I don't know if any of you have been watching this series on the independent film channel, but I have and I really like it. Its not a animated series, but it is a japanese series which was filmed in the 60's. Its really really good. The basic theme of the show is this... A blind swordsmen named Zatoichi travels all around japan during the samurai era. He travels a massuer for hire. Well, during his travels he runs into bad guys and bad situations. When things get rough Zatoichi cuts every body down and I mean he cuts alot of people down. <br><br>Its on every Saturday after noon on the independent film channel. If you haven't seen it you should check it out. <p></p><i></i>

Does he have cool super-senses like Dare Devil? No? Oh well... <p><!--EZCODE HR START--><hr /><!--EZCODE HR END--><br><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center">Removed for GoE<br><br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em><br>"He's an Ass Man!"</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--></p><i></i>

Can the actor who plays Zatoichi act.. YES. Can the actor who plays Dare Devil act HELL NO. <br><br>Ben Affleck is right up there with the great actor Vin Diesel in terms of acting ability.<br><br>I was so pissed when Affleck got the role for Dare Devil. <p></p><i></i>

Ah, Zatoichi. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br><br>I used to watch that (well a few episodes) when I was much younger. It's really really cool. ^_^<br><br>On an ironic note, the actor who played him got arrested for drug possession when he was in Hawaii some years ago. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :p --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/tongue.gif ALT=":p"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> I forget if it was marijuana or cocaine. He's not blind btw. <br><br>ZL <p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.buncha-network.com/zl/R3K.gif"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--> <!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.buncha-network.com/zl/ZLstrat.gif"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--> <!--EZCODE BR START--><br /><!--EZCODE BR END--><br>Empires wax and wane; states cleave asunder and coalesce. <br><br><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>"Swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as the fire, steady as the mountain."</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> A banner used by the Takeda clan of Kai (Sengoku Jidai era). </p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="font-size:large;">ICHI... ICHI... ICHI... ICHI... ICHI...<br>ICHI... ICHI... ICHI... ICHI... ICHI...</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.ifctv.com" target="top">IFC's website</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> is nice and searchable... just type the word "blind" inrto the little search box and click "Search", and you will get a list all of the Blind Swordsman movies that are running.<br>I'm taping them all. <p></p><i></i>

Zatoichi took out like 100 guys in one movie. It was awesome. That guy is smooth, too. These fools were all like "dude, we're gonna waste you" and Zatoichi was all like "no way, man" and so they came after him, but he was too quick and it was like slice slice slice and those fools were dead. It was crunk, yo. Yeah. <p></p><i></i>

i lost count of the bodies<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START >D --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/grin.gif ALT=" >D"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

O.K all these bad guys take on Zatoichi right and they watch each other fall one by one. And I mean alot of them fall. What I don't understand is why they just don't get Zatoichi out in the open and throw rocks at him. I mean come on.. getting to close to Zatoichi is just stupid because your giving him the advantage and you are going to die. So why don't you just get a bunch of guys up on top of a roof or something and throw rocks or something at Zatoichi. Whats Zatoichi going to do then? <br><br>Also, why don't these guys realize that Zatoichi fights with his ears so why don't they make alot of noise and gang up on him? This I know was addressed in one episode that I saw and what I didn't understand is how Zatoichi was able to hear the swords striking at him when those drums were banging. Maybe he was able to separate the sounds or something?<br><br>If I was magically transported through my T.V set and I got into a scuffle with Zatoichi I would get on top of a roof, make alot of noise, and throw rocks at him. Yeah, pretty cowardly I know, but I would still be alive and I just might win! Its a better plan then going right after Zatoichi with a sword. Thats practically like running with a scew driver head on into a firing squad - not good odds. <p></p><i></i>

If the bad guys were smart like that, Zatoichi would be dead, and there'd be no movies. And that's not cool. <p></p><i></i>

Beat Takeshi has been cast in <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.imdb.com/Title?0363226" target="top">a new Zatoichi film</a><!--EZCODE LINK END-->--this is Zatoichi #27.<br>Shintaro Katsu died sometime after finishing the original 26 movies. <p></p><i></i>

I don't understand? Judging from the ((2 pictures)) it looks like its going to be a modern day Zatoichi. Why does the guy have blond hair? Why is the guy wearing a black trench coat? <br><br>If it is going to be a "moderized" Zatoichi I suggest stopping production right now. If your not going to follow the original theme and time period don't even bother making another one and tarnishing a good movie series. I mean come on they might as well just put PEPSI on the back of his trench coat and Starbucks on his shirt.<br><br>They should just follow the original idea and time period. If it ain't broken don't fix it. I don't understand why these "marketeers" think that everything needs to be updated/simplified and moderized just for a FEW MORE stupid people can better relate. I guess its all about $$$$$. However, I will bet that if its a modern day Zatoichi it will tank at the box office or what ever they call it in Japan. <br><br>Rant Over<br><br>If its going to follow the original theme and time period never mind and good for them <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/dailynews7.html" target="top">This article from NHK</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> has a small amount of data on the film, but there's much more on the televised broadcast. I taped the Weekend Edition (Sep 6-7, 2003) off of News World International (NWI is a Canadian owned station) for my collection.<br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.nhk.or.jp/" target="top">NHK Website</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.nhk.or.jp/englishtop/" target="top">NHK English Website</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/" target="top">NHK Daily News Section</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/dailynews7.html" target="top">NHK's article on Beat Takeshi's Zatoichi</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/" target="top">NHK's Japanese Lessons</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.nwitv.com/" target="top">NWI Website (News World International)</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.nwitv.com/schedule/" target="top">NWI's Weekly Schedule</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub19.ezboard.com/btenchimuyo79943.showUserPublicProfile?gid=sweetfreek>sweetfreek</A> at: 9/7/03 11:47 am<br></i>