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In modern times, the persona of the “anti-hero” has almost become
passé. From comics characters such as the Punisher and Wolverine to
pro wrestling superstars like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, the story of
the moral less “good” guy has certainly been told many times over.
Although there are few examples of this from our own “Old West” genre,
not many leap from the screen in such an impressive manner as Japan’s
own blind swordsman, Zatoichi.
The first impressions of any Zatoichi film are from an historical
perspective. Set in the Edo period, also known as the “Tokugawa Era”
(1603 – 1868), each installment in the Zatoichi series presents a
realistic portrait of samurai history. Foremost noted is the detail of
the landscapes and architectures. Less than ten years removed from the
Toho classic “Shichinin no Samurai” (Seven Samurai) and only a year
past “Yojimbo,” 1962’s “Zatoichi Monogatari” paints a similar scene of
the Edo period. Instead of the sterile, beautifully recreated
villages, we are treated to dirty towns with buildings somewhat
slapped together to serve a purpose. Imagine the difference between
the safety of sets on the series “Gunsmoke” with the realism of the
current HBO production “Deadwood.”
Also on display are other historical details such as the hierarchy
of the era, specifically from local townsleaders, “bosses,” ronin
(masterless samurai), and of course samurai. The reverence for the
title samurai is duly noted, as opposed to thugs who pretend to
emulate the warrior class by hacking and slashing. Even lacking an
in-depth knowledge of the language, the casual viewer can note the
“tough guy” status of characters by their word endings, often
utilizing conjugations ending in –zo, -ze, or –ro. One should also be
on the lookout for the continued use of the “rolled R,” accompanied by
an almost guttural tone. As a side note, this is also common in any of
today’s Japanese movies, dramas, or anime featuring yakuza or “tough”
characters.
The character of Zatoichi was quite cleverly conceived for the day.
Although there are some references to blind heroes in various world
mythologies, including pre-dating Marvel Comic’s “Daredevil” by a few
years, Zatoichi is truly the first to mainstream the idea. The name
Zatoichi, despite many numerous internet misinterpretations, is broken
down as follows:
• Shortened form of “zato no ichi” • Character’s name is “Ichi”
(one) • “zato” is the lowest rank in the “todo-za”, the guild of the
blind (the other 3 are koto, betto, and kengyo)
With that information in mind, the nickname “Zatoichi” literally
refers to the “one who is the lowliest of the blind,” which is a
perfect oppositional for someone trying to conceal incredible prowess,
such as our title character. Zatoichi also employs himself frequently
as a masseur, a common profession of the blind in that era.
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| New version of Zatoichi
by a famous Japanese movie director, Takeshi Kitano. Takeshi
directed and starred in the film. |
Other character traits of the “anti – hero” include an incredible
affection for sake (warm wine) and an amazing talent for gambling.
Utilizing his acute sense of hearing, Ichi can predict the outcome of
dice games ad nauseum. Swordplay, however, is his greatest skill.
Using a blade hidden inside a blind man’s staff, Zatoichi is very
deadly. It is not uncommon to see five, ten, even twenty thug samurai
downed in a single battle. Even in one-on-one battles, Zatoichi rarely
breaks a sweat. Zatoichi’s fighting style is oddly different than most
samurai, due in part to his grip. He continues to hold the blade
during battle as if he were still using it as a walking stick, thumb
near the top.
Some of the more memorable moments in each film come from sword
“tricks” pulled by Ichi, as he strikes quickly with his blade, leaving
the viewer believing that he missed. The big reveal is always
entertaining, as you find he has accomplished a miraculous feat such
as splitting a spinning top in two or relieving a novice samurai of
his “topknot.”
After initially being set up as the “master assassin” in the first
two films, the plot devices used in within the rest of the series all
have common threads. Given up the career of assassin, Ichi stumbles
into a small village, looking for nothing more than warm sake, food, a
good dice game, and some entertaining company. Inevitably, the title
character makes the acquaintance of someone in a bad set of
circumstances, commonly a wronged female. Relenting to the bids for
help, Zatoichi crosses paths with two important characters: the “boss”
(evil yakuza head) and the “rival” (exemplary swordsman, employed by
the “boss”). The “rival” is usually secretly bored, yearning for the
opportunity to prove himself in a truly great duel.
After trying to avoid major conflict at all costs, sometimes
involving somewhat humorous scams and trickery, Ichi is forced into
battle. After systematically taking down the henchmen and then the
boss, Masseur Ichi moves toward the final showdown with his rival.
Unfortunately for the rival, it is commonly a short battle. In some
films, portions of the gang, and sometimes the boss, make it to the
end of the film still among the living, which wonderfully sets up the
next installment. If not, each movie always has the running threads of
“surviving bandits looking for revenge” or even the fact that everyone
has heard the tales of the famous “blind swordsman.”
Shintaro Katsu, the actor most associated with the character, began
his film career in 1955’s “A Girl Isn’t Allowed to Love.” After the
success of the first Zatoichi film, Katsu returned to the role 25 more
times in film and 4 seasons of the Zatoichi television series. Off
screen, Katsu was well known for enjoying many of the poor habits of
his on screen person, such as drinking and gambling. Although a pop
icon, some incidents echoed through Japan with shame, such as being
refused entrance into the US due to carrying drugs. His excuse?
“Someone must have put them in my underwear while I was using the
bathroom.”
Katsu also experienced heartache during the filming of the series’
final film “Zatoichi’ in 1989. In this picture, the role of “rival”
was played by his son. During the filming of one scene, Katsu’s son
used a real blade instead of a prop, and accidentally killed a
stuntman. Although he remained in the movie, most all of his fight
scenes were deleted from the film, and both suffered national
disgrace.
 Despite some rough seas, Shintaro Katsu, and his on screen persona
Zatoichi, have maintained their cult status, even after Katsu’s death
in 1997. Today, the films are honored and revered as they receive
great attention worldwide. Currently (2005 – 2006), the film series is
featured on the Independent Film Channel’s “Samurai Saturdays” and
copies of the DVDs can regularly be found in locations such as Best
Buy and on amazon.com.
Facts:
- The popular Japanese actor Takeshi Kitano made a respectable new
entry in the film series in 2003, entitled “Zatoichi.” This was
shown across the US in wide release in Japanese with English
sub-titles.
- Zatoichi is the only film character to appear in more full
length features that Ian Fleming’s James Bond.
- Mimicking the popular crossovers of Toho’s “Godzilla” series,
Zatoichi crossed paths with two other famous Japanese samurai
characters: “Yojimbo” (1970) and “The One-Armed Swordsman” (1971)
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(original version by Kastu Shintaro) have been popular for years
in certain circles in the US.
