Zatoichi and the Chess Expert

Good combination of humor, action and a couple of twists (although if one watches enough of the Zatoichi movies, twists should be expected). I especially thought in this movie, Zatoichi came across more human and not just the guy that hides his cleverness through bumbling. Things to watch for: Zatoichi hustling the dice players but also failing at his own game, the battle in the swamp with his desperate search for the box of medicine and not one but two suspenseful battles at the end. His discussion with the chess expert on fighting was also insightful. There are swordfights and these last a little longer than the earlier movies but no geysers of blood or decapitated limbs so stay away if you are looking for that.