Thursday, June 25, 2009

Zatoichi


Hey a post about something other than someone dying!

I'd like to talk about one of my favorite Japanese chambara/sword film series, Zatoichi.
Shintaro Katsu starred as the blind swordsman Ichi in 26 films and a tv series, from the early 60's to the 80's. It's a wonderful series of drama,action and humor as Ichi travels feudal Japan fighting Yakuza and wrong doers. I can't recommend these films enough.
Zatoichi meets Yojimbo has Toshiro Mifune is his "Yojimbo" role meeting up with and fighting with Ichi and in a later film Ichi meets the "One Armed Swordsman" played by Jimmy Wang Yu, star of the have to be seen to believe film "Master of the Flying Guillotine".
A few years ago Beat Takashi made his own Zatoichi, so far no sequel has appeared.
Seek the DVDs out (they may be out of print) you won't be sorry.

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