Customer Reviews

Zatoichi:Masseur Ichi Enters Again [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

I really appreciate Home Vision Entertainments production of the Zatoichi movie series. Each release has been an excellent presentation of Zatoichi. As a Japenese Samurai Movie fan I think that this series of DVD's is the best. The character of Zatoichi is very compelling and each story helps you identify with this Blind Swordsman who is always trying to do good for others. The examples of Japenese culture during this time period is very beautiful and detailed. Shintaro Katsu displays a wide range of emotions as Zatoichi and his display of swordmanship is excellent.

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.

Zatoichi's appeal has a lot to do with his imperfections. He's blind, lacks social status, and is not proud of his own legacy of violence. Yet he's motivated by compassion and a sense of justice that prompt him to take action, whatever the consequences.

And then there's the dazzling use of his sword.

As blind swordsman and itinerate massuer, Zatoichi, the late actor Shintaro Katsu walks you through the bright spots and corrupt dark alleys of Edo period Japan.

In "Massuer Ichi Enters Again" (1963) Zatoichi finds love, meets his old fencing teacher, and characteristically rights some wrongs on the way.

Katsu is definitely in his prime, and the film is a sheer pleasure to watch. (MW)

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

So I love it how Z galways gambles, always has something to do with some woman, but I wish that he would sing every movie. Thet is just one of the many highlights oif this film. The first real Zatoichi movie I saw was Chest of Gold(#7) and I was gonna give this a 4/5 cause it didn't have as much action as that. But after watching the very first movie before this, I have to give it a 5. There is plenty of action. Not the best I have ever seen, but it is pretty good for the first ever color Zatoichi film. The subtitles that you read on the screen are poetry and the images are much more than I can describe. The conflict going on is serious and had me wondering what Z was gonna do the whole way.

He comes into town to see his old master. What happens from there is one of those cases where you know what is gonna happnen, but you just wanna see exactly how it plays out. I have to force myself not to give anything away but even though I would rank this the third best out of three of these movies I have seen, it was certainly the best story overall. Ichi lives by the Yukuza code and doesn't take nothin from nobody. And if he does there is a reason for it, trust me. I know I have said it on my other reviews of these, but these are truly some of the best movies I have ever seen.

I still have to see # 2 in the series but you can tell that they stepped up the action greatly from the first film to this one and I can't wait until I get later into the series:)

For the first color Zatoichi movie the picture is more than good and I dare you to find a better release of this movie than Home Video Entertainment has.

When watching these films, flying away from the day and fill like those times !!! Wish to have in my vidio collectoin every movie with artist : Tomisaburo Wakoyma & Shintaro Katsu

The term "zato" indicates a man who is of the status of a blind itinerant masseur who travels from town to town giving massages as a way to make a living. It is a sub-division of the outcaste hinin ("non-human") caste. The Zato Ichi films feature a man of this status who also has become highly skilled as a swordsman. He carries his sword hidden in a cane because it was against the law of the time for such a man to carry and use a sword. His given name is Ichi, thus "Zato Ichi". He is one of the few feudal outcaste characters in a leading role in a film and TV series.

In this third film of the series, Ichi returns to visit with the sensei who had been his instructor in the art of the sword. The sensei had once been a samurai in a clan but is now a ronin who runs a free-lance school to teach swordsmanship. He lives with his sister. Once Ichi arrives, the sensei tries to shame his students by having Ichi give a demonstration of his quick-draw techniques. It appears that the sensei had taught Ichi as a sort of experiment i.e. "I can teach even a blind outcaste masseur to be a sword expert." He views Ichi as a sort of novelty, not as a human being with human feelings; after all, Ichi does belong to the "non-human" caste.

But Ichi is a human being. And so is the sensei's sister. She and Ichi develop a deep love relationship with each other. Ichi considers that perhaps it might be possible for him be able to stop his wanderings and settle down with the sister as husband and wife in a peaceful existence. However, when Ichi approaches the sensei with the idea of marrying his sister, the sensei bristles with contempt -- who does Ichi think that he is? It's one thing for the sensei to have taught Ichi sword skills as a sort of novel experiment. But for someone like Ichi, an outcaste blind masseur, to believe that he can actually wed his sister, who is of samurai lineage -- that is unthinkable in the sensei's view. And so Ichi must leave town.

Later on, after various plot twists, the inevitable happens and Zato Ichi faces his sensei in a final duel. The duel is hard-fought between two swordsmen of almost equal ability. But in the end, it is Ichi, the blind masseur, who is the victor, having slain his former sensei. Ichi cannot stay and marry the sister, as the weight of society's prohibitions and also the course of his own wandering life will not allow it. So Ichi continues once more on his journeys.

This 3rd entry of the Zatoichi series is also the first color episode. It is also a classic, in my opinion. This film opens up with a tie-in to the 2nd Zatoichi episode. Zatoichi has killed Kenbei [in episode #2], and Kenbei's loyalists are out to avenge the death of their boss by seeking to kill Ichi. Kenbei's brother is the leader of these avenging loyalist's, and in a twist, he is an ethical member of the yakuza. He believes in the Bushido code. Quite a departure from the usual "bad-guys" Ichi runs into.

Also in this episode is Ichi's sensei, Banno: The man who taught Zatoichi his skills. However, the sensei is a changed man. This is not the honorable sensei and mentor that Ichi recalls. Banno has lost whatever honor he once had; and his interaction with Ichi is sad to watch. Ironically, the yakuza after him have more honor than Ichi's former mentor. Quite a switch from the usual Zatoichi fare. Tokuzo Tanaka, who directed this film, did an outstanding job with the characters in this film. Moreover, Banno's sister, Yayoi, has fallen in love with Ichi. And Ichi loves her.

Therefore, Ichi ask's his former sensei for her hand in marriage. This causes resentment with Banno, who scoffs at Ichi. Truly a sad episode for Ichi. Banno, the antagonist in the film, and Ichi, the protagonist will clash. But will it lead to a sword duel? And what about the ethical and upstanding brother of Kenbei? Will he duel Ichi? Or will he forgive the blind swordsman? This film is an outstanding Zatoichi episode. Will Yayoi and Ichi stay together?

Banno betrays everyone around him, and as a master-swordsman who trains pupils in this episode: they too are used as objects to be discarded at the whim of this most dishonorable man. One of the pupils in particular is Kingo. The betrayal Banno mete's out to this pupil is the final straw for Ichi. The cane-sword weilding Ichi will tolerate no more. It is time for action. The entire film is great. Cinematography, music, colors, and the plot. A truly outstanding film. Highly recommended. [Stars: 5+]

When watching these films, flying away from the day and fill like those times !!! Wish to have in my vidio collectoin every movie with artist : Tomisaburo Wakoyma & Shintaro Katsu