Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersSundance Film FestivalIndependent Spirit AwardsBlack History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Zatoichi

Original title: Zatôichi
  • 19891989
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 56m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
Zatoichi (1989)
ActionDrama
Older, wiser but still a wandering loner, the blind, peace-loving masseur Ichi seeks a peaceful life in a rural village. When he's caught in the middle of a power struggle between two rival ... Read allOlder, wiser but still a wandering loner, the blind, peace-loving masseur Ichi seeks a peaceful life in a rural village. When he's caught in the middle of a power struggle between two rival Yakuza clans, his reputation as a deadly defender of the innocent is put to the ultimate t... Read allOlder, wiser but still a wandering loner, the blind, peace-loving masseur Ichi seeks a peaceful life in a rural village. When he's caught in the middle of a power struggle between two rival Yakuza clans, his reputation as a deadly defender of the innocent is put to the ultimate test in a series of sword-slashing showdowns.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
    • Shintarô Katsu
  • Writers
    • Tatsumi Ichiyama(screenplay)
    • Shintarô Katsu(screenplay)
    • Tsutomu Nakamura(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Shintarô Katsu
    • Kanako Higuchi
    • Takanori Jinnai
    • Shintarô Katsu
  • Writers
    • Tatsumi Ichiyama(screenplay)
    • Shintarô Katsu(screenplay)
    • Tsutomu Nakamura(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Shintarô Katsu
    • Kanako Higuchi
    • Takanori Jinnai
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 20User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos56

    Zatoichi (1989)
    Shintarô Katsu and Ken Ogata in Zatoichi (1989)
    Ryûtarô Gan in Zatoichi (1989)
    Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi (1989)
    Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi (1989)
    Zatoichi (1989)
    Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi (1989)
    Takashi Ebata and Takanori Jinnai in Zatoichi (1989)
    Toyomi Kusano in Zatoichi (1989)
    Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi (1989)
    Shintarô Katsu in Zatoichi (1989)
    Shintarô Katsu and Toyomi Kusano in Zatoichi (1989)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Shintarô Katsu
    Shintarô Katsu
    • Zatôichi…
    Kanako Higuchi
    Kanako Higuchi
    • Boss Han Bosatsu
    Takanori Jinnai
    Takanori Jinnai
    • Inspector Hanshu
    Ryûtarô Gan
    Ryûtarô Gan
    • Boss Goemon
    • (as Takehiro Okumura)
    Yûya Uchida
    Yûya Uchida
    • Boss Akabei
    Toyomi Kusano
    Toyomi Kusano
    • Ume
    Tsurutarô Kataoka
    • Tsuru
    Miho Nakayama
    Miho Nakayama
    Ken Ogata
    Ken Ogata
    • Rônin…
    Norihei Miki
    Norihei Miki
    • Zatoichi's friend
    Naonori Aihara
    Ryo Akashi
    Buntaro Aoyanaki
    Yosuke Ara
    Gô Awazu
    • Kame
    Daisuke Ban
    Hisae Doi
    Takashi Ebata
    Takashi Ebata
      • Shintarô Katsu
    • Writers
      • Tatsumi Ichiyama(screenplay)
      • Shintarô Katsu(screenplay)
      • Tsutomu Nakamura(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Zatoichi's Conspiracy
    7.1
    Zatoichi's Conspiracy
    Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
    7.4
    Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
    Zatoichi on the Road
    7.2
    Zatoichi on the Road
    Zatoichi in Desperation
    6.8
    Zatoichi in Desperation
    Zatoichi's Cane Sword
    7.5
    Zatoichi's Cane Sword
    Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman
    7.1
    Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman
    Zatoichi and the Fugitives
    7.3
    Zatoichi and the Fugitives
    Zatoichi and the Chess Expert
    7.3
    Zatoichi and the Chess Expert
    The Tale of Zatoichi
    7.6
    The Tale of Zatoichi
    Samaritan Zatoichi
    7.2
    Samaritan Zatoichi
    Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
    7.0
    Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
    Zatoichi Challenged
    7.5
    Zatoichi Challenged

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      On the morning of Monday 26 December 1988, in the movie village (eiga-mura) located in the mountains of Kanami, Ryûtarô Gan (age 24) - eldest son of Shintarô Katsu - stabbed Yukio Katô (age 34) in the neck with a katana long sword, while performing in an action scene for this film. Katô was taken unconscious to the Okayama University Hospital (Okayama Daigaku Igakubu Fuzoku-byôin), where he died as a result of massive blood loss from the neck wound. Hiroshima Prefectural Police determined that the incident was one of professional negligence causing death (gyômujô-kashitsu chishi).
    • Alternate versions
      Also known as, Zatoichi: Darkness is His Ally
    • Connections
      Follows The Tale of Zatoichi (1962)
    • Soundtracks
      Tsugaru Jongara Bushi
      Sung by Kazuko Matsumura

    User reviews20

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    The End of an Era
    Zatôichi returns, older but with his samurai attributes better than ever.

    This, incidentally, is one of the most criticizable aspects of this film: never has Zatôichi killed so many enemies at the same time as in old age. And by the way, never has so much blood been spilled in a Zatôichi film as in this last one, with Shintarô Katsu, who also writes, produces and directs it. No one expects realism in a martial arts film, but Tarantino was not to be anticipated either.

    On another level, it also seemed inappropriate to use a song in English, in a style very from the 80s (slap bass and electronic drums) in the soundtrack of a film set in feudal Japan.

    Nevertheless, it is a good film in the series, with a solid, interesting and action-packed plot. And Shintarô Katsu showed himself at an excellent level this last time he dressed the skin of the character he played for 27 years.
    helpful•0
    0
    • ricardojorgeramalho
    • Jan 19, 2023

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 4, 1989 (Japan)
      • Japan
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Eiga-mura, Kanami, Kanae-chô, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Katsu Production
      • Mitsutomo
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 56 minutes
      • Color
      • Stereo

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Zatoichi (1989)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for Zatoichi (1989)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.