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

Some scratching on one side of the outer box. Mostly visible when the box is angled in light. 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