The Tale of Zatoichi
is a 1962 Japanese chanbara film directed by Kenji Misumi and based on the 1948 essay of the same name by Kan Shimozawa. It is the first installment in a long-running jidaigeki film series starring Shintaro Katsu as the blind swordsman Zatoichi.
Plot
The blind masseur Zatoichi is hired by yakuza gang-leader Sukegoro (Eijiro Yanagi) as he thinks that war is inevitable with the rival yakuza Shigezo (Ryuzo Shimada). Zatoichi has a distinguished reputation as a swordsman and Sukegoro thinks he is money well spent. Shigezo responds by hiring a ronin of similar repute, Miki Hirate (Shigeru Amachi). Ichi is a meek and humble man who is commonly underestimated by most men, and looked upon suspiciously. His being a masseur, which was a position of low regard in feudal Japan, merely increases the hostility that is shown towards him. They even try to take advantage of his blindness in a gambling den, but from early on it is clear that Zatoichi draws strength from his disability.
More details
author | Kan Shimozawa |
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director | Kenji Misumi |
editor | Kanji Suganuma |
genre | adventure |
keywords | disillusion feudal japan fight gamble massage masseur rōnin take advantage tuberculosis underestimated |
musicBy | Akira Ifukube |
producer | Ikuo Kubodera |
productionCompany | Daiei Film |
publisher | Daiei Film |
theme | japanese jidaigeki yakuza |