when i read most of the other comment and i felt they be way too glow for this movie . i find it have completely lose the spark find in the early zatoichi movie and just go to prove that after a long absence from the screen and it often best to just let thing be . i completely agree with the star trek analogy from another reviewer who compare the first star trek movie to the original series million of excited fan be wait and wait and wait for the return of the show and be force to watch a bland and sterile approximation of the original . the plot be at time incomprehensible and it be terribly gory ( though the recent new zatoichi by beat takeshi be much bloody ) and lack the heart of the original . i do not mind the blood at all and but some may be turn off by it ( particularly the scene with the sever nose and the severed head ) . in addition and time have not be good to ichi he seem a broken and sad man in this film ( much and much more than usual ) and that something fan of the series may not really want to see . this be a very sorry return for zatoichi . unless you be like me and want to see every zatoichi film and this one be very skipable . see one of the early version or the 2003 all new version .