Scratch Kitamura's mediocrity that is 'Azumi' from your memory then, take note and put to the back of your mind the upcoming Zatoichi stage play by Miike with Aikawa as you may never see it, remember fondly and backtrack towards that ultimate of all lengthy blind swordsman series with Shintaru Katsu (check the new cheapo R1's for the first four Zatoichi's!) , and look forwards to Ichi.
Starring Haruka Ayase as what looks to be a tentatively-connected female variation on the blind lone swordsperson. Sounds nice, and vaguely sexed-up too. Helmer Fumihiko adds to the variety of his projects after going from the sprawling sentimental-but-solid mini classic 'Ping Pong' (just issued by Viz in America, been out on DVD in HK for years with subs) to upcoming SF CGI epic 'Vexille'.
There has been a recent thing for mangaesque films for teen audiences (see Anna Tsuchiya in Dororo as the most recent I can think of), and I would guess this is more likely to fit in there by comparison to bring to mind Azumi, than more directly be comparable to the more dryness and maturity of Zatoichi. Perhaps it's something of a hybrid, as could also be suggested?
I personally would hope for something less pop and more rock, but as has been shown with some of those female-led recent incarnations of the Jidaigeki, stick a hot chicka in it and you might have a winner to enough of an extent that it at least pays-off, even if the results split audiences that usually come together one way or another. [Source : Anime Online, Ryuganji, Tokyo Graph, Japan Probe].
Ichi Set Video via TV Broadcat at Japan Probe.
Thanks for this interesting news item logboy! There's already been at least one other "female Zatoichi" or blind swordswoman film in the past and that would be "Mekura No Oichi Monogatari: Makkana Nagaredori/Blind Oichi Story: Red Bird of Flight" AKA "Crimson Bat". There were also other films in this series.
Jasper Sharp over at Midnighteye wrote a great review about it:
http://www.midnighteye.com/reviews/crimsbat.shtml
I have high hopes for Fumiko's "Ichi" but fear that it will be all flash and no substance. I'm probably one of the few guys that didn't like Beat Takeshi's "Zatoichi" reinterpretation.
Perhaps they should have considered a modern take on "Zatoichi" similar to the Phillip Noyce/Rutger Hauer film "Blind Fury".
The costume designs etc just look like a rip off of Azumi (it was a good movie, come on) imo so I'm not particularly excited about this. Especially since I was hoping Takeshi Kitano would do a sequel, but I guess hes too busy taking the piss out of himself these days to do it.
Miike's last theater play (YASHA GA IKE) was filmed and released on DVD. I'm fairly certain the same will happen with his ZATOICHI.
Interesting timing; just recently finished watching the 25 classic Zatoichi films (yes that's 25.. not counting the last one which was made a bit later, or the Kitano 'remake').
A female Zatoichi is a nice idea. However, I don't think this particular film will be good as it's a bit too much fantasy-ish, like Azumi which was mentioned above. Not to say that the Zatoichi-series is realistic, but it's still a lot more down-to-earth than what this film seems.
I also would have liked to see the role portrayed by an actor who was older and not-so-cute. At the moment, I'm really disliking the whole young&cute;-factor in Japanese movies, which in many cases totally ruins good concepts. 99% of current films seem to feature a 15-25 year old girl as the lead - such as this Haruko Ayase - and it's really getting boring.
I gotta confess I love Azumi and its sequel.Aya Ueto is just soooo cute.She's the Japanese Jessica Alba.Cant act for shit but hot as fuck.
caterpillar - yes, 'yasha ga ike' was filmed, stuck out on DVD in japan (and germany) but suffers the ultimate issue... no subs.
as for cuteness in japanese films of late, well, there's certainly a comparative glut appearing on DVD (especially in HK - nada sou sou, honey and clover, chritsmas on july 24th, hatsu koi, taiyo no uta) and although i've not seen them, i have little-to-no intention of seeing them unless i've more of a sense of them being anything more than genericish... i don't mind a slice of cute (who doesnt?) but it has to be part of a balanced, quality diet.
i wonder if someone will pick up 'crimson bat' as a series for release on DVD? are they worth it? must still be an absolute goldmine of stuff unsubbed on disc in japan that could provide the basis for some interesting MB releases.... and stuff that just needs celluloid-to-disc treatment too.
crimson bat is nice for a sunday viewing but inferior to e.g. lady snowblood. its sequels are horrible. and then another defense for Azumi (i even liked part2):
"no matter what I do, I'm forced to kill !!!"
best sub-movie-quote