A few weeks ago my roommate asked me how I would define the colour blue to a blind person. My response was something along the lines of I wouldn’t, because a blind person could no more describe to us the depth of colour that they sense, a figurative awareness that we could not fathom.

Zatôichi is a character of popular fable in Japan, and with numerous films as well as a television series he has become a hero adored by millions. Screened at film festivals including Toronto, Venice, Sundance and Vancouver, this 2003 Miramax update [with a limited theatrical release on June 4th, 2004] of the classic character has won a myriad of awards.

The titular character is an aged, blind masseur who wanders the countryside of feudal Japan; making a livelihood and shedding the blood of a mixture of villains. The particular outing of the film sees Zatôichi venture into a town beset with fervent gangland rivalry and, in characteristic Samurai-era fashion, a cleansing is in order. Zatôichi’s chance meeting with two vengeful geishas, a female peasant and her nephew draw an intertwined tale with the malevolent gangs and their skillful stoic Samurai ronin.

Zatôichi sees the directorial return of cult figure Takeshi Kitano who also fills out the roles of the film's main character, writer and editor. Takeshi is better known to western audiences as Beat Takeshi from his previous efforts such as Sonatine and Battle Royale, which are rabid cult favourites.

From the opening scene of Zatôichi the audience is drawn into the world of the master swordsman. The story progresses gradually, but the dynamics of the narrative are treated with great care and engage the audience quite nicely. The interspersed humour is derived and serves the nature of the film very well in toning down the formality of several scenes. Zatôichi delivers spellbinding hyper-kinetic action accompanied deftly by Keiichi Suzuki's marvelous score; which often opts for contemporary musical sensibilities over traditional. Takeshi also injects some modern ideals and issues into the folds of this film, making for a superb augmentation of a conventional samurai genre film.

Through the muted moments the various supporting characters, all aspects of Zatôichi are all well developed and the audience enjoys a sense of warmth that builds throughout and flourishes in the grand slam finale. Zatôichi is not to be missed by lovers of contemporary high- octane Japanese cinema and purists who hold films such as Yojimbo and Sanjuro in high regard.

---
Lost At Sea staff writer Abi Huynh hangs his lethal blade in Vancouver, Canada.
---
SEE ALSO > www.office-kitano.co.jp/zatoichi