Cinema-Kan is proud to announce the first-ever commercial CD release of the original soundtrack to Blind Woman's Curse (怪談昇り竜), the legendary 1970 ninkyo kaidan film that has captivated cult cinema enthusiasts worldwide for over half a century. This long-awaited release marks a significant moment in Japanese film music preservation, bringing Hajime Kaburagi's haunting score and Meiko Kaji's iconic vocal performances to CD for the very first time. Directed by the visionary Teruo Ishii, Blind Woman's Curse represents the fifth installment in Nikkatsu's popular "Ascending Dragon" series, boldly reconstructed as a supernatural tale of vengeance that masterfully blends traditional ninkyo storytelling with elements of kaidan horror. The film showcases Ishii's unique ability to infuse genre cinema with philosophical depth, creating a work that transcends conventional yakuza narratives through its exploration of karma, revenge, and the supernatural.

Hajime Kaburagi, already renowned for his work on Edogawa Ranpo's Complete Collection: A Whole Collection of Horror Characters, delivered one of his most compelling and atmospheric scores for this production. Kaburagi's music perfectly captures the film's dual nature - the honor-bound world of the yakuza and the eerie supernatural elements that drive the narrative forward. His compositions range from traditional Japanese instrumentation that evokes the period setting to more experimental passages that underscore the film's horror elements.

The soundtrack features the legendary Meiko Kaji in one of her most memorable vocal performances. Known for her later iconic work in the Lady Snowblood and Female Prisoner Scorpion series, Kaji's haunting vocals on Blind Woman's Curse showcase her remarkable ability to convey both vulnerability and steel-edged determination. Her performance adds an essential emotional dimension to the film's exploration of feminine vengeance and supernatural justice. Blind Woman's Curse tells the story of Akemi, a yakuza boss's daughter whose life becomes intertwined with supernatural forces after a violent encounter leaves her scarred and seeking revenge. The film's narrative weaves together elements of traditional Japanese ghost stories with the brutality and honor codes of the yakuza world, creating a unique hybrid that influenced countless subsequent films in both genres. The CD features the complete score as it appears in the film, digitally remastered to preserve the atmospheric qualities that make Kaburagi's work so effective. Extensive liner notes provide context for both the film's production and its place within Japanese genre cinema, making this release essential for collectors of Japanese film music and cult cinema soundtracks.