Katsu with several years between this film and the last is so much fun. He's drawing from so many other sources and his own style has improved immensely. The changes in filmic language between the last film and this one has changed a lot and that really shows in the edit. It's a lot sharper and snappier all while retaining the way the older films led the eye. It's essentially a Zatoichi: Greatest Hits film, recycling a lot of material and finding a way to combine several older storylines in new ways, ramping things up and up and up. A lot of it does feel excessive, but it's all just fun fun fun

Katsu with several years between this film and the last is so much fun. He's drawing from so many other sources and his own style has improved immensely. The changes in filmic language between the last film and this one has changed a lot and that really shows in the edit. It's a lot sharper and snappier all while retaining the way the older films led the eye. It's essentially a Zatoichi: Greatest Hits film, recycling a lot of material and finding a way to combine several older storylines in new ways, ramping things up and up and up. A lot of it does feel excessive, but it's all just fun fun fun

Duuuuude
Honestly this just felt like a fever dream
I’m grateful for the Zatoichi and 80s synth collab but at the same time what the fuck 
Some of this just felt so cursed 
Lowk didn’t watch half of it bc my wall become more interesting at times 
Really cool action of course but mainly due to the sound effects carrying some divine purpose 
Sound design was insane 

Uhhhhhhhhh bye bye Ichi forever
sad to see him go after spending so much time with the character 
Will 1000% revisit my favs from the series 
Would’ve much rather ended on Zatoichi’s Conspiracy lowk 
I did really like that one (ignoring the trash side story) 
This felt like half of an ending and no way to send off such a myth
But it’s done 

Some dangerously boring bits 
Actually just filming speaking people 
It was that uninspired at points 

Can’t say I expected much more unfortunately 

Now I can see what Kitano does with this character

Duuuuude
Honestly this just felt like a fever dream
I’m grateful for the Zatoichi and 80s synth collab but at the same time what the fuck 
Some of this just felt so cursed 
Lowk didn’t watch half of it bc my wall become more interesting at times 
Really cool action of course but mainly due to the sound effects carrying some divine purpose 
Sound design was insane 

Uhhhhhhhhh bye bye Ichi forever
sad to see him go after spending so much time with the character 
Will 1000% revisit my favs from the series 
Would’ve much rather ended on Zatoichi’s Conspiracy lowk 
I did really like that one (ignoring the trash side story) 
This felt like half of an ending and no way to send off such a myth
But it’s done 

Some dangerously boring bits 
Actually just filming speaking people 
It was that uninspired at points 

Can’t say I expected much more unfortunately 

Now I can see what Kitano does with this character

I'll give it credit that since it isn't tied to the previous 25 films, the film is allowed to have its own identity. A lot more creative uses of cinematography and action. But the story feels all too familiar, and they don't give Shintarô the proper ending his character deserves. One of the better films in the series.

I'll give it credit that since it isn't tied to the previous 25 films, the film is allowed to have its own identity. A lot more creative uses of cinematography and action. But the story feels all too familiar, and they don't give Shintarô the proper ending his character deserves. One of the better films in the series.