The Tale of Zatoichi

1962 1h 36m JA

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 163

AdventureActionDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The adventures of a blind, gambling masseur and master swordsman. Zatoichi targets a yakuza-controlled village, because war with a neighbouring town's smaller gang is brewing.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Shintarō Katsu
Zatôichi
Masayo Banri
Otane
Ryūzō Shimada
Shigezô
Hajime Mitamura
Hanji
Shigeru Amachi
Miki Hirate
Michirō Minami
Tatekichi
Eijirō Yanagi
Sukegorô
Toshio Chiba
Masakichi

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kenji Misumi
Writers: Minoru Inuzuka, Kan Shimozawa
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

64 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kenji Misumi, shot by Chikashi Makiura. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Akira Ifukube. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Kanji Suganuma shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Shintarō Katsu and Masayo Banri and Ryūzō Shimada carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0056714 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kenji Misumi directs. Chikashi Makiura behind the camera. Akira Ifukube scores. Kanji Suganuma cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

164 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Part of the "Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Kenji Misumi, shot by Chikashi Makiura. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Akira Ifukube. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Kanji Suganuma shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Shintarō Katsu and Masayo Banri and Ryūzō Shimada carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0056714 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 13 themes, including "japan", "samurai", "based on novel or book", "yakuza".

The technical file

Cinematography: Chikashi Makiura
Original score: Akira Ifukube
Editing: Kanji Suganuma
Production design: Akira Naitō
Runtime: 96 min · 1h 36m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
Certification (US): 16
IMDB: The Tale of Zatoichi (1962)

Part of

Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection

The colossally popular Zatoichi films make up the longest-running action series in Japanese history and created one of the screen’s great heroes: an itinerant blind masseur who also happens to be a lightning-fast swordsman. As this iconic figure, the charismatic and earthy Shintaro Katsu became an instant superstar, lending a larger-than-life presence to the thrilling adventures of a man who lives staunchly by a code of honor and delivers justice in every town and village he enters.