Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold (1964)

Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold 

Medium: Film
Director: Kazuo Ikehiro
Country: Japan
Released: 1964
First Consumed: June 13, 2012
Format: Hulu Streaming via PS3
Rating: 7.5/10

Director Kazuo Ikehiro makes the most visually striking Zatoichi film yet. It begins with a beautiful opening credits sequence of Zatoichi fighting henchmen against a black background, and it features the most lush photography throughout that we've seen so far. 

Chest of Gold also gives us another new plot set-up for the series. Instead of saving a town or taking down some wrong-doer, our hero is mistaken for a thief and must clear his name. The initial set-up is a bit awkward-- Zatoichi ends up sitting on the titular chest by accident after the thieves have lost it down a hill -- but the rest of the film is a tightly plotted action caper.

Zatoichi on the Road (1963)

Zatoichi on the Road 

Medium: Film
Director: Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Country:Japan
Released: 1963
First Consumed: May 22, 2012
Format: Hulu Streaming (via PS3)
Rating: 7.0/10

At this early point in the Zatoichi franchise, should I already be getting annoyed with it?

Maybe I've just been raised on the idea of diminishing returns in my film franchises. Damn you, Zatoichi, for being consistently well-made and entertaining.

This time our blind hero must protect a young woman from two rival gangs. She, of course, falls in love with him. If there is one sub-plot I don't enjoy in these films, it's the romance. It worked in the first few times, but the past couple love interests have been unnecessary and felt forced.

Shintaro Katsu is as on as ever, and Kimiyoshi Yasuda fulfills the director role as competently as all those before him.

Next up: Zatoichi's Flashing Sword

Zatoichi the Fugitive (1963)

Zatoichi the Fugitive

Medium: Film
Director: Tokuzo Tanaka
Country: Japan
Released: 1963
First Consumed: April 11, 2012
Format: Hulu streaming (via PS3)
Rating: 7.0

The Series gets its first repeat director, Tane returns married to an asshole, and we get the best, most insane sword fight yet. It's also the only one you could call boring at times. Though even with Tane showing up, the plot is completely new. No Boss Kanbei or hometown pals still trying to kill him.

That fight at the end makes it all worth it. It is too good.

New Tale of Zatoichi (1963)

New Tale of Zatoichi

Medium: Film
Director: Tokuzo Tanaka
Country: Japan
Released: 1963
First Consumed: April 9, 2012
Format: Hulu streaming (via PS3)
Rating: 7.5

Well, I got those 20 minutes of runtime I asked for back. I'm now three filma into the Zatoichi series and have yet to see any sort of growth or change in quality. New Tale feels more complex in its plotting than the previous two entries, but that doesn't make it any better. It also introduces several new characters, while still dealing with actions of the past two films.

The Tale of Zatoichi Continues ended with the blind masseur killing the cruel Boss Kanbei, his employer in the first film. New Tale finds him back in his home town where Kanbei's brother and some cronies have tracked him down. Also, Zatoichi reunites with his old sword teacher (who's totally a dick), and gets involved in a love triangle that you know immediately isn't going to pan out well for anybody (The series seems to still be unclear on how to handle the romantic aspects of Zatoichi. The plot here isn't dissimilar to that of the Zatoichi/Tane relationship of the first two films, but Zatoichi acts much differently here). There's also a weird hostage sub plot that mostly plays out in the tertiary until the climax. And none of this matters because Zatoichi is depressed and sick of killing. Shintaro Katsu is called upon to cry several times.

Yeah, that's too much stuff. It could have been executed worse, though. We still have time for Zatoichi's typical brooding, which is a plus.


My modern American brain can only accept film franchises in the form of trilogies, so I'm unfairly expecting some major shake-ups in the next entry.

This was the first Zatoichi film shot in color. I liked the black and white, and the color added absolutely nothing but a more modern look, but it shore is purty.