Lone Wolf and Cub: The Definitive Ranking

I was expecting more from the Lone Wolf and Cub franchise. It was the IMDb ratings of the individual films (that never go below 7 and occasionally go over 8) and the fact that the Criterion Collection released it. All of that led me to believe that these movies were more than trash cinema that only intermittently worked. Considering their brief production schedule (all being made in about a two year period and based on an existing manga), I was expecting a far more cohesive experience across...