This action-packed revival of the classic Zatoichi series was directed, written, co-edited by and stars Takeshi Kitano (Battle Royale, Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence). In an empire ruled by fear, the people’s only hope is the ultimate weapon: Zatoichi. A blind, nomadic samurai whose sword has made him a hero and whose courage has made him a legend. Determined to help the desperate residents of a village, Zatoichi seeks justice through revenge.

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[youtube https://youtu.be/wBAjM2neS4g?si=84n7b7GcYSpuo8zN&t=46]

Video Quality

The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi comes to Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer thanks to Imprint Asia that is passable and a step up in quality from DVD, yet we cannot help but wish for better. This label is based out of Australia, but this disc will play on all Blu-Ray players including those in the United States. While there are no specific details available about the transfer, this is pretty clearly derived from an older master that shows signs of age-related wear and tear. If we were to guess, it is the same master that has been released numerous times on Blu-Ray in the U.S. courtesy of Disney, Lionsgate, and Paramount.

A fresh master would do wonders for this one, but the transfer gets the job done with a mostly clear and somewhat detailed picture that experiences only fleeting downturns in quality. The transfer retains its filmic appearance with some welcome detail in the production design and costumes. The grain does get a bit chunky rather than resolving finely. Colors are one of the better aspects of the disc with natural hues saturating the screen. Black levels are a bit uninspired when it comes to depth and detail, and there are some signs of crush or other artifacts. Specks of print damage are present without being too distracting. If anyone ever goes back to give this one the 4K UHD treatment, we would be thrilled to revisit this title.

Audio Quality

Imprint Asia brings us this Blu-Ray with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix in the original Japanese with forced English subtitles that holds up a bit better than the video side of things. Dialogue comes through decently, radiating clearly with little in the way of sibilance. All information comes through without being overshadowed by the score or sound effects. The film features sporadic violent clashes when the track wakes up more and uses the subwoofer to good effect. The environmental effects are defined evenly and given precise placement throughout the speakers. All of the sounds of the world mix with the score to bring notable life to the rear speakers. While it could have some more heft, things hold up well with the audio side of the exhibition.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film historian and author Sean Redmond provides a decent commentary track in which he discusses how this fits into the legacy of Zatoichi films, the ways this film subverts certain conventions, the performances, the photography of the feature, and more.

The Making Of The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi: A 40-minute featurette is provided that I could not get to play with video.

Crew Interviews: A 39-minute collection of interviews is provided here.

- Tatsumi Nikamoto and Hiroaki Tokoro (7:48)

- Kazuko Kurosawa (7:10)

- Katsumi Yanagishima (5:14)

- Hideboh (The Stripes) (5:33)

- Keiichi Suzuki (5:37)

- Senji Horiuchi (7:16)

Theatrical Trailer: A minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided.

Final Thoughts

The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi is a bit of a disappointment for anyone who is looking for something spiritually in line with the original series. That being said, if you can roll with the changes, this is a pretty entertaining period action tale. Director Takeshi Kitano blends many different tones to mixed success, but some of the creative flourishes are appreciated. What is not appreciated is the hilariously poor digital blood that is used throughout which takes you out of the movie every time. This does not hold a candle to the old Zatoichi films, but it is decent enough for a watch. Imprint Asia has delivered a Blu-Ray release that delivers a passable A/V presentation and a good number of new and archival special features. We wish this movie would be treated better in the A/V department, but this is a fine release for fans. Recommended

The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Note #2: This release is an Australian import that can be played on Blu-Ray players worldwide.

Disclaimer: Imprint Asia has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.