Zatoichi

Leandro · Post by **Leandro** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:31 pm

I liked the 2003 movie, liked how the fights were decided in a matter of instants, and the bizarreness of the dance routines... The character reminds me of an old ukyo tachibana

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:14 am

Most people don't realize that Beat Takeshi make most of his dough by being somewhat of a jackass on TV... how most people in Japanese TV make their money, really.

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:50 am

I'm a huge fan of the original series. Shintaro Katsu is something of a personal hero to me and in my mind no one else can play Zatoichi--I hated Kitano's film and have not even bothered with any others.

I am actually mid way through re-watching them all, myself. My girlfriend and I started having friends and co-workers over every Tuesday nights to watch one of the films each week. We're watching them all in chronological order, and we've just gotten into the episodes where Katsu Productions had taken over. We're taking a break in a couple of weeks to watch Yojimbo and Sanjuro to prep for the episode where Zatoichi and Yojimbo meet.

I've never actually seen any of the television series, but I plan to crack into those once we get through the main series on our Tuesday night thing. I actually recently picked up the first volume on Amazon for $3 (still available if anyone is interested http://www.amazon.com/Zatoichi-Blind-Sw ... 818&sr=8-3).

My all-time favorite Zatoichi film is the third one, Tokuzo Tanaka's "Shin Zatoichi Monogatari." It's the first one they did in color, and it has a big focus on Zatoichi's backstory.

Also, if you're into Zatoichi/Katsu, be sure to check out the Hanzo trilogy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanzo_the_Razor

drauch · Post by **drauch** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 7:38 am

Hell yes. Hanzo the Razor is god. I referenced him at work the other day when I was talking about penis interrogation.

joeblade · Post by **joeblade** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:11 am

GaijinPunch wrote:Most people don't realize that Beat Takeshi make most of his dough by being somewhat of a jackass on TV... how most people in Japanese TV make their money, really.

Japanese variety/quiz shows...that's all I found on tv most nights when I was there...

Plus the morning news show which had belinda carlisle "heaven is a place on earth" running ad nauseum in the background....

Remember watching beat takeshi on smaps show a while ago and they were showing some of his best tv pranks...pretty good actually.

Thinks of Kato & Ken on engine for some strange reason!!

xris · Post by **xris** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:33 pm

I've watched so much of Zatoichi, a few years ago IFC played all the movies, then the tv series on saturday afternoon over the course of a year. I missed a couple, but watched just about all of them, because they're freaking awesome! One of the greatest characters ever, and the way he was played was fantastic, slightly twitchy, unscrupulous, great sense of humor, vicious, compulsive gambler, saint and sinner, traveling masseur, it just goes on. The fights were exciting, the women scandalous, corrupted officials, mad monks, consummate swordsmen, this series is everything you could ever what in samurai entertainment. The story lines in some of them were absolutely out of control, and get better as they go along. What were you thinking evil lord, you and your 20 guys could actually take out that blind psychopath? Truly bad ass. One of my all time favorites, and sure to be as well for anybody that watches these.
The tv series is just as good, same quality and types of stories. I didn't realize they were made for tv until after I watched them, I kind of thought they were just some shorter movies until I learned different later.
Never seen the modern movies. Haven't really wanted to, I just figured they would never match the character played by Katsu, he just did it too well. Although Rutger Hauer's Blind Fury can get a pass for being really close to the tone and feeling set in modern times, they just left out his love of gambling and massage therapy.
The Hanzo the Razor movies are crazy! That is one crazy fucking detective! Those are pretty cool, and anybody that booby traps their own home to that extent should not be messed with.
As far as other actors that get their character right in samurai film series the Lone Wolf and Cub movies should also be included in this category and is also required viewing.
If you are watching these for the first time, have fun! They are special movies that are unparalleled, with one of the greatest portrayals ever. Just don't be surprised if you want to round out your day by playing some dice for money, sucker punch someone in the face, and go home to give your girl a back rub.

Mischief Maker · Post by **Mischief Maker** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:56 am

My favorite is probably Zatoichi Challenged! The one where the little kid he protects is a rat bastard and he treats the kid accordingly.

The thing I like so much about Zatoichi is that he's a blind character who is neither a saintly victim-to-be-avenged, nor a zen master.

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:18 pm

Mischief Maker wrote:My favorite is probably Zatoichi Challenged! The one where the little kid he protects is a rat bastard and he treats the kid accordingly.

Coincidentally, that is the one we're watching tonight!

NZA · Post by **NZA** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:04 am

I love the original series, much thanks to IFC.

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:29 pm

I loved the 2003 one. Will have to check the others out thanks dude.

rapoon · Post by **rapoon** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 8:32 am

GaijinPunch wrote:Most people don't realize that Beat Takeshi make most of his dough by being somewhat of a jackass on TV... how most people in Japanese TV make their money, really.

you can still catch him on spike tv.

always cracks me up as he's one of my fav directors. his remake of Zatoichi is brilliant.

Hanzo series is decent, at best. aside from an asian guy w/ a sword, it doesn't have a thing in common w/ zatoichi. A cop with a gigantic dick, inability to speak to women.... so he rapes them....; yea, if that's your sorta thing, Hanzo is right up your alley. Lone Wolf Series & Mikogami Trilogy are lightyears better. Hanzo's not bad... it's just not that good.

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 4:36 pm

rapoon wrote:A cop with a gigantic dick, inability to speak to women.... so he rapes them....; yea, if that's your sorta thing, Hanzo is right up your alley.

Sumez · Post by **Sumez** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 8:02 pm

Beat Takeshi is a jackass on my famicom as well...

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 5:07 am

Vokatse wrote:Also, watched Sanjuro...it was great. Really looking forward to when Zatoichi meets up with him!

Unfortunately Sanjuro's personality is a bit watered down in the Zatoichi film. It's still a fun episode, but Okamoto didn't seem to know how to bring the Yojimbo character to life like Kurosawa did a decade prior.

Mischief Maker · Post by **Mischief Maker** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 3:34 pm

Necronopticous wrote:
Vokatse wrote:Also, watched Sanjuro...it was great. Really looking forward to when Zatoichi meets up with him!
Unfortunately Sanjuro's personality is a bit watered down in the Zatoichi film. It's still a fun episode, but Okamoto didn't seem to know how to bring the Yojimbo character to life like Kurosawa did a decade prior.

Honestly I don't think that was meant to be the same character. The marketing department wanted to hype the star wattage and they couldn't title the movie "Zatoichi meets Toshiro Mifune," so they settled for "Zatoichi meets (a) Yojimbo" even though he's meet hundreds of Yojimbos already by the time that movie comes around.

Khan · Post by **Khan** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 6:56 pm

26 movies!? I always thought there was only one lol I remember seeing it on film four hes not really blind is he?

rapoon · Post by **rapoon** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 6:59 pm

Khan wrote:26 movies!? I always thought there was only one lol I remember seeing it on film four hes not really blind is he?

that's Takeshi Kitano flick. the 26 movies/series are several decades older. just check out imdb.

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