Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman (Criterion) Box Set - Blu-Ray

Mild corner ding. Please see the photos.

The colossally popular Zatoichi films make up the longest-running action series in Japanese history and created one of the screen’s great heroes: an itinerant blind masseur who also happens to be a lightning-fast swordsman. As this iconic figure, the charismatic and earthy Shintaro Katsu became an instant superstar, lending a larger-than-life presence to the thrilling adventures of a man who lives staunchly by a code of honor and delivers justice in every town and village he enters. The films that feature him are variously pulse-pounding, hilarious, stirring, and completely off-the-wall. This deluxe set features the string of twenty-five Zatoichi films made between 1962 and 1973, collected in one package for the first time.

Disc One

The Tale of Zatoichi #1-2 (Running time: 01.31.37)
The Tale of Zatoichi Continues #3-4 (Running time: 01.12.30)
New Tale of Zatoichi #5-6 (Running time: 01.31.37)

Disc Two

Zatoichi the Fugitive #7 (Running time: 01.26.15)
Zatoichi on the Road #8-9 (Running time: 01.27.49)
Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold #10 (Running time: 01.22.27)

Disc Three

Zatoichi's Flashing Sword #11 (Running time: 01.22.14)
Fight, Zatoichi, Fight #12-13 (Running time: 01.27.41)
Adventures of Zatoichi #14 (Running time: 01.26.13)

Disc Four

Zatoichi's Revenge #15 (Running time: 01.23.31)
Zatoichi and the Doomed Man #16 (Running time: 01.17.32)
Zatoichi and the Chess Expert #17-18 (Running time: 01.27.26)

Disc Five

Zatoichi's Vengeance #19 (Running time: 01.22.49)
Zatoichi's Pilgrimage #20-21 (Running time: 01.22.32)
Zatoichi's Cane Sword #22 (Running time: 01.33.09)

Disc Six

Zatoichi the Outlaw #23-24 (Running time: 01.35.27)
Zatoichi Challenged #25-26 (Running time: 01.26.41)
Zatoichi and the Fugitives #27-28 (Running time: 01.22.20)

Disc Seven

Samaritan Zatoichi #29-30 (Running time: 01.22.55)
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo #31-32 (Running time: 01.56.04)
Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival #33 (Running time: 01.36.17)

Disc Eight

Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman #34-35 (Running time: 01.34.33)
Zatoichi at Large #36-37 (Running time: 01.28.09)
Zatoichi in Desperation #38 (Running time: 01.32.35)

Disc Nine

Zatoichi's Conspiracy #39-40 (Running time: 01.27.48)
Bonus Features

Special Features

• New digital restorations of all twenty-five films, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks
• The Blind Swordsman, a 1978 documentary about Zatoichi portrayer and filmmaker Shintaro Katsu, along with a new interview with its director, John Nathan
• New interview with Asian-film critic Tony Rayns
• Trailers
• New English subtitle translations
• PLUS: A book featuring an essay by critic Geoffrey O’Brien; synopses of the films by critic, novelist, and musician Chris D.; “The Tale of Zatoichi,” the original short story by Kan Shimozawa; and twenty-five new illustrations inspired by the films, by twenty-five different artists