Zatôichi kenka-tabi (1963)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Kimiyoshi Yasuda

Writers:

Minoru Inuzuka (writer)
Kan Shimosawa (story)

Release Date:

27 June 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama

Plot:

Blind swordsman/masseuer Ichi (or "Zatoichi") is asked by a dying man to deliver the maiden Mitsu (or "Omitsu") to her family in Edo...

Plot Keywords:

Zatoichi | Sword Fight | Katana Sword | Katana | Sword

Cast

Shintarô Katsu	...	Zatôichi / Ichi, a zatô in the Tôdô-za (guild for the blind)
Shiho Fujimura	...	Mitsu
Ryuzo Shimada	...	Jingorô (as Ryuuzô Shimada)
Reiko Fujiwara	...	Hisa
Matasaburo Niwa	...	Yamada
Yoshio Yoshida	...	Boss Tomegoro of Kagotame
Sonosuke Sawamura	...	Boss Tobei of Shimozuma
Shôsaku Sugiyama	...	Boss Hikozo of Doyama
Yutaka Nakamura	...	Matsu
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gen Kimura	...	Yakuza enforcer
Teruko Omi	...	Palaquin receptionist

Also Known As:

Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi, Fighting Journey
Zatôichi (short title)
Zatôichi 5 (Japan) (series title)
Zatoichi and the Scoundrels
Zatoichi on the Road
Zatoichi's Fighting Journey (USA)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Daiei Studios

Movie Connections:

Followed by Zatôichi abare tako (1964)

Chivalry is tested

When Zatoichi accidentally met an unknown dying man, who asked him to save an unknown maiden, he felt obligated. He didn't even have to promise. Time and again, he did everything in his power to save the maiden in several occassions. But when he took side on a feudal quarrel, he found himself choosing between which one to honor better: The request of a dying man or the contract he made with one of the gang leaders. You've guessed what he opted. Modern gangsters may have a different code of ethics.