Ichi

Introduction

 
I didn't realise until I read the corresponding review for the DVD of this release that the Blind Swordsman was an actual genre in Japanese film, although I guess I shouldn't really be surprised.  Also like Jitendar, having never been subjected to this stand-alone genre previously I can only really comment on this first exposure and therefore hopefully come to it with fresh rather than jaded eyes.
 
Ichi (Haruka Ayase) is a Goze, a blind minstrel who wanders around Japan playing a three stringed guitar called a Shamisen in order to earn a minor living, shelter and food.  The Goze are normally part of a group in order to protect each other but they have one fundamental rule; no one within their group must lay with a man or they will be expelled to fend for themselves; a certain death sentence.
 
Ichi is one such Goze and in these circumstances wouldn't normally last long by herself, but she harbours a great and deadly skill; Ichi is a master swordsman with an enhanced sense of hearing.  Leaving a trail of bodies and body parts across the countryside, Ichi only cares about her mission to find the blind man who taught her the skill she utilises so effortlessly.
 


This changes one day whilst staying at the house of another blind woman who trades sexual favours for money.  The latest client for this woman is a member of the Banki-to gang and after doing his business, decides he doesn't want to pay for the pleasure and instead decides that he and his two mates will beat her up instead.  Despite a forced confrontation with the trio, Ichi is reluctant to get involved until wandering samurai Toma Fujihira (Takao Osawa) shows up.  Toma pleads with the men to leave both the woman and Ichi alone but his pleas fall on deaf ears, even his 10 Riyo commissary note fail to satisfy the men who challenge him to a fight.  Toma reluctantly concedes that he'll have to fight but seems unable to draw his sword, leaving Ichi no choice but to intercede on his behalf and makes short shrift of the trio of bandits.
 
The duo then travel to the town of Bito with Ichi feeling indebted to Toma, despite his inability to actually do anything.  Ichi uses her enhanced hearing to help Toma win back his lost 10 Riyo's in a game of dice, much to the chagrin of yet more members of the Banki-to gang who then ambush both Ichi and Scratchy, sorry, Toma.  Toma once more can't draw his sword and it's left to Ichi to take out all of the gang.
 
The local Yakuza family who control the town mistakenly think that Toma is a master swordsman who can help them to defeat local bandit chief Banki (Shido Nakamura) and is treated like a hero.  Despite his obvious problems with drawing his sword, Toma accepts the hospitality and honour afforded him as the confrontation with Banki draws ever closer.  Meanwhile Ichi realises that Banki may have information on the whereabouts of her blind swordsman and decides to stick around for a while…


 

Picture/Sound

 
Picture looks gorgeous on this BD release as you would expect.  The frame ia full of bright colour, whether in the scenery or the costumes, and the visual effects look great, even if this is just copious sprays of blood due to evisceration. 

Note:

The pictures contained within this review are from the DVD and are included only for illustrative purposes and not a true relection of the quality of the Blu-ray picture.
 
The soundtrack is hauntingly atmospheric and composed surprisingly, for me at least, by Lisa Gerrard, one time member of Dead Can Dance and part-time collaborator with composer extraordinaire Hans Zimmer (Gladiator).
 

Extras

 
Sadly nothing bar the trailer…
 

Overall

 
I have a growing liking for Asian cinema, even though this is mainly for the blockbusters such as Assembly or the big historical dramas that they do so well, achieving a sense of epicness that Hollywood can only seem to do rarely these days and only then via CGI.  I thought by the artwork that this may be one of the latter but then it turned out just to be really good artwork.  This is a genre film and a very good one at that despite some faults.
 
The chemistry between Haruka Ayase and Takao Osawa is awkward but touching, and it's not long you're drawn in by the director into willing them to get together; the bumbling awkward Toma and the ice-cold Ichi, who despite their differences just seem to belong together.  The villains are a different issue, seeming to be cardboard cut-out villains with the second in command of the bandits sporting a huge quiff and looking as if he got lost on his way to a fight  with some rockers in Brighton back in the 60's or 70's.  Chief villain Banki is a wasted opportunity as well, despite having an interesting background as an ex-samurai who turned to banditry after badly scarred by fire.  Sadly he's reduced to big gestures and a loud villainous cackle whenever he appears on screen.
 


Despite this, the film overall kept my attention and I thoroughly enjoyed myself as I was really interested in what happened to the two main characters and was rapt by the performance of Haruka Ayase (who incidentally won an award for this film).  This kind of role is usually taken by a man (although I only ever saw Rutger Hauer's 80's attempt at a blind samurai in Blind Fury) and Ayase is both beautiful and cold enough to carry this off with little effort.
 
This film really reminds me of old Westerns where strangers roll into a town that is under threat and attempt to save the day for either money or some other great reward.   The ending has a bit of a twist, that to be honest I wasn't expecting - but that just made the emotional impact even greater and satisfying.
 
An excellent film, recommended.