’s arrived in is swarming with Yakuza and a ronin in a … (read more)

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Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi (1962)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi is the first in a long series of movies (around twenty-six in the series), of the adventures of Zatoichi, a blind masseur, who also happens to be a master swordsman. He spends his time wandering from town to town, offering his services as a masseur and generally helping those who can’t help themselves with his sword skills.

My first introduction to the legendary Zatoichi was the 2003 Takeshi Kitano film Zatoichi, starring Kitano himself … (read more)

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Zatoichi: Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Zatoichi, the legendary blind swordsman who moonlights as a masseur, is back in Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi Continues. As the name suggests this film continues the tale of Zatoichi that began in Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi.

Nearly, a year has passed since the events of The Tale of Zatoichi, and Ichi is travelling back to the location of the previous film to pay his respects to a dead friend. On his way, Ichi is asked … (read more)

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