Plot: What’s it about?
A blind masseur named Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) has come to the home of a Sukejoro, a gangster boss he became acquainted with some time before. But the blind man isn’t aware of Sukejoro’s current situation, as a turf war has exploded in the area and Sukejoro’s forces are right in the middle of it all. Although Sukejoro boasts the larger number of gangsters, he has learned that rival Shigezo has taken some special precautions. This involves the hiring of a famous, highly skilled samurai to be at his side and do as he wishes, to attempt to level off the odds against Sukejoro’s more numerous forces. As such, Sukejoro hopes to land the services of Zatoichi, who is also a master swordsman, to combat Shigezo’s own samurai and help him win this intense battle between the gangs. But as he has no interest in the battling factions, Zatoichi refuses and soon after, he even strikes up a friendship with Hirate, the swordsman hired by Shigezo. As it turns out, Hirate is not keen on his assignment either and once Sukejoro discovers this, his forces strike out and attempt to crush Shigezo’s men. But how will Zatoichi fit into this conflict, with Shigezo’s wrath on full tilt toward the blind swordsman?
The adventures of Zatoichi have spanned over twenty motion pictures and over one hundred television episodes, but this is where it all started. There is a reason this series flourished and Zatoichi became a cultural icon, as this is just a wonderful character and a series of effective, entertaining pictures. The stories of this blind swordsman never fail to keep me glued to the screen, as he is able to use his skills to overcome in any situation, with a little help from his swordcane, of course. And when Zatoichi fights, whether it is against one man or ten men, you’ll find yourself rooting for him because he is a well crafted, well performed character. That is what makes this series so popular, the character is so likable and skillfully developed, you just can’t help but get behind him and hope he comes out on top. Add in some terrific performances and great direction, and it is no wonder The Tale of Zatoichi was such a success with audiences. Home Vision’s disc has little gloss, but does have solid audio & video elements and with a low asking price, so fans won’t want to miss this one.
Video: How does it look?
The Tale of Zatoichi is presented in a 2.35:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. Although the image here is solid and acceptable, I was surprised that Home Vision didn’t include an anamorphic transfer or do some restoration work here. But even with some flaws, this is a good looking treatment and fans of the series should be pleased. The print used is clean, but has some debris and marks, as well as some general wear that causes a soft image at times. So no, this is not a pristine or even close to that level print, but it is stable and clean most of the time, so it isn’t too bad. The lack of anamorphic enhancement causes some jagged edges & shimmering, but nothing too extreme. I found the contrast to be a little shaky at times, but solid enough in most scenes. As I said, an anamorphic treatment and even some minor restoration work would have improved this visual effort by tenfold, but even as it stands, this is a better looking version than others out there on home video.
Audio: How does it sound?
A solid, though unremarkable mono option is used here and on the whole, it handles the material in fine fashion. As expected, some hiss, pops, and other signs of wear are evident, but not as many as you might assume. In addition, these errors never become a distraction and as such, I doubt anyone will complain too much. The original Japanese language is preserved, with clean and sharp vocals that never become harsh or muddled. The limits of mono and the material’s age prevent any kind of dynamic presence, but the music and sound effects come through well enough, all things considered. This disc also includes optional English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a selection of original theatrical stills.
