Zatôichi (1989)

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... See full summary »

Director:

Shintarô Katsu

Writers:

Tatsumi Ichiyama (screenplay), Shintarô Katsu (screenplay)

Stars:

Shintarô Katsu, Kanako Higuchi, Takanori Jinnai

Cast

Credited cast:
Shintarô Katsu	...	Zatôichi / Ichi, a zatô in the Tôdô-za
Kanako Higuchi	...	Boss Han Bosatsu
Takanori Jinnai	...	Inspector Hanshu
Ryûtarô Gan	...	Boss Goemon (as Takehiro Okumura)
Yûya Uchida	...	Boss Akabei
Toyomi Kusano	...	Ume
Tsurutarô Kataoka	...	Tsuru
Miho Nakayama
Ken Ogata	...	Rônin / Masterless samurai
Norihei Miki	...	Zatoichi's friend
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Naonori Aihara
Ryo Akashi
Buntaro Aoyanaki
Yosuke Ara
Gô Awazu	...	Kame

Storyline

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 Yakuza clans, his reputation as a deadly defender of the innocent is put to the ultimate test in a series of sword-slashing showdowns.

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Plot Keywords:

zatoichi | twenty sixth part | cult film | directed by star | jail | 

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Taglines:

Darkness is his ally [USA]

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

4 February 1989 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Shintaro Katsu's Zatoichi

Filming Locations:

Eiga-mura, Kanami, Kanae-chô, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Katsu Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

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).

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Connections

Follows The Tale of Zatoichi (1962)

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Soundtracks

Tsugaru Jongara Bushi
Sung by Kazuko Matsumura

User Reviews

Shintaro Katsu's Crowning Achievement

For better or worse, Shintaro Katsu's career was defined by his portrayal of Zatoichi, the wandering masseur and blind swordsman of the yakuza. I think it's definitely for the better, because Zatoichi is and will be remembered as one of the most enduring characters in international cinema history.

The Zatoichi series began in the early 1960's and was a popular television saga in Japan. The movie releases extended the series' appeal, and enhanced the fame of Katsu and his Zatoichi character by bringing them both to an international audience.

While casual viewers or dilettante observers of the Zatoichi saga might discount the movies due to their ultra-violent content or seeming appeal to male-only audiences, such opinions would surely lack credibility.

The Zatoichi stories are carefully-written morality plays in the context of feudal Japan and its world of starving peasants and oppressed citizenry, corrupt government lords, gangsters and itinerant samurai. Amid this squalor, there are also bountiful instances throughout the series that illustrate and celebrate the inimitable beauty and uniqueness of Japan; its music, art, wardrobe, family life, social decorum, food, drink, natural resources and environment, architecture, etc.

As a human being, and because of the underlying universality of the storytelling, it is only natural to be able to connect on both a visceral and intellectual level with the people in these tales and their struggles, even if the swordsmanship and particular traditions of ancient Japan depicted are experientially unknown to you.

This movie, better known as "Darkness is His Ally," also as "Zatoichi 26," was the final installment of the Zatoichi saga. Directed by Katsu, it is impressively detailed in every respect -- scripting, shot selection, editing, pace, music, production design, set design and more.

Despite the domination of male-oriented scenes, in this movie as well as the entire Zatoichi series, women are regarded with high esteem, even reverence; not only for their beauty but also because of their wisdom. One very tender sequence in this movie between Zatoichi and young Oume, played by Miho Nakayama, echoes this series-wide attribution of bodhisattva- or goddess-like status to women.

Another unforgettable sequence in this movie is the time-arresting, unspeakable beauty of vocalist Kazuko Matsumura's performance of a somber, traditional Japanese song called the "Jongara Bushi." It's a duet she sings in a bar/restaurant/hotel with a shamisen accompaniment. Her folk singing style, gliding through microtones rather than using vibrato, still sends chills up my spine. For me it is one of the most memorable live vocal performances in a movie ever.

Shintaro Katsu was well known as a Kabuki actor and musician prior to taking the role of Zatoichi. He was also a writer, producer and director. His artistic conflict with Akira Kurosawa on the maestro's film "Kagemusha" is well documented, as were his brushes with the law for marijuana use (a major taboo in Japan to this day). His was a restless artistic spirit, and one can imagine that the singular strength of the Zatoichi character perhaps handcuffed his creative diversity and aged him prematurely. He passed away in 1997 at only 65 years old.

Even if Katsu felt his creative palette was unfulfilled, the world will still be forever appreciative and enriched for what he gave us: One of the most enduring cinematic characters of all time -- Zatoichi.