A classic of Japanese cinema, Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo, is an all around good time, with great performances, bloody samurai action, and a plot reminiscent of Kurosawa's original Yojimbo.
Zatoichi, tiring of life on the road, returns to a village of which he has fond memories. Only to find out that the last three years have changed the landscape considerably. Two years ago, Boss Eboshiya took over the town with his sons, one of which has gone against his father. Eboshiya's son Masagoro has enlisted the aide of a money grubbing Yojimbo named Sasa (Mifune) to find out the town's secret of the hidden gold. A secret only Eboshiya knows, a secret everyone is dying (literally) to find out.
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo features two legendary Japanese actors in two of their greatest (recurring) roles. Zatoichi played by Shintaro Katsu and Yojimbo played by Toshiro Mifune. Both actors are as great as their characters are eccentric. Mifune plays his standard swaggering, drunken, sheisty Yojimbo, while Katsu utilizes his traditional sputtering, honorable, blind swordsman. One of the strenght's of the film is that both characters stay true to the previous works of the same characters, and the interaction between Mifune and Katsu is the stuff of cinematic legend. Although, Mifune's Yojimbo is a little more jaded than in the original Kurosawa flicks, but considering the life of the fictional character... this difference is understandable.
As I've mentioned the plot resembles that of the original Yojimbo; two gangs, one town, and scandalous samurai playing the clans against each other. Only in Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo, it's two samurai, who not only are working the gangs but each other as well. ZMY also adds the element of a third assassin named Kuzuryu (played devilishly by Shin Kishida) a man who helps to stir the proverbial pot.
Of Course, Zatoichi is loaded with awesome chambara action, the kind that was exclusive to the mid 1960's, an era in Japanese cinema when samurai films were still making the transition from the black and white samurai epics of Kurosawa's days, to the exploitational samurai films of the 70's (such as Lone Wolf and Cub). Which, in laymen's terms means it's bloody, just not outrageously bloody.
The film does have it's faults though. Ayako Wakao is great as Umeno, a beautiful prostitute who falls in love with Yojimbo, but her role is underdeveloped, thus the romantic aspect of the film kinda falls flat on its face. Other than that, the ending is abrupt and jarring but these are minor issues for this type of film.
Bottom Line- This film should be seen just for Mifune's and Katsu's brilliant acting. If that's not enough (and it should be!), then watch it for the great old school chambara action!
Zatoichi, tiring of life on the road, returns to a village of which he has fond memories. Only to find out that the last three years have changed the landscape considerably. Two years ago, Boss Eboshiya took over the town with his sons, one of which has gone against his father. Eboshiya's son Masagoro has enlisted the aide of a money grubbing Yojimbo named Sasa (Mifune) to find out the town's secret of the hidden gold. A secret only Eboshiya knows, a secret everyone is dying (literally) to find out.
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo features two legendary Japanese actors in two of their greatest (recurring) roles. Zatoichi played by Shintaro Katsu and Yojimbo played by Toshiro Mifune. Both actors are as great as their characters are eccentric. Mifune plays his standard swaggering, drunken, sheisty Yojimbo, while Katsu utilizes his traditional sputtering, honorable, blind swordsman. One of the strenght's of the film is that both characters stay true to the previous works of the same characters, and the interaction between Mifune and Katsu is the stuff of cinematic legend. Although, Mifune's Yojimbo is a little more jaded than in the original Kurosawa flicks, but considering the life of the fictional character... this difference is understandable.
As I've mentioned the plot resembles that of the original Yojimbo; two gangs, one town, and scandalous samurai playing the clans against each other. Only in Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo, it's two samurai, who not only are working the gangs but each other as well. ZMY also adds the element of a third assassin named Kuzuryu (played devilishly by Shin Kishida) a man who helps to stir the proverbial pot.
Of Course, Zatoichi is loaded with awesome chambara action, the kind that was exclusive to the mid 1960's, an era in Japanese cinema when samurai films were still making the transition from the black and white samurai epics of Kurosawa's days, to the exploitational samurai films of the 70's (such as Lone Wolf and Cub). Which, in laymen's terms means it's bloody, just not outrageously bloody.
The film does have it's faults though. Ayako Wakao is great as Umeno, a beautiful prostitute who falls in love with Yojimbo, but her role is underdeveloped, thus the romantic aspect of the film kinda falls flat on its face. Other than that, the ending is abrupt and jarring but these are minor issues for this type of film.
Bottom Line- This film should be seen just for Mifune's and Katsu's brilliant acting. If that's not enough (and it should be!), then watch it for the great old school chambara action!