© 2000 Lawrence Tuczynski

Title: ZATOUICHI'S MUSICAL JOURNEY Volume 3
Japanese Title: Zatoichi: Ongaku-Tabi, Sono San
CD Label: King Records
CD Number: KICA 3025
Music by: Akira Ifukube & Others
Number of tracks: 44
Running time: 73:34
Number of discs: 1
Year of release/manufacture: 1998

REVIEW

Updated May 23, 2000 (Updated 11/13/2003)

Zatoichi is a blind masseur and hell of a samurai swordsman. In Japan there was a series of movies starring this character and the movies were quite popular. You can find some of the movies in this country on VHS videotape with English subtitles and on DVD.

This is a great sounding CD and Akira Ifukube does some of the tracks on this disc. The music here fits this type of film perfectly and Ifukube's pieces bear no resemblance to his Godzilla and classical pieces. Track #2 is a male vocal that sounds like a US Western. Great sounding track. Track #10 sounds like another take on Track #2 but probably from a different movie in the series. Track #15 is mostly drumming with an infectious beat. Track #17 contains some fight scenes and dialogue from one of the movies. Track #21 is surprising in that it is fast and jazzy sounding and seems like something Masaru Satoh would do.

Doing a little research I found that there are three CD's of this music called "A Musical Journey 1, 2 & 3" and sometimes called "Anthology 1, 2 & 3". This one is volume 3. I bought this CD while browsing in Footlight Records in New York City. I knew nothing about the CD at the time and decided to take a chance on it. I'm glad I did. This is a great sounding CD with a fantastic mix of action oriented music and some mid tempo pieces. With a running time of over 70 minutes it's also a packed CD that definitely gives you your money's worth.

English Title: ZATOUICHI'S MUSICAL JOURNEY Volume 3
Japanese Title: Zatoichi: Ongaku-Tabi, Sono San

Tracks titles updated 11/13/2003 courtesy of John Cassidy

    From ZATOUICHI HATASHIJOU (Zatouichi's Letter of Challenge)
    (AKA: Zatoichi and the Fugitives)
    Hajime Kaburagi
  1. DB TOP (Daiei Mark)
  2. DB4 (Main Title ~ "Zatouichi's Lullabye")
  3. DB8 (The Scoundrel)
  4. DB14 (Ichi And Oshizu)
  5. DB30A (The Lanterns Searching For Ichi)
  6. DB41 First Half (The Showdown At Dawn)
  7. DB41 Second Half (Ending - "Zatouichi's Lullabye")

    8. ZATOUICHI KENKA DAIKO (Zatouichi And The Fighting Drums)
    (AKA: Samaritan Zatoichi)
    Sei Ikeno

  8. DB1 (Daiei Mark)
  9. DB4 (Main Title)
  10. Theme Song 4 ("Zatouichi's Lullabye")
  11. DB12 (Ichi And Yasaburou Kashiwazaki)
  12. DB14 (M-8) (Ichi And Osode)
  13. DB18 (Ichi In Pursuit)
  14. DB26 (Zatouichi And The Fighting Drums)
  15. PS-Drum (The Drums Of Suwa Myoujin Shrine)
  16. DB27 (M15) (Exit In The Sunrise ~ Ending)

    17. From ZATOUICHI TO YOJINBOU (Zatouichi and the Bodyguard)
    (AKA: Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo)
    Akira Ifukube

  17. Musical Suite (Daiei Mark ~ Main Title)

    18. From ZATOUICHI ABARE HIMATSURI (Zatouichi's Raging Fire Festival)
    (AKA: Zatoichi and the Fire Festival)
    Isao Tomita

  18. DB1 (Main Title)
  19. DB1IA (Title Back)
  20. DB2 (The Dark Shogun)
  21. DB15 (Great Sword Battle On The Oil Ship)
  22. DB30 (Zatouichi Falls Into A Trap)
  23. DB32 (Zatouichi And The Dark Shogun)
  24. DB33 (Conclusion - Ichi And The Nameless Ronin)
  25. DB34 (M20) (Ichi And Okiyo)
  26. DB34 (M21) (Ending)

    27. From SHIN ZATOUICHI - YABURE! TOUJINKEN (New Zatouichi - Break! Chinese Sword)
    (AKA: Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman)
    Isao Tomita

  27. DB1 (Dainichi Mark)
  28. DB2 (M3A) (Main Title)
  29. DB3 (The Tragic Chinaman ~ Genocide)
  30. DB8 (The Invincible Chinese Sword)
  31. DB26 (Ichi And Oyone)
  32. DB31 (Wong Gong* And Kakuzen)
  33. DB32 (Break! Chinese Sword ~ Ending)

    34. From ZATOUICHI GOYOU TABI (Zatouichi's Business Trip)
    (AKA: Zatoichi At Large)
    Kunihiko Murai

  34. Main Theme

    35. From SHIN ZATOUICHI MONOGATARI - ORETA TSUE (New Tale of Zatouichi - The Broken Cane Sword)
    (AKA: Zatouichi In Desperation)
    Kunihiko Murai

  35. Ending

    36. From SHIN ZATOUICHI MONOGATARI - KASAMA NO CHIMATSURI (New Tale of Zatouichi - Victimization in Kasama)
    (AKA: Zatoichi at the Blood Festival)
    Akira Ifukube

  36. M1 (Zatouichi Takes Edo Highway)
  37. M2 (Main Title)
  38. M4 (Ichi And Omiyo - Encounter)
  39. M7 (Ichi And Omiyo - Farewell)
  40. M10 (The Wounded People ~ Shinbei's Conspiracy)
  41. M20 (Zatouichi - Victimization In Kasama)
  42. M21 (Shinbei's Final Moment)
  43. M22 (Ending)
  44. ZATOUICHI HATASHIJOU ~ Zatouichi's Lullabye
    Performed by Shintarou Katsu and the Daiei Orchestra

    45. * = Wong Gong (in Cantonese; "Wang Gang" in Mandarin), played by Hong Kong superstar Jimmy Wang Yu, is the Chinaman in question