The Zatoichi series continues to find ways to flesh out their titular character and have him grapple with the difficulties of the life he has chosen to live. This time, Zatoichi ends up in Serigzawa after visiting the 88 Temples to make an attempt to atone for his bloody past. His new lease on life doesn’t last long as he is soon accosted by a man he had never met before. This is what makes this era of the films so interesting. It’s so much more introspective on the part of Zatoichi to where the fights don’t need to be as flashy in order to have the film stand out. The choice of villain this time around is so great as well. They’re portrayed more as a low-class brute rather than the same high-caliber yakuza and government magistrates we have seen before. They’re not a fellow drifter, either. They’re a land-hungry horse trader. That’s it. They’re boarish and brutish and all around unpleasant. It stands as a nice contrast for once and a great foil for Zatoichi. His relationship with Okichi is so good too. Women in the Zatoichi films are usually there to show Zatoichi what kind of life he is missing by being so dedicated to the sword. Okichi isn’t all too different, but she is specifically someone who sees Zatoichi as the kind person he refuses to see himself as. With this happening so soon after Zatoichi kills someone after atoning for his sins, this is huge
The Zatoichi series continues to find ways to flesh out their titular character and have him grapple with the difficulties of the life he has chosen to live. This time, Zatoichi ends up in Serigzawa after visiting the 88 Temples to make an attempt to atone for his bloody past. His new lease on life doesn’t last long as he is soon accosted by a man he had never met before. This is what makes this era of the films so interesting. It’s so much more introspective on the part of Zatoichi to where the fights don’t need to be as flashy in order to have the film stand out. The choice of villain this time around is so great as well. They’re portrayed more as a low-class brute rather than the same high-caliber yakuza and government magistrates we have seen before. They’re not a fellow drifter, either. They’re a land-hungry horse trader. That’s it. They’re boarish and brutish and all around unpleasant. It stands as a nice contrast for once and a great foil for Zatoichi. His relationship with Okichi is so good too. Women in the Zatoichi films are usually there to show Zatoichi what kind of life he is missing by being so dedicated to the sword. Okichi isn’t all too different, but she is specifically someone who sees Zatoichi as the kind person he refuses to see himself as. With this happening so soon after Zatoichi kills someone after atoning for his sins, this is huge
