Rating: 
Summary: Great Movie, So-So Transfer
Review: This is the first in a series of 20-plus films about the blind swordsman, traveling masseur, and low level gangster Zatoichi. This is a truly incredible series that makes its hero more credible than some of the new-school martial arts heroes of today. Shintaru Katsu has created a very sympathetic hero. The action scenes remind me of Kurosawa'a work ( the fight choreography changes in the later entries ). My only gripe is that the outdoor night scenes look a little murky which is why I gave this picture 4 stars. Otherwise, it's a minor quibble and, for a 40 year old film, looks great!
Rating: 
Summary: An outlaw that lives with honor, and kills by stealth...
Review: This is very enjoyable. I thought to myself as soon as I put it on, "This is gonna be boring." As soon as I witnessed the dialog, I thought, "This is gonna be VERY enjoyable!" His charm, smarts, and just his character all around is amazingly likable. I wasn't even wondering how much action was going to be on this DVD when I saw this awesome character. Don't worry action freaks, there's some of that too. Fast action. I'm talkin' about action that's so quick it takes a little replay in slow-motion. Whew, this guy really is a master with a sword. You can definitely tell when he's slicing. (The perfectly realistic choreography helps a lot as well.) I remember seeing "Seven Samurai", knowing it was one of the greatest "films" ever made by the master of film, but I wanted more of that stealth samurai action we all crave to see. For me I only saw it once in that movie. Remember that samurai towards the beginning that had a duel in the field? That guy was my favorite. That was the only scene, that one slice, that gave me the "stealthness". I'm sure there's other chambara films out there that I would love, but this one is the best so far. It's also so cool because it gives the awesome character at the same time. I don't want to see some boring actor swing a sword fast! If you like film, great movies, and realistic action, go for it...
Rating:
Summary: Zatoichi on DVD Yeah!
Review: Well I have to admit that I am a Zatoichi freak. I have all these movies on VHS, but they are so good I will have to get them all on DVD as well. I can honestly say, for me that is, that I have never been dissapointed in any Zatoichi movie I have purchased. I can watch them time and time again and never get tired of seeing them. This type of movie making is a lost art today as well as the kind of character Zatoichi portrays. The action is great as well as the stories and the acting in these films. Thanks to great places like Amazon.com these movies can now be had by people who live in rural places that would otherwise be unavailable. I highly reccomend these movies, that is the whole series to anyone who likes good honest entertainment.Try one of these out, you may be surprised how much you enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Setting the tone for the giant series
Review: You don't even need to see any other Japanese films to immediately come to love the Zatoichi series. It really is a blessing to audiences, and to anyone looking for fresh and new material (well, some of it honestly is a retelling but, with Shintaro Katsu's unerring dedication and original acting stlye it makes you an instant fan). Sometimes you want to know, "is he really blind or, is he just acting?" The series of Zatoichi "Master Ichi the blind swordsman, and traveling masseur", is not only a must for any compulsive viewer but also a great series with plenty of thrills and acting followed by great story lines. In this the first installment (it's debateable by Ichi freaks), the tone is set not just for a follow up movie but for also a saving throw for the japanese cinema of it's day. As far as movies go and reacurring characters, this has got to be the (best) and longest series ever. And soon all (26?) of them are to be put into dvd format. (Ahh, what more could we ask for?) Here is where we are introduced to Shintaro (and a whole group of actors that with the trained eye you will see in other roles in the entire series) who nails the role with a very humorous and fresh approach. At first he almost plays the role of a wandering mystic who finds the unfortunate and downtrodden admist the vile gangsters of his day, but then you realize Zatoichi is himself a gangster but one who lives by different values and ethics. This draws you to Zatoichi's life and adventures he happens to come across or stumble into or that just fall into his lap. He is very human (with obvious limitations) which as a viewer can even make you feel for him and his role in a very contemporary story. The Ichi series is a great find for any fan of foriegn cinema. With anticipation we await the ongoing re-releasing of a truly unique anti-hero.
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