His sword made him a hero. His courage made him a legend. When it comes to Zatoichi... justice is blind! This week Gavin and I are coming at you with a super in-depth analysis of Shintaro Katsu’s final outing as his iconic blind swordsman character in the visually extravagant ‘Zatoichi: Darkness is His Ally’ (1989). The 26th and penultimate film in the long-running series, this would be the last time we see Katsu’s classic portrayal of the wandering Yakuza, whose quick draw swordsmanship and prosperous gambling skills could be matched by none. Listen in as we breakdown the most unique entry in the series, directed by Shintaro Katsu himself. With a stunning mise-en-scène and abstract story telling style full of poignant and powerful vignettes, this film stands out from the crowd in the beloved chanbara チャンバラ genre of Japanese cinema. You can listen to The Martial Arts Mania Podcast on Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeart Podcasts! Don’t forget to subscribe, download, like, and share with your friends! Thanks again for your continued support and we hope you enjoy!
