Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- kinetic
- dramatic
- melancholic
- samurai movie night
- Japanese cinema night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film visually striking and bewitching, though its straightforward and predictable plot limited its dramatic impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ichi travels as a blind goze musician while secretly wielding a lightning-fast blade.
The film explicitly follows the Zatoichi tradition but makes Ichi, a woman, its central warrior.
Ichi journeys across the land seeking her long-lost father.
Ichi’s hidden talent is expressed through lightning-fast swordsmanship and action set pieces.
Films like ICHI, and why
Zatoichi
shared jidaigeki setting, swordplay, wandering protagonist, and themes of justice and revenge
Lady Snowblood
shared female-led martial action, revenge-driven narrative, stylized sword fights, and historical Japanese setting
The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi
shared blind swordsman mythology, action drama, moral justice, and itinerant warrior structure
Azumi
shared Japanese period setting, female warrior protagonist, revenge themes, and kinetic sword combat
Movie Details
- Director
- Fumihiko Sori
- Release Date
- 2008-10-25
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (143)
Cast
- Haruka Ayase
- Yosuke Kubozuka
- Takao Osawa
- Shido Nakamura
- Tetta Sugimoto
- Megumi Yokoyama
- Riki Takeuchi
- Mayumi Sada
- Tetsuo Yamashita
- Ayumu Saito
Where to watch in United States
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is ICHI about?
- A blind traveling musician reveals herself as a lethal swordswoman while pursuing justice and the father she has never found.
- What is ICHI like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of ICHI as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is ICHI violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in ICHI as brutal.
- What did critics think of ICHI?
- Critics generally found the film visually striking and bewitching, though its straightforward and predictable plot limited its dramatic impact.
- Which films are like ICHI?
- Films with a similar feel include Zatoichi, Lady Snowblood, The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi, and Azumi.
- How long is ICHI?
- ICHI runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch ICHI?
- In United States, ICHI is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.
