Zatôichi (2003)

Director:

Takeshi Kitano

Writers:

Takeshi Kitano (screenplay)
Kan Shimosawa (novels)

Release Date:

6 September 2003 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Music

Tagline:

His Sword Made Him a Hero... His Courage Made Him a Legend. This Summer, Justice is Blind.

Plot:

The blind masseur/swordsman comes to an town in control of warring gangs, and while bunking with a farming family, he meets two women with their own agenda.

Plot Keywords:

Zatoichi | Samurai | Swordsman | Masseur | Ronin

Awards:

21 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Takeshi Kitano	...	Zatôichi / Ichi (as Beat Takeshi)
Tadanobu Asano	...	Hattori Genosuke
Michiyo Ookusu	...	Aunt Oume
Gadarukanaru Taka	...	Shinkichi
Daigorô Tachibana	...	Geisha Seitaro 'Osei' Naruto
Yûko Daike	...	Geisha Okinu Naruto
Yui Natsukawa	...	O-Shino, Hattori's Wife
Ittoku Kishibe	...	Boss Inosuke Ginzo
Saburô Ishikura	...	Boss Tashichi Ogi
Akira Emoto	...	Tavern Owner Pops
Ben Hiura	...	Tavern Gramps
Kohji Miura	...	Lord Sakai
Hideboh	...	Dancing Farmer (as The Stripes)
Ron II	...	Dancing Farmer (as The Stripes)
Suji	...	Dancing Farmer (as The Stripes)

Also Known As:

Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi (International: English title) (informal title)
The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (USA)
Zatoichi (International: English title)
Zatoichi (Argentina) (Chile) (Spain) [es]
Zatoichi - Der blinde Samurai (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Zatoïchi, le samurai (Canada: French title) [fr]
Zatoichi (Brazil) [pt]
Zatoichi (Poland) [pl]
Zatoichi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Zatoichi - Sokea samurai (Finland) [fi]
Zatoichi, o tyflos samurai (Greece) [el]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong stylized bloody violence.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | Brazil:18 | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:13 (DVD rating) | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:T | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Philippines:R-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Eiga-mura, Kanami, Kanae-chô, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, Japan

Company:

Asahi National Broadcasting Company

Trivia:

The end dance sequence is a tribute to many of the popular Japanese films, in which the Hollywood-style happy ending was followed by a sudden "burst into song". He wanted to attempt this, but in a different type of way. Kitano combined traditional Kabuki theatre clog-dancing with "the latest African-American tap style".

Quotes:

Shinkichi: Aren't you betting?
Zatôichi: I'll just watch for now.
Shinkichi: Watch? But you're blind!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cool! (2004)

With tap dancing, mundane superpowers, and an attractive albeit gender-confused cross-dresser, Zatoichi truly offers 'something for everybody'.

This is a strange one, a drama/comedy/action film with absurdist overtones. In Japan, Zatoichi is a cult character who was the subject of 26 feature films between 1963 and 1989. Now director "Beat" Takeshi – best known for Hana Bi – introduces Zatoichi to a new generation. Takeshi also stars as Zatoichi, the elderly masseur and dice gambler whose hearing is so acute he can detect which side a die has fallen. He's a master swordsman, too – one slice and you're diced.

Supporting characters include two beautiful geishas avenging their parents' death, a farmer and her drunkard nephew, the gangsters running the town and a masterless samurai (an impressive performance from Tadanobu Asano).

The Blind Swordsman is great fun, although it could do with a tighter structure. And I was shocked by the spectacular tap-dancing finale – in traditional Japanese dress and shoes! ***½/***** stars.