Daimajin (1966)

aka Majin / Majin, the Monster of Terror / Majin, the Hideous Idol

The Daimajin series is a kaijū trilogy from the studio that gave us the original Gamera franchise. but this first entry is an altogether more sophisticated breed of film. It’s foremost a quality jidaigeki about clans, control and a merciless militaristic coup. It’s male dominated but the few women that do feature wield the kind of power that matters.
The creature is more like a crushing force of nature or an angry god’s retribution personified, punishing the evils of mankind. It takes a long time for it to appear. but in all probability you won’t miss it because the drama that occupies the remainder of the running time is excellent and holds its own. It keeps colours very natural but still manages to look beautiful.

4 stone fingers out of 5

Zatoichi Challenged (1967)

The 17th Zatoichi film has the swordsman taking on the uncle/father role again, but it doesn't tread old ground, because the circumstances surrounding the pairing are different than before.
The kid’s antics provide humour, a travelling troupe adds colour, and there’s a secondary character (Jûshirô Konoe) that could easily carry a film all by himself. He and Ichi have some powerfully tense scenes together.
The finale is superb, but that shouldn't come as any great surprise to fans.

3½ twists of fate out of 5

Adventures Of Zatoichi (1964)

The 9th film returns the series to the darker side of human nature and is a lot more serious as a result. The New Year celebrations are just around the corner, but not everyone gathered in town is there to spread joy. It’s a good thing Ichi is the voice of reason (and the sword of justice).
Fans who've followed the series from the beginning will be pleased to know that we’re treated to some revealing info about Ichi’s past that's integral to the story and further deepens our understanding of his nature.

4 necessary strikes out of 5

Zatoichi The Fugitive (1963)

The blind swordsman's 4th film was also Dir. Tokuzô Tanaka’s second; he did such a fine job on the previous entry that I was glad to see him back at the helm. He has the ability to shift effortlessly from quiet moments to action scenes; even when he has a lot of visual elements in the frame he manages to keep what’s important as the focal point.
The story is a tragic one. Ichi has a price on his head, meaning his hope to avoid violence is once again shattered. Events spiral out of control and the usually calm swordsman gets angry, with good reason.

3½ farewells out of 5