Zatoichi: Birth of a Franchise

Earlier this year I shared a post covering my first impressions of Criterion's welcome Zatoichi Box Set. At the time, I promised to eventually share my capsule reviews of every single movie. Long story short, it took me until the end of summer to watch all twenty-five movies and collect my thoughts about them. By the end of the process, it seemed that the movies could be loosely gathered into five groups with distinct themes. Over the coming weeks, I plan to share the reviews by theme in the hope it might spark some discussion and encourage film buffs to explore a classic series with an appeal that ultimately defies analysis.

1-4, 6 Birth of a Franchise

Five of the first six Zatoichi movies could be the favourite for two groups of viewers:

• Those who think that all sequels are pale echoes of the original.
• Series viewers who like a little continuity from one film to the next.

There are a lot of high points to recommend the early films which make it easy to see why the series became popular in Japan. Although Shintaro Katsu was still refining his sense of the character, it is enjoyable watching him grow almost as Zatoichi himself grows from skilled outcast and reluctant fighter into a local legend and a more willing dispenser of justice.

Films will be rated on a familiar 5 star system relative to the other movies of the series, not the wider world of film itself. Given the criteria established for each star rating, I resisted the urge to waffle with any half star ratings. Hopefully the reviews will clarify which were the best within each rating group.

***** Classic (The most representative movies of the early, middle, and late years.)

****   Excellent (Innovative and enjoyable, with some formulaic elements that are just enough to fall short of a Classic rating.)

***     Good (Professional, entertaining efforts that did not push the boundaries.)

**       Fair (Coincidence-driven or otherwise flawed films. Some high points, but not enough to save the movie.)

*         Poor (Total bombs. Unfit for inclusion in the canon)

1. The Tale of Zatoichi *****

The ur-text of the series. Corrupt yakuza gangs are at war. There is a tragic ronin figure who respects Zatoichi's sword-fighting ability, but is destined to face him in combat. Not to mention a pretty woman who loves Zatoichi despite his disability and low status, but who is doomed to lose him. The only thing missing is an orphan for Zatoichi to rescue. The movie is in black and white (is that still a deterrent to some?) and the Zatoichi character is not yet fully formed, but it is a must see because it sets the tone for the entire series and hews closest to Kan Shimozawa's original story.

2. The Tale of Zatoichi Continued ***

I was deeply disappointed the first time I saw this movie. It was too short (72 minutes) and the ending seemed rushed, almost as if there were a lost reel of film necessitating a re-edit before release. A second viewing has raised it in my estimation, not just because the sibling rivalry in the movie is acted out by Katsu and his real-life brother (Tomisaburo Wakayama). There is a good story and we learn more about Zatoichi's past. The end does come too soon, but I no longer see that as a deal breaker.

3. The New Tale of Zatoichi ****

One of my favourite entries in the series, with an appropriate title to boot. It’s not just that it is the first colour movie, but there is a sense that this was a relaunch of sorts now that Daiei and Katsu knew what they really wanted to do if they were going to make this a successful serial and not just another sequel. We witness the moral decline of Zatoichi's former sword teacher as the blind swordsman himself fends off attackers looking for revenge from the previous movie. Ichi is sorely tempted to give up his wandering life for marriage with his teacher's sister, Yayoi. And who can blame him, Mikiko Tsubouchi plays the quintessential demure yet steely Edo-period woman.

4. Zatoichi the Fugitive ***

This movie features great scenes depicting Edo-period life, from a sumo competition at the local shrine to a rowdy summer festival. The yakuza ceremony is perfectly composed and builds the tension well. We also learn the fate of Otane, Zatoichi's love interest from the first two movies. While the final battle scene is a little over the top, with Ichi ridiculously outnumbered, it also features one of the best lines in the series when Onobu, played by a series regular, Miwa Takada, berates her dithering boyfriend with a deserved, "Baka! Baka, baka, baka!" While "Idiot! Stupid, stupid idiot!" might not sound all that creative, the delivery and the timing make it perfect.

6. Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold ****

This movie features the return of Katsu's brother as his ronin foil. There is a nice opening credits sequence filmed on a dark stage in a kind of dress rehearsal punctuated by Zatoichi blowing on his masseur's whistle. This opening is no add-on either, as it foreshadows the menacing use of the whistle toward the end of the movie. The real accomplishment of this movie is how it incorporates the legendary Yakuza boss Chuji Kunisada, a Japanese Robin Hood figure. Their meeting and relationship was previously established in Zatoichi the Fugitive after Kunisada pays his respects at Boss Sakichi’s and meets Zatoichi on the road, informing him that he is also on the run. There’s some nice foreshadow when Zatoichi says he hopes to see him again. Having the pair on the same side essentially cements Zatoichi's underdog hero status. Mikiko Tsubouchi returns in a decidely different role playing the sister of a man killed by Zatoichi. Ichi is forced to prove that he is a better man than she thinks, all the while saving a young boy and helping Kunisada escape from his besieged mountain hideout in a brilliant night scene. In the end, Ichi's opponents are formidable, and the stakes of saving a village filled with suspicious and smallminded people (not to mention the reputation of two men) is suitably high. One of the best.

Read part two, Zatoichi: Formula and Fighting