I have had copies of this series in VHS and DVD. I also own the book upon which the trilogy is based. This digital version has the best visuals of all, The subtitles are clear for a change. The story is a great adventure tale with plenty of action and fine acting by Mifune and company. My only quibble with this Criterion version is that certain scenes are cut in a way that is irritating to me. Therefore the continuity is interrupted. The VHS version has all the action but not the clarity of this digital form. However, it's subtitles are poorly translated and sometimes unreadable. This should not deter new viewers from watching one of the best adventure series ever produced anywhere in the world. The third in the series has one of the greatest finales ever madein this genre.
I have had copies of this series in VHS and DVD. I also own the book upon which the trilogy is based. This digital version has the best visuals of all, The subtitles are clear for a change. The story is a great adventure tale with plenty of action and fine acting by Mifune and company. My only quibble with this Criterion version is that certain scenes are cut in a way that is irritating to me. Therefore the continuity is interrupted. The VHS version has all the action but not the clarity of this digital form. However, it's subtitles are poorly translated and sometimes unreadable. This should not deter new viewers from watching one of the best adventure series ever produced anywhere in the world. The third in the series has one of the greatest finales ever madein this genre.