Zatoichi comes upon the town of Tonda, overrun by gangsters. Using one of his favorite techniques, Zatoichi proceeds to win 8 ryo in a rigged gambling game. Of course, the local gangsters attempt to kill him, and the adventure begins. It turns out a blacksmith named Senzo examines Zatoichi's cane sword, and discovers it to be forged by his old mentor. Senzo discovers the sword is at the end of its usefulness and will break when it is used next.
Acting
Shintarō Katsu's playful cruelty masks genuine vulnerability.
Direction
Yasuda builds unbearable tension from a single sword inspection.
Cinematography
Shadow-drenched gambling dens and sun-bleached roads.
Director
Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Shintarō Katsu
Zatoichi
Shiho Fujimura
Oshizu
Yoshihiko Aoyama
Seikichi
Makoto Fujita
Umazo
Kiyoko Suizenji
Oharu
Eijirō Tōno
Senzo
Masumi Harukawa
Oryu
Junichiro Yamashita
Shinnosuke
Ryūtarō Gomi
Ronin
Fujio Suga
Seisuke Kuwayama
Tatsuo Endō
Iwagoro
Eigorō Onoe
Zato
Yūsaku Terashima
Noodle Shop Owner
Gen Kimura
Hanzo the dice player
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This is the 15th Zatoichi film; Katsu had already played the role for five years and would continue for another decade.
The 'cursed sword' premise deliberately mirrors Japanese notions of mono no aware—the pathos of things—where beauty and destruction are inseparable. Zatoichi's blindness makes him uniquely suited to accept this.
7.31962
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6.91963
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1967
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6.91973
6.41989
JP
