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Sometimes, movie studios buy the rights to source materials in the hopes of producing a long and enduring franchise. Other times, it is the star power behind the films that turn them into an exciting cinematic universe. Whatever the reason, only a handful of franchises survive the trial of time. And those who do amass a loyal fanbase, boasting a string of movies that become the benchmark of their respective genres.

However, continuity and creative slump are the sworn enemies of any franchise. Studios often go for the magic number three, with many franchises folding their cards with a trilogy. The fourth entry in a film series is almost always a litmus test for the future of the franchise, both in terms of box office and critical response. There are not enough conversations regarding these films in fandom circles, which is quite a shame, given how much there is to appreciate about them.

Even though traveling on the road without being allowed permanent peace anywhere is what has defined the character of Zatoichi it was not until the fifth part of the franchise this condition was put as the core theme of one of the films. Played by Shintaro Katsu, the blind masseur had become a fugitive as well as the target of many revenge schemes of individual people as well as yakuza bosses, branding him a man without a home and destined to always be on the move. While there is no direct connection to the fourth film of the series “Zatoichi the Fugitive”, you might consider these two films a closer look at this life-defining condition of the character.

At the beginning of the film, we have an almost typical moment for Zatoichi (Katsu) as he promises a dying man to escort a girl named Omitsu (Shiho Fujimura) to Edo.

In retrospect, the continuing popularity of a character such as Zatoichi, the blind masseur and skilled swordsman, fits within the overall mood of the 1960s. Much like Akira Kurosawa classic “Yojimbo” (1961) the story of an underdog, a man shunned by society, drawn towards the criminal sideways of Japanese society, but following a certain moral compass, Kenji Misumi’s work would also continue to be celebrated by Japanese and international audiences alike. At the same time, given the film’s story, it becomes obvious Daei studios never imagined the story of this character would resonate within Japanese people. Kenji Misumi, who would also direct some of the most impressive entries within the “Lone Wolf and Cub”-series, together with this main star Shintaro Katsu, had given birth to one of the most iconic characters of Japanese cinema.

Impressed by his skills as a swordsman, yakuza gang leader Sukegoro...

Quite a legendary entry in the history of Japanese cinema, Teinosuke Kinugasa’s “A Page of Madness” was lost for 45 years, until it was rediscovered by the director in his storehouse in 1971. However, the print existing today is missing nearly a third of what was shown in theaters in 1926, while the fact that it does not contain intertitles, since it was screened with the presence of a benshi (source: Aaron Gerow (2008). A Page of Madness: Cinema and Modernity in 1920s Japan. Center for Japanese Studies, University of Michigan), makes it quite difficult to follow, even more due to its avant-garde and experimental nature. Its cinematic impact however, cannot be denied in any way.

Having secured a distribution contract from Shochiku, Kinugasa formed the Kinugasa Motion Picture League, an endeavor that almost broke him financially, to the point that the actors of “A Page of Madness”, had to help paint sets,...