This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

This film sees the blind swordsman Zatoichi arriving in a village where he meets Shushi Ohara, a samurai who no longer carries a sword but is still capable of defending himself. He is trying to help the peasants by encouraging them to stop gambling and drinking; something that is upsetting the local boss who has been fleecing them. Another boss appears to be more altruistic but he has his own devious plan to take the peasants' land. Inevitably Zatoichi eventually comes to the aid of the peasants even though he initially trusted the 'good' boss.As I've not seen many Zatoichi films, and this is the oldest one I've seen so far I can't compare it to the earlier films but I will say I enjoyed it; it certainly isn't necessary to have seen other films in the series to understand what is going on. The story is easy enough to follow and there is plenty of impressive action. Some of this is pretty bloody as limbs and heads get severed occasionally. Zatoichi is an interesting protagonist; he isn't always right and his mistakes have real consequences; Shintaro Katsu does a fine job in the role. As well as good action there are a few laughs to be had along the way.These comments are based on watching the film in Japanese with English subtitles.

The whole series is impressive. Yet this is way lower in quality. As another reviewer compared it with the Tarantino junk, well, for those there isn't any drop in quality.I'd say it's impressive to keep such a long series till the first movie of a lesser value. This is the first one with a complicated to shady story line and at this point they try (why?) to experiment with a different kind of cinematography. And while the dynamic scenes are a bit weird, things like the beheading are way out of their league... It's more inexplicable as the series so far was good enough skipping gore and close-ups.Also, there is no need to relate this series with Kurosawa. Kurosawa, a samurai descendant, made movies about the life and honor of the important people. People who went for the art and not for the craft. Zatoichi is made by actor descendants (quite at the opposite side of the social scale) and it's about life and death and less about the craft. One is telling the stories from above the peasant class, in a contemplative manner and the other is telling them from the back streets somehow looking up to the stability of the peasant life.Contact me with Questions, Comments or Suggestions ryitfork @ bitmail.ch

This is one of the oddest films of the Zatôichi series due to its very unusual pacing and the role that Ichi plays in the film. Interestingly enough, this was the first Zatôichi film made by Shintaro Katsu's new production company. Now, instead of just playing the blind swordsman, Katsu is in charge of making the films. This could easily explain why this film seems so different in style to the previous 15 films. As far as Ichi's role, the film is very different because he isn't in the film as much as usual. He's also easy to fool and actually, for a while, does a lot to harm people instead of helping! "Zatôichi Rôyaburi" begins with Ichi talking with an old lady who tries to take advantage of his blindness. Oddly, in this scene, Ichi says that he's been blind since a toddler, though in an earlier film he says his blindness set in when he was 8. This is a minor mistake, and only a crazed fan like myself would have noticed.This film takes place over a period of at least six months and is more likely to have taken a year--so you can see what I said about odd pacing. Most films in the series take place over a few days or weeks. Ichi comes to a town where there is a boss (Asagoro) who tries very hard to be nice to Ichi because he knows of the blind man's reputation. The boss is quite charming and surprisingly Ichi is totally taken in by the evil man. At the same time, he meets another boss (Shushui)--a sort of guru to the poor. Shushui admonishes the people to forsake all violence and even Ichi falls under his teaching--giving up his blade for many months. Shushui's teachings are very similar to Daoist teachings from China--non-violence and acceptance of life as it is (for good or for bad). Months after leaving this town and thinking all was well, Ichi learns that as soon as he left, Asagoro showed his true colors--enslaving women, oppressing the poor and being an all-around jerk. In a way, Ichi is responsible for this, as he helped Asagoro and counted him as a friend. Now, Asagoro has captured Shushui and several innocent people have killed themselves due to the evil boss' actions.When Ichi returns, he doesn't accept automatically that Asagoro is good or evil but tests him cleverly. This bit with a scarecrow is inspired and leads to a finale where, what else, Ichi kills the baddies and frees Shushui. This finale was very good and occurred in the rain. Then final scene with Asagoro and the rocks is great, though the beheading is a tad cheesy by today's special effects standards.Pluses for the film are that although poorly paced, it is different and cannot be mistaken for the previous 15 (which often seem very similar). Additionally, it does end very well. Minuses (aside from pacing) are that some might dislike seeing Ichi so fallible and the scenes with Ichi and the other blind men that are included for comic relief fall flat...very, very, very flat. They are tacky and unfunny...that's the sort of flat that it is.

I agree with most if not all of the previous commenter's Tom (bighouseaz@yahoo.com). The Zatoichi series is a great character study combined with great sword fighting and excitement.I have seen Zatoichi 1-13,15,16; I believe 14 has not been released on Zone 1 (usa). Zatoichi the Outlaw was disappointing. The story line was complicated, and seemed to be a hodgepodge of many previous Zatoichi story lines. At one point, I was wondering if I was not seeing a remake of a previous Zatoichi film.This film was disappointing because it started to depend on effects (a head rolling, limbs severed, blood) and less on the nobility of the Zatoichi character. All the previous films succeeded based on the storyline and action, and won a great following without having to resort to effects.I am just hoping that the remaining Zatoichi films do NOT follow the same trend. This is the first Zatoichi film from his studio. I highly recommend all the previous Zatoichi films -- and recommend them.