Ichi

The wandering blind swordsman saga is a staple of Japanese cinema, but Ichi is a worthy addition to the canon. A female protagonist is a neat twist, but it’s director Fumihiko Sori’s sense of drama and talent for storytelling that make this so much fun.

The influence of spaghetti westerns and Kurosawa-style Japanese epics is pronounced, as Ichi (Haruka Ayase) wanders from town to town searching for the truth about her father – never wanting to fight, but besting all-comers (usually lecherous drunks) with her surprising skill with a sword. She meets and saves Toma (Takao Osawa), a talented Samurai too afraid to draw his weapon, and together they find themselves ridding a small town of its bandit infestation.

The fight scenes directed by Kurosawa’s choreographer Hiroshi Kuze are exceptional, actually enhancing the pathos at the heart of the film. This might be a simple story, but it’s well-told and has an unassuming appeal.

Jonathan Williams