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...
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Title: Zatoichi (1989)
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The Tale of Zatoichi
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Director:
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Zatoichi Challenged
(1967)
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Director:
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Adventures of Zatoichi
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Action
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Zatoichi the Outlaw
(1967)
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Zatoichi the Fugitive
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Edit
Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
| Shintarô Katsu | ... | Zatôichi / Ichi, a zatô in the Tôdô-za | |
 |
Kanako Higuchi | ... | Boss Han Bosatsu |
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Takanori Jinnai | ... | Inspector Hanshu |
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Ryûtarô Gan | ... | Boss Goemon (as Takehiro Okumura) |
|
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Yûya Uchida | ... | Boss Akabei |
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Toyomi Kusano | ... | Ume |
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Tsurutarô Kataoka | ... | Tsuru |
| Miho Nakayama | |||
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Ken Ogata | ... | Rônin / Masterless samurai |
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Norihei Miki | ... | Zatoichi's friend |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Naonori Aihara | ||
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Ryo Akashi | ||
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Buntaro Aoyanaki | ||
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Yosuke Ara | ||
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Gô Awazu | ... | Kame |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
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. Written by Tokyo Shock
Taglines:
Darkness is his ally [USA] See more »Parents Guide:
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
JapanLanguage:
JapaneseRelease Date:
4 February 1989 (Japan) See more »Also Known As:
Shintaro Katsu's Zatoichi See more »Filming Locations:
Eiga-mura, Kanami, Kanae-chô, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, JapanCompany Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
StereoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The last Zatoichi film to star Shintarô Katsu (who also produced, wrote and directed this film). See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Shintaro Katsu is an actor who needs no introduction. Having played the rascal Zatoichi, the Blind Swordsman, in 26 films, he knew exactly what made those films so indelible. Though he had directed a few smaller films in the past (including Zatoichi in Desperation), this was his largest budgeted and most personal work.
Zatoichi: Darkness is his Ally, is a breathtakingly beautiful film, shot with almost totally natural lighting. In fact, the photography of the film is near brilliant in it's lighting and set-up. Katsu's handling of the action scenes is absolutely top-notch. Kudos must be given to the final set piece, which I dare-say may be one of the best sword battles in Chanbara film history.
But it is Katsu's moving, final performance as the wandering swordsman, that gives this film it's weight. His mere presence is so compelling, and his carrying of even the smallest of scenes so capable, that you wish the film would just continue forever, just to bask in a master actor's radiance that much longer.
Some people may balk at the slightly episodic (and convoluted) storyline, but there are so many beautifully handled scenes, you can easily forgive any of the films flaws. Samurai film fans, take note, this is one movie you don't want to miss.