zatoichi - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Masseur Ichi is one of the most cherished symbols of Japanese cinema, particularly the chambara/jidai geki genre. A wandering anma who wields a cane sword and travels across Japan as a gambler and yakuza. Ichi walked the "backroads of society" as he would say. Usually through unforseen circumstances Ichi ended up in situations that called for his skills and through efforts to protect the poor and downtrodden he would have to face incredible odds against outnumbering enemy forces. Zatoichi was magnificiently performed by Shintaro Katsu (the only true Ichi is Katsu's Ichi) , with 26 movies and a televison series that lasted up to a hundred episodes. The films though vast in its differing storylines and direction shared the commonality of action, comedy, drama, and many times tragedy. But the main standing feature was always Katsu's constant performance as Zatoichi, as an average every day man, poor, humble, good intentioned but deadly. Katsu Shintaro passed June 21, 1997 of throat cancer at the age of 65.
1. The Tale of Zatoichi (Kenji Misumi, 1962)
2. The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (Kazuo Mori, 1962)
3. New Tale of Zatoichi (Tokuzo Tanaka, 1963)
4. Zatoichi the Fugitive (Tokuzo Tanaka, 1963)
5. Zatoichi on the Road (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1963)
6. Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold (Kazuo Ikehiro, 1964)
7. Zatoichi's Flashing Sword (Kazuo Ikehiro, 1964)
8. Fight, Zatoichi, Fight (Kenji Misumi, 1964)
9. Adventures of Zatoichi (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1964)
10. Zatoichi's Revenge (Akira Inoue, 1965)
11. Zatoichi and the Doomed Man (Kazuo Mori, 1965)
12. Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (Kenji Misumi, 1965)
13. Zatoichi's Vengeance (Tokuzo Tanaka, 1966)
14. Zatoichi's Pilgrimage (Kazuo Ikehiro, 1966)
15. Zatoichi's Cane Sword (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1967)
16. Zatoichi the Outlaw (Satsuo Yamamoto, 1967)
17. Zatoichi Challenged (Kenji Misumi, 1967)
18. Zatoichi and the Fugitives (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1968)
19. Samaritan Zatoichi (Kenji Misumi, 1968)
20. Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (Kihachi Okamoto, 1970)
21. Zatoichi at the Fire Festival (Kenji Misumi, 1970)
22. Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1971)
23. Zatoichi at Large (Kazuo Mori, 1972)
24. Zatoichi in Desperation (Shintaro Katsu, 1972)
25. Zatoichi Conspiracy (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1973)
26. Shintaro Katsu's Zatoichi (1989)
27. Shin Zatoichi Monogatari (televison series that lasted four seasons)
28. Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi (Takeshi Kitano, 2003 Remake-Not Katsu)
*This is obviously a fan page, the real person behind it is just a 22 year old college student who's a devout fan of cinema and martial arts. I do train with sword, I am asian, and I am a bit blind...well without my glasses anyways, and the sound of dice excites me so.

My Interests

Music:

All music that moves the heart and soothes the soul.

Movies:

Jidai Geki, Chambara, Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai, Zatoichi, Tange Sazen, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Incident at Blood Pass, Lone Wolf & Cub, Sleepy Eyes of Death, Hanzo the Razor, Lady Snowblood, Kunokichi, Yagyu Conspiracy, Miyamato Musashi, Hideo Gosha, Katsu Productions, Mute Samurai, Samurai Fiction, Sword of Doom, Shintaro Katsu, Toshiro Mifune, Ogami Itto, Cult films, Tokyo Shock, Samurai Cinema, Tetsuro the Iron Man, Battle Royale, Old Boy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengence, Sympathy for Lady Vengence, Showgun Assassin, Ping Pong Club, Buddha's Palm, Kamen Rider, Gozu, Izo, Takishi Miike, Ichi The Killer, Dawn Of The Dead, Night of the Living Dead, Zombie 2, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Samurai Triology, Kibakichi, Mon Amore Hiroshima, Amelie, Reservoir Dogs, Ingmar Bergman, The Seventh Seal, Through the Looking Glass, Duel to the Death, Hiriyoki Sanada, Twilight Samurai, Ryuhei KatamuraBe sure to check Zatoichi out on DVD:

Television:

Kamen Rider, Shin Zatoichi, Zatoichi Monogatari, Due South, Scrubs, Lost, My Name is Earl, Shinobi no gama, Shadow Warriors, Yagyu Conspiracy, Shinsengumi, LW&C, Ultraman, Boondocks.

Heroes:

My mother.