Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman (1971)
"Shin zatô Ichi: Yabure! Tôjin-ken" (original title)

Two of Japan and China's greatest heroic swordsman find themselves caught in a plot to protect a young child. But will national distrust and simple misunderstanding keep the two kindred spirits apart?

Director:

Kimiyoshi Yasuda

Writers:

Kan Shimosawa (story), Takayuki Yamada,

Stars:

Shintarô Katsu, Yu Wang, Watako Hamaki

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Shintarô Katsu	...	Zatôichi
Yu Wang	...	Wang Kong / One-armed Swordsman
Watako Hamaki	...	Sen
Michie Terada	...	Yone
Kôji Nanbara	...	Kakuzen
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tôru Abe	...	Boss Toubei
Katsutoshi Akiyama
Yûtarô Ban
Yi Chang	...	Shamo
Yuuji Hamada
Tokue Hanazawa
Seishirô Hara
Tsutomu Hashimoto
Shirô Itô	...	Stooge
Tadashi Iwata

Storyline

While traveling the Japanese countryside the blind masseur Zatoichi comes across the One Armed Swordsman, Wang Kang, who is in hiding and protecting a child from a corrupt Japanese priest and a group of yakuza. Zatoichi and Wang Kang, each from very different worlds yet heroic swordsman in their own right, at first seem to get along but a language barrier and a series of misunderstanding leads Kang to distrust Ichi. Soon the two heroes are at each other throats while each attempts to stop the true villains from taking the child.

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Plot Keywords:

zatoichi | spear | reverse footage | katana | one armed man | 

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Taglines:

A legendary figure in Japan is Zatoichi - the blind masseur with healing hands and a swift sword.

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Genres:

Drama | Action | Adventure

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Details

Country:

Japan Hong Kong

Language:

Japanese Mandarin

Release Date:

13 January 1971 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daiei Motion Picture Company, Golden Harvest Company, Katsu Production Co. Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Daieicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last Zatoichi film produced by the Daiei Motion Picture Company (which had went bankrupt). Toho Company took over the films for the rest of the decade (along with Shintarô Katsu's own Katsu Productions, which coproduced the films since 1967).

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Connections

Follows Zatoichi's Vengeance (1966)

User Reviews

Clash of Cultures

Every culture has it's own fictional world that some obsess and linger in. America has James Bond, a film series spanning over 20 films and 6 actors! Japan has Zatoichi! But, the difference is that only one actor is synonymous with Zatoichi, and that's Shintarô Katsu. And even though the series has it's share of clichés (as do all long running movie series) that are even present in this film Zatoichi has a message that resonates through all his films, and that is one of how to treat people. In this Outing he is paired with The One-Armed Swordsman (Jimmy Yu Wang), another famous Asian Swordsman who hails from Shaw Bros. of China.

This film which features amazing and thrilling action sequences also has a thoughtful side as frustrating scenes between Zatoichi and The One-Armed Swordsman take place, as neither can understand or interpret each others speech which leads to misunderstandings and eventual tragedy. Zatoichi encounters The One-Armed Swordsman with a child in hand that he has rescued from a band of Samurai. But Zatoichi follows and helps the two until he returns from getting food to only find them gone. They are wanted, and Zatoichi is forced to brutally fight to save the lives of those affected. With this film you do not come away with a fully mesmerized Summer Blockbuster mood, but it makes you go away with a sad and epic feeling that is induced by the films exciting and symbolic ending that proves the depth of this series' theme - "Treat others as you want to be treated"