It almost slipped by this lil’ Catgirl, but it seems amine DVD producer Funimation has announced it has acquired the North American rights to “Ichi” the female powered version update of the old Zatoichi franchise. They have also given a preliminary target of 2010 for it’s DVD release here… d’ohh!!!

But at least I’ll get a chance to see it. The recent Japanese release was unfortunately sans those ever so important English subtitles, so I had consigned myself to waiting for the HK or Singapore version to hit the streets.

The synopsis, from Funimation’s new Ichi website goes as follows: “Haruka Ayase is the titular Ichi, a beautiful young blind girl eking out a living by traveling the country as an itinerant musician. But while she may be beautiful and she may be blind you should never make the mistake of assuming that Ichi is weak. You see, a blind traveling masseur visited Ichi regularly throughout her childhood, training her up in a unique style of one handed swordfighting, employing a lethal blade embedded inside her cane. Though he is never called by name in the film that man is very clearly the legendary Zatoichi – subject of more films and television shows than we can name- and the now-grown Ichi is roaming the country searching for her long-absent teacher, the man she believes may be her father.”

Here’s to a frustrating yet hopefully worthwhile wait……. This lil’ Catgirl’s just gotta get this one…..