Search - Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 9 - Adventures of Zatoichi on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 4/2/2024...

Old school fighting customs!

Another excellent Zatoichi story

Andrew J. Mathias Jr. | Tonawanda, NY | 08/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"

Zatoichi#9 The Adventures of Zatoichi has the blind masseur once again trying to do someone a favor and facing unexpected problems. By delivering a note to a young woman who works at the inn where he is going to greet the new year, Master Ichi becomes involved in the plots of Jinbei, the local Yakuza crime boss. He meets Miss Sen, whose brother was betrayed by Jinbei, and Miss Saki, daughter of a village headman last seen in the nearby area. The two women's stories are intertwined as Zatoichi attempts to help them both.

The Japan shown in the Zatoichi movies is not the Japan of Kurosawa and Mifuni.
It is rural Japan made up of small villages controlled by easily corrupted Yakuza bosses. The code of Bushido doesn't apply: any Samurai are usually masterless ronin devoid of any high standards. Crime is common; peasants and bandits survived as well as they could. Life was often miserable.

Zatoichi is a Japanese movie icon because of the acting of Shintaro Katsu. Master Ichi is unique because of his personal code of honor- be kind to those who deserve it, but beware to those who would take advantage of a homeless blind man. He hopes never to have to draw the razor-sharp sword hidden in his cane, but usually has no choice. The sword-fighting scenes are superbly choreographed, realistic, and full speed with no slow-motion slice-and-dice shots.

Watch for the interactions between Ichi and the children he encounters. He respects innocence in any form. Also pay heed to his treatment of the elderly alcoholic beggar called `Gramps' in the subtitles.
Viewers would expect a homeless blindman to be deeply cynical, soured by the misery and evil surrounding him. Zatoichi believes in justice, no matter what life brings him. All the Zatoichi movies are available at Amazon. They are well worth watching. I recommend them highly.
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#9 & #10: WHEN WILL THE VILLIANS EVER LEARN?

Ernest Jagger | Culver City, California | 09/04/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This review is for Zatoichi No.9 and No.10 below. The amazon system has errors and will not post the #10 review [sends it to Zatoichi #10 & #13].

This 9th entry of Zatoichi "ADVENTURES OF ZATOICHI" has some of the most splendid cinematography around. Amazing that these episodes are so beautiful to watch. This 9th entry of Ichi, finds the protagonist asked to deliver a letter to Sen [Eiko Taki] And once again Zatoichi finds himself battling the villians. Villagers, entertainers and merchants are told that the New Years business tax has been upped to 40%. More than twice the previous amount. It appears that the new intendant Gorota Kajima [Akitake Kono] is trying to profit at the townspeople's expense.

Meanwhile Boss Jinbei [Kichijiro Ueda] has been installed as the enforcer to the new intendant. Caught in the middle of all this is Zatoichi, being the good-guy that he is, he takes on the band of ruffians, and in this predictable Ichi episode, the blind masseur manages once again to get rid of the "bad-guys" Even if he doesn't get the girl. Recommend [Stars: 3]


ZATOICHI NO. 10 "ZATOICHI'S REVENGE"

"I don't know who sent you, but you only get one life," says Zatoichi looking down upon the bodies of 3 assassins he has just dispatched with his cane-sword. And so begins the 10th entry of the long running Zatoichi series. It has been 10 years since Ichi was last in the village of Azabu. Looking for a dear friend, he is saddened to hear that Hikonichi, his friend has been felled by a skilled swordsman.

Enter Tatsugoro, the new boss of the town. And not a very nice person to boot. He has a thriving brothel business, courtesy of young women forced into prostitution on false charges of debts owed to them by husbands and fathers. Miss Sayo is the daughter of Hikonichi--and Ichi is upset to learn that she now works at the brothel. Tatsugoro and his henchmen have devised a system they think is foolproof for income. Kill the men, and take their women. Open up shop and everything will be just fine. Right? Wrong! What they don't expect is a blind, cane-sword wielding masseur by the name of Zatoichi.

This is a very good episode. One "bad-guy" samurai in particular who just can't wait to challenge Zatoichi is Koheta Kadokura. He gets his chance by the way: And he won't be reprising his role in episode #11, or any other after Ichi get's through with him. Or the rest of the evil villians in this episode--which is quite a few "bad-guys." As Ichi commences to depopulate the male population while freeing the enslaved women, all returns to normal in the village of Azabu. Highly recommend. [stars: 4]"