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Zatoichi and the Chess Expert

Original title: Zatôichi jigoku-tabi
  • 1965
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
ActionAdventureDrama

A samurai with a high skill in chess makes friends with Zatoichi, who finds that things become peculiar in his presence.A samurai with a high skill in chess makes friends with Zatoichi, who finds that things become peculiar in his presence.A samurai with a high skill in chess makes friends with Zatoichi, who finds that things become peculiar in his presence.

  • Director
    • Kenji Misumi
  • Writers
    • Daisuke Itô
    • Kan Shimozawa
  • Stars
    • Shintarô Katsu
    • Mikio Narita
    • Chizu Hayashi
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    1.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kenji Misumi
    • Writers
      • Daisuke Itô
      • Kan Shimozawa
    • Stars
      • Shintarô Katsu
      • Mikio Narita
      • Chizu Hayashi
    • 11User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos61

    Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Kaneko Iwasaki and Naoko Fujiyama in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Kaneko Iwasaki and Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Mikio Narita in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Mikio Narita in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Mikio Narita in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Kaneko Iwasaki and Rokkô Toura in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Kaneko Iwasaki and Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Kaneko Iwasaki and Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
    Kaneko Iwasaki in Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Shintarô Katsu
    Shintarô Katsu
    • Zatoichi
    Mikio Narita
    Mikio Narita
    • Tadasu Jumonji
    Chizu Hayashi
    Chizu Hayashi
    • Kume
    Kaneko Iwasaki
    Kaneko Iwasaki
    • Tane
    Gaku Yamamoto
    Gaku Yamamoto
    • Tomonoshin Sagawa
    Saburô Date
    Saburô Date
    Tatsuo Endô
    Tatsuo Endô
    • Yakuza boss of Ejimaya
    Takuya Fujioka
    Takuya Fujioka
    Naoko Fujiyama
    Naoko Fujiyama
    • Miki
    Ryutaro Gomi
    Ryô Horikawa
    Ryô Horikawa
    Kanae Kobayashi
    • Widow Tarozaemon
    Keiko Koyanagi
    Tarô Marui
    Tarô Marui
    • Roppei
    Fujio Suga
    Fujio Suga
    • Injury prone Banyu yakuza
    Rokkô Toura
    Rokkô Toura
    Ichirô Yamamoto
    • Director
      • Kenji Misumi
    • Writers
      • Daisuke Itô
      • Kan Shimozawa
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film is part of the jidai-geki genre, which translates to 'period drama'. It is also a 'chanbara' (sword fighting) film.
    • Quotes

      Zatoichi: You have to understand, Otane. The man you're looking at is dirt. And everyone who comes close to him or touches him, in one way or another gets muddied by that dirt. There's nothing I can do about being dirt myself, but I don't want you to get mired in my dirt.

    • Connections
      Followed by Zatoichi's Vengeance (1966)

    User reviews11

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Good entry in the Zatoichi series.
    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.
    helpful•11
    0
    • susansweb
    • Jan 21, 2003

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 24, 1965 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Затойчи и шахматный мастер
    • Production company
      • Daiei Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 27 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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