Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection

The colossally popular Zatoichi films make up the longest-running action series in Japanese history and created one of the screen’s great heroes: an itinerant blind masseur who also happens to be a lightning-fast swordsman. As this iconic figure, the charismatic and earthy Shintaro Katsu became an instant superstar, lending a larger-than-life presence to the thrilling adventures of a man who lives staunchly by a code of honor and delivers justice in every town and village he enters.

26 movies 1962 – 1989 38h 35m total 66 snapshots 401 solvers

Movies in this collection

Shin Zatôichi monogatari
Shin Zatôichi monogatari

Like most of the films in the series, New Tale of Zatoichi opens with the blind swordsman embroiled in trouble demanding his lighting-quick skills. Of course, Zatoichi regrets the necessity of the fight, since his past sins are once again rearing their ugly heads.

Zatôichi abare tako
Zatôichi abare tako

Zatôichi abare tako

1964 1h 22m Dir. Kazuo Ikehiro
3

Blind masseur Zatoichi is nursed back to health by a young woman after he is shot by a gang member. Zatoichi, who had come to the village to repay a debt, now feels further indebted.

Zatôichi kesshô-tabi
Zatôichi kesshô-tabi

Zatôichi kesshô-tabi

1964 1h 28m Dir. Kenji Misumi
2

Blind swordsman/masseuse Zatoichi befriends a young woman returning home with her baby. When gangsters mistake her for Zatoichi and kill her, Zatoichi determines to escort the baby to its father.

Zatoichi sekisho yaburi
Zatoichi sekisho yaburi

Zatoichi sekisho yaburi

1964 1h 26m Dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda

Blind swordsman/masseuse Zatoichi befriends a young woman looking for her father, a village leader who has disappeared. As he helps her investigate the disappearance, Zatoichi also becomes involved with another young woman who is trying to help her brother, who has murdered someone at about the same time and place as the missing man was last seen.

Zatôichi nidan-kiri
Zatôichi nidan-kiri

Zatôichi nidan-kiri

1965 1h 24m Dir. Akira Inoue

Itinerant masseur and master swordsman, the blind Zatoichi, is near the village of his teacher, Hikonoichi, so he decides to visit. He learns of Hikonoichi's recent robbery and murder and the imprisonment of his virginal daughter, Osayo, in a brothel.

Zatôichi sakate-giri
Zatôichi sakate-giri

Zatôichi sakate-giri

1965 1h 17m Dir. Kazuo Mori
2

Blind swordsman Zatoichi, jailed briefly, is implored by another prisoner to aid him in proving his innocence of a crime for which he is sentenced to death. Zatoichi is reluctant to get involved, because he knows how often such involvement has led to trouble in the past.

Zatoichi no uta ga kikoeru
Zatoichi no uta ga kikoeru

Zatoichi comes upon a dying man who asks him to give a bag of money to "Taichi". Zatoichi has no idea who this is but when he comes upon a small town harassed by gangsters, he finds that "Taichi" was the man's young son.

Zatoichi tekka tabi
Zatoichi tekka tabi

Zatoichi tekka tabi

1967 1h 33m Dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda

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.

Zatôichi kenka-daiko
Zatôichi kenka-daiko

Zatôichi kenka-daiko

1968 1h 24m Dir. Kenji Misumi
5

Zatoichi is forced to kill a young man who owes a debt to a yakuza boss. Moments later, his sister Osode arrives with the money she earned (prostituting herself) to pay his debts.

Shin zatô Ichi: Yabure! Tôjin-ken
Shin zatô Ichi: Yabure! Tôjin-ken

Zatoichi is a blind massage therapist and swordsman who finds out that something troubling is taking place on the outskirts of town. After discovering who the guilty parties are -- an accomplished Chinese martial artist named Wang Kang and his youthful attendant -- Zatoichi finds them and discovers that the pair's mixed up with a dangerous bunch...

Zatôichi goyô-tabi
Zatôichi goyô-tabi

Zatôichi goyô-tabi

1972 1h 28m Dir. Kazuo Mori

Blind masseur and master swordsman Zatoichi finds a robbed and fatally wounded pregnant woman, whose baby he delivers before she dies. He takes the baby in search of its father and finds the child's aunt, who is about to be forced into prostitution for want of a payment the dead mother was bringing.

Shin Zatôichi monogatari: Kasama no chimatsuri
Shin Zatôichi monogatari: Kasama no chimatsuri

Zatoichi, the famed blind swordsman, returns to his home village for the first time in many years. He is befriended by Omiyo, who had the same wet-nurse as Zatoichi.

Zatôichi
Zatôichi

Zatôichi

1989 1h 56m

Older, wiser but still a wandering loner, the blind, peace-loving masseur Ichi seeks a peaceful life in a rural village. When he's caught in the middle of a power struggle between two rival Yakuza clans, his reputation as a deadly defender of the innocent is put to the ultimate test in a series of sword-slashing showdowns.

Snapshots from this collection

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