This is the culmination of everything that the Zatoichi series has been building without the series even actually having a set goal that it was building towards. 

Before here we had seen Zatoichi establish himself as a character, set the groundwork for what would be the hallmarks of a Zatoichi film, deconstructed the character, reconstructed the character, examined class and sex and disability, and even had departures so far from what a Zatoichi film is that it is arguable that the character is entirely different. Everything good and bad about a Zatoichi film is taken and blended together to create something new yet familiar, with this film now being the best one in the entire goddamn series.

The film starts off with a comedy, Zatoichi being chased by a dog. It’s a silly image and yet it is presented in such a stylish way with the full image split down the middle by a black box containing the film’s credits, Zatoichi running right to left. It’s such a strong image that you could replace the dog with the cuckhold that is chasing down Zatoichi and set a completely new tone for it while still retaining that style. The comedy of Zatoichi works as the basis for the tragedy of Zatoichi here, especially with the villain of this film being our hero’s mirror opposite. Zatoichi could have operated like this larger than life shogun-esque king of yakuza. He’s definitely as skilled and as influential in the same circles if not moreso. With these two foils - the cuckhold and the boss - we are reminded again of the lives Zatoichi could have had, this time both warped to a perversion of those ideals of stability. Stability is not something Zatoichi can have while still retaining his morals. The society he lives within would not allow it, built upon strict hierarchy as it is.

There is so much to love about this film. The story, the pacing, the fights, the aesthetics. It is difficult to pinpoint a specific moment as a favorite, it is all just so damn good.

This is the culmination of everything that the Zatoichi series has been building without the series even actually having a set goal that it was building towards. 

Before here we had seen Zatoichi establish himself as a character, set the groundwork for what would be the hallmarks of a Zatoichi film, deconstructed the character, reconstructed the character, examined class and sex and disability, and even had departures so far from what a Zatoichi film is that it is arguable that the character is entirely different. Everything good and bad about a Zatoichi film is taken and blended together to create something new yet familiar, with this film now being the best one in the entire goddamn series.

The film starts off with a comedy, Zatoichi being chased by a dog. It’s a silly image and yet it is presented in such a stylish way with the full image split down the middle by a black box containing the film’s credits, Zatoichi running right to left. It’s such a strong image that you could replace the dog with the cuckhold that is chasing down Zatoichi and set a completely new tone for it while still retaining that style. The comedy of Zatoichi works as the basis for the tragedy of Zatoichi here, especially with the villain of this film being our hero’s mirror opposite. Zatoichi could have operated like this larger than life shogun-esque king of yakuza. He’s definitely as skilled and as influential in the same circles if not moreso. With these two foils - the cuckhold and the boss - we are reminded again of the lives Zatoichi could have had, this time both warped to a perversion of those ideals of stability. Stability is not something Zatoichi can have while still retaining his morals. The society he lives within would not allow it, built upon strict hierarchy as it is.

There is so much to love about this film. The story, the pacing, the fights, the aesthetics. It is difficult to pinpoint a specific moment as a favorite, it is all just so damn good.

NAKADAI DOES NO WRONG

Nakadai storms into the series, and accomplishes a few things:
- One of the best fights
- One of the best side characters/ antagonists
- One of the funniest lines of the whole series
- One of the strangest sequences in the series
- The best of everything as well 
He’s so good
He’s so so good
He proved that this series could reach insane heights with the right choices 

Aside from Nakadai’s greatness, this film was excelling on its own 
Some of the best direction so far, rarely a wasted shot
Insane set design
Brilliant big boss yakuza villain
Fabulous set up
Such strong momentum built up over the course of the film, I didn’t find myself dozing off at all or even just getting bored
The music inclusion was very advanced 
Ichi was making such intricate decisions I don’t know how to describe it
He was just operating on some different gravy, he was so kind and then vengeful and it was really nice to see
The bathhouse fight was a work of art
So so good

But unfortunately, I still want to love this more than I actually do 
A rubbish inclusion of some poorly executed side story, confusing and bizarrely unfocussed as it was, it was just straight up unnecessary 
It’s an inclusion that could be on its way to something really special for the series, but falls flat and succeeds in nothing - at least for me 
Some weird moments went on much longer than expected, which isn’t the end of the world but is something that holds these films back for me

Overall, INSANELY good at points, but ultimately held back by some pretty frustrating baggage


Diving in a bit deeper tho…
 
I was introduced to this series by scrolling through Nakadai’s films on Letterboxd
I saw this film and noticed the 21 in the poster
Shocked, I tried to uncover what the HELL film series could possibly have at LEAST 21 films in it, and what do you know it’s the Zatoichi saga
I then placed it deep in a corner of my chanbara watchlist, realising the overwhelming possibility I’d never make a start with the series at all

By a twist of fate, here I am, 21 films in and so so happy to be here 

After doing some research, I was aware people said this film was one of the best in the series, and having my favourite actor in, I had pretty high hopes 
The last 20 films, I’ve had such hope that this could break through and produce something brilliant, stand-alone and like nothing else
I’m realising now that maybe the way this series is, that might just not be possible 
At least not for me and what I look for in my personal favourites

But these are like nothing else, and they are all so fun
So it already doesn’t feel like too much to ask to see if this could excel to a different level
But if it did then this would be something else
Which is also so fine 
To see it come this close is so bittersweet lmao 
Because this comes close close with some of these scenes
But it just can’t stick it for me

That’s it really, Im so fine with these sort of reaching some ceiling with these incredibly well done moments 
A weird feeling 

Thank you Nakadai for being the best to ever do it 🙏

NAKADAI DOES NO WRONG

Nakadai storms into the series, and accomplishes a few things:
- One of the best fights
- One of the best side characters/ antagonists
- One of the funniest lines of the whole series
- One of the strangest sequences in the series
- The best of everything as well 
He’s so good
He’s so so good
He proved that this series could reach insane heights with the right choices 

Aside from Nakadai’s greatness, this film was excelling on its own 
Some of the best direction so far, rarely a wasted shot
Insane set design
Brilliant big boss yakuza villain
Fabulous set up
Such strong momentum built up over the course of the film, I didn’t find myself dozing off at all or even just getting bored
The music inclusion was very advanced 
Ichi was making such intricate decisions I don’t know how to describe it
He was just operating on some different gravy, he was so kind and then vengeful and it was really nice to see
The bathhouse fight was a work of art
So so good

But unfortunately, I still want to love this more than I actually do 
A rubbish inclusion of some poorly executed side story, confusing and bizarrely unfocussed as it was, it was just straight up unnecessary 
It’s an inclusion that could be on its way to something really special for the series, but falls flat and succeeds in nothing - at least for me 
Some weird moments went on much longer than expected, which isn’t the end of the world but is something that holds these films back for me

Overall, INSANELY good at points, but ultimately held back by some pretty frustrating baggage


Diving in a bit deeper tho…
 
I was introduced to this series by scrolling through Nakadai’s films on Letterboxd
I saw this film and noticed the 21 in the poster
Shocked, I tried to uncover what the HELL film series could possibly have at LEAST 21 films in it, and what do you know it’s the Zatoichi saga
I then placed it deep in a corner of my chanbara watchlist, realising the overwhelming possibility I’d never make a start with the series at all

By a twist of fate, here I am, 21 films in and so so happy to be here 

After doing some research, I was aware people said this film was one of the best in the series, and having my favourite actor in, I had pretty high hopes 
The last 20 films, I’ve had such hope that this could break through and produce something brilliant, stand-alone and like nothing else
I’m realising now that maybe the way this series is, that might just not be possible 
At least not for me and what I look for in my personal favourites

But these are like nothing else, and they are all so fun
So it already doesn’t feel like too much to ask to see if this could excel to a different level
But if it did then this would be something else
Which is also so fine 
To see it come this close is so bittersweet lmao 
Because this comes close close with some of these scenes
But it just can’t stick it for me

That’s it really, Im so fine with these sort of reaching some ceiling with these incredibly well done moments 
A weird feeling 

Thank you Nakadai for being the best to ever do it 🙏

No Ja Rule so who cares?

No Ja Rule so who cares?