Search - Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 3 - New Tale of Zatoichi on DVD

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

Old school fighting customs!

Better Subtitles

AstroNerdBoy | Denver, CO | 10/13/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The 3rd volume of the Zatoichi series of movies continues where the last one left off. Zatoichi returns home and meets up with his old sensei. However, his homecoming is marred by the fact that the brother of one of the men Zatoichi had to kill previously wants revenge. To make matters worse, his sensei's sister wishes to marry Zatoichi, but the way of the sword may prove to be greater than love.

The translation quality of the third volume is improved over the previous two movies. As such, some Japanese honorifics make it into the subtitles and rather than translate Japanese words for brother/sister into character names, they are translated as brother/sister. So that's a big improvement. I hope this trend continues in the next movies.

As for the movie, it is another good one. I'm normally not a fan of old movies, but there is just something about this samurai series that I really enjoy. Shintarou Katsu does a fantastic job as Zatoichi. The sword work is really something to see.

Bottom line: I really recommend this title for fans of samurai anime titles or who are interested in Japanese culture. If you are looking for a pretty good action/adventure flick with a bit of romance (similar to old American westerns), then this may be the title for you."

Excellent Zato Film

Mark Judge | 09/26/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Zatoichi films, including this one, are an excellent example of the Eastern Western. Zato hobbles into town, comes upon evil, corrects it the best way he can, and leaves. The swordplay is delightfully impossible. But that's the Zen way...A Japanese-speaking martial-arts teacher friend of mine knows the films by heart and notes that the early films are more "for fun" but Zato (or his creator) becomes more introspective as the series develops and finally allows Zato to die in the last film.In "The Blind Swordman's Cane Sword" the opening scene has Zato reacting suddenly to a flight of rooks past his head and slicing two of them into fillets."There I go, killing again," Zato says rather sadly. At this point Zato's conscience is beginning to bother him.JM"

Another good zatoichi film

Mark Judge | Azle, Tx United States | 10/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Man what can I say. This is the fourth Zatoichi film I have ordered and it was just as good as the others. In this one he meets his old fencing teacher, but hey I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone. Suffice it to say these are great movies. Well acted and filmed with some incredible choreography in the sword fights. If you like martial arts films or like westerns where a lone guy brings justice to the wicked you will like these movies.
And these movies are well made they are not those cheap chinese kung fu flicks, but well produced and acted films. They are Japanese films and of much higher quality.Try one you will like it."